info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

New Kansas law mandates safe driving around garbage trucks

info2018-08-06T10:14:43-05:00August 6th, 2018|

Kansas has joined 18 other states in adopting a law requiring motorists to use caution around garbage trucks by making driver carelessness a fineable offense. A ticket for what is now known as “unlawful passing of a waste collection vehicle” will cost an offender $45 starting July 1, 2019. Until then, police will hand out warnings. The Kansas law took effect this month. Motorists are required to treat stopped garbage trucks with “due caution,” meaning they must slow down when nearing the truck and give it space when passing. Exactly what constitutes “due caution” will depend on the given circumstances and [...]

Break It Down: More than a Paperweight, Using an Emergency Management Plan

info2018-08-06T10:11:33-05:00August 6th, 2018|

Most people begin the new year with hope and wishes. In 2015, however, senior staff at the City of Raymore, Missouri, started the year with an intense session focused on doom and gloom. Our resolution for the year was to get prepared for an emergency. Not just say we would do it, or deal with it “later,” but to actually pull the emergency response plan off the shelf and spend some time getting up close and personal with it. (Read more: ELGL)

‘The power of convening’: Topeka mayor absorbs Harvard, Bloomberg leadership opportunity

info2018-08-06T10:07:19-05:00August 6th, 2018|

Mayor Michelle De La Isla recently spent three days in New York City exploring the dynamics of leadership, tough challenges facing local governments, best-practices being utilized in other communities and creating a network of support that she believes will change the way she leads Topeka. De La Isla was selected as one of 40 mayors from around the world to participate in the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative. A one-year program, the opportunity launched with three days in New York City that she could only assess as being “stupid, ridiculously amazing.” The program, De La Isla said, was founded by New [...]

Deal resolves water use dispute between Kansas, Colorado

info2018-08-06T07:31:57-05:00August 6th, 2018|

Colorado has agreed to pay Kansas $2 million in a settlement resolving claims regarding Colorado’s past use of water under the Republican River Compact. Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer said in a news release Friday that the settlement is an investment in the basin to ensure a better future for Kansas water users. The Republican River Compact allocates the waters of the basins between the states of Colorado, Nebraska and Kansas. Under the provisions of the settlement , Kansas agreed to pursue “a good faith effort” to spend the money Colorado paid for the benefit of the South Fork of the Republican [...]

City of Wichita looking for ice rink fix

info2018-08-06T07:27:43-05:00August 6th, 2018|

The floors are still dry at the Wichita Ice Center, which leaves many people wondering what the plan is for the facility. "The ice was actually literally melting under our skates, said hockey player James Carpenter. "We were playing the last game before they shut things down. We were dropping the puck in puddles of water wondering what the heck is going on." Last week, the chiller that keeps the ice frozen had an ammonia leak, causing the ice to melt. Even though no on was ever in any danger from the gas, Public Works Director Alan King says that after [...]

Wind farm reps update Neosho County on project

info2018-08-06T07:25:25-05:00August 6th, 2018|

Representatives of a wind farm planned for southwest Neosho County met with county commissioners Thursday evening to update them on the project. Senior Development Manager Jade Scheele and Julianna Pianelle of Apex Clean Energy met with Neosho County commissioners and discussed agreements for road use and other aspects of the Neosho Ridge wind project. “We’re excited that the community has been so welcoming,” Scheele said. The project is planned for 40,000 acres between Thayer and Erie. She said the Charlottesville, Va.-based company has leased 35,000. They are still determining the turbine design, which could determine the number needed to generate 300 [...]

City to look at updating ordinances, including school bus fines

info2018-08-06T07:19:52-05:00August 6th, 2018|

Changes in traffic ordinances for Kansas cities will introduce stiffer fines for passing a stopped school bus. “This is a huge problem across the state and in our community,” said Hays Chief of Police Don Scheibler in comments to the Hays city commissioners during their work session Thursday evening. “We tend to have people drive around school buses with the stop sign extended.” Scheibler briefed the commissioners on the 2018 changes to traffic ordinances by the Kansas Legislature for Kansas cities. He and city staff recommend the commissioners at their next regular meeting Aug. 9 adopt the new ordinances. They cover [...]

Next steps underway to bring Edwards County water to Hays and Russell

info2018-08-06T07:18:17-05:00August 6th, 2018|

Hays City Manager Toby Dougherty expects to see more progress the end of August in the city’s decades-long effort to ease its water shortage by drawing groundwater from its R9 ranch in Edwards County. That’s when the Kansas Division of Water Resources is expected to make official the city’s application to use the water for municipal purposes instead of its current use for crop irrigation. The move is one tiny, but critical, baby step in the lengthy process for Hays and the city of Russell to win state approval to use the water from land Hays purchased in 1994 for the [...]

Software in Sedgwick County’s new voting machines confusing

info2018-08-06T07:15:18-05:00August 6th, 2018|

software design issue with Sedgwick County's new voting machines is confusing some early voters. The Wichita Eagle reports that not all the candidates' names appear on the first screen of the gubernatorial race. To see all the names, a voter has to touch "more" at the bottom of the screen to open another page with the rest of the candidates. The main reason is there are so many candidates running for governor. State law also requires each ballot line to include the names of the candidate and running mate and the cities where they live. The machine can only handle four [...]

Butler County considers shutdown of business with acres of junk: ‘It’s just going to get worse’

info2018-08-03T07:42:21-05:00August 3rd, 2018|

Butler County officials are moving toward shutting down a plastics recycling business they say has become such an eyesore that other industrial companies don’t want to be around it. The commission may take the rare step of revoking the business permit of Integrated Plastics Solutions, a company that recycles plastic and other industrial waste. Without that permit, the company can’t legally continue to operate and would have to shut down, officials said. “IPS has ignored the county and allowed the condition of the property to continue to be an eyesore,” said a staff report on the situation. (Read more: Wichita Eagle)

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