info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

After outcry over Merriam pool, council votes to bump up size. But some still unhappy

info2018-07-25T11:02:12-05:00July 25th, 2018|

For many longtime Merriam residents, the essence of summer has been hanging out at the 50-meter Vavra Park community pool that they consider the best in Johnson County, with its high-dive board and children’s play area. So when they found out recently that the new $30 million community center and aquatics center would lead to a smaller outdoor pool with no high-dive board, they felt blindsided over what they considered to be a broken promise from the city. Tina Cheatham and several other residents complained Monday to the City Council that reducing the outdoor pool wasn’t explained in campaign materials before [...]

Hays to discuss annexation for potential development of Tractor Supply Co.

info2018-07-25T11:00:38-05:00July 25th, 2018|

The Hays City Commission at its next regular meeting Thursday will decide whether to annex and approve a 6-acre piece of farm ground at 48th St. and Roth Ave. for development as a Tractor Supply Co. retail store. The location is north of Interstate 70 catercorner from Sunflower Bank and just north of Wal-Mart on land called the Crawford Addition. The land is owned by Crawford Supply Co., Hays, which is seeking annexation to receive city services, rezoning from agriculture to commercial, and plat approval. Tractor Supply plans to buy 3.6 acres. The remaining 2.6 acres continues up for sale, said [...]

Valley Center residents could see an increase in recycling fees

info2018-07-25T10:57:00-05:00July 25th, 2018|

On average 42.75 tons of recyclables are collected in Valley Center each month. The city says right now the recycling industry is changing and that could mean changes for Valley Center residents. Jim Gilson, is one of many Valley Center residents, who supports recycling in his community, “I think recycling is a good thing. I just think it's good for the environment, good for the economy. I think it's the right thing to do.” The recycling discussion started after the city received a number of phone calls about the Waste Connections recycling dumpster that was removed from the Leeker’s parking lot. [...]

Salina city commission restricts use of electronic devices

info2018-07-25T10:54:43-05:00July 25th, 2018|

The Salina City Commission voted 5-0 Monday to prohibit commissioners from using electronic devices, such as cellphones or computer tablets, for real-time interactive conversations during meetings. Rules govern how commissioners speak to each other and people in the audience, Commissioner Trent Davis said. He and his fellow commissioners should not be communicating privately with each other, with people in the audience or with people watching on television, he said. The use of electronic devices is prohibited in many situations, such as in doctors’ offices, church, airlines, classes, he said. Commissioner Melissa Rose Hodges said she could get behind the idea of [...]

Should the OP Farmers’ Market move to Santa Fe Commons Park? Crowd sends loud message

info2018-07-25T10:53:37-05:00July 25th, 2018|

A large and vocal crowd reacted negatively last week to potential concepts for moving the Overland Park Farmers’ Market to a nearby park. Many also were critical of the idea of major changes even without moving the market to Santa Fe Commons Park. “Leave it like it is,” said Byron Townsend, one of about 100 people who attended a July 19 meeting to discuss possible improvements to the park, at 8045 Santa Fe Drive, between Santa Fe Drive and Overland Park Drive in downtown Overland Park. Townsend and others complained that they had suggested only modest changes to the park at [...]

Shawnee approves plans to convert former Johnson County Museum building into office space

info2018-07-25T10:52:08-05:00July 25th, 2018|

The former Johnson County Museum site in Shawnee is now zoned for professional office use, repurposing the 91-year-old building and putting it back on the tax rolls. The Shawnee council on Monday unanimously approved the planning commission’s recommendation to rezone the former Johnson County Museum property from single-family residential to professional office use. The new owner, Lackman Civic Center LLC, which recently bought the property from Johnson County, plans to convert the building at 6305 Lackman Road into office space. The building is now vacant because Johnson County moved the museum to the former King Louie facility — now called the [...]

Reno County probably won’t replace bridge that collapsed in June

info2018-07-25T10:47:54-05:00July 25th, 2018|

It appears Reno County will not replace the 108th Avenue bridge between Worthington and Woodberry roads on the Reno/McPherson county line. McPherson County officials decided they weren’t interested in contributing to the cost. It’s estimated it would cost the two counties $455,000. Reno County would have paid 58 percent of that cost. The bridge was recently closed after a tractor hauling grain caused it to collapse. As it stands now, officials may close that road to through traffic. In 2006, the county did a traffic count and only 10 vehicles per day actually used that road. No final decision was made. [...]

Fate of recycling in the balance

info2018-07-25T07:35:05-05:00July 25th, 2018|

The City of Valley Center could drop curbside recycling service. The council on July 17 learned that the city's franchise trash and recycling hauler, Waste Management, wants a monthly fee increase to cover the cost of recycling, even though its contract with the city through 2020 doesn't call for one. Ammon Taylor with Waste Management said the recycling industry underwent a seismic shift when the world's largest purchaser, China, put clamps on the purity level of the recycling it would accept and banned certain products altogether at the beginning of the year, increasing processing costs and decreasing revenue. Read more: Ark [...]

Park City takes input on plan

info2018-07-25T06:35:09-05:00July 25th, 2018|

The City of Park City, in conjunction with the Wichita Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, is launching a Pedestrian Connectivity Plan process that will provide recommendations to guide the City's development of its sidewalks and trail systems into destination-based networks. The City is looking for public input to help create connections and identify ways to enhance the overall quality of life in the City of Park City. The feedback the City gains from the public will help to determine what needs and desires exist so that the vision and goals of the project can be set and improvements shaped to fulfil these [...]

Public bike sharing program launched in Lakin, Deerfield

info2018-07-24T09:35:14-05:00July 24th, 2018|

Fifteen white and baby blue bicycles are available for public use in Lakin and Deerfield as part of new bike share program developed by the Kearny County Wellness Coalition. “The community has been incredibly excited about it,” said Krysta Harvey, KCWC chairperson, noting that the Coalition’s Facebook post about the new bikes last week was by far their most popular social media post ever. In early June, the Coalition launched BikeShareMaps.com, a free bicycle rental service in Lakin and Deerfield. Bicycles and special racks were put in place last week and are ready to go now. BikeShare.Maps.com is available for immediate [...]

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