info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Schools implement open enrollment as legislators eye bolder policies

info2023-12-25T08:21:11-06:00December 24th, 2023|

Every Kansas school district must implement by the end of the year some form of an open enrollment policy, which allows students to attend public schools outside of their geographical boundaries. Open enrollment was part of House Bill 2567 from the 2022 legislative session. Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly signed the law, which also fully funded K-12 schools, despite objections from some Democrats on open enrollment. Many school districts across the state are just now finalizing their open enrollment policies after learning what they’re legally allowed to do. “There have been organization that have been able to push some information out to [...]

Bel Aire’s city manager retires after 17 years as suburb awaits Integra expansion

info2023-12-22T10:40:08-06:00December 22nd, 2023|

After 17 years in the role, Bel Aire city manager Ty Lasher has announced he will retire on March 29 — a move that comes while the Wichita-based manufacturer Integra Technologies is poised to build a new $1.8-billion semiconductor facility in Bel Aire. Lasher, who said he began discussion about his retirement in 2021, will be replaced by Ted Henry, Bel Aire's assistant city manager for the last 3 years. "Bel Aire is in a great place with a bright future," Lasher, a native of McLouth, said in an emailed statement. "I felt it was time to step aside and allow someone with new [...]

Commerce Awards 2023 SEED Grants to 13 Kansas Communities

info2023-12-22T10:37:42-06:00December 22nd, 2023|

Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced the newest award recipients for the Strategic Economic Expansion and Development (SEED) grant program. In total, 13 recipients will receive nearly $275,000 to invest in small communities across the state. “Our state’s smallest communities are finding new and effective ways to become more economically viable and productive,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “The quality-of-life investments being made through this program will generate economic development success and prosperity for Kansans now and in the future.” Awardees are located in communities with a population of 5,000 or less, as [...]

Mulvane’s Hixson ends career spanning four decades

info2023-12-22T11:40:56-06:00December 22nd, 2023|

When Kent Hixson accepted the job of Mulvane’s city administrator in 1994, little did he know that his service would stretch almost three decades. “Back then, I would have laughed at the idea of staying 29 years,” he said. “I wanted to stay long enough so our two sons could get through high school.” Hixson officially retired from his work with the city in October of 2023. His last city council meeting – after attending hundreds through his years of service – was Oct. 2. “It’s bittersweet,” Hixson said, “but it’s my time to move on and I’m looking forward to [...]

New shared Fire/EMS facility breaks ground

info2023-12-22T10:32:47-06:00December 22nd, 2023|

Ground has officially broken on the Garden City Fire Department and Finney County EMS Station 3. A groundbreaking ceremony was held Tuesday for the facility to be located on the northwest corner of the Schulman Avenue and Jennie Barker Road intersection. Deb Oyler, Garden City Mayor, said the facility is the final project using the 2017 sales tax proceeds that voters of Finney County supported. “Today is not just a celebration of this new joint facility, but it’s a testament to the power of community support and collaboration,” she said. “This is a great opportunity to celebrate the partnerships between Garden City and the [...]

County Commission establishes committee focusing on LEC remodel

info2023-12-22T10:18:52-06:00December 22nd, 2023|

A Law Enforcement Center Remodel Committee was established by the Finney County Commission at their regular meeting Monday. Gerry Schultz, County commissioner, said the purpose for the committee’s creation is to assist in the planning and construction phase of the LEC’s remodel and to assist in communication with the effected parties including the city of Garden City, Garden City Police Department, Finney County and the Sheriff’s Office, and to ensure participation by the County commission in important decisions relating to the planning and construction. Commissioner Duane Drees will serve as the chair of the committee which will be composed of Finney County Administrator [...]

Hesston Fire/EMS transitioning to 24-hour service

info2023-12-22T10:01:11-06:00December 22nd, 2023|

Hesston Fire/EMS will undergo a major overhaul, and residents will see an improvement in service, thanks to a county grant as well as investment from the City of Hesston. That’s according to Hesston Fire/EMS Chief Russ Buller. He said the city council, following a Tuesday work session, gave the go-ahead for a plan that would allow two full-time staff members from the county. The additions would allow Hesston to staff its service for 24 hours per day, five days a week with full-time staff. Part-time staff, previously paid for call response, would be paid minimum wage for on-call hours. Previously, full-time [...]

Wyandotte County residents disagree about whether to dissolve the Unified Government

info2023-12-22T09:48:45-06:00December 22nd, 2023|

In October, the mayors of the three largest cities in Wyandotte County floated the idea of dissolving the Unified Government as an option to address debt and service issues. But not everyone thinks those structural changes are the right approach. The possibility of dissolving the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, is now on the table but it's not clear whether that would be an effective strategy. In October, the mayors of Bonner Springs, Edwardsville and Kansas City, Kansas floated the idea of splitting up the Unified Government, and announced they wanted to hear from residents about how [...]

Panasonic still moving forward with Kansas factory after pulling plans for Oklahoma plant

info2023-12-22T09:46:22-06:00December 22nd, 2023|

A global company has once again decided against building an electric vehicle battery plant near Tulsa despite lawmakers offering a $698 million incentive package and funding millions of dollars in site improvements at the company’s request. A Panasonic spokesperson said Friday that the company will not build a multibillion-dollar battery plant at Pryor’s MidAmerica Industrial Park. “In April 2023, we entered into an agreement with the state of Oklahoma to explore building a factory in the state, with the understanding that we would make a decision about whether or not to move forward at the end of that exploratory process,” Panasonic spokesperson Alison [...]

City of Wichita planting over 1K trees to tackle heat islands

info2023-12-22T09:43:07-06:00December 22nd, 2023|

The City of Wichita will be planting over 1,000 trees to tackle heat islands across Wichita. District 6 Council Member Maggie Ballard held a public meeting on Wednesday afternoon at Emporia Park to discuss how the lack of an extensive tree canopy contributes to the area being identified as a heat island by NASA. After extensive outreach and public input, the Wichita City Council approved a tree policy for the city on Tuesday. "Our goal for the tree policy is to lessen the effect of heat islands across our community," said Ballard. "Implementing a tree policy isn't just about creating a nice green backdrop [...]

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