info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

SEC, market need to hammer out uncertainties in muni disclosure law

info2023-01-11T08:36:20-06:00January 10th, 2023|

A controversial new law requiring cities and states to standardize their disclosure raises a bevy of questions that market participants and regulators will need to answer to pave the way for implementation. That's the message from Ernesto Lanza of Ballard Spahr, who wrote a white paper on the newly passed Financial Disclosures Transparency Act along with the firm's Teri Guarnaccia and Kimberly Magrini. "The ability to collect data in a structured way makes a lot of sense, but it's going to be an interesting journey to get to something that works," Lanza said. "There's a lot of uncertainties to be dealt [...]

Iola weighs merits of development costs

info2023-01-11T08:37:11-06:00January 10th, 2023|

Iola City Council members will mull over a request for an incentives package to entice a developer to build a series of duplexes at the north edge of town. The request from Gabriel Woodman of Merak Development, Springfield, Mo., comes with a stiff price tag, Council members acknowledged Monday. Woodman has requested the city extend at least two blocks of streets into the undeveloped land at what was once Cedarbrook Golf Course, at an expected cost of $1 million. Woodman is also asking the city to donate the land for what will be 10 duplexes. Source: The Iola Register

Lawrence and Douglas County seek public’s feedback on draft wind regulations

info2023-01-11T08:37:34-06:00January 10th, 2023|

Lawrence and Douglas County community members are invited to a meeting Thursday and an open house on Jan. 30 to discuss a new draft of wind energy regulations. The Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Commission directed city staff members to review Wind Energy Conversion System (WECS) regulations “in order to better align the wind regulations with recently adopted solar regulations,” according to a news release from the city. The draft regulations are now available for public comment... According to the release, “A WECS is a system of wind-driven generators that convert wind energy into electrical power. An individual machine is also referred to [...]

Kansas House leadership lay out united plan for 2023 session

info2023-01-11T08:38:13-06:00January 10th, 2023|

There are eight major areas that Republicans are calling their "a better way" platform. It covers almost everything impacting Kansas today, from taxes and workforce development to education and healthcare. "Yesterday was pretty much a ceremonial today, [now] we get to work and we all are ready to get to work," said Representative Dan Hawkins. For the Republican leadership of the Kansas House and Senate, getting back to work Tuesday meant laying out their plans for this year's legislative session, releasing its platform called "a better way." "The senate president and I started talking four months ago," Hawkins said. "And the [...]

Stocks (and Interest Rates) Tick Higher With Fed Officials’ Comments

info2023-01-10T09:28:09-06:00January 10th, 2023|

U.S. stocks rose, as investors parsed Fed remarks indicating a higher-for-longer rates outlook and awaited comments from Fed Chairman Jerome Powell. Yields on U.S. government bonds edged higher Tuesday. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note climbed to 3.595% from 3.516% on Monday. ... Mary Daly, president of the San Francisco Fed and Raphael Bostic, president of the Atlanta Fed, in comments Monday both highlighted that interest rates would need to rise above 5% and remain there for some time. The Fed’s benchmark rate is currently a range of between 4.25% and 4.5%. “The critical question on everyone’s mind right [...]

Topeka to punt on car insurance

info2023-01-10T09:17:46-06:00January 10th, 2023|

Motor vehicle insurance is mandatory for all drivers in Kansas. But city governments aren’t required to carry it, and Topeka city manager Stephen Wade has decided to not renew the city’s vehicle coverage. Topeka’s city government is consequently becoming self-insured, in a move anticipated to save it $250,000 a year, city attorney Amanda Stanley told The Capital-Journal. Topeka’s city government has alternated over the years between carrying vehicle insurance and exercising its option of being self-insured, Stanley said. Lawrence’s city government self-insures its vehicles, with accidents involving those vehicles being investigated by the Lawrence Police Department and the city’s risk management [...]

Reno County Commission expands

info2023-01-10T09:15:35-06:00January 10th, 2023|

The Reno County Commission expanded from three commissioners to four on Monday, during the commission’s first meeting of 2023. Voters had extended the commission in November, during a countywide vote, moving the body from three to five commissioners. Due to the resignation of Mark Reese in late December, a new commissioner needed to be appointed. The Reno County Republican Party nominated John Whitesel to fill the vacant position. Source: Hutch News

Lawrence City Commission to discuss potential ban or fee for single-use plastic bags

info2023-01-10T09:13:55-06:00January 10th, 2023|

City leaders will soon discuss policy options to reduce the use of single-use plastic bags in the community, including banning them, charging a fee at checkout or creating an educational campaign. As part of its meeting Tuesday, the Lawrence City Commission will once again take up the topic, which has been in discussion for more than four years. A group of elementary students from Kennedy Elementary brought their concerns about the harmful impact of plastic bags on the environment to the City Commission in 2018. Source: LJWorld

Lawrence City Commission to discuss ballot measure for directly elected mayor, other potential changes to form of government

info2023-01-10T09:13:14-06:00January 10th, 2023|

Lawrence city leaders will soon discuss whether they should ask Lawrence voters about changing the city’s form of government, including the possibility of having a directly elected mayor. The Lawrence City Commission will discuss the potential changes as part of its meeting Tuesday. A task force previously considered the issue in 2021, but the commission did not come to a clear consensus on how to proceed and directed city staff to defer the discussion until this year. The city has not reconsidered its government structure in 70 years, and in 2021 the commission created a task force to study the issue. [...]

10,000 gallons of sewer plant sludge leaks into Slate Creek

info2023-01-10T00:20:06-06:00January 10th, 2023|

You may want to avoid swimming in parts of Sand Creek or Slate Creek any time soon. For one, it’s cold. And two, 10,000 of “sludge” from Newton’s sewer system leaked into the waterways this weekend. According to a City of Newton release, “A valve on the line going from the settling basin (clarifiers) to the digesters failed, causing sludge to be discharged on plant property. Approximately 10,000 gallons of sludge made it to Slate Creek via storm sewers. Slate Creek drains to Sand Creek near the Wastewater Treatment Plant.” This prompted the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to issue [...]

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