News – Page 1346 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

City of Golden could prevent warehouses

info2021-08-27T06:40:44-05:00August 27th, 2021|

Petitioners for the proposed city of Golden have sought to create a city to keep intermodal warehouses from being built on land used primarily for rural residential living and agriculture in northern Miami County. Planning Director Teresa Reeves told county commissioners Aug. 18 petitioners could use that strategy if the County Commission votes in favor of incorporation. The vote would have to be unanimous. The approximately 9-square-mile proposed city would be located north of Hillsdale Lake. Reeves told commissioners in her testimony during their Aug. 18 study session — as well as in her written responses to commissioners’ questions — that [...]

Municipal Bond Trends for August 26, 2021

info2021-08-27T06:40:29-05:00August 27th, 2021|

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS "investment grade" yields. Every issuer's credit is different. For rates that may be applicable to your municipality, contact our Municipal Bond Advisors, Larry Kleeman and Beth Warren.

Leadership Kansas tours in Pittsburg to improve communities

info2021-08-27T06:37:44-05:00August 27th, 2021|

Community leaders from across Kansas are in Pittsburg this week. They're hoping to take what they learn in Pittsburg to change their communities for the better. And this could even have an impact in places like Leawood and Wichita. For more than seven months, these leaders travel to regions across the state to see how the communities operate, and speak with local leaders about what makes the area tick. This week, the Kansas Chamber brought 40 community leaders to Pittsburg as part of its annual Leadership Kansas program. Over the next few days, participants will be exploring local attractions, restaurants and [...]

Emporia sets aside $750,000 for staff raises in 2022

info2021-08-27T06:39:29-05:00August 26th, 2021|

Emporia city staff will receive salary increases in 2022, but how much those raises will be and how they will be allocated remain undecided. The topic of city staff wages again came up during the city commission’s Wednesday morning study session as it discussed its 2022 budget. Increasing salaries has been a pressing issue as the commission has worked on its 2022 budget, with commissioners and city staff acknowledging that in the past several years wage adjustments haven’t occurred as often as necessary to keep pay rates competitive with those offered by other communities. In previous sessions, the commission had discussed [...]

Kansas schools prioritize mental health for pandemic aid

info2021-08-26T17:39:24-05:00August 26th, 2021|

Education officials overseeing more than $1.1 billion in federal pandemic aid for Kansas schools say districts are spending much of the money to meet the mental health needs of students and staff. Some Kansas districts are hiring additional counselors and social workers, while others are working with community mental health centers to provide services during school hours so students and staff don't have to leave the campus, said Tate Toedman, assistant director of special education at the Kansas Department of Education who works with districts on relief fund expenditures. Another widespread practice is hiring “intervention specialists” who can work one-on-one or [...]

Kansas ranking counties on COVID status

info2021-08-26T07:03:59-05:00August 26th, 2021|

Kansas public health officials are issuing county COVID-19 rankings intended to help local leaders stop the spread of the coronavirus in their communities. Marci Nielsen, the governor’s chief adviser for COVID-19 coordination, told The Topeka Capital-Journal that local officials should use the ranking to work together in response to the pandemic. “You would want to take this information about your county and figure out who do I need to partner with, because ... this isn’t the responsibility solely of local public health, or solely of doctors in in the community or solely of the county commissioners,” Nielsen said. Source: Salina Journal.

Municipal Bond Trends for August 25, 2021

info2021-08-26T06:54:02-05:00August 26th, 2021|

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS "investment grade" yields. Every issuer's credit is different. For rates that may be applicable to your municipality, contact our Municipal Bond Advisors, Larry Kleeman and Beth Warren.

Sedgwick city council grapples with how to spend excess funds

info2021-08-25T21:20:27-05:00August 25th, 2021|

The City of Sedgwick is between administrators and has a looming budget deadline, so they’ve hired Kristine Polian, former Assistant City Administrator for Finance and Administration at Valley Center as a consultant to provide insight and direction for the budgeting process. Last week, Polian told the council during their monthly work session that what she sees in their financial statements is pretty impressive considering where the city was a few years ago. She presented four budget recommendations for the council to consider. First, establish minimum fund balances for the general fund (25% of fund expenditures), water/sewer (25% of fund expenditures), refuse [...]

South Kansas designated defense manufacturing community

info2021-08-25T21:16:08-05:00August 25th, 2021|

The Department of Defense has designated South Kansas as a defense manufacturing community, making the region eligible for $5 million through a community support program. The initiative is led by Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR). As one of 11 U.S. defense manufacturing communities, South Kansas will strengthen the national security innovation base by expanding ultra-high and high-temperature material characterizations, capabilities, process tools, sustainment planning, technical workforce, and engineering competencies to enhance the defense industrial base capabilities and accelerated weapon system prototype development. Source: Derby Informer | Area

Sedgwick County officially denotes support for Amtrak expansion

info2021-08-26T06:45:46-05:00August 25th, 2021|

In conjunction with the Amtrak Connects US Plan released earlier in 2021, the Sedgwick County Commission officially approved a resolution supporting an extension of Amtrak services from Oklahoma City to Newton – through Wichita – at its Aug. 18 meeting. Amtrak’s plan to expand transportation infrastructure over the next 15 years includes a goal of adding 160 communities to the national passenger rail network – with Wichita (and Arkansas City) among those as part of the proposed Heartland Flyer connection north from Oklahoma City. “Our effort is to make sure that we’re in the top projects on their list, meaning top [...]