News – Page 1856 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

City accepts housing rehabilitation grant

info2020-02-19T18:37:03-06:00February 19th, 2020|

An area of south-central Hutchinson now known as the Creekside neighborhood will be the target of a Community Development Block Grant awarded to the city of Hutchinson last week to upgrade housing. The $265,600 grant is expected to help rehab 10 properties, half owner-occupied and half rental properties, Ryan Hvitlok, director of Planning and Development, advised the Hutchinson City Council on Tuesday. To apply for the grant, the city conducted a housing assessment in June 2019 that looked at conditions of housing, helping identify neighborhoods of highest need. (Read more: Local - The Hutchinson News)

Roeland Park adopts 6-week paid parental leave policy for city employees

info2020-02-20T06:49:39-06:00February 19th, 2020|

The Roeland Park city council on Monday evening unanimously adopted a six-week paid parental leave policy for birth and adoptive mothers as well as spouses and partners. It’s the first policy in northeast Johnson County to offer spouses and partners the same level, Assistant City Administrator Jennifer Jones-Lacy said. Neighboring cities such as Lenexa, Merriam and Mission have expressed interest in such a policy, Jones-Lacy said. Shawnee adopted a paid parental leave policy in January 2019 that provides 240 hours of leave to the parent who gives birth and 120 hour of leave to the parent who does not. (Read more: [...]

Kansas coalition seeks removal of barriers to professional licensing

info2020-02-20T06:52:03-06:00February 19th, 2020|

Retired U.S. Army Col. Chris Croft is convinced a 5-year-old Kansas law removing barriers to occupational licensing, certification and registration for military spouses and service members should be broadened to cover anyone moving to the state. “We need to do the same for all professionals that want to move to Kansas and become Kansas residents,” he said. “It acknowledges that these professionals don’t lose their skills and experience when they move to Kansas.” While a coalition of business lobbying organizations endorse the reform, an alphabet soup of professional licensing boards and occupational associations in Kansas raised questions about the concept endorsed [...]

Study: Incentives help groundwater usage

info2020-02-19T16:42:20-06:00February 19th, 2020|

A study by University of Kansas researchers revealed a five-year, $2.9 million state program offering landowners cash to permanently retire water rights in the High Plains Aquifer was effective in high-priority conservation areas. Analysis of the Kansas Water Right Transition Assistance Program that was developed to trim groundwater or surface water consumption showed incentives had little influence in creek subbasins or in terms of water taken for drinking purposes. The report examined program effectiveness from 2008–2012. “Maybe it’s a start, but it’s not something you would expect to stabilize the depletion,” said Tsvetan Tsvetanov, a KU assistant professor of economics. “This [...]

Firm’s expansion to bring Maize Industrial Park to 100% occupancy five years after opening

info2020-02-20T06:59:34-06:00February 19th, 2020|

A quick five years after opening, the Maize Industrial Park is going to be completely full thanks to Reiloy USA’s expansion plans there. Reiloy, which specializes in component technology in the plastics industry, currently has a 54,000-square-foot building in the park with 68 employees. The company is planning to spend more than $20 million on a new building and machinery. With the expansion, Reiloy also expects to hire 39 more employees in the next five years. (Read more: Carrie Rengers: Business Columns & Blogs |)

Junction City Commission votes to lift pitbull ban

info2020-02-19T06:58:36-06:00February 19th, 2020|

After a vote of 3-2, the Junction City Commission has repealed the city's longstanding ban on pitbull-type dogs. There will still be stipulations in place for pitbull owners within the city. Only two pitbulls are allowed per residence and dogs must be chipped, spayed or neutered and registered with the city. Read more: Junction City Union.

30-year muni yield sets record low at 1.79%

info2020-02-19T06:55:00-06:00February 19th, 2020|

Munis were mixed on Tuesday on the MBIS benchmark scale, with yields falling eight basis points in the 10-year maturity and rising by three basis points in the 30-year maturity. High-grades were also mixed with yields on MBIS AAA scale decreasing by five basis points in the 10-year maturity and increasing by less than one basis point in the 30-year maturity. On Refinitiv Municipal Market Data’s AAA benchmark scale, the yield in the 10-year GO was two basis points lower to 1.16% and the 30-year GO was down three basis points to 1.79%, setting a new record low. The previous record [...]

Topeka woman can’t get liquor license because husband works in law enforcement

info2020-02-19T06:47:40-06:00February 19th, 2020|

Denise Selbee-Koch’s small Topeka business focuses on empowering women. She can’t get a liquor license because of her husband. Kansas law forbids the spouse of a law enforcement officer from selling liquor, a relic of the state’s Prohibition past. Selbee-Koch, who is married to the police chief in Valley Falls, wants to change that. She co-owns Dirty Girl Adventures with Jennifer Woerner. The organization specializes in guided outdoors adventure that is accessible for all ages and fitness levels. The goal is to encourage women to get outside. (Read more: Local - The Topeka Capital-Journal)

Municipal Bond Trends for February 18, 2020

info2020-04-16T08:06:37-05:00February 19th, 2020|

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 Advisors.

City of Topeka to hold budget engagement workshops

info2020-02-18T17:13:29-06:00February 18th, 2020|

Topeka’s city government on Tuesday will hold the first of nine public engagement workshops aimed at giving citizens a chance to learn about the city’s process of crafting its 2021 budget. The gatherings come at a time when city manager Brent Trout has said he might ask the mayor and city council to vote later this year to raise Topeka’s property tax mill levy for the first time they have voted to do that since August 2013. The mayor and council are expected in August to consider approving the city’s 2021 budget. “How would you spend $96.5 million of the city [...]