News – Page 1923 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Utility connection, building permit fees waived for low-income senior housing

info2019-12-04T20:41:16-06:00December 4th, 2019|

Manhattan is waiving more than $90,000 in utility connection and building permit fees for a planned low-income senior living development. The City Commission approved the waiver for the project in Lee Mill Village Tuesday by 4 to 1 vote with Commissioner Wynn Butler opposing. Manhattan had previously agreed to sell the 19 lots to the Manhattan Area Housing Partnership in January. The land was bought by the city in 2012 on a tax sale after a previous development struggled to get off the ground. The land has been slow to sell, leaving Manhattan covering the special assessment taxes and collecting no [...]

County to apply for second Healthy Kansas grant

info2019-12-04T20:39:25-06:00December 4th, 2019|

Bourbon County will take advantage of an opportunity for additional grant funds to promote a healthier community. On Tuesday, Bourbon County Commissioners voted to allow Economic Development Director Jody Hoener to apply for an additional Blue Cross Blue Shield Healthy Communities grant. (Read more: Fort Scott Tribune)

Goessel mayor leads $2.5M sewer project

info2019-12-04T20:34:36-06:00December 4th, 2019|

Dave Schrag has retired from Marion Die and Fixture after 34 years, but Goessel’s mayor still has plenty on his plate. Schrag is heading up a $2.5 million project to fix and renovate the city’s sewer lines. Schrag said the sewer pipes had numerous cracks, which allowed rainwater to run into them, causing a buildup of water in the lagoons. (Read more: HILLSBORO Star-Journal)

Kansas receiving more than $2.6 million in federal grants to fight crime

info2019-12-04T20:31:45-06:00December 4th, 2019|

The state of Kansas is in for some upgrades thanks to more than $2.6 million in federal grants given to the state to enhance public safety. U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said Wednesday the money is part of more than $376 million in awards announced by the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs. “We’re working with our state and local agencies to make Kansas safer,” McAllister said. “These grants are designed to give Kansas law enforcement the flexibility to spend the money based on the needs in their own communities.” (Read more: KSN-TV)

Gov. Laura Kelly’s tax council supports internet, digital tax changes

info2019-12-04T20:28:51-06:00December 4th, 2019|

The advisory council appointed by Gov. Laura Kelly recommended Tuesday adoption of a $32 million tax on internet sales by out-of-state businesses and the imposition of a $30 million sales tax on digital products ranging from books, cloud-based applications as well as magazines, video games and other items. Former state Sen. Janice Lee and House Minority Leader Tom Sawyer proposed adjustment of state law to compel “marketplace facilitators,” such as Amazon, to mandate collection and payment to the state of sales tax on third-party transactions. Kansas legislators have debated the idea, but remain one of five states without this provision in [...]

Commissioners consider whether to renew Neighborhood Revitalization Program

info2019-12-04T20:25:08-06:00December 4th, 2019|

Marshall County’s Neighborhood Revitalization Program will expire Dec. 31. On Monday, commissioners discussed renewing the program, possibly with changes. The program gives county residents the opportunity to apply for a three-year county property tax abatement before renovating an existing structure or building a new one. An 80 percent tax rebate is given the first year, 60 percent the second and 30 percent the third. Commissioner Barb Kickhaefer said the spirit of the program is to revitalize blighted neighborhoods. Commissioner Keith Bramhall agreed and said that new construction in rural areas that receive tax rebates through the program pay for themselves with [...]

Wichita council approves $500 million water plant contract; calls rebid ‘too risky’

info2019-12-04T19:50:56-06:00December 4th, 2019|

Wichita City Council moved forward with plans to build a new water treatment plant Tuesday, awarding a $500 million contract to Wichita Water Partners. The group includes two companies that spent thousands of dollars on Mayor Jeff Longwell’s golf outings and meals before he steered the contract in their favor. City Council members voted unanimously to award the contract - the biggest single contract in the city’s history - saying they didn’t want to risk losing federal funding for the project and that they weren’t sure if any other companies would bid on the project. None of the council members mentioned [...]

It’s no nightclub, but that’s what neighbors fear for planned Wichita event center

info2019-12-04T19:47:47-06:00December 4th, 2019|

If you’re going to the planning commission meeting on Thursday, you’d better get there early if you’d like a seat. That’s the advice of the planning department, which has been hearing quite a bit from neighbors of a potential event center near 37th and Woodlawn. “I just thought that this was something that was needed in Wichita,” Jake Hartman says of the business. (Read more: Wichita Eagle)

Commission, trustee jobs could conflict

info2019-12-04T19:45:47-06:00December 4th, 2019|

Eighteen months ago, Arkansas City commissioners voted to disband the South Central Kansas Medical Center Board of Trustees and take responsibility for the financially-struggling hospital themselves. The commission essentially fired the trustees they had appointed to govern the medical center and took on dual roles of city commissioner and hospital trustee. Since then, the medical center’s debt burden has been lowered, and the facility is operating at a profit under a new CEO. But questions linger about conflicting interest and even the legality of elected officials holding both positions. (Read more: www.ctnewsonline.com - RSS Results)

Unsolicited materials issue will be revisited

info2019-12-04T19:42:34-06:00December 4th, 2019|

Another look at the situation of regulating the placement of written materials on the property of Derby homeowners resulted in the City Council following a recommended action of having the staff report back in six months. The council examined the situation at its Nov. 12 meeting and was undertaking a second reading of the ordinance at the Nov. 26 meeting. However, in between that period, there was a meeting with city officials and representatives from the Wichita Eagle and ANS Newspapers. ANS is the entity that places the printed materials in Derby under contract with the Eagle. (Read more: DerbyInformer.com - [...]