News – Page 20 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Can Shawnee County’s AI camera system track you?

info2024-10-25T09:44:25-05:00October 25th, 2024|

Shawnee County employs around 30 high-end AI ‘force-multiplier’ cameras capable of tracking suspects, should you worry about being surveilled? Connect Shawnee County is a registry of around 30 high-end AI cameras, 321 registered cameras and 855 integrated cameras that police and deputies use to canvass areas. The Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office said the registry lets officers quickly find cameras in an area, saving them time when working cases. According to the Connect Shawnee County website, CORE Elite AI, the brain inside the cameras, can set alert profiles using a list of parameters law enforcement sets. 27 News asked the sheriff’s office [...]

Olpe water system dry after water main break Thursday evening

info2024-10-25T09:42:27-05:00October 25th, 2024|

Contract crews are gathering near the site of a significant water main break that has drained Olpe’s water supply. Olpe City Clerk Joyce Wilson tells KVOE News the failure site was discovered around 8:30 am Friday, better than 12 hours after water issues were first reported to city officials by 6 pm Thursday. The break site is on an 8-inch line near Road 130, or about two miles south and a mile east of the Olpe pump station, which is just south of the old Fanestil Meats plant on Kansas Highway 99 south of Emporia. Crews and city staff worked through [...]

New Wichita water plant will be more expensive to operate than planned; rate hikes expected

info2024-10-25T09:40:28-05:00October 25th, 2024|

Wichita water customers should brace for higher-than-expected rate hikes over the next decade as the cost of operating a new water treatment plant outpaces the city’s budget. City projections show water and sewer bills increasing by more than 70% over the next 10 years to pay for the new plant and other major infrastructure projects. Low-use residential customers who pay $60 to $70 a month this year would pay $103 to $126 a month by 2034, according to an Eagle analysis of city estimates presented to the City Council during a work session on Tuesday. And those projections could be on [...]

City asking Lawrence voters to increase sales taxes for affordable housing, homelessness programs

info2024-10-25T09:39:07-05:00October 25th, 2024|

Lawrence voters will soon decide whether to approve a sales tax increase that would add 1 cent per $20 spent in order to fund affordable housing and homelessness services. It’s the second of two questions on Lawrence voters’ ballots in the Tuesday, Nov. 5 general election. Source: The Lawrence Times

Commission split on protection from income discrimination for renters

info2024-10-25T09:37:08-05:00October 25th, 2024|

It remains unclear following Tuesday’s commission meeting if Manhattan residents will be protected from housing discrimination based on source of income. City commissioners discussed expanding the city’s non-discrimination ordinance to bar landlords, property owners and real estate brokers from refusing to rent to prospective tenants who want to pay with legal income other than job wages. If passed, the ordinance would allow tenants to be able to pay for housing using vouchers, disability payments, rent relief programs and other sources of income. Source: themercury.com

Three Caney city officials step down due to stress from job

info2024-10-24T14:56:56-05:00October 24th, 2024|

Three City of Caney officials stepped down from their positions at the city council meeting Monday night, saying their jobs were becoming too stressful. The now-former mayor Josh Elliott, city administrator Kelly Zellner, and part-time city treasurer Amber Dean were the three to resign. Source: KAKE

Group looking to prepare community members for office

info2024-10-24T12:03:25-05:00October 24th, 2024|

For those who want to run for local office, there’s a new group setting up training to get them ready. The group, called Ready to Run, is made up of current and former elected officials, community leaders, as well as local governments. The goal: to create a knowledge base for those looking to run for public office. “We all know there are people who run for positions that have an agenda and a perception of something,” said Ron Lang, who is helping with the organization. “But there’s a learning curve.” To address that curve, an inaugural class of 10 members will [...]

Explaining the marketing behind ‘Vote Yes for Beer Freedom’

info2024-10-24T12:02:01-05:00October 24th, 2024|

This week, we started distributing yard signs to remind people to vote yes to repeal the 30-percent food rule in Harvey County so we can get with the times like our neighboring counties. For those who are unaware, in Harvey County, if you have a liquor license, you are required to have 30 percent of your overall sales be from food. This rule can be difficult to accomplish for places like bowling alleys and golf courses, which really need to have liquor licenses to attract tournaments and be profitable but often times struggle to function as a restaurant. That’s mostly because [...]

County approves revised NDS agreement with Garden City

info2024-10-24T11:59:13-05:00October 24th, 2024|

The Finney County Commission approved a revised Neighborhood and Development Services Interlocal Agreement with the city of Garden City at the Commission’s regular meeting Monday. Kara Schartz, Finney County Counselor, said this agreement comes after a couple of years working on an updated NDS contract with Garden City. The effective date for the new agreement is Jan. 1, 2025, however there is a transition period, Schartz said. “Essentially, the new way of things going forward will start in July, but the contract itself and the effective date of the contract is Jan. 1, 2025,” she said. “For all purposes as far [...]

Municipal Bond Trends for October 23, 2024

Henry Schmidt2024-10-24T09:44:41-05:00October 24th, 2024|

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of AA rated bond trades reported to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s EMMA® system. Every issuer's credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.