News

Municipal Bond Trends for January 7, 2025

2025-01-08T08:55:24-06:00January 8th, 2025|

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.

Kansas Attorney General Opinion 2024-8: Reclassifying cities based on a decrease in population

2025-01-07T22:11:11-06:00January 7th, 2025|

Synopsis: K.S.A. 15-101, K.S.A. 14-101, and K.S.A. 13-101 do not provide for reclassifying a city based on a decrease in population. But K.S.A. 14-901 does allow for a city of the second class to be reclassified as a city of the third class if the population falls to 1,000 or less and a majority of voters approve of the reclassification. There is no similar mechanism for reclassifying a city of the first class to a city of the second class. Source: Kansas Attorney General Opinion 2024-8

Municipal Bond Trends for January 6, 2025

2025-01-07T08:57:47-06:00January 7th, 2025|

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.

City of Wichita wants to add 80 miles of bike lanes. Here’s where

2025-01-06T10:02:17-06:00January 6th, 2025|

More than 80 miles of bikeways could be added to streets and shared-use paths in Wichita over the next 10 years, according to a draft of the city’s bike plan. Many of the paths will connect to existing bike lanes in the city. The bike paths may mean fewer car lanes on major roadways, most commonly known as a “road diet.” The draft plan also calls for connecting to bike networks outside the city, including Andover and Derby. Source: Wichita Eagle

How did Wichita, Sedgwick County use federal ARPA funds? Here are some of the projects.

2025-01-06T10:01:16-06:00January 6th, 2025|

In 2021, the city of Wichita received $72.4 million and Sedgwick County received $100.2 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds. At the time, it was a lifeline for the local governments, allowing them to continue services and to pay staff who would have otherwise been laid off for an extended period. As part of accepting the funds, local governments agreed to two deadlines: Dec. 31, 2024, to obligate all of the funds and decide where they will go, and Dec. 31, 2026, to spend the money that was allocated. The funds have to be returned if not obligated or [...]

They traded California for small-town Kansas then opened a restaurant people travel to try

2025-01-06T09:58:44-06:00January 6th, 2025|

Nearly six years ago, the Biggs family decided it was time to leave California – a move they’d been planning for awhile. All they knew when they left is that they wanted to end up in a small town. They found it in Garden Plain, a small community of just under 1,000 people that sits about 20 miles due west of Wichita. And now, just two short years after opening a restaurant on the town’s main drag, the Biggs are some of the best known people in town. Halagains opened a year ago at 501 N. Main in Garden Plain and [...]

Tenant rights educator included in $1.2M the City of Lawrence will spend on housing initiatives in 2025

2025-01-06T09:53:35-06:00January 6th, 2025|

The City of Lawrence is doling out $1.2 million from its sales tax coffers for affordable housing and housing-adjacent projects. New this year will be a community educator to help renters learn their rights. The city’s Affordable Housing Advisory Board heard presentations from organizations and developers in October. They deliberated and decided on their recommendations for projects and initiatives that they believed the city should fund in 2025, and the Lawrence City Commission approved the recommendations earlier this month. Source: The Lawrence Times

Kansas attorney general blocks school bond funds in state’s smallest county

2025-01-06T09:51:57-06:00January 6th, 2025|

The Kansas Attorney General’s Office blocked millions in school bond funds to a district in the state’s smallest county based on a rigid interpretation of a 2023 elections law. Voters in the Greeley County school district, headquartered in Tribune near the state’s westernmost edge, approved in May a $4.6 million school bond for renovations and new construction, but the Attorney General’s Office refused to approve the funds. Source: Kansas Reflector

Kansas governor declares day of mourning, sets flags at half-staff to honor President Jimmy Carter

2025-01-06T09:49:12-06:00January 6th, 2025|

Gov. Laura Kelly signed an executive order declaring a day of mourning for former President Jimmy Carter and she directed flags throughout the state be flown at half-staff. The governor said state of Kansas offices would be closed Jan. 9 in observance of funeral services for Carter in Washington, D.C., and in conjunction with the National Day of Mourning authorized by a proclamation signed by President Joe Biden. Kelly said state government offices in Kansas would resume normal operations Jan. 10. The governor said flags in Kansas would be at half-staff until sunset Jan. 28. Source: Kansas Reflector

New mural for new beginnings

2025-01-06T09:47:46-06:00January 6th, 2025|

At the beginning of December, Kelci Rae Cooper faced her fears and climbed scaffolding 30 feet in the air to create a one-of-a-kind mural at 818 N. Broadway, the future home 818 A Healing Space, which is a collaboration between Possibility Junction and other wellness practitioners. The colorful graffiti-style piece features encouraging words with a peace sign and the message “Your magic is inside of you.” “It’s a message I live by,” Cooper said. “No one else holds the magic that you do. All of the answers, power, whatever you call it, is within.” Source: Morning Sun

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