News – Page 2165 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Johnson County implements watershed program

info2019-04-08T07:38:48-05:00April 8th, 2019|

A new stormwater management program that will see the county divided into six watersheds is being implemented by Johnson County. In a presentation to Edgerton City Council March 28, Lee Kellenberger, Johnson County water resource manager, said unlike in the past when county dollars for stormwater systems improvements would be distributed to individual cities and townships, the new program will be based on a plan that targets particular watersheds. The six watersheds are: Brush/Turkey Creek, Indian Creek, Upper Blue Valley, Marais Des Cygnes River, Captain/Kill creek and Cedar/ Mill creek. Edgerton, Gardner and Spring Hill will all be within the Marais [...]

El Dorado hears proposal on amending Failure to Appear code

info2019-04-08T07:37:08-05:00April 8th, 2019|

The City Commission heard a proposal for a municipal code amendment regarding “Failure to Appear” and the option of providing community service, in lieu of fines, at the meeting on March 18th. The Commission asked staff to revisit the community service portion. Police Chief Zieman spoke to the Commission on the topic of the community service and informed them that it is required to be offered as an option, per the insurance company. Should someone be charged with “Failure to Appear,” there is the possibility of $500 fine, 6 months imprisonment or both. The City Attorney and Prosecutor are working on [...]

Sedgwick County moves forward with $6.8 million jail expansion

info2019-04-08T07:35:06-05:00April 8th, 2019|

Things have gotten pretty cramped these days in the district attorney’s office. “I’m completely out of space here,” said District Attorney Marc Bennett. “I could not hire another attorney unless I doubled up and put two attorneys in one office. We literally converted a bathroom into an evidence locker.” Help’s on the way. To clear space for prosecutors in the congested courthouse, the Sedgwick County Commission this week approved borrowing $6.82 million to expand and renovate space in the county jail. The project will allow the sheriff’s office to transfer about 40 of its employees to the jail, which is next [...]

‘We’ll be stronger in the end’: How one Kansas town dealt with losing its hospital

info2019-04-08T07:33:53-05:00April 8th, 2019|

Nearly 90 rural hospitals across the country have closed their doors since 2010; another 355 are considered at risk for shuttering, beset by low patient volume, staffing issues or inadequate Medicare reimbursements. Fort Scott joins Independence, Oswego and Horton as Kansas communities where residents feel vulnerable and on-edge. Places like Fort Scott, a town of 8,000 in Bourbon County, about 90 minutes south of Kansas City, are at the center of the debate in Kansas over the expansion of Medicaid now allowed by federal law. Kansas is one of 14 states that has yet to grow the program, which provides health [...]

Proposed birth center in Winfield moved to location better suited for licensing requirements

info2019-04-08T07:25:31-05:00April 8th, 2019|

A new location has been chosen for a planned birthing center in Winfield due to licensing requirements, the nurse-midwife behind the project said Wednesday. Tarena Sisk, a nurse-midwife practicing in Winfield, had previously hoped to start a freestanding birth center at the former Iron Gate Inn at 1203 E. Ninth Ave. However, licensing requirements from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment say all birthing rooms must be on the ground floor, something that would be hard to do in the multi-story home, also called the Baden House after its first owners. Sisk has made an offer to buy a former [...]

Horton Commission moves EMS into Armory

info2019-04-08T07:20:46-05:00April 8th, 2019|

The Horton City Commission met for their final March meeting, and discussed the outcomes of moving the city’s EMS services into the Armory offices. NEK-CAP would like to renew their lease for another five years, which will be discussed at a later meeting, but the move would remove HHS, Faith & Fun and Keith Olsen from the Armory, with the EMS group taking two offices to manage their activities. Interim City Administrator John Calhoon mentioned that scheduling and security would need to be discussed further with ambulance service now housed there. (Read more: Hiawatha World Online)

Property owners give more feedback on proposed wind farm in Reno County

info2019-04-08T07:19:09-05:00April 8th, 2019|

The Reno County Planning Commission Thursday heard public input on a proposed wind farm for land in the southeast part of the county. The Thursday afternoon-into-Thursday-night meeting provided numerous people on both sides of the argument opportunities to make their opinions heard on why a wind farm should or should not come to Reno County. NextEra Energy Resources is the company making the proposal for an 80-turbine farm east of Pretty Prairie. NextEra says the farm would add jobs and bring millions of dollars into the local community to go toward schools, roads and first responders. It says wind energy is [...]

Emporia City Commission lends support for i6 eco devo grant

info2019-04-08T07:17:48-05:00April 8th, 2019|

The Emporia City Commission pledged its support for an economic development grant during an action session Wednesday afternoon. The i6 Economic Development Grant is a program of the Economic Development Administration that was identified by Commissioner Rob Gilligan as an opportunity to bring more tech-based jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities to Emporia. The $750,000 grant requires matching funds. The city has tentatively pledged $225,000 over three years toward the grant. Mayor Jon Geitz said the goal was not to take away from the work that Emporia Main Street or the Regional Development Association already do in attracting businesses to the region, but [...]

On split vote, Ellis will apply for state grant for new swimming pool

info2019-04-08T07:15:35-05:00April 8th, 2019|

A public hearing regarding construction of a new municipal swimming pool was conducted by the Ellis City Council Monday evening prior to the regular council meeting. The Kansas Dept. of Commerce is offering a special round of grant funding for small city swimming pools. A new pool for Ellis is projected to costs $1.85 million. The city can apply for a maximum $1 million state grant with a local match of $850,000. It was a 3-2 vote later in the meeting on a resolution for Ellis to apply for the Community Development Block Grant funds. (Read more: Hays Post)

Lawrence City Commission to consider study to evaluate trash rates; rates expected to change

info2019-04-08T08:53:42-05:00April 8th, 2019|

Lawrence city commissioners will soon decide whether to hire a consultant to study the city’s solid waste service and the collection rates charged to Lawrence residents. Currently, residential customers pay $18.80 per month for trash and recycling collection, and commercial customers pay a wide range of fees based on the size of container and number of pickups per month, according to the city’s fee schedule. However, it has been several years since the last cost analysis, and Solid Waste Division Manager Kathy Richardson said the city doesn’t know at this point whether the current rates are covering the city’s costs. “The [...]