News – Page 2183 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Hutchinson City Council agrees to tear down a historic building

info2019-03-20T10:12:15-05:00March 20th, 2019|

After a public hearing Tuesday, the Hutchinson City Council agreed to tear down the old Sugar Mill building in the 600 block of East First. The building suffered a partial collapse in February, and owner Ted Robinson wants to tear down the rest of the structure. “You know I hate to see the building get torn down, honestly. But, at this point, I don’t see that there are any other options. I don’t have the funds to correctly rebuild it,” he said. The cost to repair the structure would come to around $204,000, but to bring the structure to the point [...]

Salina City Commission discusses tree removals and benefits

info2019-03-20T10:11:31-05:00March 20th, 2019|

Park Operations Manager Brett Lamer told the Salina City Commission Monday afternoon that trees have many benefits for city residents and taxpayers. Lamer said two projects have been removing trees on Ninth Street: along North Ninth Street, the North Salina Community Development Group partnered with Westar Energy to remove trees that endangered nearby power lines. Along South Ninth Street, trees were removed that wouldn’t be able to remain healthy and stable following road maintenance, as well as trees with roots that damaged driveways, curbs, or the street. During his presentation, Lamer said trees have many under-appreciated benefits. Studies have found areas [...]

City of Horton sets public forum on healthcare options

info2019-03-20T10:09:49-05:00March 20th, 2019|

The City of Horton has set a community forum for 7 p.m. Thursday at the Horton High School auditorium. The purpose of the meeting will be to inform local residents of healthcare options that have been explored by Mayor Bryan Stirton, Commissioner Wade Edwards and City Administrator John Calhoon. City officials were planning a presentation as an option to acquire a comprehensive primary and preventative healthcare program. The meeting was planned as informational only, to listen and gather feedback from residents from Horton and the surrounding areas interested in future healthcare option in South Brown County. (Read more: Hiawatha World Online)

Some landlords in Hutchinson says inspectors go too far in regulating them

info2019-03-20T10:55:42-05:00March 20th, 2019|

Some landlords say the city is going too far in regulating them, even claiming inspectors are peeping into windows of homes. Now, landlords are hoping the city will change the way inspections are done. ... "We don't want to freak people out, that's not why we're there," said Trent Maxwell, a Hutchinson Building Official. Maxwell insists they're doing what they can to help tenants. "We get calls every week from tenants complaining about their living conditions, open holes in the wall, whatever it is," said Maxwell. "We never will go inside a rental that no one wants us inside." (Read more: [...]

Company hasn’t submitted financial info for tax abatement in leased federal building in Parsons

info2019-03-20T06:58:47-05:00March 20th, 2019|

Parsons Fertilizer LLC has yet to provide financial information needed to continue its property tax abatement with the State Board of Tax Appeals, Labette County commissioners heard Monday. The company wants to manufacture a premium-grade fertilizer at the Great Plains Industrial Park east of Parsons and was in the process of renovating Building 920 at the park when fire destroyed half of the leased building on March 4. Parsons Fertilizer leased 48,539 square feet of space in areas 903, 904 and 920 at Great Plains and was to make an initial $1.2 million investment. Starting off, the company would produce 5-pound [...]

Great Bend and public library work out how future maintenance issues will be handled

info2019-03-20T06:54:03-05:00March 20th, 2019|

A heating and air conditioning system that came with a somewhat unexpected price tag north of $900,000 in 2015, left some uneasiness with the Great Bend Public Library’s spending the past few years. A new director and increased communication has improved the relationship between the library and City of Great Bend. Another public display of that occurred Monday night as the Great Bend City Council approved a memorandum of understanding with the library concerning maintenance of the facility. Library Director Gail Santy felt like the new memorandum brings clarity of who is responsible for tasks. (Read more: Great Bend Post)

Commissioners OK Sunday alcohol sales

info2019-03-20T06:52:35-05:00March 20th, 2019|

Parsons city commissioners approved an ordinance Monday evening that will make the sale of alcoholic beverages legal on Sundays. The commission approved the ordinance on a 4-1 vote, with Commissioner Tom Shaw dissenting. The sale of packaged alcoholic beverages has been legal in Kansas since 2005, but individual cities and counties must approve measures to make it legal or voters must approve it at the polls. Neither has happened in Parsons, although the commission has discussed the issue twice over the last several years. Other towns such as Erie and St. Paul have allowed Sunday sales for several years. Kevin Cruse [...]

Do Corporate Tax Incentives Work? 20 States, and Most Cities, Don’t Know.

info2019-03-20T06:51:15-05:00March 20th, 2019|

The aircraft manufacturer Boeing has received roughly $1 billion in tax incentives and credits from Washington state over the past four years. That includes tens of millions of dollars for activities in 2017 related to production equipment for the 737 MAX jets, all of which have been grounded in the past week after two fatal crashes. That information is known because Washington state has one of the more well-established tax incentive evaluation programs in the country. As corporate tax breaks -- like the ones used to lure Amazon’s HQ2 -- have come under increasing scrutiny, more states are tracking them and [...]

Overland Park council resets deadlines, tax incentives for Market Lofts project

info2019-03-20T10:53:10-05:00March 20th, 2019|

Saying it was better than having unfinished building in the heart of downtown, the Overland Park City Council approved a new set of deadlines that would partially restore some tax incentives to the Market Lofts project at 80th Street and Marty Street. One after another, the 12 council members said they weren’t wild about a compromise that was worked out last month in committee. And they warned that if the new deadlines requiring the exterior work be done before the Farmers Market begins are not met, the city should call a default on the tax increment financing deal with developer Paul [...]

Drone helps Park City police find, catch burglary suspects

info2019-03-19T07:52:04-05:00March 19th, 2019|

Security cameras and a drone were deployed to help stop two suspects who were allegedly breaking into Insurance Auto Auctions in Park City early March 8. ... Bel Aire, Kechi, Park City, Valley Center, Maize and Colwich police as well as the Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office sent officers to assist in the search for the suspects. The suspects exited the lot through the fence when a K-9 unit showed up. The sheriff's office deployed a drone, equipped with night vision, to search for the suspects. It spotted the two hiding in tall grass in a field near the facility. The drone [...]