News – Page 2192 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Kechi re-forms economic development group

info2019-03-08T10:39:07-06:00March 8th, 2019|

The Kechi City Council on Feb. 28 unanimously voted to re-form an Economic Development Committee. It will consist of nine members. "At our recent retreat, one of the top priorities the council identified was economic development for the city moving forward," said City Administrator Bob Conger. "Given the current state of affairs in the city, I took the liberty of updating the (committee) policies with the city attorney. They haven't changed a great deal." Kechi had an Economic Development Committee but it had been active since 2004. Some changes were made regarding the composition of the committee on Feb. 28. Previously, [...]

Shawnee looking to create regulations for microbreweries

info2019-03-08T10:38:46-06:00March 8th, 2019|

One month after Shawnee’s first microbrewery opened up across the street from city hall, the city is looking into creating regulations for breweries and distilleries. Stephanie Malmborg, deputy community development director told the planning commission on Monday that community development staff is currently researching regulations of those types of businesses by other cities and also looking at best practices from the American Planning Association. “We’ve found that there’s a lot of interest in those types of uses, and it can be a great entertainment type use in some of our neighborhood commercial and commercial zones,” Malmborg said. “I think it’s important [...]

Utility solution far more complex than lowering rates

info2019-03-08T10:36:44-06:00March 8th, 2019|

tility rates are artificially inflated to pay for more than the cost of utility services. That’s the truth that the city has openly acknowledged. And on the surface, the practice isn’t wrong, if the city is up front about it. For 2019, the city projects $14.83 million in utility revenues and plans to transfer $3.55 million of those revenues into its general fund. That means nearly a quarter out of every dollar that comes in on utility revenues goes in the city’s general fund. $1.6 million pays for personnel the city says have parts of their job related to utility service [...]

Lawrence City Commission denies couple an Airbnb permit, citing incompatibility with neighborhood

info2019-03-08T10:36:06-06:00March 8th, 2019|

City leaders have denied an Overland Park couple a permit to use a house in Lawrence as an Airbnb short-term rental property, citing a protest petition from neighbors and other factors. The Lawrence City Commission voted 4-1, with Commissioner Matthew Herbert opposing, to deny the permit as part of its meeting this week. In explaining her vote, Mayor Lisa Larsen cited both the protest petition and the incompatibility of an Airbnb property with the surrounding neighborhood. Read more: LJWorld.com.

911 bill at statehouse could cost county

info2019-03-08T10:35:07-06:00March 8th, 2019|

A handwritten bill proposed last week by a Wichita state representative could end up costing the county $11,000 in its 911 fund. “We’re going to take a hit, a very significant hit,” Communications Director Don Gruver told the Harvey County Board of Commissioners on Monday. State Rep. John Carmichael, a Democrat representing the 92nd District, presented his amendment to House Bill 2084, which would change the proposed fee on phone bills from 60 cents a month to 82 cents. His amendment passed the House on a 64-56 vote. Gruver said most of the increase would go to the Kansas 911 Coordinating [...]

Public meeting scheduled to discuss Garden City’s upcoming U.S. 50/83/400 bypass

info2019-03-08T10:31:14-06:00March 8th, 2019|

The Kansas Department of Transportation will host a public meeting regarding the upcoming U.S. 50/83/400 bypass project in Garden City which is expected to begin on March 18. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 12 from 5 – 8 p.m. at the KDOT District Six office at 121 N. Campus Drive in Garden City. The project is a preservation project which will replace over 3.5 miles of concrete and asphalt on the Garden City bypass beginning at Third Street and continuing to the east and south to the U.S. 50/Fulton Street interchange. (Read more: Western Kansas News)

Reno County Commission eyes disallowing public comment when considering planning recommendations

info2019-03-08T10:30:32-06:00March 8th, 2019|

The Reno County Commission spent nearly an hour Tuesday discussing how it would approach receiving recommendations on NextEra Energy’s application for a permit for the Pretty Prairie Wind Farm. A majority of the commission indicated support for taking no further public comment on the issue, relying solely on the recommendation of the Reno County Planning Commission and any evidence submitted to that board during the April 4 public hearing, now set to begin at 3 p.m. at the Atrium Hotel and Conference Center. The commission, however, pressed by Commissioner Ron Hirst, left the door open to potentially considering “new information” not [...]

Starting a Youth Council

info2019-03-08T10:29:21-06:00March 8th, 2019|

Youth councils or youth advisory boards can provide an effective way to engage youth in city government. Youth councils provide a conduit for youth voice to city leadership, help promote civic engagement and community service, and foster an understanding of how municipal government works. This strategy guide offers the basics for forming a youth council in your city, as well as examples of the way different cities have configured their councils. (Read more: www.nlc.org/contents/rss-feed)

Wichita could have disclosed development deal with baseball team sooner, mayor says

info2019-03-08T10:27:29-06:00March 8th, 2019|

Wichita city officials could have told the public sooner about a side deal to help bring a Minor League Baseball team to town, Mayor Jeff Longwell said Thursday. Earlier in the week he said he couldn’t because of league rules. Over the course of 18 months, the owners of the New Orleans Baby Cakes, led by Lou Schwechheimer, negotiated a deal with city leaders to move to Wichita, but the city had to build a stadium and offer it land to develop around the stadium. That the move was contingent on the development deal was not made public until Monday, months [...]

Public invited to meet Gardner administrator finalists

info2019-03-07T12:06:49-06:00March 7th, 2019|

Public can meet Gardner administrator finalists Gardner’s search for a new city administrator has reached a milestone now that the list of applicants has been winnowed to three finalists. Community members are invited to meet the candidates from 5 to 6 p.m. March 11 at City Hall. They are: Nicholas Edwards, assistant city manager in Lee’s Summit. James Pruetting, Gardner’s police chief. Brian Wilson, village administrator of Belleville, Wis. (Read more: Joco 913 News)