News – Page 2245 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Merriam Building Permit Map Now Available Online

info2019-01-11T12:35:14-06:00January 11th, 2019|

Building is booming in Merriam, and now you can track it in real time. This week, the Community Development Department launched a new map on the City’s website that identifies the open building permits throughout the community. The map, which will be updated monthly, provides pin locations for every building permit issued. Each permit pin contains additional information about the building permit, including the type of permit, permit number, and issue date. “We know residents like to stay updated about what’s happening in our community, and this map will help them easily do that at the click of a button,” Bryan [...]

Topeka is finalizing details that will bring 300 to 400 young people to the capital city to paint about 60 houses for struggling homeowners

info2019-01-11T12:34:20-06:00January 11th, 2019|

The city of Topeka is finalizing details that will bring 300 to 400 young people to the capital city this summer to paint about 60 houses for struggling homeowners. Now they need homes to paint. Shane Wilson, program intake coordinator with the city’s Neighborhood Relations department, said Group Cares, a Colorado-based organization, will bring its team to Topeka from July 7-13. City officials decided to reach out to homeowners, who must meet specific criteria, in the North Topeka East and West areas, as well as the Ward-Meade area, because the Seaman school district agreed to provide accommodations for the young volunteers, [...]

El Dorado City Commission approves sale of Prairie Trails Golf Course

info2019-01-11T12:05:08-06:00January 11th, 2019|

The City of El Dorado has approved the purchase of Prairie Trails Golf Course by GreatLIFE Kansas City, LLC for $550,000. The agreement stipulates that the City maintains “Right of First Refusal” under two conditions. The first condition is that during the first seven years of operation, if GreatLIFE Kansas City. LLC would quit operating the golf course as agreed upon, the City has the right to buy it back for the purchase price plus improvements minus depreciation based on a set formula outlined in the contract. If they quit operating the golf course as agreed upon after the first seven [...]

Emporia discusses land bank

info2019-01-11T12:03:12-06:00January 11th, 2019|

The Emporia City Commission discussed the land bank it has been considering Wednesday at its regular meeting. City Housing Specialist Jeff Lynch said the community housing board had been brought up to date about the land bank concept. “I think they are in general accepting of doing that — serving as the land bank if that’s what we needed them to do,” he said. Lynch said members had asked the commission for input on goals for the land bank. There are about four or five actual lots in the land bank, not including Walnut Park. According to Lynch, two people have [...]

Barton County likely to move to paper voting system in next election

info2019-01-11T12:02:05-06:00January 11th, 2019|

The 2018 November general election was the last for the county’s 89 aging voting machines. Purchased in 2005 and put into use in 2006, the machines had an estimated shelf life of 10 years which has now come and gone. In early February, Barton County Clerk Donna Zimmerman, will meet with vendors to look at both electronic and paper voting systems and determine which direction the county will move toward in the future. Due to the cost of purchasing new electronic equipment, Zimmerman is leaning at least right now to returning to paper. The 89 voting machines were purchased in 2005 [...]

Commissioners help Wakefield with ballfield LED lights

info2019-01-11T11:55:16-06:00January 11th, 2019|

On Monday morning, Clay County Commissioners gave funds out of the County’s Park and Rec. Fund to replace lights at several ballfield in Wakefield. Julie Murphy, Wakefield City Clerk, met with Commissioners Monday to discuss the request for funding for the new LED Light Structure System for the ballfields in Wakefield, located east of the library on Third Street. This system consists of six pre-cast, six galvanized steel poles, and 30 Factory aimed and assembled luminaries, including BallTracker luminaires, Murphy said. According to the company’s website, lights with BallTracker technology “provides low-level, targeted light that’s emitted upward, which optimizes visibility of [...]

Manhattan raises guest tax; additional revenue to help expand conference center

info2019-01-11T11:53:48-06:00January 11th, 2019|

The tax that visitors to Manhattan pay for a hotel room is set to rise by half a percent. The Manhattan City Commission unanimously voted to raise the city’s transient guest tax from 7 to 7 point 5 percent at their meeting Tuesday. The city has been looking into an expansion of the Manhattan Conference Center at the Hilton Garden Inn that is now estimated will cost $3.5 million. The additional revenue from the increase in transient guest tax would be intended to help pay down the debt on that expansion, expected to bring in an extra $130,000 per year. HCW, [...]

New commission will enable Topeka youths to say what they want their community to be

info2019-01-11T11:49:35-06:00January 11th, 2019|

It is critically important that the youths of this community play a role in helping move it forward, Greater Topeka Partnership president and CEO Matt Pivarnik told Shawnee County commissioners Thursday. He told Commissioners Kevin Cook, Shelly Buhler and Bob Archer he consequently felt excited to encourage them to express support for the Greater Topeka Youth Partnership Commission, a new organization consisting of youths and their adult supporters. The youth commission will give young leaders a platform for “telling the adults what they want their community to be going forward,” Pivarnik said. Commissioners subsequently voted 3-0 to express support for the [...]

Marion county fire departments take predicting of wildfire danger in stride

info2019-01-11T11:47:28-06:00January 11th, 2019|

Although some forecasts call for increased wildfires this summer, Marion County fire departments won’t change how they prepare. Neighboring Chase and Butler Counties are among the Kansas counties most prone to wildfires. If it has an effect, will be that more emphasis is placed on tactics and preparation, said. “We might ramp up some of our wildland training, discuss some different things with tactics and strategy,” Lincolnville fire chief Les Kaiser said. “We also re-evaluate our trucks in case we need to make any changes in them.” But a big challenge, Peabody fire chief Mark Penner said, is maintaining enough volunteers. [...]

Augusta to decide on allowing RV parking in mobile home parks

info2019-01-11T12:31:52-06:00January 11th, 2019|

Angie Johnston and Nick Hoefgen with Family First Living were present to ask the Council for consideration for allowing recreational vehicles in manufactured home residential districts. Family First Living has a mobile home community in Towanda and two in Augusta. In addition to the park located at Custer Lane and Campbell Road, they recently purchased the park on Money Ave., on Augusta’s west side. “Our community in Towanda and on Custer are highly occupied and both have spaces that were converted to allow for RVs...If they weren’t already set up, it would be a different conversation for us,” Johnston said. She [...]