News – Page 2268 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Property tax appeals; again Barton County hears about the impact

info2018-12-13T07:07:46-06:00December 13th, 2018|

Last year, Barton County Appraiser Barb Esfeld estimated that out of roughly 18,000 parcels in Barton County, the Appraiser’s Office will receive between 400 and 500 formal appeals each year. The appeal process is open to any home owner that feels their property taxes are not assessed correctly from the fair market value. Barton County Commissioner Alicia Straub says many of those appeals are being won by the homeowners, costing the counties. Straub attended the Kansas Natural Resources Coalition meeting last Thursday in Garden City. Along with hearing about the lesser prairie chicken, Straub noted there were questions on how board [...]

Marshall County proceeds with jail project

info2018-12-13T07:06:13-06:00December 13th, 2018|

A construction manager for the proposed Marshall County Jail expansion project could be on board soon. On Monday, Marshall County commissioners Dave Baier and Bob Connell decided to begin contract negotiations for the project with Loyd Builders, Ottawa. Commissioner Lynn Feldhausen was absent. The county’s original estimate for the project was $4 million to $4.5 million. Hargrave said he hopes the project’s architect will be at the county board’s meeting next Monday. At that meeting the architect is expected to present a cost estimate from Loyd Builders on the project. Baier said if the bid comes in too high, the county [...]

Sedgwick County wants to ditch Daylight Saving Time switch

info2018-12-13T07:04:17-06:00December 13th, 2018|

Sedgwick County commissioners are tired of springing forward and falling back. So much so that they’ve included ending the annual switch to daylight saving time as part of their legislative agenda, a list they compile every year of actions they’d like the state Legislature to take. It’s not their highest priority, coming in behind mental health, taxation, criminal justice and voting issues. “There are already a couple of states that don’t change (clocks) back and forth,” said Commission Chairman David Dennis. “This also came up in my Citizens’ Advisory Board and they were 100 percent in favor of this. I think [...]

New crosswalk signal installed in Louisburg

info2018-12-13T07:00:22-06:00December 13th, 2018|

The talk is normally about Christmas lights this time of the year, but in Louisburg the talk in town is about a new traffic light. With the approval of Miami County, the city of Louisburg recently installed a HAWK (High intensity Activated crossWalK) signal across Metcalf Road at South Fifth Street near Broadmoor Elementary School. This new type of crosswalk is designed to enhance safety and make it easier for pedestrians to cross the street while minimizing traffic delays. “Any time a community, school or city can add safety enhancements for our community and students, I’m all in favor of that,” [...]

Miami County sets public hearing regarding rural fire district governance

info2018-12-13T06:59:28-06:00December 13th, 2018|

Talk of shifting governance of Miami County Fire District No. 1 to the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) resurfaced Wednesday, Dec. 5, at the commission’s study session. County Administrator Shane Krull outlined reasons to shift governance of fire districts to the BOCC in front of a packed meeting room that included Fire District No. 1 Board President Charlie Brand and Vice President Bob Bigley, Paola Fire Chief Andy Martin, Johnson County Fire District No. 2 Chief Jim Francis, city administrators and managers from Paola, Osawatomie, Louisburg and Spring Hill, and other local officials and fire department representatives. Since the early 1990s, [...]

Understanding Opportunity Zones presentation in Cowley county

info2018-12-13T06:57:54-06:00December 13th, 2018|

Cowley First-Cowley County Economic Development Partnership will be hosting CPAs Galen Pfeifer and Taylor Dirks of Adams, Brown, Beran and Ball, Chartered (ABBB) as they present on the topic “Understanding Federal Opportunity Zones.” The free presentation is from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 18 at the Arkansas City Water Treatment Plant Conference Room, 400 W. Madison St. The Opportunity Zone income tax incentive was established by Congress in the 2017 Tax Cut and Jobs Act as an innovative approach to spur long term, private-sector investment in low-income urban and rural communities nationwide through Opportunity Zone Funds. The IRS released the [...]

Ark City doesn’t make cut for TV show, but promoters pleased with effort

info2018-12-13T06:56:46-06:00December 13th, 2018|

Anticipation and excitement quickly deflated into groans of disappointment when a group of Arkansas City residents learned the city didn’t make the cut to appear on an online TV show and win $500,000. That announcement was witnessed during a watch party of citizens and local officials at the Burford Theatre. The crowd of about 45 people gathered to watch a live broadcast announcing the top 10 finalists for Season 4 of the Small Business Revolution — Main Street. The competition, sponsored by the Deluxe Corporation, invites small cities across the nation to campaign to be featured on the show, with the [...]

Riley County Commission approves resilient plan documents for future flood prevention

info2018-12-13T06:54:49-06:00December 13th, 2018|

The Riley County commissioners looked at some of the documents related to the Resilient Riley County plan during their meeting on Monday. Planning and Special Projects Director Monty Wedel presented the memorandum of understanding and the request for qualifications to the commission that were drafted by the City of Manhattan. This plan will deal with future flood prevention efforts. Commissioner Ron Wells asked Manhattan Assistant Director of Community Development Chad Bunger if he though the 50/50 split between the county and city was fair. Bunger replied saying that the people who were affected in the city were still Riley County residents. [...]

Reno County Commission rejects request for more wind direction

info2018-12-13T06:48:29-06:00December 13th, 2018|

His fellow commissioners rejected the attempt by County Commissioner Dan Deming on Tuesday to give more formal direction to the Reno County planning board before it takes up an anticipated application for the Pretty Prairie Wind Farm. Proponents of a wind moratorium, meanwhile, submitted their own list of conditions they’d like addressed in any development agreement and use permit between the county and NextEra Energy. Two women who’ve addressed the commission every week for the past two months offered new data they claim shows the proposed NextEra development will result in millions in negative economic impact on the county over the [...]

Topeka governing body discusses changing rules for public comments

info2018-12-13T06:47:02-06:00December 13th, 2018|

Topeka City Council members voiced varying views late Tuesday as to whether they should stop allowing themselves to vote to extend the four-minute time limit for members of the public to speak at their meetings. Councilman Mike Lesser said the council should stop providing extensions. “We need to set a limit and stick with it,” he said. But Councilwoman Karen Hiller said she didn’t see council members no longer providing that courtesy. “We want somebody to be able to finish their thought,” she said. Councilman Mike Padilla suggested the council allow for each speaker to potentially receive one extension, but not [...]