News – Page 2284 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Derby looks to create a “walkable” community

info2018-11-29T08:24:53-06:00November 29th, 2018|

As the City of Derby continues to develop, officials are looking to become a more "walk-friendly" community.City officials want to create a Walkable Development Plan."We've had a history of focusing on walkability since the 1990's," said Dan Squires, the City of Derby's director of Planning and Engineering. "Walkability and our beautiful green spaces are one of the reasons people choose to live in Derby."The city has around 25 miles of bike paths, plus it opened two new parks with a third one opening in the future."We realize from the community that that's important to the residents and people around us," said Squires.The [...]

Hybrids, electric vehicles pose funding challenge for next Kansas highway program

info2018-11-28T07:47:19-06:00November 28th, 2018|

When Kansas lawmakers sit down to write a new multiyear transportation plan this coming session, one of the biggest challenges they’ll face is how to pay for it. Traditionally, funding for highway construction and maintenance has come from the state’s motor fuel tax — 25 cents a gallon for regular gasoline and gas mixed with 10 percent ethyl alcohol; 27 cents a gallon for diesel. The state also diverts about 16 percent of its sales tax revenue toward the highway fund, although those transfers have been interrupted in recent years as the state struggled with budget deficits. But with more fuel-efficient [...]

Spring Hill addresses concern on Civic Center lectern

info2018-11-28T07:00:34-06:00November 28th, 2018|

In response to a resident request and direction by Mayor Steven Ellis at the Nov. 8 City Council meeting, the City would like to provide the rationale behind the selection of the Civic Center’s new accessible lectern, housed in the Council Chambers. The original design of the Council Chambers’ dais sat six people, housed all the equipment for an extensive audio/visual system, featured a built-in lectern and was located in a smaller room. To better accommodate attendance at various meetings as well as all City boards, councils and commissions, the dais was enlarged to seat nine people and the room was [...]

Exterior Home Improvement Grant Program a Success in Merriam; Coming Back in 2019

info2018-11-28T06:58:55-06:00November 28th, 2018|

Merriam residents made several enhancements to their homes this year thanks to the City-funded Exterior Home Improvement Grant Program. City Council designated $30,000 in 2018 for residents to make improvements to their homes. The projects varied from new siding and gutters to tree removal and other landscaping endeavors. Others replaced windows or driveways and some residents installed solar panels. More than 30 applications were submitted and, of those, 16 property owners received funding. The average reimbursement was $1,875, with project amounts ranging from $5,460 to $25,736. Residents had to invest at least $4,000 of their own money to receive a reimbursement. [...]

AG Derek Schmidt reaches settlement with Kanopolis City Council over KOMA violations

info2018-11-28T06:57:45-06:00November 28th, 2018|

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt today executed a settlement with the Kanopolis City Council to resolve a violation of the Kansas Open Meetings Act (KOMA). In September, the attorney general’s office received a complaint alleging that the Kanopolis City Council violated the KOMA by improperly taking binding action in an executive session. Upon investigation, the attorney general’s office determined that the council violated the KOMA by recessing into executive session to discuss nonelected personnel, and taking binding action to terminate the city clerk without holding a public vote. The council at a later meeting took a public vote to ratify the [...]

Broadband Task Force, City of Spring Hill, still on pace with recommendation

info2018-11-28T06:56:54-06:00November 28th, 2018|

The Broadband Task Force and the City are on pace to address Internet options after an October meeting. The Broadband Task Force met Oct. 23 for an update from City staff on the timeline of the Task Force’s recommendation, which they made back in February of this year. Melanie Landis, Assistant City Administrator, gave an update as to where the City is at in the timeline. (Read more: City of Spring Hill news)

Some cities taking another look at their curfew ordinances

info2018-11-28T06:54:42-06:00November 28th, 2018|

Declaring a juvenile curfew to keep troublemaking teenagers off the streets is a summer ritual in many American cities. This year Austin, Texas decided not to sound the alarm. “We looked at the evidence and decided it was time to discard the curfew law,” Austin Police Department’s assistant chief, Troy Gay, told The Marshall Project. “It wasn’t making an impact on juvenile victimization.” The evidence was a report drafted by a consortium of community groups that banded together to challenge Austin’s curfew law in 2017. Police Chief Brian Manley was persuaded and asked the City Council to rescind the law. A [...]

Topeka mayor weighs in on proposed Law Enforcement Center fence

info2018-11-28T06:51:14-06:00November 28th, 2018|

Topeka Mayor Michelle De La Isla can see both sides in the disagreement over the police department’s planned construction of a fence around the Law Enforcement Center, she indicated Tuesday. The mayor appeared at a news conference the city government holds near the end of each month that generally features her and city manager Brent Trout, who wasn’t present Tuesday. De La Isla responded to a question about the police department’s plans to put up a decorative, 6-foot tall perimeter fence at the Law Enforcement Center, which houses the headquarters for the police department and sheriff’s office at 320 S. Kansas [...]

Gardner Police Department pioneers new record system

info2018-11-28T06:49:30-06:00November 28th, 2018|

The Gardner Police Department is one of three law enforcement agencies in Johnson County that will soon roll out a new records management system. The new system, named NICHE, will replace the current ILEADS system and is meant to not only simplify data entry components of police records but also greatly enhance the sharing of information between agencies in the region. “Gardner, Olathe and Merriam police departments were selected to go first before the system is rolled out to other agencies in the region,’ said Sgt/ Steve Benz, GPD public information officer, and one of 14 officers leading the effort throughout [...]

City of Sabetha wants review of wind facility zoning

info2018-11-28T06:48:25-06:00November 28th, 2018|

Commissioners approved having City Administrator Allen ask the Planning Commission to look at amending the zoning regulations to not allow windmills within extra-territorial area zoned by city regulations, which is typically a 1-1/2 to 2 mile radius of the city limits. Currently, they are allowed. The Planning Commission would need to set a public hearing to change the way this is handled. (Read more: Sabetha Herald)