News – Page 2421 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Wichita lets gravel pit get bigger despite complaints of violations, choking dust

info2018-07-11T09:35:28-05:00July 11th, 2018|

A south Wichita dirt and sand-mining operation will be allowed to more than double in size and add a rock crusher, despite complaints from neighbors that dust from the existing operation already keeps them inside their homes during the day. The Wichita City Council turned aside the neighbors' protests and upheld a Planning Commission recommendation to allow Wichita home developer Jay Russell to expand a 20-acre topsoil operation into a 47-acre sand and gravel pit on the east bank of the Arkansas River south of East 55th Street South. In addition, the council approved the use of a mobile crusher at [...]

Salina obtains land for water treatment plant

info2018-07-10T07:36:20-05:00July 10th, 2018|

The Salina City Commission Monday approved on a 5-0 vote the purchase by eminent domain of land and water rights for a new water treatment plant in south Salina. The city is purchasing 41.9 acres at the southeast quadrant of South Ohio Street and Water Well Road and associated water rights for $503,170. Commissioners also agreed to pay appraiser’s fees of $6,000, for a total of $509,170. The price per acre for the land and water rights is about $12,000. The city has 30 days to pay the clerk of Saline County District Court or the clerk will consider the purchase [...]

Farmland Road, in Finney County rezoning to allow more livestock

info2018-07-10T07:35:04-05:00July 10th, 2018|

The Finney County Commission on Monday approved a request to rezone a stretch of lots on Farmland Road as a rural residential district, giving property owners more flexibility in what kind of livestock they can keep on their land. Kaleb Kentner, Neighborhood and Development services director, told commissioners that residents of properties on Farmland Road between Mary Street and Kansas Highway 156 had requested the zoning change. Property owners on the road have faced many code violations for keeping animals — oftentimes horses — and the City of Garden City had worked with them to find solutions, according to Kentner’s proposal. [...]

Labette County chooses bridge to repair

info2018-07-10T07:32:11-05:00July 10th, 2018|

Labette County commissioners on Monday agreed to pursue funding for repair of a bridge near Mound Valley. Bridge No. 109, built in 1950, is on 14500 Road near Harper Road. The long structure has 41-, 44- and 41-foot segments and has a weight limit of 10 tons. The sufficiency rating is listed at 49.8, and anything below 50 can be considered for replacement. Commissioners considered a list of five bridges from an email from Public Works Director Sandy Krider before deciding on the bridge near Mound Valley. The county sought funding to replace Bridge No. 109 in 2016 from the pool [...]

Hoisington pool running fine, more improvements expected

info2018-07-10T07:25:09-05:00July 10th, 2018|

In 2014, there was talk amongst the Hoisington City Council to implement a city sales tax in Hoisington to help fund a new pool. At the time, Hoisington was going through another major leak that was difficult to identify and kept the pool closed for half of the summer. The City Council went away from the extra tax and instead added a charge to utility bills. Any customer using Hoisington utilities has free access to the pool all summer, but a $2 charge each month is assigned to the utility bill. Residents that do not use the pool are still charged [...]

Yes, the city knows what a straight line is

info2018-07-10T07:23:28-05:00July 10th, 2018|

A Wichita bridge famous for its pigeon poop has a new reason to make Wichitans look up. This past weekend, Wichitans, particularly those who like things in a certain order, went wonky over the new LED lights in the Douglas Ave. railroad bridge. Lights installed in the underpass veer to the left and right instead of being placed in a straight line. A photo of the misaligned lights was tweeted by Jon Looney on July 6. Looney captioned the photo, “The new LED lights under the @DowntownWichita railroad bridge are great! But....Come on @CityofWichita Was a straight line so hard? #mildlyinfuriating [...]

Developers seek city help to renovate ‘eyesore’ in southeast Wichita

info2018-07-10T07:20:34-05:00July 10th, 2018|

A pair of developers are asking the Wichita City Council for nearly $6 million in tax-exempt revenue bonds to renovate a southeast Wichita apartment complex. Brent Hurst and Dave Murfin have formed Sandstone Apartments to purchase Eastwood Apartments, a six-building complex located just south of Kellogg on the east side of Oliver. The request for the industrial revenue bonds goes before the council on Tuesday. The complex, built in the 1950s, "has come into disrepair and faces extensive deferred maintenance issues," according to a city document. A plan for the project shared with city officials called the Eastwood Apartments an "increasing [...]

Shawnee upgrades 20-year-old water fountains, adds dog bowls, water bottle fillers

info2018-07-10T07:12:38-05:00July 10th, 2018|

Park-goers and their canine counterparts have new water fountains and dog bowls in Shawnee’s parks this summer. Swarner Park and Gum Springs Park each have new fountains with dog bowls and water bottle fillers. Herman Laird Park has a new fountain with a dog bowl. Joe Overstreet, manager of parks and facilities, said the four drinking fountains, which were replaced in mid-June, cost approximately $1,300 each. The drinking fountains upgrades were a planned budgeted expense in the Land Improvement Maintenance account. “The fountains being replaced have been in operation for as long as 20 years,” Overstreet said. “The new fountains allow [...]

Junction City Water Supply in Good Shape

info2018-07-10T07:11:28-05:00July 10th, 2018|

It is hot and dry, and Geary County is in a drought emergency. But Junction City Manager Allen Dinkel confirmed Monday that the city’s water supply is good shape. “I think we’re lucky in the fact that even though the drought seems tremendous here is not spread out through the area.” Dinkel noted there is still water coming into Milford Lake, there’s still water being released from Milford Lake, and of course our well fields ( are ) along the Republican River. “We have no issues at this point in time.” Rains in north central Kansas have resulted in water flowing [...]

Sales Tax to Fund Capital Improvement Fund for Infrastructure Improvements in Phillipsburg

info2018-07-10T07:06:24-05:00July 10th, 2018|

The Phillipsburg City Council is asking residents to consider a .5% sales tax at the August 7th election which will replace the current .5% sales tax that is dedicated to the payment of debt for the wastewater improvements made in 2001. The debt for the wastewater improvements will be paid in its entirety on August 1, 2018 which is 4 years earlier than planned. Farmers State Bank, Farmers National Bank, and First National Bank had purchased the bonds and are allowing the City to pay them early. By paying the bonds off early the City has saved $34,423.00 in interest cost. [...]