Henry Schmidt2025-02-28T09:39:26-06:00February 28th, 2025|
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of AA rated bond trades reported to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s EMMA® system. Every issuer's credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.
info2025-02-28T08:47:40-06:00February 28th, 2025|
The City of El Dorado is asking for the residents of the city to give their input on what projects to move forward in 2025 through sales tax funds. The Excess Sales Tax Committee is meeting routinely to make their recommendation to the City Commission and will take into account resident preference. On the website the City reports that $700,000 is available to allocate towards projects. Several items are on the list to vote on. Source: Andover American
info2025-02-28T08:46:33-06:00February 28th, 2025|
A public meeting has been scheduled for March 4 at the Pawnee County Courthouse, to offer information in opposition to the proposed 88,000-head feedlot to be located in Pawnee County by Innovative Livestock Services. The hour-long session, scheduled for 6:30 p.m., is intended to bring to light environmental concerns which, if the feedlot was allowed to be constructed, would exacerbate conditions already being experienced in Pawnee County. Source: Great Bend Tribune
info2025-02-28T08:44:57-06:00February 28th, 2025|
A year into the process and the community is just starting to get a picture of the benefits available to Halstead in allowing a battery energy storage system (BESS) to be built in its industrial park. Starting, because Concurrent made its first offer to the city, and Halstead Mayor Dennis Travis said there are ancillary benefits they’re not going public with yet. Concurrent announced on Feb. 13 that they were offering Halstead $500,000 a year in exchange for allowing their BESS to exist in its industrial park. That announcement came days before the Kansas House of Representatives passed House Bill 2083, [...]
info2025-02-28T08:43:59-06:00February 28th, 2025|
The Hillsboro City Council met on Wednesday, Feb. 19 where they voted on the new name of the bowling alley from the submissions of the bowling alley naming contest. The Hillsboro Rec staff narrowed the entries to two choices: The Spare Time Lanes and The Gutter Ball. Those who submitted the names for Spare Time Lanes were Becky Gage, Dominic Cardinell and Jeff Haslett. Those who submitted the names for The Gutter Ball were Kerry Hein and Trent Jones. They will be given bowling memberships for making it through to the finals. The council voted and chose to go with Gutter [...]
info2025-02-28T08:42:34-06:00February 28th, 2025|
Southwest Kansas communities are feeling the effects of intensifying anti-immigrant rhetoric in politics. Promises of mass deportations have caused anxiety to spike throughout the region, where immigrants make up a large part of the population. Widespread misinformation on social media about Immigration Customs Enforcement raids is fueling fear in the region. As Calen Moore of the Kansas News Service reports, the resulting mental exhaustion has already hindered the daily lives of these Kansans. Source: KCUR News
info2025-02-28T08:41:47-06:00February 28th, 2025|
The story of southwest Kansas is hard to tell without including immigrants. The towns in the region have almost doubled in size following the establishment of meatpacking plants and the massive western Kansas beef industry. That has brought population, money, infrastructure and sustained communities that otherwise might have shriveled like many rural towns. And that influx of immigrants has also created diverse demographics in a mostly white state. Source: KCUR News
info2025-02-28T08:40:28-06:00February 28th, 2025|
Wichita school leaders said they will wait for final results of Tuesday’s bond issue election before deciding next steps on addressing the district’s facility needs. Unofficial results updated Wednesday by the Sedgwick County Election Office show bond opponents leading by just under 300 votes, with more than 4,000 potential mail and provisional ballots still to be counted. The district is seeking a $450 million bond issue to finance school construction, upgrades and repairs. Source: KCUR News
info2025-02-28T08:38:59-06:00February 28th, 2025|
One phrase is increasingly frequenting the lips of Wichita and Kansas officials when talking about ending homelessness: functional zero. “Functional zero” is a milestone achieved when homelessness becomes rare and brief for a certain population, such as when more people are staying housed than falling into homelessness. It’s a term (and measure) coined by Community Solutions, a national nonprofit that helps communities evaluate whether they have “measurably solved” homelessness for a specific population. Bergen County, New Jersey, Wichita’s “community of inspiration” for reducing homelessness, is recognized nationally for being among the first communities in the nation to reach functional zero. Since [...]
info2025-02-28T08:37:13-06:00February 28th, 2025|
There are several school districts with bond votes coming up in the next few months. Many are looking at how they can increase voter participation. Given the low voter turnout in USD 259’s bond election, districts are working to raise awareness for their projects. On April 8, Haysville USD 261 voters will decide on a nearly $80 million bond. KSN spoke with a parent on the Haysville school bond committee about how they’re working to raise awareness about the upcoming vote. He says that between now and election day, they’re stressing that this bond is focused on infrastructure improvements that will [...]
