News – Page 502 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

County forms new 911 advisory board

info2024-02-20T10:31:10-06:00February 20th, 2024|

A couple of years ago, according to Sedgwick County Emergency Communications Director Elora Forshee, efforts began in earnest to seek out a way to engage the community voice regarding 911 operations. In the wake of those ongoing efforts and feedback heard from a 2022 task force formed in response to the death of Wichita teenager Cedric Lofton, a community advisory board (CAB) was suggested and officially approved by the Sedgwick County Commission at its Feb. 7 meeting. Representing first responders (Wichita-Sedgwick County Emergency Communications Advisory Board) and staff (Employee Advisory Board), county 911 was getting input from two of the three [...]

City of Lawrence to launch revamped SeeClickFix mobile app

info2024-02-20T10:25:52-06:00February 20th, 2024|

The City of Lawrence will soon launch a mobile app where community members can report code compliance issues, missed trash pickups and more, according to a city news release. Beginning Tuesday, Feb. 20, the app, powered by SeeClickFix Inc., will be free to download and use on smartphones. The city in June 2022 announced that it was pausing its SeeClickFix app for about nine months so the city could “revamp and improve the system to better serve our community.” Next week’s launch will mark 20 months since that announcement. Community members will be able to submit requests for city assistance in seven service categories, [...]

Hesston approves property sale tied to grocery store project

info2024-02-20T10:15:15-06:00February 20th, 2024|

The Hesston City Council approved selling property it owns to BHF Grocery Store, LLC, owned by Beneficient Heartland Foundation Inc. At its Feb. 12 meeting, the city council voted 5-0 to sell 0.57 acres of property located at the corner of Old Highway 81 and North Lancaster Street to the company for $50,000. “The 50,000 offer for the property is well above our investment in the property,” City Administrator Gary Emry said, adding that the city had invested $42.000 to $44,000 in the property so far. “I think it’s a good offer.” Emry described the property as serving as a domino piece in [...]

Water sector issues joint statement to Congress on fully funding SRFs

info2024-02-20T10:06:54-06:00February 20th, 2024|

On Feb. 15, a broad cross-section of water sector organizations representing, utilities, public works departments, executives, manufacturers, research organizations and other industry partners sent a letter to Congress requesting that it fully fund the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (SRFs) to congressionally authorized levels of $3 billion each for fiscal year 2024. The letter stated in part: “Fully funding the SRFs will expand access to affordable financing for water infrastructure that protects public health. SRF subsidized loans fund infrastructure that provides safe drinking water, recycled water, wastewater services and stormwater management in thousands of communities around the nation every [...]

Mulvane seeks to bring back farmers market

info2024-02-20T10:05:44-06:00February 20th, 2024|

At the most recent meeting of the chamber board in Mulvane, according to The Mulvane News, the possibility was discussed of restarting the farmers market in the downtown area. Previously, several years ago, a market was operated by local farmer Tom Phipps in the Carson Bank lower parking lot on Saturdays during the summer. Currently, chamber members are making plans to start the new market the second Sunday in April from 1 to 4 p.m. at the west end of Main Street (by the Historical Depot Museum). Source: Derby Informer | Area

Rainbow representative gives city info about fiber project

info2024-02-20T10:02:06-06:00February 20th, 2024|

The City Commissioners met on Monday to speak with Rainbow Communications representative Julie Bergman about updates with the Fiber Project. City Administrator Becky Berger was not present during the meeting due to illness with strep throat. Bergman explained the current status of the project and how it aims to provide a fiber broadband network to residents in Hiawatha. “We’re overbuilding all the lines in town to be able to provide fiber Internet to all the residential residents,” Bergman said. “We’ve had fiber to businesses since about 2012-2013 time frame.” Bergman also mentioned about working with construction companies to complete the fiber [...]

Hutchinson officials share concerns about community’s wildfire risk

info2024-02-20T07:18:58-06:00February 20th, 2024|

Mayor Greg Fast asked Chief Beer if he has any suggestions on how to get people to voluntarily comply. Cutting down trees and hauling them away can be an expensive undertaking, so Beer said fire officials have researched grants to help offset the costs. He suggested a “chipper day” with a third party contracted to run limbs and brush that individuals have put out by the curb through a chipper, but many grants are limited to property bordered by federal lands, and only state lands surround Hutchinson. Councilmember Goss said it makes sense for the city to fund a chipper project [...]

Municipal Bond Trends for February 16, 2024

Henry Schmidt2024-02-19T09:20:28-06:00February 19th, 2024|

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS "investment grade" yields. 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.

Salina seeks public input as it makes changes to city’s sign codes

info2024-02-19T07:24:08-06:00February 19th, 2024|

As the line between what is art and what is advertising becomes somewhat blurred, Salina is looking to revamp and change city code on signs. As part of this process, the city hosted a listening session Thursday evening to hear from members of the public about signs in Salina and brought in Wendy Moeller ... One of the biggest challenges in adopting codes on signage is dealing with case law in the United States. Moeller said in just the past decade new decisions have come from various courts. "There's been a couple of Supreme Court cases that have made a lot [...]

Park City cracks down on chronic calls

info2024-02-17T14:35:55-06:00February 17th, 2024|

Park City is cracking down on so-called "chronic nuisance" properties in the city. The city council on Feb. 13 unanimously voted to create an ordinance that would give city staff an additional way of dealing with properties that generate excessive police calls. Properties where two or more "trigger events" occur within a compliance period can now be dubbed chronic nuisances under the new policy. A property can also become a chronic nuisance if a non-self-defense-related shooting occurs or if a search warrant is executed there. The ordinance says the compliance period is six months for residential properties and 30 days for [...]