News – Page 525 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Overland Park mulls changing development rules

info2024-01-12T14:16:35-06:00January 12th, 2024|

As Overland Park continues to build its new comprehensive plan, the city is also mulling some possible updates to regulations for future development and redevelopment projects. That collection of ordinances called a Unified Development Ordinance, or UDO, lays out the rules for development in a community, including land use and architectural standards. The plan is to work with a consultant to review the UDO, the cost of which Overland Park Senior Planner Danielle Hollrah said is already budgeted into city’s 2024-28 capital improvement project list. Source: Johnson County Post

County commission approves cost of living increase for county employees

info2024-01-12T13:06:45-06:00January 12th, 2024|

The Chase County Commission approved a 3.5% cost of living adjustment across the board for county employees at its meeting Monday morning. Commissioner Matt Miller said he was in favor of making the 3.5% increase standard for all county employees, regardless of full-time or part-time status, to help with cost of living increases. “The departments have done a good job of getting some internal pay scales and structures put in place. We have made a lot of progress there with department heads meeting and updating our leave policies. Those are definitely big steps forward,” Miller said. “I encourage us as we [...]

“Need rural water!”

info2024-01-12T13:02:26-06:00January 12th, 2024|

After fighting for clean, oil-free water since September, mother of three and wife, Jenna Krob, says she’s tired of being redirected. “I feel like I’m getting tossed around just like I did when I didn’t have water at first,” said Krob. “Now I’m being tossed around again just trying to find a permanent solution.” The problem began as a foul smell filling their newly purchased home located at SW Thunder Rd and SW 150th St in rural Augusta. Soon after, their plumbing pipes, toilet tank, shower and sinks were coated in a black oily substance. The family suspected crude oil to be in [...]

‘Wage war’: Sedgwick County hikes pay for sheriff’s officers after Wichita police raises

info2024-01-12T13:00:49-06:00January 12th, 2024|

Sedgwick County boosted pay for sheriff’s office employees Wednesday in an escalating law enforcement wage war with the city of Wichita. The county will transfer approximately $4.5 million from reserves to cover 8.7% increases for all sheriff’s employees, including Sheriff Jeff Easter, who presented the funding request to commissioners Wednesday. That’s on top of the 2% increase that went into effect at the beginning of the year. The new raise comes a month after the Wichita City Council voted to give police employees 13.27% raises and one-time $5,000 bonuses. “If people don’t believe that we’re going to lose people to Wichita, they’ve got [...]

County leadership program serves to develop leaders

info2024-01-12T12:56:05-06:00January 12th, 2024|

K-State Research and Extension Agent Tristen Cope has learned to look at leadership differently, especially after taking a class on the topic through Kansas Leadership Center and helping run the Marion County Leadership Program. “I was in a lot of leadership positions in high school and throughout college, but I was never taught or shown leadership as a verb. I was always taught that leadership was a noun,” said Cope. “It’s an act of how you’re a leader as opposed to a noun— acting as a leader— it’s what you do to gain those leadership skills or to help engage and [...]

Hesston gives OK to expanding police force

info2024-01-12T12:54:52-06:00January 12th, 2024|

The Hesston Police Department will hire an additional police officer. The Hesston City Council approved the action after some discussion of shifting budgets Monday night. Police Chief Chris Eilert made the case to the council for the hiring. An officer informed him that he plans to pursue another job in 18 to 24 months. Eilert said the city, in the past, had trouble finding quality applicants for open positions, and he had a strong applicant, a Hesston resident currently working at another interested department. “He will be getting out if he can’t find something,” he said. “He fits perfectly what I’m looking for in [...]

‘Nothing in the middle’: Senior housing options limited

info2024-01-12T12:52:02-06:00January 12th, 2024|

After getting divorced in her mid 60s, Darlene Palsmeier was forced to look for a new home. She didn’t like what she found, a least in terms of cost. With an annual income of $38,640, Palsmeier doesn’t consider herself well off. But when she began applying for apartments in government-subsidized senior living communities around the area, she discovered she was above the income limit for residents by almost $3,000. Needing a place “pretty quick,” she rented an apartment on Rock Road in east Wichita for $1,400 a month. That equals 43 percent of her monthly income, well above the 30 percent recommended by [...]

Pottawatomie County offices briefly evacuated due to mystery odor

info2024-01-12T12:50:30-06:00January 12th, 2024|

An odor issue caused a brief closure Wednesday of the Pottawomie County Office Building in Westmoreland. The facility was evacuated and closed for about an hour and a half as Kansas Gas Service performed a check of lines in the building. They were able to rule out any gas leak. Employees and customers were allowed back into the building at 2 p.m. The office building has been deemed safe for employees and customers. County officials say more work will be done to narrow down the mysterious odor. The building houses offices for the Pottawatomie County Treasurer, Clerk, Appraiser, Register of Deeds, Planning and Zoning, [...]

State sales tax on food drops to 2 percent

info2024-01-12T12:34:00-06:00January 12th, 2024|

Kansans are now paying less tax at the grocery store as the state tax rate on food dropped from four to two percent on Monday. During the 2022 Legislative session, lawmakers passed the “Axe The Food Tax” bill, which phases out the state tax on food at the grocery store. At the start of 2023, the state tax rate on food decreased from 6.5 to four percent. Now in 2024, the rate is dropped to two percent. The tax will be eliminated on Jan. 1, 2025. “Axing the food tax down to two percent keeps more money in Kansans’ pockets. High prices shouldn’t force [...]

Cherokee County Sheriff Reports Significant Decrease in Crimes for 2023

info2024-01-12T12:31:27-06:00January 12th, 2024|

The Cherokee County Sheriff is reflecting on the last year and what he calls some "good news." Last year's numbers show a 61-percent decrease in aggravated assaults and batteries from 2022 in Cherokee County, as well as a decrease in thefts when compared to the five-year average. "The trend has been over the last ten years for violent crimes to be going up. And so for us to see that significant of a decrease with regards to aggravated assault matters was certainly something we welcome," said David Groves, Cherokee County Sheriff. Sheriff's deputies were also able to log a 5-percent "solvability rate" higher [...]