News – Page 55 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Lenexa City Council denies county homeless shelter permit. What happens now?

info2024-09-18T11:05:24-05:00September 18th, 2024|

After almost a year of discussions at both the county and city level, the Lenexa City Council voted on Tuesday to deny a special use permit for a proposed Johnson County homeless shelter off Interstate 35. A more than six-hour council meeting that stretched past midnight ended with a majority of the governing body agreeing that plans for the shelter, also known as the Homeless Services Center, were too flawed to approve a permit needed for it to operate. “I think it creates more of a downside than upside,” Councilmember Chris Herron said. The 5-2 vote followed the recommendation of city [...]

Ordinances in development on homeless encampments in Wichita

info2024-09-18T11:04:15-05:00September 18th, 2024|

Wichita City Manager Robert Layton says two ordinances are being developed in response to a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that gives cities more authority to remove homeless encampments. The Supreme Court ruled in June that cities can ban people from sleeping and camping in public places. Layton said the ordinances being drafted will address notification issues and time frames, along with definitions of items that would be defined as valuables. He said staff has been working on the second or third draft of the ordinances and it’s not known when they will be ready for consideration by the City Council. [...]

City of Leon plans for $1.1 million splash park

info2024-09-18T11:02:29-05:00September 18th, 2024|

On Monday evening the City of Leon passed two resolutions approving the City to apply for grants to secure funds for a splash park with the price tag of $1,134,410. The potential splash park has been in the works since this summer after BG Consultants, (Manhattan, KS), and Ranson Financial, (Wichita, KS), presented renderings and finances to the City Council in August. The $1.1 million price tag includes the splash park, with dimensions of 70ft x 65ft, or 4,550 sq ft total, an outdoor covered pavilion, with dimensions of 16ft 8in x 21ft 6in with benches and shade, and a building [...]

Municipal Bond Trends for September 17, 2024

Henry Schmidt2024-09-18T09:04:45-05:00September 18th, 2024|

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.

Prairie Village goes back on track to ban short-term rentals

info2024-09-17T15:12:09-05:00September 17th, 2024|

The city of Prairie Village has reversed course and is now back to its original idea to ban short-term rentals. The Prairie Village City Council on Monday during its committee meeting unanimously directed city staff to draft an ordinance that limits rentals to operate on a 30-day stay minimum, effectively banning short-term rentals like AirBnbs or Vrbos that are typically booked for weekend or week-long stays. Source: Johnson County Post

Shawnee celebrates 25 years of firefighter swaps with German city

info2024-09-17T15:11:13-05:00September 17th, 2024|

After 25 years, an annual firefighter exchange program between Shawnee and its sister city in Germany continues to strengthen its connection. For 10 days, firefighters from Erfurt, Germany, and Shawnee exchange places, living with local families, taking in a different culture and trading ideas on how to respond to emergencies. It’s a program that’s been going on since 1998, when the two cities established it as a way to improve connections. Source: Johnson County Post

Leawood considers how to improve its city-wide tree canopy

info2024-09-17T15:10:56-05:00September 17th, 2024|

If the tree near the street in front of your house gets sick, should it be the city’s responsibility to remove and replace it? If you want to remove a tree from your yard, should you have to get a permit or be required to replace it with another tree? Those were among the questions discussed Monday as the Leawood City Council became the latest Johnson County community to take a fresh look at its tree ordinances during a work session. Councilmembers compared their existing regulations with their counterparts in Prairie Village, Roeland Park, Mission and Fairway — four cities with [...]

Concept aims to make downtown Overland Park a ‘destination.’

info2024-09-17T15:10:29-05:00September 17th, 2024|

A new potential future for downtown Overland Park drawn out by the Urban Land Institute of Kansas City suggests turning the area into “a destination” surrounding its popular farmers’ market. The conceptual vision for downtown — the area primarily between Santa Fe Drive and Metcalf Avenue, and 79th and 80th streets — includes a boutique hotel, new parking garages, infrastructure improvements prioritizing pedestrian and bicycle access, and a plethora of mixed-use redevelopment. Source: Johnson County Post

Arcadia’s history is preserved in music

info2024-09-17T12:58:39-05:00September 17th, 2024|

Nestled in the far northeast corner of the county, along the Missouri state line and Bourbon County line, Arcadia is a small community of only 250 people that celebrated its founding on Saturday with a parade, face painting, barbeque, and everything else one would expect of such a grand occasion. As the parade of fire trucks, police cars, and ubiquitous political candidates faded and the kids scoured the streets for gum and candy, parade-goers began filing into the Arcadia Community Center to hear about their past in a most inspiring way. In song. Source: Morning Sun

Municipal Bond Trends for September 16, 2024

Henry Schmidt2024-09-17T10:01:52-05:00September 17th, 2024|

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.