News – Page 64 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Great Bend releases app to explore the community

info2024-09-06T09:14:31-05:00September 6th, 2024|

Great Bend has released an app that allows users to explore the city. The Great Bend Alive Tours app uses GPS navigation, photos, video, and audio narration to take visitors on two unique guided tours of the city. The first is a tour of the historic downtown, and the second is a tour of the city’s unique art. The historic tour takes visitors around the courthouse square and neighboring streets, where they will learn the history of historic buildings, as well as about sites where important structures once stood. The art tour showcases murals and sculptures around Great Bend and includes [...]

Mayor gives update on Cheney level, water restrictions

info2024-09-06T09:13:29-05:00September 6th, 2024|

Wichita Mayor Lily Wu is urging the community to remain vigilant about the drought. On Thursday, she said the city saw a slight uptick in water usage from previous weeks. Thursday marks one month since mandatory water restrictions began in Wichita and neighboring towns The graphic shows the volume of treated water going from the Hess Pump Station to the 500,000 water customers in Wichita and neighboring towns. The red line is when the restrictions began. The dips are on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays when no watering is allowed. Wichita began the watering restrictions because the water level at Cheney Reservoir [...]

Burlingame offers solution to ‘mitigate’ fox population

info2024-09-06T09:10:05-05:00September 6th, 2024|

The City of Burlingame recently shared a list of nuisance animal trappers who could help ‘mitigate’ the city’s local fox population – a process that usually kills the fox. On Aug. 19, a concerned citizen addressed the Burlingame city council about the overpopulation of foxes in the community. The citizen asked what the city could do to help with the problem. Chief of Police Matthew Baker said the city doesn’t handle foxes but said the city can loan live traps to citizens. He said once an animal is caught, it’s up to the person who trapped it to dispose of. Source: [...]

Voters will decide this fall whether Lawrence should change its government structure, including a directly elected mayor

info2024-09-06T07:46:29-05:00September 6th, 2024|

Voters won’t be choosing Lawrence’s city leaders in this November’s elections, but they will be weighing in on how they should be chosen — including whether voters should decide on the mayor themselves. Back in February 2023, the Lawrence City Commission approved a resolution to put a question on the November 2024 ballot about whether Lawrence should change its form of government to one with a directly elected mayor and geographic districts for commissioners. Source: LJWorld

Clearwater Schools struggle with rising chronic absenteeism rates

info2024-09-06T07:44:33-05:00September 6th, 2024|

“We had a pretty large increase in our chronic absenteeism,” said Jason Johnson, superintendent of Clearwater Public Schools. “So, prior to COVID, we were about 13% chronically absent, and this past year, we were about 25%.” When a student misses at least 10% of a school year, Johnson said a student is chronically absent. Source: KWCH

Lawmakers dig into proposed Bonner Springs theme park

info2024-09-06T07:16:36-05:00September 6th, 2024|

Kansas lawmakers heard an update on a theme park being developed by Mattel, the toy company behind Barbie and Hot Wheels, in Bonner Springs. The park is working with the city and state to secure Sales Tax and Revenue (STAR) Bonds to help pay for the project.... In April, Bonner Springs approved of a STAR Bond district boundary, which would allow the state to award funds to businesses that will be repaid over time with the sales taxes generated by in-district businesses. Source: Salina Journal

Municipal Bond Trends for September 4, 2024

Henry Schmidt2024-09-05T06:32:04-05:00September 5th, 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.

City clerk’s death spurs push for more checks

info2024-09-04T10:28:27-05:00September 4th, 2024|

Controversy surrounding the disappearance and death, confirmed Thursday, of Peabody’s interim city clerk has prompted the governor and lieutenant governor to promise to be “pursuing changes to the background check statutes this upcoming legislative session.” “Clearly, Jonathan Clayton was able to avoid the discovery of his criminal convictions,” Will Lawrence, chief of state to Governor Laura Kelly, said in a release Thursday. “His financial crimes coming to light, and questions about his involvement with local organizations that received ARPA grants, appear to have set off the chain of events that have occurred over the last several weeks.” Source: Marion County RECORD

Governor Kelly Announces MARSHALLTOWN to Invest $27M, Create 40 Jobs in Wyandotte County

info2024-09-04T10:18:03-05:00September 4th, 2024|

Governor Laura Kelly announced today that MARSHALLTOWN, a recognized supplier of high-quality tools and products to major brands such as Lowe’s and Home Depot, is investing $27 million to build a new distribution center in Wyandotte County. Once the project is completed, MARSHALLTOWN is expected to create 40 new jobs in the Kansas City area. “My administration continues to attract economic development projects that will create a significant number of new jobs,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “MARSHALLTOWN’s investment in the state reflects the work we are doing to make Kansas the best place to live, work, and raise a family.” MARSHALLTOWN [...]

Moran says OSHA rules threaten volunteer fire departments

info2024-09-04T10:16:22-05:00September 4th, 2024|

U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran says financially strapped volunteer fire departments in Kansas and other states should be exempt from costly federal regulations included in a proposed update of health and safety standards for emergency response workers. Standards under consideration by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration would apply to firefighters as well as personnel engaged in emergency medical services and technical search and rescue operations. The agency recommended changes to rules regarding written emergency response plans, hazard vulnerability assessments, training, personal protective equipment, medical screening and behavioral health services. Moran, a Kansas Republican, joined a bipartisan group of eight U.S. [...]