Amid rising job vacancies, Lawrence city manager’s recommended budget includes $4.2M for employee raises

One of the priorities in the city manager’s recommended budget is improving pay for city employees, and the budget allocates $4.2 million toward raises. The 2022 budget included $5 million to increase pay, and City Manager Craig Owens said the $4.2 million included in the recommended budget would conclude a multiyear plan to bring city wages to market-competitive rates. Owens named employee compensation as one of a few priorities in the budget.
Source: LJWorld

Ranson Financial2022-07-17T08:19:29-05:00July 17, 2022|News|

Lawrence leaders to consider regulations and fees for long-term parklet program; $1,000 per parking stall proposed

City leaders will soon consider proposed limitations, design criteria and fees for a program that would allow businesses to construct patios and outdoor dining areas in downtown parking stalls on a permanent basis. As part of its meeting Tuesday, the Lawrence City Commission will consider adopting an ordinance establishing the permanent program, which will establish various regulations and charge businesses $1,000 per year per parking stall used. The city initiated a temporary version of the program at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, and commissioners previously indicated they wanted to develop the permanent version and hired an architecture firm to help develop the draft ordinance.
Source: LJWorld

Ranson Financial2022-07-16T10:02:59-05:00July 16, 2022|News|

Will deal charge Kansas economy?

The news Wednesday that global technology giant Panasonic would be building a $4 billion electric vehicle battery plant in De Soto was treated as the biggest economic win for Kansas since an Abilene farmer started the trend of planting winter wheat in the 1870s. … officials now will have to answer the question of what comes next, both for the project and Kansas’ economic development landscape. … Patrick Lowry, a spokesperson for the Kansas Department of Commerce, said there are currently eight proposed megaprojects “in the pipeline.” “Industries range from advanced manufacturing to data centers to renewable energy with capital investment amounts ranging from $1 billion to $3 billion,” Lowry said in an email.
Source: Hutch News

Ranson Financial2022-07-15T07:55:01-05:00July 15, 2022|News|

Even at $200,000 a job, Kansas paid below the going rate in its deal to land a Panasonic factory

Even at roughly $200,000 per job, analysts say the tax breaks and other incentives Kansas put on the table to bring Panasonic’s battery-making plant to De Soto fall short of the giveaways other states have made in recent years. Still, the tax dollars devoted to bringing the $4 billion electric vehicle battery plant to Johnson County bust any records in Kansas for tempting a business to the state. And few details have been made public about the $829 million incentive plan that was negotiated behind closed doors. The factory will be the largest economic development plan in Kansas history. The company is promising 4,000 jobs subsidized at the rate of $200,000 per worker. Additionally, the package to Panasonic appears to be the fourth largest in the country since 2018, according to a subsidy tracker from Good Job’s First, a group largely skeptical about government giveaways to businesses.
Source: KCUR News

Ranson Financial2022-07-15T07:47:40-05:00July 15, 2022|News|

Wichita Public Library partners with USD 259 to bring students eCards

Wichita Public Library announced Thursday that through a partnership with Wichita Public Schools (USD 259), parents and caregivers can now opt-in their child for a library eCard at enrollment. When a student opts in for an eCard, they will be able to use their student ID as their library card and have the ability to access the library’s collection of eBooks, audiobooks, and research databases. In addition, their account will be active until they graduate high school and transition to a library card of their choice.
Source: KSN-TV

Ranson Financial2022-07-15T07:40:18-05:00July 15, 2022|News|

Weekend attractions bring people, revenue to Topeka

Country Stampede is back in Topeka, marking the third time Top City has hosted one of the biggest country concerts in the state. This weekend’s festivities kicked off with a pre-party, including performances from Drew Parker and Colt Ford. Early campers were able to pretend Wednesday’s concerts, and those individuals represent just a few of the thousands who are expected to be in town this weekend. “Country Stampede averages about 20,000 people a day,” said Shelby Ebert of Country Stampede Marketing. “There are years that are better than that, which is amazing. We’re expecting a really large crowd this weekend — we’re hoping for that. We’re excited for everybody to come out and see what we’ve got going on.”
Source: KSNT 27 News

Ranson Financial2022-07-15T07:39:44-05:00July 15, 2022|News|

Municipal Bond Trends for July 14, 2022

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS “investment grade” yields. Every issuer’s credit is different. For rates that may be applicable to your municipality, contact our Municipal Bond Advisors, Larry Kleeman and Beth Warren.

Ranson Financial2022-07-15T07:38:47-05:00July 15, 2022|News|

Contain the Rain Workshop

Johnson County’s Contain the Rain Program invites you to attend a workshop on stormwater containment, hosted by Bridging The Gap and Johnson County Community College’s Center for Sustainability. This workshop will take place in the Regnier Center Building, Room 101, on the Johnson County Community College Campus: 12345 College Blvd, Overland Park, KS 66210. Bridging The Gap will review many of the tools and solutions you can implement on your property to help capture stormwater and mitigate runoff. We will also discuss the benefits of stormwater capture and why it is so beneficial for our communities. Registration for the workshop is free, and we will discuss the reimbursement opportunities cities of Johnson County provide to their residents for implementing these stormwater solutions. Visit www.containtherainjoco.com for details on the reimbursement program, and register for the free workshop.
Source: Johnson County Kansas |

Ranson Financial2022-07-14T19:42:11-05:00July 14, 2022|News|

Jowers hired as permanent superintendent of USD 386

Although he’s not new to the building, there is officially a new man in charge as Jeff Williams made a motion to approve Stephen Jowers as Superintendent. He was hired during Monday’s annual reorganizational meeting of USD 386. Jowers is not new to the role — he was superintendent-in-waiting while he obtained certification that was needed to officially serve in that capacity. He has worked closely under interim-superintendent Michael Argabright over the last year. Now that he is certified, he will be acting on his own for the 2022-23 school year.
Source: Emporia Gazette

Ranson Financial2022-07-15T07:28:32-05:00July 14, 2022|News|

Fed Governor Waller says he’s open to ‘larger’ rate hike this month than in June

Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said he’s willing to consider what would be the most aggressive interest rate hike in decades at the central bank’s meeting later this month. While Waller said he supports a 75 basis point hike at the July 26-27 meeting, he will be watching data and keeping an open mind about what the Fed should do to control inflation, which is running at its fastest pace since 1981. … If that data comes in materially stronger than expected, it would make me lean towards a larger hike at the July meeting to the extent it shows demand is not slowing down fast enough to get inflation down.”
Source: CNBC – Bonds

Ranson Financial2022-07-15T07:29:56-05:00July 14, 2022|News|