Manhattan looks to not call applicants unfit if commission rejects them for boards

The Manhattan City Commission wants to be able to reject board applicants without calling them unfit to serve. Commissioners didn’t vote Tuesday, but they agreed that they wanted to opt out of the state law that requires using that term. The issue came up recently with the commission’s 3-2 rejections of Annie Cook to the Human Rights and Services Board and Thomas Hanson to the Historic Resources Board on May 17. The commission still disagrees on whether commissioners can make their own recommendations after rejecting the mayor’s.
Source: themercury.com – RSS Results in news of type article

Ranson Financial2022-06-10T08:06:23-05:00June 10, 2022|News|

Manhattan commissioners change meeting quorum from four to three

The Manhattan City Commission on Tuesday changed its quorum for voting in meetings from four to three. A quorum is the minimum number of members needed for a valid vote. The change means the commission can take action when at least three of the five members are present. Commissioners passed the measure 4-1, with commissioner Usha Reddi voting against it. Commissioner John Matta said his reason for the change was that in previous commissions, commissioners sometimes would not show up. If they didn’t reach the quorum, the commission couldn’t conduct business. He said his reasoning now is that if anything happened to two commissioners, the meeting could still run.
Source: themercury.com – RSS Results in news of type article

Ranson Financial2022-06-10T08:06:52-05:00June 10, 2022|News|

Wichita bumps new specials from 15 to 20 years (for a 2-year period)

As metro area home prices rise, while housing availability remains low, the Wichita City Council approved a program Tuesday intended to help address those issues. The council unanimously approved a two-year program of 20-year special assessments for new single-family housing developments. City staff is also directed to meet with those in the industry to develop implementation timelines and program details. Fifteen-year special assessments are currently the norm in the city. Special assessments include infrastructure such as sewer and water lines, streets and stormwater improvements. “This is just one more tool you have in your toolbox that will marginally affect affordability of single-family homes,” said Kathy Sexton, interim assistant city manager, in a presentation to the Council.
Source: Wichita Business Journal

Ranson Financial2022-06-10T08:08:14-05:00June 10, 2022|News|

Kelly ‘very confident’ Kansas will land $4B megaproject

Even as Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly’s administration accepts its second consecutive national Gold Shovel Award for economic development, the state’s best business attraction days might well lie ahead. Should Kansas beat out Oklahoma in landing a $4 billion advanced manufacturing facility, reportedly a Panasonic Corp. battery plant, that single megaproject would more than double the $1.45 billion valuation of the state’s top 10 projects won in 2021. An executive last week said Panasonic is “finalizing” which U.S. state it will choose for a new battery plant site, according to Reuters.
Source: Wichita Business Journal

Ranson Financial2022-06-09T23:59:21-05:00June 9, 2022|News|

Eisenhower Airport ridership jumped 32% in April

The number of passengers flying in and out of Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport rose year-over-year in April. The airport says on its website that a total of 119,921 passengers flew through Eisenhower National in April to mark a 32.5% increase over the same month in 2021. The increase was aided by a greater use of larger aircraft in Wichita by airlines, with the airport noting a 196% jump in the usage of narrow-body jets. That resulted in 16.4% more seats on 3.8% more flights in April. Passenger count through the first four months of the year was up 47% to 410,578.
Source: Wichita Business Journal

Ranson Financial2022-06-09T23:56:32-05:00June 9, 2022|News|

It’s now safe to use Wichita tap water normally, health department confirms

It’s now safe to drink and use Wichita tap water normally, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment confirmed early Thursday morning. But boil advisories in several surrounding communities remain in effect. The all-clear for Wichita and Andover came at 12:41 a.m., after laboratory testing confirmed water quality has been restored. Wichita’s boil advisory, the second in eight months, lasted 32 hours. Advisories remain in effect for Rose Hill, Valley Center, Derby, Kechi and Sedgwick County rural water districts 2 and 3, all of which purchase water from Wichita.
Source: Wichita Eagle

Ranson Financial2022-06-09T07:51:08-05:00June 9, 2022|News|

Municipal Bond Trends for June 8, 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 Financial2022-06-09T07:43:18-05:00June 9, 2022|News|

Plan for Lawrence’s Community-Police Oversight Work Group gets approval from city commission

The Lawrence City Commission on Tuesday approved a plan for a work group that will revise how complaints against Lawrence police officers are handled. The existing Community Police Review Board has long wanted greater authority than the scope that city law currently allows — a scope so narrow that since the board was created in 2018, it has not reviewed a single complaint. The current ordinance only allows CPRB members to review appeals of the police department’s decisions in complaints about bias-based policing. Starting in 2020, at the direction of the Lawrence City Commission, board members began drafting an ordinance that expanded its duties. But an outside consultant’s review of LPD, completed about a year ago, suggested that the CPRB and police department form a task force to determine the best way to move forward.
Source: The Lawrence Times

Ranson Financial2022-06-09T01:55:30-05:00June 9, 2022|News|

Local governments adjusting for inflation, rising fuel costs

Gas prices are no doubt causing adjustments in personal budgets, but what about local governments? Manhattan City Manager Ron Fehr says they fully expect inflation and record-high fuel costs to create challenges in developing next year’s budget. As for any adjustments in the current operating budget, Fehr says the city has been fortunate to grow its reserves over the last couple years, and is seeing to-date sales tax revenues coming in higher than expected. Fehr says supply chain issues are also causing challenges at the city’s water treatment plant and in some cases the substitute additives in stock are also rapidly gaining in costs.
Source: 1350 KMAN

Ranson Financial2022-06-09T01:53:43-05:00June 9, 2022|News|

New urbanist housing development proposed for construction in Derby

Courtyards at Crosswater would be a 105-lot single-family residential development, located directly east of the St. Mary Catholic Church property on 40 acres of undeveloped agricultural land along Meadowlark Boulevard. It is a new venture for the developers in Derby, who do have other local properties, and unlike any recent projects that have come before the commission. “It is designed in a way that is different, quite frankly, than anything we have developed in Derby in a very long time,” said City Planner Scott Knebel. “The proposal is for what’s called a new urbanist development, which is a style of development that promotes walkability, human scale design as well as a traditional neighborhood design.”
Source: Derby Informer | News

Ranson Financial2022-06-09T07:37:58-05:00June 9, 2022|News|

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