Salinans voted on ordinance to limit the commission’s powers. That ordinance is now void

Months after citizens in Salina voted in favor of it, an ordinance that put limits on the power of the City Commission was struck down after review by a judge. The ordinance stopped the commission from imposing restrictions on citizens and businesses if a state of emergency was declared by the county or the state and was brought about after citizens’ concerns about the city adopting mask mandates and other restrictions placed on the city and its residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the vote in November, the commission voted to send the ordinance to district court for a summary judgement in addition to allowing it to be placed on the ballot. On May 31, 28th District Court Judge Paul Hickman issued that judgement, saying the ordinance, as written, was void.
Source: Salina Journal

Ranson Financial2022-06-08T08:23:03-05:00June 8, 2022|News|

Douglas County leaders to consider replacing a chapter of construction codes for unincorporated areas of the county

Douglas County leaders will consider repealing and replacing an entire chapter of county construction codes this week. If approved by the Douglas County Commission at its Wednesday meeting, construction codes for the unincorporated areas of the county would be updated to align with the 2018 International Code Council series of construction codes, effective Jan. 1, 2023. Other changes would include a new permit fee methodology assigning valuations for new residential, commercial and accessory building construction, and the adoption of appendices allowing for light straw-clay construction, straw-bale construction and tiny-house construction.
Source: LJWorld

Ranson Financial2022-06-08T08:15:13-05:00June 8, 2022|News|

Municipal Bond Trends for June 7, 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 Financial2022-06-08T08:10:13-05:00June 8, 2022|News|

Severe weather hits Johnson County Wednesday morning

Tornado sirens sent Johnson Countians scurrying to their basements and interior hallways early Wednesday morning as a line of severe thunderstorms that appears to have produced at least one tornado rolled through the Kansas City metro.
Source: Prairie Village Post

Ranson Financial2022-06-08T08:02:43-05:00June 8, 2022|News|

State and local government workforce facing worst challenges in 50 years

State and local governments are experiencing recruitment and retention challenges not seen on this scale in fifty years. That’s according to panelists at the Government Finance Officers Association’s annual conference on Sunday, where panelists discussed the widespread challenges the public sector is facing with respect to recruitment and retention experienced since the onslaught of COVID-19 beginning in February 2020. “Simply put, what we’re seeing right now is one of the most challenging single workforce situations in the past 50 years,” said Joshua Franzel, managing director, research and thought leadership, MissionSquare Retirement. Outgoing GFOA President Michael Bryant recently said that GFOA is hyper focused on addressing the challenges associated with the great resignation, and incoming GFOA President Terri Velasquez highlighted talent recruitment as one of GFOA’s highest priorities in the coming year.
Source: The Bond Buyer

Ranson Financial2022-06-08T01:51:56-05:00June 8, 2022|News|

Wichita to offer program to boost ownership of single-family homes

Wichita City Council members have voted unanimously to approve a two-year program that is aimed at improving access and affordability for housing in the community. Interim assistant city manager Kathy Sexton told the council Tuesday that the current housing market is being challenged by low supplies and a rapid increase in home prices, and the market has had a very short supply of homes available for sale. Wess Galyon, executive director of the Wichita Area Builders Association, said the biggest challenge in the market is entry-level housing. The new program is intended to improve the affordability of newly-constructed single-family homes in new developments.
Source: 101.3 KFDI

Ranson Financial2022-06-08T01:50:35-05:00June 8, 2022|News|

Political signs not allowed on highway right of way

It’s a sign of the season – political campaigning and the posting of campaign signs. The Kansas Department of Transportation reminds the public that all political campaign signs or billboards are prohibited from being placed on state right of way. By law, all right of way on state highways is exclusively for public highway purposes. Only regulatory, guide signs and warning signs placed by KDOT are allowed on the 9,500-mile state highway system. KDOT has jurisdiction over all interstate, Kansas and U.S. routes. When KDOT maintenance crews find political or business advertising on state right of way, the signs will be removed immediately and without notice. All such signs will then be taken to the closest KDOT Subarea office. Political campaign signs not retrieved from the Subarea offices will be disposed of after the election.
Source: Fort Scott Biz

Ranson Financial2022-06-08T01:45:51-05:00June 8, 2022|News|

Communities In Schools Programs Receives Grant to Assist Students

Two Bourbon County school districts recently received a $10,000 grant each for student support from Walmart to help with the Communities In Schools programs. The mission of Communities In Schools is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life, according to https://www.communitiesinschools.org/. The name of the grant is the Walmart Community Grant – Communities In Schools Programming in Uniontown and Fort Scott, Kansas. Rhonda Hoener is the Student Support Coordinator for Communities In Schools at Uniontown, and wrote the grant proposal.
Source: Fort Scott Biz

Ranson Financial2022-06-08T08:04:33-05:00June 8, 2022|News|

Johnson County Commission amends regulations guiding solar farm developments

The Johnson County Commission absorbed conflicting public comment Monday before voting to soften development regulations to allow individual solar projects as large as 2,000 acres, solar fields as close as 1.5 miles from city boundaries and operational permits of 25 years in length. The commission voted 6-1 at the conclusion of a three-hour special meeting to approve revised planning and zoning regulations for unincorporated areas of the county for construction of solar collectors and battery storage facilities. More conservative limits recommended by the county’s planning commission were rejected, including a maximum farm size of 1,000 acres, a 2-mile buffer from cities and a 20-year permit. Johnson County officials have studied options for locating utility-sized solar farms in the county since 2021.
Source: Kansas Reflector

Ranson Financial2022-06-08T01:28:38-05:00June 8, 2022|News|

Wichita placed under boil water advisory for second time in eight months

Wichita has been placed under a boil water advisory, as of 4:15 p.m. Tuesday. At a press conference, city officials said the earliest the advisory could be lifted is Wednesday evening. “During routine maintenance at the water treatment plant, for a short period of time, an unexpected water quality change occurred, resulting in a slight increase in turbidity,” a city news release states. A news release from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment termed the condition high turbidity and said the advisory would remain in effect “until the conditions that placed the system at risk of bacterial contamination are resolved.”
Source: Wichita Eagle

Ranson Financial2022-06-08T08:08:24-05:00June 8, 2022|News|