Sedgwick County solid waste fee to increase next year

Sedgwick County Commissioners have voted to approve an increase in the annual solid waste fee for next year. This is the fee that is charged with property tax bills to homeowners and businesses, and it provides funding for a variety of solid waste programs. The average increase will be 36 cents for 2023. Residential properties will go up from $7.90 to $8.38. Commercial and industrial properties will increase to a range from $5.33 to $10.67 a year, depending on how they’re classified. The fee is expected to generate $1.9 million, and the funding helps support the household hazardous waste operations, special disposal events and other projects like the Trash Coupon Program and the Bulky Waste Coupon Program.
Source: Country 101.3 KFDI

Ranson Financial2022-05-19T07:41:34-05:00May 19, 2022|News|

Newton sesquicentennial bash to be June 4

Party likes it’s 1872. That’s the tagline for the upcoming Newton 150 Summer Bash celebrating Newton’s 150-year anniversary or sesquicentennial. The event, which is for all ages, is 4-10 p.m., Saturday, June 4, on Main Street in Newton between Fifth and Seventh streets. There’s no admission charge, but some of the things do cost, like the Ferris wheel. The committee in charge of the event got its inspiration to bring such a ride downtown because of a photo taken circa 1910 that shows that ride resting on a Newton street with people onboard. City of Newton Director of Communications Erin McDaniel said streets will be blocked off for the celebration. On the south end will be a stage and street dance area. Wheat State Revival will perform around 6 p.m., while the headliner act, The Astronauts, from Wichita, will take the stage at 8 p.m. The Revival group plays country/western music, while The Astronauts goes in another direction with ’80s-style pop music.
Source: Harvey County Now

Ranson Financial2022-05-19T00:30:48-05:00May 19, 2022|News|

Artist has big plans for Lindsborg mural

An artist has designed a new mural for the City of Lindsborg in McPherson County. But before he can start painting it, he and his supporters are trying to raise money for the project. Cal McNichols has designed a colorful, giant Viking for the side of the Trollslända Toy Store at the corner of Main and State Street. The building already has a mural, but it is seven to eight years old, and the paint has been fading. The mural will be 30-feet tall. The artist said that a Viking was a perfect choice because the local Smoky Valley schools have the Viking as a mascot. It also speaks to Lindsborg’s heritage.
Source: KSN-TV

Ranson Financial2022-05-19T08:03:04-05:00May 19, 2022|News|

Randi Shannon chosen to be Paola’s city manager

The job responsibilities that come with being named Paola’s city manager will come as no surprise to Randi Shannon. That’s because she’s been filling the role on an interim basis for the past five months. Paola City Council members made the interim position permanent following an executive session at the end of their May 10 meeting. The council members voted unanimously to name Shannon the city’s new city manager. Shannon has risen quickly through the ranks of Paola city government. She grew up in Rose Hill, Kan., and moved to the area when her husband, Will, started teaching in La Cygne.
Source: Local News | republic-online.com

Ranson Financial2022-05-19T07:54:17-05:00May 19, 2022|News|

Douglas County Commission focuses on landlord relations during work session on needs of unhoused people

Douglas County Commissioners on Wednesday heard the challenges facing an end to chronic homelessness in the county. Owen Cox, a researcher from the University of Kansas Center for Public Partnerships and Research presented the findings of a two-part needs assessment on unhoused people. “We’re really hoping that what you see here today, and what you see in the final report, which is forthcoming, will really help guide any future sort of plans that you might make around tackling some of the issues that the needs assessment has uncovered.” After the presentation, Shannon Oury, executive director of Lawrence Douglas County Housing Authority, told commissioners part of the challenge of eliminating homelessness centers on re-entry into the housing market. Oury cited the example of attaining housing after experiencing homelessness multiple times.
Source: The Lawrence Times

Ranson Financial2022-05-19T00:22:04-05:00May 19, 2022|News|

Atchison Embarks on Increased Code Enforcement Efforts

The City is looking to partner with residents to address housing issues in response to recent feedback from the 2021 Community Survey. The survey showed only 23% of residents were satisfied with City enforcement of home/property maintenance issues, and 63% think the City should increase efforts to ensure private property is well maintained. In response, City Code Enforcement Officer Curtis Wheeler is asking residents who receive letters from his office to engage so that a solution can be found. “If you get something from us, please don’t ignore it,” Wheeler said. “If you reach out, we can work with you on timelines, look for programs and partner with homeowners to help.” Wheeler said code enforcement is about protecting the quality of housing stock in Atchison neighborhoods, to protect property values and ensure that housing is available for generations to come.
Source: City Government | atchisonglobenow.com

Ranson Financial2022-05-19T07:56:45-05:00May 19, 2022|News|

Hutchinson City council hires former Reno County Administrator Gary Meagher as interim city manager

The Hutchinson City Council on Tuesday approved hiring former Reno County Administrator Gary Meagher as an interim city manager. However, a discussion and any action on the process for hiring a full-time replacement for former City Manager Jeff Cantrell, whose contract the city council ended on May 3, was delayed because two city council members were absent from Tuesday’s meeting. Mayor Jade Piros de Carvalho said they’ll try to hold a brief executive session during one of three upcoming special meetings on the budget to get the process started, but she wasn’t sure which meeting that will be. Under the agreement approved on Tuesday, Meagher, 70, is contracted as interim manager for two months, after which the city can extend the agreement on a month-to-month basis.
Source: Hutch News

Ranson Financial2022-05-18T09:55:17-05:00May 18, 2022|News|

South Hutchinson officials debate the direction to take on economic development spending

With the Hutchinson Chamber not making the cut last month for a state grant it sought to begin a new business park with, South Hutchinson city officials agreed Tuesday to take $500,000 it pledged for the project off the table, at least for now. However, the council was not in favor of the city spending money on a speculative commercial building of its own. South Hutchinson City Administrator Joseph Turner advised the council that the chamber would still like the city to commit the funds for economic development but that he was not “automatically willing to commit to another project right now.” Mayor Matt Nisly said he was open to other possibilities if the chamber had a specific project, but he agreed with Turner that it would depend on the project.
Source: Hutch News

Ranson Financial2022-05-18T09:54:17-05:00May 18, 2022|News|

Kansas Supreme Court to hear JoCo ‘dark store’ case — with millions in tax dollars on the line

A decision that could mean the difference in millions of dollars of tax revenue to Johnson County, its cities and school boards looms ahead as the Kansas Supreme Court prepares to hear a “dark store” case on Thursday. The Kansas Supreme Court on Wednesday hears Johnson County’s appeal of a lower court’s ruling upholding a state tax appeal board’s decision that the county owes Walmart $60 million in overpaid property taxes. Walmart successfully used the so-called “dark store theory” in arguing that the county had overvalued 11 of its properties in the 2016 and 2017 fiscal years. If the high court upholds the ruling, local taxing jurisdictions — including cities and school boards — could see hits to their annual tax revenues. At the center of the case is the method the county used to appraise values on big box commercial real estate — specifically, 11 properties occupied by Walmart and Sam’s Clubs in 2016 and 2017.
Source: Shawnee Mission Post

Ranson Financial2022-05-18T09:53:17-05:00May 18, 2022|News|

Future of passenger air service looking bright in Salina

Although the current carrier, SkyWest Airlines, has been quiet after announcing it will be terminating service in the community, the Salina Airport Authority is encouraged about the future of passenger service to and from Salina. Tim Rogers, the executive director for the airport authority, updated the Salina City Commission Monday about the situation, and said that a proposal was submitted last week to the United States Department of Transportation (U.S. D.O.T.) for Essential Air Service (EAS) to the airport. “One proposal was received from Denver Air Connection…proposing 50-seat regional jet service to and from Salina and Denver, with an option for continued operation also to and from Salina and Chicago,” Rogers said.
Source: Salina Journal

Ranson Financial2022-05-18T07:11:39-05:00May 18, 2022|News|