Randy Grisell, City Attorney Announces Retirement

After a 41-year career practicing law and 33 years as the City Attorney, Randy Grisell has announced his retirement at the end of 2021. “With respect to the City of Garden City, what stands out the most to me is the dedication and professionalism of the public employees that make up the city workforce,” remarked Grisell. “I have had the pleasure of working with two excellent city managers, Bob Halloran and Matt Allen. The city is fortunate to have Matt’s leadership, hopefully for many more years to come. City employees sometimes have thankless jobs, working long hours under adverse conditions so as to provide the municipal services expected and relied upon by the citizens of Garden City. I want to thank all the city employees I have been lucky enough to work with and who made my job so enjoyable,” said Grisell. … “Randy is held in high regard among city attorneys in Kansas. He treats people with respect and conducts his business with the highest integrity. Our Commissioners and staff have benefited greatly from his counsel over the last 33 years,” remarked City Manager Matt Allen.
Source: Greater Garden City

Ranson Financial2021-08-16T07:03:21-05:00August 16, 2021|News|

As economic impact of winter storm nears $1B, some large Kansas customers want to investigate

The total cost from a more than week-long cold snap that brought the Midwest power supply to the brink of collapse is nearly $1 billion — and growing. The greatest breakdown during the storm, which forced controlled electrical blackouts in Kansas and Missouri, industry groups have said, was natural gas, which was in short supply and rose to 200 times its normal price during the worst stretch of the storm. So far, two of Kansas’ largest natural gas companies have filed to collect a combined $539.5 million from ratepayers over as long as 10 years. Some Evergy customers in Kansas will pay for $152.3 million in power costs from Winter Storm Uri over two years. But as regulators review those companies’ plans and prepare to pass on the costs to Kansas ratepayers, some groups representing large-scale customers say that — even six months later — the state has more work to do investigating the cause of huge natural gas price spikes during the storm.
Source: Kansas Reflector

Ranson Financial2021-08-16T00:42:37-05:00August 16, 2021|News|

Unvaccinated Johnson County employees must get tested weekly

The most populous county in Kansas is requiring its employees to submit to weekly COVID-19 testing if they aren’t vaccinated. Johnson County Manager Penny Postoak Ferguson said that only 46% of county employees had reported being fully vaccinated as of Wednesday. Countywide, nearly 58% of eligible residents are fully vaccinated. Beginning Aug. 23, government employees who are not fully vaccinated must get tested once a week. The Kansas City Star reports that employees who work in departments providing direct care to residents are subject to tests up to twice weekly.
Source: KSN-TV

Ranson Financial2021-08-16T00:40:49-05:00August 16, 2021|News|

The Baxter Springs Fire Department is memorializing the firefighters who were lost on 9/11

For a second straight year, the Baxter Springs Fire Department will memorialize the 343 firefighters lost on 9/11. The department’s 343 Memorial Stair Climb will be held on Saturday, September 11th. The event is open to all first responders. Participants will climb the equivalent of 110 floors of stairs, which wearing 70lbs. of gear. There’s no cost. The first 50 to sign up will receive commemorative t-shirts and challenge coins.
Source: KSNF/KODE

Ranson Financial2021-08-16T00:38:43-05:00August 16, 2021|News|

Amanda Stanley hired as city attorney for the City of Topeka

Amanda Stanley has been hired as the City Attorney for the City of Topeka. Before coming to Topeka she was general counsel for the League of Kansas Municipalities. Stanley will start as the City Attorney on August 23rd. “I am excited to announce that Amanda Stanley has accepted the position of City Attorney. She has a tremendous amount of experience working with municipalities and will be a great asset to the city,” said City Manager Brent Trout. Stanley graduated from Newman University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology in 2008 and graduated from the University of Kansas School of Law in 2014.
Source: KSNT News

Ranson Financial2021-08-16T07:04:09-05:00August 16, 2021|News|

How safe is the water in splash parks?

Wichita’s splash pads are inspected routinely by the city’s Environmental Health department and facility operators are expected to adhere to the water quality standards specified in the municipal code. But that level of oversight is uncommon throughout the rest of Sedgwick County and much of the state, where facilities operate in something of a water feature Wild West. … in Kansas, there are no statewide regulations for the construction, operation, filtration, disinfection or inspection of recreational water features, including pools, water parks and splash pads. And public information about the safety of any individual splash pad in the Wichita area is murky at best. “Outside of Wichita, there aren’t inspections,” Sedgwick County Health Department Director Adrienne Byrne said. “We don’t have Environmental Health with the county health department, and so cannot provide inspections unless there’s an issue like there was with Tanganyika.”
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle

Ranson Financial2021-08-16T07:08:31-05:00August 16, 2021|News|

The ‘Kubota Way’: Great Plains Manufacturing set for next step in south Salina project

A first of many new milestones graced Great Plains Manufacturing Aug. 2 when the Great Plains/Kubota logo went up on a mammoth building in south Salina. It cemented what company leaders have been mapping for months. Since purchasing Salina-based Great Plains in July 2016, Kubota included Salina among four strategic growth areas in the United States, along with Edgerton in eastern Kansas, and locations in Georgia and Texas. The rapidly growing company is transforming the 750,000 square-foot structure at 3861 S. Ninth St., into Kubota’s North American Skid Steer Loader (SSL) and Compact Tracked Loader (CTL) Construction Equipment design and manufacturing center.
Source: Salina Journal

Ranson Financial2021-08-15T16:04:36-05:00August 13, 2021|News|

Market in Johnson City setting a trend on Main Street by raising happy livestock and selling lots of local products

Two years ago, Matt and Michelle Canny had a realization. They needed to change what they were doing or they would sink. Like other ranchers across the country, including in Kansas, the Cannys, who own Bear Creek Farms, realized if they could sell directly to the customer they could make a larger profit. The issue was marketing – and demand. “There’s more money in this than in selling through the sale barn,” Michelle Canny said.
Source: Hutch News

Ranson Financial2021-08-15T16:02:52-05:00August 13, 2021|News|

Webinars coming up for Emergency Rural Health Care Grants

This program provides up to $500 million in grant funding to help broaden access to COVID-19 testing and vaccines, rural health care services, and food assistance through food banks and food distribution facilities. Eligible applicants include public bodies, community-based nonprofits, and federally-recognized Tribes. Facilities and projects supported through this grant must be located in rural areas with populations of 20,000 or fewer, and must primarily serve rural areas. Learn more about the program.

Ranson Financial2021-08-13T07:36:15-05:00August 13, 2021|News|

Municipal Bond Trends for August 12, 2021

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 Financial2021-08-13T07:12:53-05:00August 13, 2021|News|