Shawnee County commissioners approve permit for 1 million gallon water tower

A conditional use permit for a 1 million gallon water tower, which local government officials said will accommodate future growth and potentially prevent boil water orders, was approved by the Shawnee County Commission. Commissioners held a virtual public hearing at Monday morning’s meeting, where Braxton Copley, deputy director of the city of Topeka’s utilities department, spoke in favor of the project. “This is a very important project for us,” Copley said. “We only have a single tower of 500,000 gallons (in that area), so having a second tower in a pressure zone is best practice throughout the industry.”
Source: Local News | Topeka Capital-Journal

Ranson Financial2020-12-08T07:38:45-06:00December 8, 2020|News|

Shawnee County commissioners extend disaster declaration until summer

Shawnee County will be in a “state of local disaster emergency” until June 30, 2021, after the resolution declaring a state of emergency was extended for the third time. “Given our continued battle with the COVID-19 crisis this will allow us continued access to potential CARES Act funding, or any other potential funding sources, as well as the requisition of additional PPE and other resources that may be needed,” said Errin Mahan, interim director of Shawnee County Emergency Management Department at Monday’s county commissioners meeting.
Source: Local News | Topeka Capital-Journal

Ranson Financial2020-12-08T07:38:04-06:00December 8, 2020|News|

Kansas trails receive national designations

Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism’s (KDWPT) Flint Hills Trail and Prairie Spirit Trail state parks recently received America’s highest trails honor when they were designated National Recreational Trails by the National Park Service. Both state park trails are operated by KDWPT’s Parks Division. “This is significant, not only for those parks and our state parks system, but for the state of Kansas,” said Linda Lanterman, KDWPT’s Parks Division director. “This is going to draw valuable attention to two great state parks and all they have to offer. And, ultimately, help the local economies that are developing along those trails. This is a big deal.” The designation brings no monetary prize, but the parks can now use signage that denotes their high quality.
Source: Gardner News

Ranson Financial2020-12-08T07:35:27-06:00December 8, 2020|News|

An empty desk and a moment of silence

An empty desk at the front of the Barton County Commission’s courthouse chamber spoke volumes Monday morning. The name plate still read Kenny Schremmer, chairman. It was a tribute to Schremmer, the longtime First District commissioner who died at his home on Thanksgiving Day. “Let’s pause for a prayerful moment of silence for our friend and colleague Kenny Schremmer,” Commissioner Jennifer Schartz said. The room fell silent before the weekly meeting proceeded as normal. As part of the agenda, Schartz was named as commission chairperson, to replace Schremmer. Jim Daily was named chairman pro tem, the post formerly held by Schartz. “He had quite an influence,” Daily said. “He had a real impact on a lot of people.” He served as a leader, not only at the county level, but in the business community as an auctioneer, he said. “We will miss Kenny.”
Source: Great Bend Tribune

Ranson Financial2020-12-08T07:34:56-06:00December 8, 2020|News|

Potential cell tower gets poor reception from Derby

During a public hearing at a special meeting of the Derby Planning Commission Dec. 2, feelings of Derby residents were made very clear – as a handful spoke up in opposition to a proposed cell tower near High Park and the neighboring Spring Ridge development. Falling within the urban area of influence, a conditional use application for a communication structure (AT&T cell tower) submitted to the Wichita Metropolitan Area Planning Department was required to come before the Derby Planning Commission – as well as the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission – for review.
Source: Derby Informer | News

Ranson Financial2020-12-08T07:42:40-06:00December 8, 2020|News|

Municipal Bond Trends for December 4, 2020

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 Financial2020-12-07T07:16:51-06:00December 7, 2020|News|

Sedgwick County asks Legislature for power to clean up eyesores and stinky nuisances

This could be the year that Sedgwick County gets the authority to go in and clean up neighborhood nuisances that have persisted for years, including an unsightly pile of debris near west Wichita and a stinky house in Oaklawn south of the city. Nuisance abatement is high on this year’s Sedgwick County legislative agenda, an annual wish list of laws and funding policies the county wants to see enacted when the Legislature returns to session next month. While cities have fairly broad authority to force a cleanup of local eyesores and health hazards, that power largely stops at the city limits.
Source: Wichita Breaking News, Sports & Crime |

Ranson Financial2020-12-07T07:15:54-06:00December 7, 2020|News|

Thieves target car part as new ‘gold rush’ in Wichita, deputy chief says

Yassine Sadkhi had a customer looking at a used truck last month at his Atlas Motors on South Broadway. At first, the truck wouldn’t start, but when it finally did it made a loud but familiar noise. The catalytic converter had been stolen. The car lot owner said employees checked the lot and found converters missing on two other vehicles as well. He had five stolen last year and 21 have been so far this year, costing the business between $16,000 and $20,000. “All of the businesses, in general, have suffered in a way or another with the pandemic. Dealerships are no exceptions,” he said. “It has been really tough. It’s pretty slow already and then we have to keep going with these costly repairs.”
Source: Wichita Breaking News, Sports & Crime |

Ranson Financial2020-12-07T07:15:06-06:00December 7, 2020|News|

Marion council members inspect new electric car charging station

Marion city councilmen got an up-close look at two new charging stations for electric cars Monday. The chargers, at the west edge of the Historic Elgin Hotel parking lot, have already been used for an electric car owned by Kansas Power Pool. The car, in town for the weekend and driven in the Holly Jolly Christmas parade by council member Chris Costello, took only a short time to recharge after it was driven from Wichita to Marion.
Source: Marion County RECORD

Ranson Financial2020-12-07T07:14:08-06:00December 7, 2020|News|

Residents create new welcome for The Highlands

Residents of The Highlands finished work last week on a new entrance sign at their small, fledgling city north of Hutchinson. A comment from a Realtor last year, who noted the existing sign didn’t project the image of a new, growing city, spurred the idea, said resident Vickie Nuss. “We needed to send a message that something new was happening in The Highlands,” she said. Having incorporated just two years before with the intent of raising money to repave its streets, however, residents in the town of 314 recognized there wasn’t money in city coffers to design, let alone erect one.
Source: Local – The Hutchinson News

Ranson Financial2020-12-07T07:12:15-06:00December 7, 2020|News|