Lawrence to consider increasing fees charged to Black Hills Energy to use public property

Lawrence leaders will soon consider increasing some of the fees the city charges a natural gas provider to use city property, potentially affecting the rates the company charges its Lawrence customers. As part of its meeting Tuesday, the Lawrence City Commission will consider adopting fee changes in the city’s franchise agreement with Black Hills Energy. Under its current agreement with the city, Black Hills does not pay permit fees to use the city’s right of way, and the city is recommending it begin paying such fees so as to be in line with other such agreements the city has, among other changes, according to a city staff memo to the commission.
Source: LJWorld.com.

Ranson Financial2020-11-17T07:55:13-06:00November 17, 2020|News|

Municipal Bond Trends for November 16, 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 Financial2020-11-17T07:53:46-06:00November 17, 2020|News|

Wichita schools make Thanksgiving break longer because of COVID effects on staffing

Wichita schools will close for the entire week of Thanksgiving due in large part to the coronavirus pandemic and its effects on staffing. “This disease is out of control in our community, and we are feeling the impact of what is happening in our community inside of our schools with the COVID illnesses alongside the quarantine,” Superintendent Alicia Thompson said. “It has been a rough couple of weeks. “The USD 259 Board of Education voted unanimously at a special meeting Monday afternoon to extend the fall break for the full week of Thanksgiving, Nov. 23-27. The vote was 6-0, with Ron Rosales absent.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle

Ranson Financial2020-11-17T07:47:47-06:00November 16, 2020|News|

Pezzino recommended everyone stay at home. County commissioners have no plans to mandate that suggestion.

On Saturday, Shawnee County health officer Gianfranco Pezzino recommended, but didn’t mandate, that people shelter in place as COVID-19 cases surge across the county. County commissioners all said the virus needs to be taken seriously but said there is no plan to mandate a shelter-in-place order in the near future. “We got to keep businesses going, we need to keep our schools rolling and I think that is critical to our functioning in life,” said Commissioner Bill Riphahn.
Source: Local Government – The Topeka Capital-Journal

Ranson Financial2020-11-17T07:48:58-06:00November 16, 2020|News|

Reno County moves into COVID-19 High Alert for first time

The number of positive COVID-19 case in the Reno County community hit 720 on Monday – more than tripling in less than three weeks and pushing the county for the first time into its highest alert level. Another 162 positive cases were confirmed among county residents since Saturday, and contract tracers at the health department are now backed up more than 520 cases – which is about the number of new cases added in just the last week. The active case count overall, including those in prison, remained at 979. That despite more than 600 cases reclassified as recovered in the past week.
Source: Local – The Hutchinson News

Ranson Financial2020-11-17T07:49:04-06:00November 16, 2020|News|

Wichita hospitals holding COVID patients in ERs as surge outnumbers available beds

Wichita hospitals are so overloaded with COVID-19 patients that some are being held in emergency rooms while waiting for beds to open up, according to the county’s top public health official. Dr. Garold Minns, Sedgwick County health officer and dean of the Kansas University Medical School-Wichita, outlined the situation Monday morning during a media briefing with the University of Kansas Health System. “I just got a text saying the ERs are sitting down there with COVID positive patients just sitting in there on gurneys waiting for a room to open up,” Minns said. “So it is getting to the crisis — I hate using that word — but it’s getting to the crisis level.”
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle

Ranson Financial2020-11-17T07:49:14-06:00November 16, 2020|News|

After decades without easy access, Merriam Drainage District gets own website, cell phone

The Merriam Drainage District, a special district charged with maintenance of Turkey Creek in northeast Johnson County, ended decades of relative inaccessibility by recently setting up its own website and buying its own dedicated cell phone. … The district was established in 1946 to manage Turkey Creek and its course through Merriam and Shawnee. Although the district shows up on some Johnson County property owners’ annual taxes, many residents aren’t aware of it or its responsibilities — or that its completely separate from the city of Merriam.
Source: Prairie Village Post

Ranson Financial2020-11-17T07:49:49-06:00November 16, 2020|News|

‘Like living next to a rock quarry’ — Shawnee residents frustrated with excavation near Woodland and SM Pkwy that could last 10 years

Much to the dismay of residents in a quiet Shawnee neighborhood, a local excavating contractor is planning to spend the next five to 10 years removing rock and leveling a hill for a potential commercial development near Shawnee Mission Parkway and Woodland Drive. Several neighboring homeowners largely oppose the project, mostly out of concern for the noise level while crews flatten the hill. Neighbors are also frustrated that the project will appear to take the better part of a decade to complete. They fear having a negative impact on their property values and trouble reselling their homes.
Source: Prairie Village Post

Ranson Financial2020-11-17T07:50:19-06:00November 16, 2020|News|

Local businesses unhappy with NCAA tournament’s move out of Wichita

On Monday, the NCAA announced they will be moving the 2021 Men’s Basketball tournament to a single site to better ensure COVID-19 safety for the teams. That decision means that InTrust Bank Arena will no longer be hosting first and second round games this spring. The NCAA men’s tournament was last in Wichita in 2018. It was estimated to have brought in anywhere from $9 to $12 million to the city.
Source: KAKE – News

Ranson Financial2020-11-17T07:51:16-06:00November 16, 2020|News|

State lawmakers again urged to crack down on property tax hikes

Legislators appear receptive to again considering a measure forcing local governments to provide more public notice when seeking to raise property taxes as part of a broader slate of economic recovery efforts. An attempt to pursue that goal last session failed after Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed legislation mandating taxpayers be shown how any changes to the property tax structure would affect their tax bill, as well as a public hearing and vote on the matter. It came as part of a broader COVID-19-related tax relief bill but Kelly zeroed in on the property tax component in her veto message.
Source: News – Wellington Daily News – Wellington, KS

Ranson Financial2020-11-17T07:52:04-06:00November 16, 2020|News|