A look back at the Great Kansas Bond Scandal of 1933

Kansas Gov. Alf Landon called out two officers of the Kansas National Guard in 1933 to protect the treasury at the Kansas Statehouse as authorities investigated a scandal involving the forgery of $1.25 million in municipal bonds….the Great Kansas Bond Scandal, which came about in the midst of the Great Depression after bank examiners questioned the authenticity of bonds held as collateral by a bank in Topeka.

Investigators concluded State Treasurer T.B. “Tom” Boyd had given access to the treasury vaults to 34-year-old Ronald Finney, the son of wealthy Emporia banker W.W. “Warren” Finney, who was also part of the scheme.

Ronald Finney took bonds from the treasury, forged them and distributed them as collateral.

(Read more: Local – The Topeka Capital-Journal)

Ranson Financial2020-02-06T06:41:48-06:00February 6, 2020|News|

Municipal Bond Trends for February 5, 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 Advisors.

Ranson Financial2026-10-22T10:29:42-05:00February 6, 2020|Finance|

Winfield power plant could mean more jobs, big savings

The Winfield power plant was chosen by the Kansas Power Pool for an expansion project because it already has an experienced power plant staff, with a possibility of more plant workers being hired, Winfield City Manager Taggart Wall said.

The expansion will help generate energy that will be sold to other Kansas Power Pool members cities.

Installation of the $80 million addition is expected to begin in December 2022, around the time the KPP’s power purchasing contract with Evergy expires.

(Read more: The Arkansas City Traveler)

Ranson Financial2020-02-06T06:27:13-06:00February 5, 2020|News|

Phillipsburg Airport runway project awarded KDOT funding

The Kansas Department of Transportation recently announced that a project to extend the runway at Phillipsburg’s Municipal Airport has been selected for funding.

The airport will receive $332,500 through the Kansas Airport Improvement Program to design a 600-foot runway extension. The city’s local match will be $33,250.

Phillipsburg Public Works Director Tim Driggs informed the city council about the grant on Monday and said he will begin working with a design firm on a proposal and will have contracts prepared for the council within the next month.

(Read more: Phillipsburg, KS news)

Ranson Financial2020-02-05T19:40:03-06:00February 5, 2020|News|

City’s subsidized contributions to Lenexa Public Market decrease as it grows revenues

As the Lenexa Public Market continues to grow in popularity and revenue streams, city staff report the market is inching closer to the city’s goal of self-sufficiency.

The Lenexa city council in December 2018 had agreed to subsidize public market operations for two years using transient guest tax revenues generated by hotels. Mike Nolan, assistant to the city manager, said the city will consider making a similar transfer during upcoming budget discussions.

Expenditures for the public market were about $369,000 in 2019, and revenues were about $225,000, so the city transferred roughly $143,000 from the tourism and convention fund to make up the difference.

(Read more: Prairie Village Post

Ranson Financial2020-02-06T06:27:32-06:00February 5, 2020|News|

Johnson County Commissioner says investments in sewer system will improve water quality, protect environment

It’s easy to take the water systems that bring clean water to and from our homes and businesses for granted.

Johnson County investments to improve water quality and protect water include the Tomahawk Creek Wastewater Treatment Facility improvements, which involve building an expanded plant in Leawood to treat all tributary flows. This project will have water quality benefits for Indian Creek, as well as the downstream waters of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers, all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. It will address nutrient removal as excessive nutrients can be harmful by degrading habitats and decreasing the amount of oxygen in the water.

(Read more: Prairie Village Post)

Ranson Financial2020-02-06T06:28:10-06:00February 5, 2020|News|

Riley County commissioners show opposition to proposed Kansas senate bill

A new proposal in the Kansas legislature, Senate Bill 294, is drawing criticism from the Riley County Commission.

The bill, if approved, would add additional prerequisites to the county budgeting process, which in the commission’s eyes, would add additional costs and even affect how they budget their services.

At Monday’s meeting, County Counselor Clancy Holeman presented a letter of opposition to SB 294 be sent to the Kansas Associations of Counties, listing four different defects of the bill and the negative impacts they would pose to the county.

The first defect relates to new additional costs from the state on the county. These new costs derive from a required new software and new notices. The county clerk’s office would be required to mail out individual notices to every Riley County taxpayer with real property whenever the county “certified tax rate will be exceeded.”

(Read more: 1350 KMAN)

Ranson Financial2020-02-05T19:33:59-06:00February 5, 2020|News|

Bourbon County discusses policy for county roads

Bourbon County Commissioners on Tuesday discussed creating a policy to deal with what Commission Chairman Lynne Oharah referred to as “a 100-year-old problem” – requests for closing or opening county roads.

Richard Wolmesdorf attended the meeting to request closing a road near 115th Street and Tomahawk Road that he said “goes nowhere” and has not been maintained by the county for several years.

(Read more: Fort Scott Tribune)

Ranson Financial2020-02-06T06:30:27-06:00February 5, 2020|News|

Sedgwick County election commissioner raises concerns over voting bill

A House committee has scheduled a hearing Thursday on a bill that would allow Sedgwick County to establish vote centers for the 2020 elections, allowing voters to cast a ballot at any location on election day.

Sedgwick County election commissioner Tabitha Lehman told county commissioners Wednesday that she would have to speak against the bill, because of new procedures that have just been announced by the Kansas secretary of state’s office. Lehman said the changes will have a significant impact on day-to-day operations in her office, because it creates a separate, locked-down system for access to a statewide voter registration database.

Lawmakers approved a bill last year to allow for voting at any location, but secretary of state Scott Schwab said his office will be unable to make that happen in 2020 because of the changes in procedures and systems that will be required. The bill under consideration in the House this year would allow Sedgwick County to move ahead with the process.

(Read more: KFDI 101.3)

Ranson Financial2020-02-05T19:29:06-06:00February 5, 2020|News|

An inside look at Wichita’s former downtown library; it’s nicer than you remember

Supporters of a petition drive to force Wichita to vote on whether to tear down historic buildings have gotten a rare look inside the former Central Library, one of the buildings they’re trying to save from downtown redevelopment.

And they like what they saw.

Gone are the bookshelves that blocked sightlines while the building served as Wichita’s main public library.

What remains are huge open spaces with floor-to-ceiling windows offering scenic views of the Century II Convention and Performing Arts Center, the former Carnegie Library and the Garvey Center.

(Read more: Local News |)

Ranson Financial2020-02-05T19:27:14-06:00February 5, 2020|News|