Public Hearing Set for El Dorado CID

During Monday night’s City of El Dorado Commission meeting, the Commission decided to set a public hearing for the establishment of a Community Improvement District (CID) Sales Tax in the amount of 2% for the Super 8 by Wyndham located at 2530 W Central Avenue in El Dorado.

The purpose of the CID is to finance the costs of refurbishing the motel.

The estimated costs to acquire, improve, remove, renovate, reconstruct, maintain and/or extend the proposed project is $1,850,000. The City will retain an on-going administrative service fee from the proceeds of the Sales Tax, in an amount equal to 5% of the total eligible costs of the Project, as the administrator of the district.

(Read more: andoveramerican.com)

Ranson Financial2020-01-15T20:07:13-06:00January 15, 2020|News|

Sunflower Electric abandons proposed Kansas coal power plant

Sunflower Electric Power Corp. has abandoned its proposed coal-fired power plant in southwest Kansas after nearly 15 years of pushing for the project, handing a huge victory to environmentalists who opposed the plan from the start.

The utility said in a news release Wednesday that it will allow the air permit for the Holcomb expansion project to expire on March 27.

Sunflower Electric already operates one plant near Holcomb and had proposed building an adjacent $2.2 billion, 895-megawatt facility.

Sunflower Electric and development partner, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, together invested more than $100 million in the now-abandoned project.

(Read more: KSN-TV)

Ranson Financial2020-01-15T20:05:34-06:00January 15, 2020|News|

Kansas park system absorbing $11M hit from 2019 flooding

The top Kansas parks administrator said Wednesday torrential rains that produced sustained flooding lat year had an estimated $11 million cumulative impact on budgets of the agency responsible for oversight of the state’s recreational parks system.

Brad Loveless, secretary of the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, said the agency would proceed with repairs in 2020 and continue the application process for Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster reimbursements. The state experienced flooding conditions for more than 250 days, especially in eastern Kansas, that limited visitor access and usage at the two dozen parks scattered across Kansas, he said.

“Cumulatively, we estimated the impact to be about $11 million on our budget,” Loveless said. “The great majority is in repairs.”

(Read more: News – Salina Journal)

Ranson Financial2020-01-15T20:04:13-06:00January 15, 2020|News|

Kansas won’t be ready to implement voting freedom law for 2020 elections

Secretary of State Scott Schwab predicted Tuesday regulations necessary to implement a state law allowing Kansans to vote at the polling station of their choice won’t be completed in time for the August or November elections in 2020.

Schwab told members of the Senate’s election committee that technical considerations, including cellphone coverage problems, in the state’s 105 counties made the process of drafting rules complex. The program won’t be finalized until 2021, he said.

The voting reform bill signed last year by Gov. Laura Kelly was inspired by a proposal from Sedgwick County officials.

(Read more: News – Salina Journal)

Ranson Financial2020-01-15T20:01:53-06:00January 15, 2020|News|

Newton petitioned to file anti-discrimination ordinance

Newton resident Christina Murphy asked the Newton City Commission to consider passing an ordinance that would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or expression.

Christina Murphy, who is transgendered, said she has never been discriminated against but knows others who have been.

“It’s more about discrimination, whether it be housing or jobs or going into a restaurant,” she said. “Equality is about individuals and being proud; the individuals having pride of being who they are; whether they be cis gender transgender, male, female, LGBT, it makes no difference. Everyone is a human being, and they all deserve to be treated equally.

(Read more: Harvey County Now)

Ranson Financial2020-01-16T07:00:09-06:00January 15, 2020|News|

City raises sanitation fees

Visual inspection of loads of recycling brought to the Harvey County sorting facility have been rejected after changes to the contract between Waste Connections and Harvey County — and that has affected Newton sanitation services.

The contractual change went into effect Jan. 1, allowing Waste Connections to reject loads with more than 10% contamination, issue fines to haulers and suspend dumping privileges for 30 days when loads are rejected.

According to Harvey County, all the loads from Newton on Monday were rejected. Found in the recycling containers were shoes, extension cords, an office chair and soiled diapers.

(Read more: Newton Kansan)

Ranson Financial2020-01-15T19:51:33-06:00January 15, 2020|News|

City to see optional recycling, possible senior housing

The City of Newton will move forward in offering optional recycling with a slight rate increase.

As has been reported in the recent months, following the collapse of the U.S. recycling market and requirements from China to have less contaminated recycling, the county changed its ordinance and contract with its recycling service provider.

Recycling is no longer mandatory in Harvey County. Recycling loads turned into Waste Connections, which provides recycling services, must have 10 percent or fewer of contaminants. More contaminated loads are rejected, fined, and the recycling truck will be blocked from dumping recyclables for a month.

(Read more: Harvey County Now)

Ranson Financial2020-01-15T19:50:00-06:00January 15, 2020|News|

Hillsboro City Council discusses special vehicles again

The Hillsboro City Council again met with a packed room thanks to the special purpose vehicle ordinance being on the agenda for the Jan. 7 meeting.

Hillsboro Police Chief Dan Kinning spoke about his concerns with the council allowing golf carts to not have safety lights.

“I firmly believe there should be minimal light requirements during the day, such as brake lights and turn signals. As one of those responsible for the overall safety of the community, I believe this could be a serious safety issue. Allowing these vehicles to be operated, even during daylight hours, without basic safety equipment would create a safety hazard. It makes it difficult to determine whether a vehicle is stopping or to determine which direction they plan to travel at an intersection. My concern is not only for those operating the carts but for those sharing the roadway with them. I have done some research on lighting costs. There are several options available. They begin at around $50 for an aftermarket kit,” said Kinning.

(Read more: Hillsboro Free Press)

Ranson Financial2020-01-15T19:43:22-06:00January 15, 2020|News|

Sunflower Electric’s Holcomb expansion project canceled

Sunflower Electric Power Corporation announced Wednesday that the utility will no longer pursue the Holcomb Expansion Project. The corporation will allow the project’s air permit to expire on March 27.

Sunflower and Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, which provides wholesale generation and transmission services to its member distribution electric cooperatives, began working together in 2005 to add coal-based units to Sunflower’s Holcomb Station. Both utilities had a need for additional capacity.

“Fifteen years ago, the price of natural gas was high, and wind generation was in its infancy,” Stuart Lowry, president and CEO of Sunflower, said in a news release. “At that time, the expansion of Holcomb Station emerged as the best way to meet our members’ long-term needs for generating reliable, affordable energy.”

Ranson Financial2020-01-16T07:44:18-06:00January 15, 2020|News|

Bond data back to the Black Death shows lower and even negative rates could be here to stay

More than 700 years of history show that the times as they are now, at least in regard to interest rates, aren’t quite so different as we’re led to believe, according to research that goes back to the Black Death plague of the 14th century.
In fact, the low interest rate climate has been more rule than exception and indicative that even negative interest rates shouldn’t be considered a major aberration, and may stay there — permanently.