Ellis Co. administrator will take top job with Saline County

At Tuesday morning’s Saline County commissioners meeting, commissioners approved a contract with Phillip Smith-Hanes, current Ellis County administrator, to serve as the new Saline County administrator.

Smith-Hanes comes to Saline County after a career of more than 23 years that has spanned both city and county governments in two different states. He has served as a county administrator since December 2009, first in California and for the last 3-plus years in Ellis County.

(Read more: The Salina Post)

Ranson Financial2019-10-15T21:19:48-05:00October 15, 2019|News|

USD 378 presents forum on upcoming bond referendum

The Riley County USD 378 school board on held a forum to discuss a proposed $15 million dollar bond referendum with the public.

Speaking to a gathering at the Riley County High School cafeteria Monday, Superintendent Cliff Williams said the bond would cost the owner of a $100,000 home around $18 per month or about $218 in yearly property taxes, comparing it to about a pizza per month for the average consumer. Williams adds that if it passes, one addition would be a middle school gymnasium with locker rooms.

“We take our middle school students up to the high school four days a week and they make four individual trips per day to get all the students through the curriculum there,” Williams said.

(Read more: 1350 KMAN)

Ranson Financial2019-10-15T21:09:41-05:00October 15, 2019|News|

USD 428 finding out what went wrong in bond proposal; gearing up for another vote in April

USD 428 and SJCF Architecture found out what they believed might have been the problem with a failed bond issue this fall. Based on a survey, that is still open until Oct. 21, participants stated the dollar amount was too high, athletic needs should be eliminated, figure out priorities over needs, and it was a bad election timing due to the economy and city tax increase.

The survey was designed to seek feedback from voters as to why the $44.87 million school bond issue did not pass and what aspects they did support.

Terry Wiggers with SJCF told the USD 428 Board of Education Monday night there were also comments on the survey that there was too much information and that people did not know what was going on.

(Read more: Great Bend Post)

Ranson Financial2019-10-15T21:03:29-05:00October 15, 2019|News|

City hires firm to find new city manager, discusses rundown properties

The Hutchinson City Council went over a list of 11 properties that were considered unsafe during Tuesday’s agenda session. The properties are a continued effort by the city to have older structures either repaired or removed.

The council passed a resolution giving property owners 30 days to either make repairs to the structures or have a solid plan in place to do so.

The council also approved the refinancing of $4.5 million in industrial revenue bonds for Wesley Towers Retirement Community. The city is the go-between for the bonds and is not under any financial obligation. The bonds are being refinanced because of lower interest rates.

(Read more: Hutch Post)

Ranson Financial2019-10-15T21:02:34-05:00October 15, 2019|News|

911 issue slow-going; $20,000 raise for city manager

Chanute commissioners discussed issues with the 911 system Monday evening, but did not have much in the way of a response to a deadline from the Neosho County Commission.

The county commission asked for a response by Tuesday to its questions about the city’s intent whether to continue with its 911 agreement. City Manager Jeff Cantrell said the level of communication has not broken down and he has met with two of the county commissioners about the issues.

“To suggest that we’re not communicating is not accurate,” Cantrell said.

(Read more: The Chanute Tribune)

Ranson Financial2019-10-15T20:55:14-05:00October 15, 2019|News|

Wilson among counties urged to upgrade voting equipment

A handful of Kansas counties are being urged to upgrade their voting machines to a voting system that creates a paper record of each vote.

The Topeka Capitol-Journal reports the American Association for the Advancement of Science urged Geary, Grant, Greeley, Hamilton, Harvey, Sumner, Wallace and Wilson counties to upgrade to newer voting machines.

(Read more: The Chanute Tribune)

Ranson Financial2019-10-15T20:52:31-05:00October 15, 2019|News|

Wichita city council approves funding, designs for aquatics plan first phase

Construction will begin this winter as they renovate the Aley, Orchard and McAdams pools.

The Evergreen, Edgemoor and Boston pools will be converted into splash pads.

The goal is to have these open by Memorial Day of next year.

Phase 2 will renovate the Harvest, Minisa and College Hill pools.

(Read more: KWCH News)

Ranson Financial2019-10-15T20:47:31-05:00October 15, 2019|News|

Newton may lose Historic Preservation Commission

The ability of city staff to review minor projects to improve historic properties in the city of Newton is in a bit of jeopardy, though the city believes there is action to take and a path forward — but that path could mean saying goodbye to the Historic Preservation Commission.

“That would be a nice customer service aspect,” said Kelly McElroy, assistant city manager. “It would be nice for city staff to say ‘yes, this qualifies’ when they are taking a building permit.”

The problem arose in September, when the State Historic Preservation Office found a lapsed agreement between Newton and North Newton. In September 2019 the State Historic Preservation Office notified City of Newton staff that the agreements between the cities of Newton and North Newton and the State Historic Preservation Office that allow reviews of proposed projects to be reviewed by local administrative staff and preservation commissions had lapsed.

Ranson Financial2019-10-15T20:46:12-05:00October 15, 2019|News|

School Board makes change to “Standards of Solvency and Viability”

School Board members engaged in a lengthy and at times tense discussion regarding the “Standards of Solvency and Viability” at their regular meeting on Monday, Oct. 14. The standards, originally approved in October 2016, had been brought up at the previous two board meetings, as a few board members suggested that changes to the standards should be considered.

At Monday’s meeting, Board Member Kent Saylor proposed a change to how revenue is calculated in the expense and revenue formula that supports the standards.

The current “Standards of Solvency and Viability” document was developed by the board’s Finance Committee — which consists of board members Saylor, Ed Reznicek and Kathy Lippert. According to Saylor, it was developed as a basic tracking tool to help monitor the overall financial health of the district as a whole, as well as the financial health of each campus.

(Read more: Sabetha Herald)

Ranson Financial2019-10-15T20:39:39-05:00October 15, 2019|News|

KDOT pavement testing begins in Grant and Hamilton counties

The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) will be conducting pavement tests on highway sections in Hamilton and Grant counties from Monday, Oct. 14, thru Friday, Oct. 18. Sections tested will include:

K-25 from the north city limit of Ulysses to the Grant/Kearny county line;

U.S. 50 in Hamilton County;

K-27 from the Stanton/Hamilton county line to the south city limit of Syracuse.

(Read more: Western Kansas News)

Ranson Financial2019-10-15T20:37:04-05:00October 15, 2019|News|

Ellis Co. administrator will take top job with Saline County

USD 378 presents forum on upcoming bond referendum

USD 428 finding out what went wrong in bond proposal; gearing up for another vote in April

City hires firm to find new city manager, discusses rundown properties

911 issue slow-going; $20,000 raise for city manager

Wilson among counties urged to upgrade voting equipment

Wichita city council approves funding, designs for aquatics plan first phase

Newton may lose Historic Preservation Commission

School Board makes change to “Standards of Solvency and Viability”

KDOT pavement testing begins in Grant and Hamilton counties

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