Ordinance changed; Harper Camperland to install large propane tank

The City of Great Bend did not allow large above ground propane tanks within city limits until Monday night when they altered ordinances around after receiving a request from Harper Camperland. Harper fills up LP cylinders in their RVs that they service or repair. They currently drive the customer’s larger motor vehicles to Moeder Oil for propane service.

Great Bend Fire Chief Luke McCormick says that will change with the new tank Harper wants to install.

“The newer transferring systems will be in place,” said McCormick. “They will have to meet regulations that are monitored by the State Fire Marshal’s Office as far as who can fill it and how they go about doing that.

(Read more: Great Bend Post)

Ranson Financial2019-06-18T23:05:53-05:00June 18, 2019|News|

Cowley College Sumner County campus providing labor pool

Janet Grace, campus operations officer for the Cowley College Sumner campus, met with Sumner County Commissioners this week to apprise them of how the facility is doing, along with its training of a skilled labor pool.

“This is the first time a community college has crosses lines in Kansas,” third district Commissioner John Cooney said. He was referring to a community college in Cowley County, supported by Cowley County taxpayers, opening a facility in Sumner County.

Cowley College President Dennis Rittle and the Sumner County Economic Development Commission were instrumental in pushing for the Sumner County campus, Cooney said.

Ranson Financial2019-06-18T23:03:58-05:00June 18, 2019|News|

Kingman County judge Mathis to retire

KINGMAN – After nearly 27 years on the bench, District Magistrate Judge Roseanna Mathis will retire Aug. 2.

Mathis has served as a magistrate judge in Kingman County since 2012, after serving as a judge in Morton County for 20 years.

Then Roseanna Volden, she was first elected to the bench in Elkhart in 1992 and re-elected four more times.

She resigned as Morton County magistrate judge in 2012 and moved to Kingman County. Later that year, she applied for a vacant district magistrate judge position there and was selected. Voters retained her in two subsequent elections.

(Read more: News – The Hutchinson News)

Ranson Financial2019-06-18T23:02:12-05:00June 18, 2019|News|

USD 475 Board of Education approves development agreement with the City

Another step was taken on the new Junction City High School project Monday when the USD 475 Board of Education approved the development agreement with the City of Junction City on related infrastructure improvements.

It covers a one mile section of Blue Jay Way on the east side of the new school site, a one half mile water main extension, and overages on a nearby roundabout on K-18 at Blue Jay Way.

(Read more: Junction City Post)

Ranson Financial2019-06-18T22:59:37-05:00June 18, 2019|News|

Rental Electric Scooters A Go In Wichita

Rental electric scooters have the green light in Wichita.

The Wichita City Council unanimously passed a city ordinance and electric scooter pilot program at its meeting Tuesday. The ordinance and pilot program regulate the use of scooters, particularly to address clutter issues that other cities have experienced.

“The advantage that we have is we’re really not out in front on this particular opportunity,” Mayor Jeff Longwell said earlier this month while discussing the pilot program. “Other cities have tried it and seen lots of different problems.”

(Read more: RSS Feed)

Ranson Financial2019-06-18T22:58:05-05:00June 18, 2019|News|

Ellis County cuts, eliminates funding to outside agencies

Last week there was a full house when outside agencies made presentations to ask the Ellis County commissioners for budget money for 2020.

But on Monday evening, only a few showed up to hear what the commissioners had decided.

Funding for two agencies was completely eliminated, while the other 13 each lost as much as half of what they requested.

Even High Plains Mental Health Center, which all three commissioners have repeatedly praised for doing important work, had $20,000 shaved from its $280,000 request.

(Read more: News – The Hays Daily News)

Ranson Financial2019-06-18T22:56:20-05:00June 18, 2019|News|

Kansas faces future budget woes even with a revenue surplus

Kansas’ tax collections have beaten expectations nearly every month for the past two years and the state expects to end June with close to $1 billion in cash reserves, but the budget problems that followed a former governor’s notorious tax-cutting experiment aren’t necessarily a thing of the past.

The steep income tax cuts that former Governor Sam Brownback championed to try to stimulate the Kansas economy contributed to persistent and severe budget shortfalls that caused some GOP legislators to rebel and gave the state’s new Democratic governor, Laura Kelly, a potent issue to successfully campaign on last year.

(Read more: WIBW News Now)

Ranson Financial2019-06-18T22:54:03-05:00June 18, 2019|News|

Reno County Commission approves resolution over wind farm protest petitions

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County Commission adopted the resolution to formally recognize the validity of protest petitions received for the NextEra wind project. The resolution confirms that 46% of those petitions were valid. This resolution makes it official. Next week, the commission will also put into resolution form the official vote declining the conditional use permit for the wind project.

One thing that doesn’t appear likely is the commission pushing for a temporary moratorium of wind projects in the county, something requested by some residents of the area last year and rejected by the commission. Commissioner Ron Hirst commented that he would like to see a moratorium while the planning commission puts together overlay zoning in the county. Some areas of the county are not currently under any type of zoning. The other two commissioners don’t appear to support that.

(Read more: Hutch Post)

Ranson Financial2019-06-18T22:52:28-05:00June 18, 2019|News|

Lawrence hosting public reception for outgoing City Manager Tom Markus

The City of Lawrence will soon host a public reception for outgoing City Manager Tom Markus.

The reception will take place Tuesday from 5 to 5:45 p.m. in the lobby of City Hall, 6 E. Sixth St., according to a city news release. The reception will fall between the presentation of Markus’ recommended 2020 budget, happening from 3 to 5 p.m. in the City Commission room, and the City Commission meeting, which will begin at 5:45 p.m. in the City Commission room.

Markus, who began his position in March 2016, announced in September that he planned to retire this year, and Tuesday will be his last commission meeting. Incoming City Manager Craig Owens will begin his employment with the city on July 1.

Lawrence City Commission to consider bike boulevard designs, additional $250,000 for project

City leaders will soon consider designs for Lawrence’s first bike boulevards as well as a change that would significantly increase the project’s budget.

As part of its meeting Tuesday, the Lawrence City Commission will consider approving the final conceptual designs for the 21st Street and 13th Street bicycle boulevards and a potential $250,000 increase to the project’s budget. The budget overage would bring the total cost of collecting public feedback, designing the boulevards, and constructing the boulevards to $717,000, according to a city staff memo to the commission from Engineering Program Manager Amanda Sahin.