Abilene names Foltz interim manager

Jane Foltz, director of Abilene Parks and Recreation, was named Abilene’s interim city manager at the regular meeting of the Abilene City Commission on Monday.
Foltz has been director of parks and recreation since 2001.
…

“Right now we have a lot of things on the table,” Foltz said after the meeting. “We have a lot of projects and we have to keep moving forward. I am going to visit with staff and we are going to get a priority list assembled.”

Lawrence Parks and Rec board concerned about proposal to charge entrance fees at rec centers

The Lawrence Parks and Recreation Advisory Board expressed concern that a proposal to charge entrance fees at the city’s recreation centers would negatively affect low-income residents and agreed to further study equity issues.

At their meeting Monday, board members reviewed the Parks and Recreation Department’s 2020 budget proposal to charge entrance and other fees, as well as other expenditure cuts proposed by the department. The department is projecting an approximately $675,000 budget gap in its recreation fund, and in addition to fee increases is also proposing closing the Community Building for drop-in recreation and instituting a fee at the South Park wading pool, among other changes.

Barton County to pave the way to new voting location

The Great Bend Township in Barton County currently votes at the Science and Math building at Barton Community College. The area assigned for use at the college will not work with the new voting equipment. Barton County Election Officer Donna Zimmerman says the area provided by the college is a hallway setup and with tables now used for paper ballots or ExpressVote machines, the voting location needs more space.

Zimmerman recommended using the Barton County Sheriff’s Firing Range.

“It would require a change of the college to go down the hall a little into a classroom and it’s already a bit of walk to get into the college,” Zimmerman said. “Talking with Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir and County Administrator Phil Hathcock, we thought that using the firing range might be an alternative plan.”

(Read more: Great Bend Post)

Ranson Financial2019-06-11T10:09:45-05:00June 11, 2019|News|

USD 313 seeks approval of new teachers contract

BUHLER, Kan. — The Buhler USD 313 School Board will take action on a new collective bargaining agreement with the teachers union during Monday’s regular meeting.

Action on the new contract comes after it was voted on and approved by teachers. If approved, the contract would run the standard one year. The board will go into executive session before returning for a vote.

Also tonight, the board will hear a report on the random drug testing program at the high school and go over state assessment scores. The board will also go into executive session regarding the sale or purchase of property in the district.

Tonight’s meeting of the Buhler USD 313 School Board begins at 6 p.m. at the Burkholder Administration Center in Buhler.

(Read more: Hutch Post)

Ranson Financial2019-06-11T10:08:11-05:00June 11, 2019|News|

Assessed valuation has gone up in Geary County

Geary County officials have received good news on assessed valuation. It has gone up!

County Clerk Rebecca Nordyke said Monday that the numbers in the entire county are up about $4 million compared to one year ago at this time. “The residential and some of the commercial property has gone up.”

Nordyke added that the county also went up about $1.4 million in state asssessed utilities. “This is really good news because over the past couple of years we’ve actually been losing value so to have some increases is good for us.” That could potentially produce more tax revenue but Nordyke noted that would depend on what the county commission does with the 2020 budgets.

She has advised the commission to be conservative in their budget planning for 2020 by dropping $1 million from their estimates due to anticipated appraised value appeals to the State Board of Tax Appeals by a pair of lodging establishments and one church.

(Read more: Junction City Post)

Ranson Financial2019-06-11T10:06:36-05:00June 11, 2019|News|

Some USD 308 workers to get about 4.5 percent raises

The Hutchinson USD 308 school board Monday approved new salary schedules for administrative and classified positions that will hike the district’s costs next school year by about 4.5 percent over the current year.

The district and the bargaining unit for teachers are still negotiating a contract for 2018-2019. Teachers probably can expect average salary increases of at least 4.5 percent next year, based on the district’s pattern of trying to align pay increases.

Administrative positions include principals and administrators at district headquarters. Classified employees include paraprofessionals, custodians, food service, and maintenance workers.

(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)

Ranson Financial2019-06-11T10:05:06-05:00June 11, 2019|News|

USD 309 pursues bond issue, grants superintendent Johnson a sabbatical

The Nickerson-South Hutchinson Unified School District 309 school board returned to the bond issue topic Monday night, voting 4-3 to stick with a $29.9 million, one-question ballot to improve all the schools.

Voting yes were: Jason Ontjes, Mike Apfel, Valorie Garcia and Brian Teichmann. Voting no: USD 309 Board of Education president Dan Schweizer, Brent Engelland and Tammy Davis.

Schweizer and Engelland objected to the size of the bond issue and favored a two-question ballot. Davis wanted the ballot broken into two questions.

Also on Monday night, the USD 309 school board unanimously voted to allow superintendent Dawn Johnson a sabbatical.

(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)

Ranson Financial2019-06-11T10:03:36-05:00June 11, 2019|News|

Elevation continues to fall at Tuttle, high water advisory lifted

The high water advisory in place in areas downstream from Tuttle Creek Lake — including the Berry Streets and Dix Addition in Northview — has been lifted, but residents are advised to stay aware of the situation.

Lake elevation has steadily declined since the end of May, recorded at a level of 1129.48 feet above sea level as of 4:30 p.m. Monday, June 10th. As a result, the Army Corps of Engineers have reduced releases steadily to a level of 12,000 cubic feet per second with the anticipation of further reductions of 3,000 cfs at the end of the week.

The immediate goal is to increase capacity by reducing the levels at Tuttle down to 1128 feet, noted as the trigger point for emergency preparedness measures in areas that have seen or could see flooding if conditions worsened.

“We’re not out of the woods yet,” Pat Collins, Emergency Manager for Riley County said. “Any large amount of rain can impact the Tuttle Creek Lake level.”

(Read more: 1350 KMAN)

Ranson Financial2019-06-11T10:00:49-05:00June 11, 2019|News|

Great Bend school bond issue is in the hands of the voters

The USD 428 Board of Education moved ahead with sending a nearly $42 million school bond issue to the voters after passing the finalized proposal at Monday’s meeting. The outcome will be determined by registered voters within the Great Bend school district through a mail-in ballot sent to citizens later this summer.

USD 428 Superintendent Khris Thexton says the process to finalize a master plan started in February 2018 with gathering ideas, naming a steering committee, hiring SJCF Architecture, and conducting several community meetings to gather information from the voters.

“The resolution lets the voters decide if they approve of this bond or if they do not,” Thexton said. “We want to get it in front of the community. The steering committee has put a lot of time and effort into it.”

(Read more: Great Bend Post)

Ranson Financial2019-06-11T11:57:00-05:00June 11, 2019|News|

USD 309 Nickerson School Board to consider bonds

The Nickerson USD 309 School Board will seek approval of a resolution tonight that will officially kick off efforts to pass a major facilities improvement bond issue.

The board recently approved a $29.9 million bond proposal for improvements to district schools. The bonds would be financed for 25 years. The decision to proceed with the bond issue comes following more than a year of planning and a recent survey that showed positive feedback from district patrons.

Superintendent Dr. Dawn Johnson says they will start a campaign to convince voters in the district to approve the bond issue.

(Read more: Hutch Post)

Ranson Financial2019-06-11T11:57:37-05:00June 11, 2019|News|

Abilene names Foltz interim manager

Lawrence Parks and Rec board concerned about proposal to charge entrance fees at rec centers

Barton County to pave the way to new voting location

USD 313 seeks approval of new teachers contract

Assessed valuation has gone up in Geary County

Some USD 308 workers to get about 4.5 percent raises

USD 309 pursues bond issue, grants superintendent Johnson a sabbatical

Elevation continues to fall at Tuttle, high water advisory lifted

Great Bend school bond issue is in the hands of the voters

USD 309 Nickerson School Board to consider bonds

Services

Company