Wichita, county officials commit to municipal IDs in 2025, further action on homeless resource center

Wichita city officials announced their commitment to implementing a county-wide, low-barrier municipal ID program in 2025 as well as an annual $600,000 operating budget for a one-stop homeless resource center to roaring applause at the inaugural Nehemiah Assembly on Thursday evening. The Assembly, hosted by Justice Together, a grassroots coalition of interfaith communities in Sedgwick County, was held to announce the organization’s intent to directly address policy issues in mental health and homelessness. They asked representatives of Wichita and the county to commit to a fully-funded photo ID program in 2025 and to agree to meeting with them and other services providers within the next 30 days to work on a sustainable budget plan for the city’s multi-agency campus center. Officials in attendance — including Wichita Mayor Lily Wu, City Manager Robert Layton, Sedgwick County Commission Chair Ryan Baty and Secretary Andrew Brown of the Kansas Department of Aging & Disability Services — gave a resounding “yes” to each goal.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle

info2024-05-14T13:09:23-05:00May 14, 2024|News|

Bus rides in Wichita are free — for now — while city grapples with cyber attack

Wichita bus rides are free “until further notice,” the city announced Thursday as it grapples with a cyber attack that forced government to shut down many of its payment systems. Wichita’s bus system had initially switched to a cash-only payment system after the city discovered the ransomware attack on Sunday. “Attention Riders,” Wichita Transit announced on its Facebook page. “All Wichita Transit and Paratransit services are fare-free until further notice. If you are looking to request Paratransit services please call 316-352-4824 or 316-352-4810.” Wichita Transit’s Paratransit Division provides accessible van service to people with physical or cognitive disabilities that prevent them from using the fixed route bus system, according to the city’s website. For maps and schedules of the city of Wichita’s buses, visit wichita.gov/1460/MapsSchedules.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle

info2024-05-14T13:01:49-05:00May 14, 2024|News|

Boot Hill Solar Project Announcement held in Dodge City

Where there’s sunlight, there are boundless possibilities. Sunflower Electric Power Corp., Alluvial Power, National Renewables Cooperative Organization (NRCO), and The Victory Electric Cooperative hosted more than 100 elected officials, media, and other guests on April 17 in Dodge City, Kan., for the official announcement of the 150-megawatt Boot Hill Solar Project. Construction of the state’s largest solar facility by Sunflower’s partner, Alluvial Power, will begin later this year and is expected to be operational in 2026. Alluvial will design, own, and operate the facility, which will include approximately 300,000 solar panels on single-axis tracking. “The Sunflower board analyzed the costs, risks, and benefits, ultimately determining that additional solar will complement our already diverse electric generation portfolio,” said Steve Epperson, Sunflower’s president and CEO. Sunflower is a generation and transmission cooperative providing wholesale energy to its seven member distribution utilities in central and western Kansas. Sunflower’s members use the most electricity in July or August. Because this project will provide maximum output on the hottest days of summer when demand for electricity is at its highest and market energy prices can be volatile, energy from Boot Hill Solar will replace market energy, helping stabilize the cost of electricity for Sunflower’s member-utilities.
Source: Sunflower Electric Power Corporation

info2024-05-14T13:00:37-05:00May 14, 2024|News|

USD 383’s Food Service Program to keep local children fed in the summer

The USD 383 Manhattan-Ogden Summer Food Service Program is keeping local children nourished while school is out by providing free meals and snacks. From May 28 to Aug. 2, several schools in the USD 383 district will offer free meals to children aged 1-18. Stephanie Smith, the director of child nutrition for USD 383, said the program fed more than 1,000 children last summer. When Smith began working for USD 383 16 years ago, she said there were five feeding sites. The program has since expanded to nine as of this year. Children don’t need to be USD 383 students to get a meal. “Sometimes we’ll have kids visiting grandparents, and they bring their kids, and that’s fine,” Smith said. “We feed anyone ages 1-18.” The sites will give out hot meals like the ones served at the schools during the school year. They’ll be eaten on-site. “It’s to make sure kids are fed during the summer,” Smith said. “Once school’s out, it doesn’t mean kids aren’t still hungry, so they still need to be nourished.” (…) The site will serve breakfast from 7:45 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and lunch from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Source: themercury.com

info2024-05-14T12:57:27-05:00May 14, 2024|News|

Traffic tickets in Kansas can cost low-income drivers their licenses. There’s a new law to help

Frank Meade originally lost his driver’s license nearly 40 years ago. When he was young, Meade was fined for driving drunk. But he couldn’t afford the cost and the state suspended his license. That didn’t stop him from using his vehicle for the many years following, and he wound up racking up a load of debt from traffic violation fines and court fees. He would need to pay those if he ever hoped to have a legal driver’s license again. “I just continued driving and continued driving and they just stacked up,” Meade told the Kansas News Service. “I had more fines and fees than I could even begin to deal with.” It’s a cycle many people get stuck in. They lose their license and can’t afford to pay the fines to get it reinstated. That means they drive illegally to places like work or risk losing their jobs and livelihoods. But that might become less common under a new law. Meade, a 62-year-old Topeka resident, is now retired and lives on a fixed income. He said at one point his debt was up to $3,000 — an amount he would never be able to cover. Kansas Legal Services, a nonprofit law group serving low-income clients, helped Meade resolve his remaining traffic violations and the state fees required to reinstate a driver’s license. Finally, for the first time in decades, Meade is driving with a legal license. He can now easily travel to important meetings with his probation officer and to Alcoholics Anonymous to help him remain sober. Otherwise, he would have had to spend hours using public transportation each day. “It’s already made my life so much simpler,” Meade said. Kansas Legal Services plans to help more low-income Kansans get similar help reducing fines, resolving court cases and getting their driver’s licenses back in good standing.
Source: The Lawrence Times

info2024-05-14T12:15:59-05:00May 14, 2024|News|

Municipal Bond Trends for May 13, 2024

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS “investment grade” yields. Every issuer’s credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.

Henry Schmidt2024-05-14T09:44:54-05:00May 14, 2024|News|

Municipal Bond Trends for May 10, 2024

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS “investment grade” yields. Every issuer’s credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.

Henry Schmidt2024-05-13T10:00:04-05:00May 13, 2024|News|

Assistant city manager for Dallas chosen to be Topeka’s next city manage

Robert Perez, assistant city manager for Dallas, has been picked to be Topeka’s next city manager…. “The governing body invested considerable time and effort into their selection process, and we’re excitedthat Dr. Perez has been selected,” Mayor Michael Padilla said in the release. “I have full confidence in his ability to lead the city of Topeka and guide us toward our strategic goals.”
Source: CJonline

info2024-05-11T09:16:38-05:00May 11, 2024|News|

Municipal Bond Trends for May 9, 2024

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS “investment grade” yields. Every issuer’s credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.

Henry Schmidt2024-05-10T10:30:31-05:00May 10, 2024|News|

Sedgwick County rejects RHID incentives for apartment project in Goddard

The Sedgwick County Commission has vetoed Goddard’s plan to give a developer $3.5 million in state incentives to build apartments at the Genesis Sports Complex. Commissioners voted 5-0 against the incentive package, which would have diverted property taxes from that land to pay for up to $3.5 million in eligible costs for a 108-unit apartment complex. County staff recommended nullifying Goddard’s agreement …
Source: Wichita Eagle

info2024-05-10T07:31:20-05:00May 10, 2024|News|

Services

Company