Engineering firm looks to expand Lenexa City Center footprint

4 Tuesday, April 4

Engineering firm looks to expand Lenexa City Center footprint

info2023-04-04T09:29:01-05:00April 4th, 2023|

Kiewit Engineering is hoping to grow its Lenexa City Center campus with a new 177,550-square-foot office building. On Monday, the Lenexa Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of the final plan for a brand new office building for Kiewit near 89th Street and Renner Boulevard. Kiewit, based in Omaha, Neb., has long had a presence in Lenexa after purchasing a local engineering firm more than 20 years ago. Source: Prairie Village Post

4 Tuesday, April 4

Municipal Bond Trends for March 31, 2023

Henry Schmidt2023-04-04T07:57:44-05:00April 4th, 2023|

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, Beth Warren or Henry Schmidt.

3 Monday, April 3

Reno County appraiser explains why property valuations have increased

info2023-04-03T10:26:04-05:00April 3rd, 2023|

On Tuesday, the Reno County appraiser, Michael Plank, explained to Reno County Commissioners how valuations are calculated and why residents saw increases this year. Appraisers are responsible for discovering, listing and valuing all real and tangible property within their jurisdiction within certain exemptions for oil and gas, public utilities and some personal property. County appraisal offices must comply with Kansas statutes. Plank explained that his office follows all state statutes. "Like any other county employee, the appraiser is a public servant; we're working for the good of the taxpayer to place fair and equal values on real and personal property," he [...]

3 Monday, April 3

What will Downtown Hutchinson look like?

info2023-04-03T10:25:17-05:00April 3rd, 2023|

Work is underway on the Downtown Hutch Master Plan, and the public is invited to share their thoughts and learn more about the plan in the coming weeks. The Downtown Hutch Master Plan will create the vision for the future of Downtown Hutchinson as well as provide a long-range planning document that will serve as a road map to help visualize the direction of downtown. This direction includes work around Downtown Hutchinson's growth and development, as well as its character and functionality of the area. Source: Hutch News

3 Monday, April 3

Washburn in 2023

info2023-04-03T10:23:17-05:00April 3rd, 2023|

When Washburn University president JuliAnn Mazachek returned to campus in February, she saw a beautiful campus. But she thinks it can look better. Washburn University late last month unveiled its seven-year plan to transform the campus into a regional student destination and economic driver. The visionary plan has been years in the making, dating back even to Mazachek’s time as vice president of academic affairs. Faculty, administration and other academic leaders had for years reviewed space utilization studies, trying to chart a future for the municipal university campus. Source: CJonline

3 Monday, April 3

Housing a critical component of economic development

info2023-04-03T09:12:06-05:00April 3rd, 2023|

Kansas’ record-setting pace in economic development means significant job growth, with the state creating or retaining almost 56,000 jobs since Governor Laura Kelly took office in 2019. That has the Kelly administration aggressively tackling a pressing challenge that comes with rapid job creation — making sure there’s enough affordable housing for a fast-growing workforce. Economic development is highly dependent on available and adequate housing. In 2020, Governor Kelly called for the state’s first comprehensive assessment of residential housing needs in nearly 30 years. Results of the Statewide Housing Study outline current opportunities, goals and potential strategies to increase affordable housing, and particularly [...]

3 Monday, April 3

Sedgwick County DA report concludes school board did not violate Open Meeting law

info2023-04-03T09:10:48-05:00April 3rd, 2023|

The Sedgwick County District Attorney’s office recently released an opinion stating it did not believe USD 373 violated the Kansas Open Meeting Act, in an emergency Feb. 22 meeting. The office did not offer opinions on other complaints such as the legality of the meeting, or ethics complaints involving a conflict of interest with Board Members. All this originates following a Feb. 22 gathering of the Board of Education that resulted in a three-hour emergency meeting. The meeting was mostly held in executive sessions – or behind closed doors- under the premise of discussing matters that could positively or adversely affect a [...]

3 Monday, April 3

Ellinwood museum preps for spring

info2023-04-03T09:06:20-05:00April 3rd, 2023|

Joyce Schulte’s receptionist table at the Ellinwood Museum can resemble a mini-display itself some days — especially during the weeks prior to the Museum’s annual season-opening day in April. There’s a fair bit of tweaking that needs to be done ahead of time, and the table is a good place for keeping the odds and ends needed for readying the Museum’s permanent and new exhibits. The Museum’s opening day this year is Thursday, April 20, at 10 a.m. It’s usually a low-key affair, as visitors come for coffee, see what’s new, and talk about Ellinwood’s older days. A typical season runs [...]

3 Monday, April 3

New survey shows Johnson County residents are pleased once again with quality of life and county services

info2023-04-03T09:03:54-05:00April 3rd, 2023|

Results of Johnson County’s annual community survey were revealed, and residents consistently gave high marks for the county’s quality of life, services and programs, and voiced their opinions on the services most important to them. Results from the 2023 community survey were shared Thursday, March 23, with the Board of County Commissioners during a Committee of the Whole meeting. The six-page survey was conducted in January and February by ETC Institute of Olathe. “Ratings for Johnson County as a place to live, work and raise children are among the highest in the nation,” Chris Tatham, president and chief executive officer of [...]

3 Monday, April 3

Commission Chair Mike Kelly says the state of Johnson County ‘continues to be strong’

info2023-04-03T09:01:19-05:00April 3rd, 2023|

Three months after starting his role as Johnson County Commission Chair, Mike Kelly is set to give his first State of the County address at the Overland Park Convention Center on Tuesday, April 4. Kelly, who is also on the executive board of Climate Action KC, says that the state of Johnson County "continues to be strong" and is "uniquely poised to be stronger." "We're at this opportunity right now, with the economic development but also with the opportunities for partnership with the federal government," said Kelly. "You look at the Infrastructure and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, which has [...]