Municipal Bonds & Financial Advisory

Independent municipal advisory services for Kansas cities, counties, school districts and utilities.

Overview

Financing plans built around your community

Few decisions a governing body makes last as long as a bond issue. The structure you choose, how the bonds are sold and how the debt fits your budget will shape tax levies and utility rates for years to come.

Ranson Financial Group is an independent municipal advisor registered with the MSRB and the SEC. We help Kansas local governments plan, structure and sell debt, working alongside your staff, bond counsel and governing body from the first capital plan through closing, and we explain each decision in plain English.

  • Registered municipal advisor (MSRB and SEC)
  • No relationship with any underwriting firm
  • Kansas general obligation, revenue and special assessment financing

At a glance

Who we serveCities, counties, schools, hospitals, utility and other districts
FinancingsGO bonds, temporary notes, revenue bonds, lease-purchase, IRBs
ContactLarry Kleeman, Henry Schmidt or John Haas

What we do

How we help

Kansas local governments use a handful of well-tested financing tools. We help you choose the right one for each project and put it in place.

General obligation bonds & temporary notes

Financing for streets, buildings and other improvements backed by your taxing power, including temporary notes that fund construction until permanent bonds are issued.

Utility revenue bonds

Water, sewer and electric system financing repaid from utility revenues and coordinated with your rate structure.

Special assessments & improvement districts

Financing for improvement districts in which benefiting property owners repay their share of project costs over time.

Economic development & IRBs

Industrial revenue bonds and other economic development financing, structured with the issuer’s interests in mind.

Lease-purchase & COPs

Lease-purchase agreements and certificates of participation for equipment and facilities when bonds are not the best fit.

Refunding & debt planning

Review of outstanding debt for refunding opportunities, plus debt analysis and capital improvement planning.

Our process

Step by step

A clear sequence, with your staff and governing body informed at every stage.

01

Plan

We review your project, capital plan, existing debt and budget to define financing options and a realistic timeline.

02

Structure

We recommend a structure, maturity schedule and security that fit your levy, utility rates and long-term goals, and present the options to your governing body.

03

Prepare

With bond counsel, we prepare the official statement and offering documents and help you decide whether a credit rating or bond insurance makes sense.

04

Sell

For a competitive sale we notify the market, receive bids and verify the results. For a negotiated sale we evaluate pricing on your behalf.

05

Close & comply

We coordinate the closing, then help you meet continuing disclosure duties for the life of the bonds.

Why an independent advisor

We work only for you

As an independent advisor, Ranson Financial Group LLC has no relationship with any underwriting firm. In the bond sale process we work for only one side of the transaction: you, the issuer.

An underwriter buys bonds to resell them to investors, and MSRB rules treat its relationship with you as arm’s-length. A municipal advisor owes you a fiduciary duty under MSRB Rule G-42.

  • Fiduciary duty to the issuer
  • No underwriting relationships
  • Competitive sales that invite underwriters to bid for your bonds
Who we work for
Your city, county or school
Ranson Financial (advisor)
Underwriter

We sit on your side of the table, never the underwriter’s.

FAQ

Common questions

Why does a city need a municipal advisor if it has an underwriter?

The underwriter’s role is to buy your bonds and resell them to investors, and MSRB rules treat that as an arm’s-length relationship. A municipal advisor is required to act in your best interest, so someone at the table is working only for the issuer.

In a competitive sale, underwriters submit bids at a set time and the bonds are awarded to the bidder with the lowest true interest cost that meets the terms of the sale. In a negotiated sale, the issuer selects an underwriter in advance and negotiates the pricing. We help you decide which method suits your issue.

Kansas cities commonly use temporary notes to finance improvements during construction. Once project costs are known, the notes are typically retired with permanent general obligation bonds or other financing.

Typically bond counsel, who gives the legal opinion; the municipal advisor; the underwriter or winning bidder; a paying agent; and, when used, a rating agency. Your clerk and governing body make the final decisions.

It depends on the project, the approvals required and the sale method. We build a schedule with you at the start so each step and meeting date is clear.

Talk to us about your project

Contact Larry Kleeman, Henry Schmidt or John Haas, call (316) 264-3400 or email info@ransonfinancial.com.