One week after visiting with Manhattan City Commissioners about covering a $1.4 million funding gap for its Advanced Technology Center, Manhattan Area Technical College President Jim Genandt was in front of the Pottawatomie County Commission Monday speaking about the project.
Genandt says the purpose of his visit wasn’t to ask for support, but rather to start a conversation about how MATC and Pott County can work together to secure grants and solve workforce challenges. He notes that because MATC has no taxing authority, it has flexibility that most of higher education doesn’t have.
Genandt wants MATC to be ready in time for Scorpius Biomanufacturing’s new facility, ahead of its planned groundbreaking of a new multimillion dollar plant in Pottawatomie County.
A timeline for that project hasn’t been announced.
In other business Monday, the commission approved a resolution to raise public rates on recycling tires and refrigerant appliances at the landfill.
That’s County Sanitarian Scott Schwinn.
Starting April 1, the new disposal costs per standard tires will go up by 50 cents. The fee will increase for medium trucks, semis and farm tractors by $1. Skid loader and fork lift tires will go up $2, while small tractors will go up $5 and large tractors $20. The cost to dispose of refrigerant appliances will increase from $15 to $17.40.
Commissioners also approved a tire and refrigeration amnesty period which will run May 1 through June 1. Schwinn says since the county replaced amnesty day with an entire month of amnesty, the program has benefitted not only residents, but also public health and safety.
The 2022 Financial Audit Review was presented Monday by April Swartz, with Varney & Associates, which turned up no variations or adjustments. The audit will be posted to the Pottawatomie County website for public viewing.
The commission also received a single bid Monday totaling $1.9 million from Shilling Construction for asphalt work as well as two bids for chip and seal work from Circle C Paving and Construction of Goddard, totaling just under $606,000, and from Vance Brothers of Kansas City, Missouri for $583,000. Those bids will be reviewed by Public Works staff and then sent back to the county commission for consideration.
