Manhattan City officials hosted area legislators for a luncheon Friday to discuss some of the key issues the city is prioritizing in 2024 Dark Store Theory The Dark Store Theory is complex, but at it’s root level, is a tactic used by corporations to have their properties assessed as if the store were closed and empty. This would force a building to be taxed based on pure market value of the location instead of the amount of profit generated by the location. Recent Dark Store controversies have involved Walmart in Overland Park. 51st District Representative Kenny Titus (R-Manhattan) says the…
Author: Bernie Fancella
The Manhattan area has seen unusually high temperatures this winter. While that might make the daytime more pleasant, there are some side effects that come from this. Meteorologist Chip Redmond, manager of Kansas Mesonet says December’s weather led to an unusual statistic. Redmond says the higher temperatures have caused the air to hold more moisture. As those temperatures fluctuate, freezing fog is more prevalent. Chances for light snow are possible Friday, with a better chance for accumulating snowfall on Monday and Tuesday. Temperatures are also expected to turn colder next week.
The Manhattan-Ogden School Board unanimously approved a slight change to its Pandemic Response Plan, which is updated twice a year to comply with federal coronavirus funding the district receives. Superintendent Eric Reid says at the beginning of the school year, the district was requiring masks for anyone who self-identified as a close contact of a COVID-positive individual. “That really hasn’t been readily done where people are doing their own contact tracing. It’s hard to enforce. Basically it’s a drop of all mask requirements even on close contacts, so people will have a choice of whether they want to (mask up)…
Riley County Extension Director Gary Fike is requesting the county hire an engineering firm to evaluate the structural viability of Pottorf Hall. The building is used for a wide variety of activities, and gets extensive use during the Riley County Fair. Fike says it has numerous structural issues. The north wall of the building has moisture issues. Over time the floor has developed cracks and has some sinking issues near the east wall, in addition to other deficiencies that could that lead to safety concerns. County Clerk Rich Vargo says public works crews have tried to figure out where some…
The Aggieville Starbucks location could undergo some changes in the near future. The Manhattan Urban Planning Board met last Thursday, and heard a renovation proposal aimed at the drive thru, as explained by Assistant Director of Community Development John Adam. Exterior changes would include a rebuilt sidewalk, the addition of a pergola, or shade structure, over the outdoor seating, moving of the menu board and moving the service window. The latter two items would be done to improve drive thru efficiency, according to a memo submitted by the Manhattan Community Development Department. The pickup window would move forward by a…
State lawmakers met with Riley County officials Thursday to discuss some of the county’s priorities ahead of the next legislative session. Riley County officials favor some kind of legislation that gives counties authority to force landowners to clean up nuisance properties. County Counselor Clancy Holeman presented Senate Bill 162, a mirror of a Sedgwick County bill for assessing liens on properties that a court has determined to be in need of cleanup. 51st District State Representative Kenny Titus gave some feedback on the discussion. 66th District State Representative Syndey Carlin expressed a common sentiment on the laws regarding these properties:…
Junction City and Geary County are at odds over who should pay the EMS bill. In 1967, the two governments agreed that the Junction City Fire Department would handle EMS calls in Geary County, and not just in the city limits. The non-reimbursed costs for the service to the county are split with one-third paid by the city and two-thirds paid by the county. Geary County officials announced in July they no longer wished to continue the agreement at that cost split. A new agreement was discussed but no action could be taken, due to the 2024 budget already having…
The Salvation Army needs bell ringers for the holiday season Salvation Army Bell Ringer Karla Johnson says they need volunteers to ring bells for the red kettles. Johnson says the money donated in Riley County stays in Riley county, and that money is put to very good use locally. One of the more modern issues with the red kettles is that many people only carry plastic. Johnson encourages new volunteers to have fun with bell ringing, as that brings more attention to the causes the Salvation Army supports. Anyone interested in volunteering their time can sign up at RegisterToRing.com. Shifts…
Legislative priorities were outlined Tuesday night during a special meeting of the Manhattan City Commission. Among them, city staff oppose legislation that would limit or negatively influence the property tax base. Part of that includes anything that artificially limits or otherwise alters residential and commercial property valuation, similar to dark store valuation, an appraisal practice of valuing commercial properties as vacant (or dark) stores. City Manager Ron Fehr says it allows retailers to have their property taxes assessed at a much lower rate. He explains why this precedent has local governments concerned. With the state set to eliminate the sales…
Taxes are due soon, and Riley County Treasurer Shiloh Heger advised the community during Monday’s Riley County Commission meeting. Heger says this is her twice a year reminder to residents about the upcoming due date of December 20. Heger says no motor vehicle transactions can be processed until those taxes are paid and gave two options for residents for payment. One is to mail a check to 110 Courthouse Plaza, postmarked by December 20. Residents can also drop off payments at the drop box in front of Courthouse Plaza. Residents can also pay with PayPal. Additional fees apply and payers can spread out their…