Manhattan city commissioners appear poised to dissolve the Manhattan Urban Area Planning Board and replacing it with a city-appointed planning board that could also serve as the city’s board of zoning appeals. The proposal, presented by Manhattan planning and development director Stephanie Peterson and Riley County planning director Amanda Webb, would dissolve the joint board established in 1976 and replace its governing agreement with a new interlocal agreement between the city and county. Under the proposed arrangement, Manhattan would establish its own planning board, while Riley County would retain its existing planning board and separate board of zoning appeals. The…
Author: Cole Bertelsen
Manhattan city commissioners expressed support Tuesday for a $150,000 funding proposal from Habitat for Humanity of the Northern Flint Hills to develop two long-term affordable homes on Dickens Avenue. The proposal would use money from the city’s workforce housing sales tax fund to rehabilitate an existing home at 3115 Dickens Ave. and construct a second home at 3117 Dickens Ave. Habitat executive director Josh Brewer requested $100,000 to reimburse property acquisition costs and another $50,000 to extend public sanitary sewer service to the development. To view the full article visit theMercury.com.
TOPEKA — During his capital city rally on Monday, Vice President JD Vance announced that 10 Kansas meatpacking facilities will receive federal grants as part of a nationwide $57 million investment. “The Department of Agriculture is announcing millions of dollars in new grants towards 10 meatpacking facilities right here in the state of Kansas,” Vance said. The vice president said the country’s four largest meatpacking companies are cranking up prices for the average consumer. “Two of them, by the way, (are) completely controlled by foreign interests,” Vance said. “Four companies have dominated the vast majority of American meat processing, and…
Mayor Susan Adamchak said if the federal government suspends its gasoline tax, Manhattan would lose out on millions of dollars. Earlier this month, President Donald Trump said he was considering suspending the 18.4-cent-per-gallon tax to ease high energy costs driven by the war with Iran. “That is $2 million that comes to the city each year,” Adamchak said Tuesday. “That is money that we have been able to count on for the last several decades. But there’s a very good possibility that with the stroke of a pen, the president may do away with that, and it would leave us…
The Manhattan City Commission unanimously approved two resolutions Tuesday to annex city-owned property in Riley and Pottawatomie counties. Officials said one benefit of making the properties part of city limits is services like RCPD and the Manhattan Fire Department will now respond to those locations. The first resolution covered about 4.4 acres at 3830 Excel Road in Pott County, a site the city purchased in December 2023 for a potential future fire station. City officials said annexation would help prevent the property from being incorporated into a separate city. The site is currently vacant. To view the full article visit…
Manhattan city commissioners discussed plans to replace a road salt storage facility and build two smaller sites to improve snow removal efficiency during a work session Tuesday. Public works director Brian Johnson said the city’s salt storage facility on Denison Avenue is fully deconstructed after a June storm caused damage to the structure. This has forced the city government to keep all its salt in the joint maintenance facility (JMF). The move has increased travel time for snowplows and other vehicles that need to reload salt during winter weather. Johnson said public works will only have that one salt storage…
Manhattan city commissioners clashed on stances regarding the K-State Foundation’s proposed Edge District 3.0 development during a vote to set public hearings for the project’s funding districts. While the commissioners ended up unanimously setting the hearings for Nov. 17, some expressed concerns about the city’s previous investments, the project’s assumptions and the terms of the proposed financing agreement. The commission approved resolutions setting hearings for the community improvement district (CID), tax-increment financing (TIF) district and sales tax and revenue (STAR) bond. To view the full article visit theMercury.com.
The Manhattan City Commission on Tuesday approved an agreement with the Kansas Department of Transportation to move forward with installing a traffic signal at the intersection of Casement Road and Hayes Drive. The HSIP federal-aid grant provides funding through KDOT up to $700,000.00 for Construction and Construction Engineering (Inspection) at a 90% federal/10% City cost share. The agreement is based on the assessment that KDOT’s total contribution to costs of construction and engineering will not exceed $488,750. The city has budgeted $150,000 for its share of associated costs. To view the full article visit theMercury.com.
While college enrollment trended down slightly this fall across Kansas, most state universities — including K-State — saw modest jumps in headcount. Between its Manhattan, Salina and Olathe campuses, Kansas State University boasts 21,283 students, according to preliminary reports released Wednesday by the Kansas Board of Regents. That’s a growth of 70 students over last year’s numbers, and the highest fall headcount since 2019. To view the full article visit theMercury.com.
A fire at the Geary Estates apartment complex near Fort Riley displaced a number of residents over the weekend, including service members and their families. Fort Riley, Geary County, the American Red Cross and community organizations have responded by providing temporary housing, food, clothing and other necessities, according to the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce. Manhattan Mayor Susan Adamchak said on Tuesday that there are two donation drop-off points in town. One is at the Al Langton insurance office at 1014 Poyntz Ave. B. To view the full article visit theMercury.com.