A proposed rental property licensing program aims to make rental housing safe for Manhattan’s transient population, but is the city willing to pay the costs associated with setting the program up? The issue of a rental licensing program is nothing new to the Manhattan city commission, but conversation still became heated last night as commissioners and property owners voiced frustrations at the stagnating topic. Assistant city manager Kiel Mangus returned to commissioners with findings from a focus group made up of city employees and property owners. The focus group set goals which include promoting safety of tenants as well as preserving property…
Author: KMAN Staff
TOPEKA — The head of Kansas’ state pension system says lawmakers will have to contribute $177 million more funds next year to keep it on track. KPERS director Alan Conroy told the pension system’s board Monday in Topeka the figure represents a $61 million employer contribution increase called for in the fiscal year beginning in July 2017. The Topeka Capital-Journal says there also a $115 million payment due in June 2018 that lawmakers put off earlier this year. Conroy says the call for additional funding comes amid “challenges” with the state’s general fund. Those include a $350 million shortfall in the…
TOPEKA — The Kansas Senate’s top Republican says she and other lawmakers suspect Gov. Sam Brownback isn’t proposing a long-term fix for the state’s budget problems because he’s focused on getting a job in President-elect Donald Trump’s administration. Senate President Susan Wagle of Wichita and other lawmakers have grown frustrated by Brownback’s decision to wait until January to remedy a $350 million budget shortfall for the current fiscal year. Wagle told reporters Monday that legislators “are very concerned the governor is looking for a ticket to D.C.” In the fiscal year that begins July 1, the state’s shortfall is expected to…
LAWRENCE — Elected leaders at the University of Kansas are voicing opposition to guns on campus. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that the University Senate said it’s opposed “in the strongest possible terms” to campus carry in a resolution approved this month. The University Senate is made up of the Faculty Senate, Student Senate and Staff Senate. In Kansas, public universities starting in July must allow anyone 21 or older to have concealed firearms on campus in buildings that don’t have security measures, including metal detectors. But the option is widely considered cost-prohibitive for most campus buildings. Despite the opposition, the University…
While Russian hacking and recount efforts have engulfed the results of November’s presidential race and soured an election season that didn’t need any help in becoming more acidic, simplicity solved a dispute for Ogden Township seats Monday morning in the Riley County Commission Chambers. Popsicle sticks were drawn. “We are going to present to the (Riley County) Board of County Canvassers that they draw straws — i.e., Popsicle sticks — and those Popsicle sticks have the candidates names written on them,” county clerk Rich Vargo told the commission. No voting machines. No wrangling. No exit polls. Just the definitive will…
Kansas State University officials indicate a suspect in the sexual assault reported Dec. 9 at the college was immediately identified and removed from residence hall property at the university. That information came from a K-State Today alert at noon Tuesday. As KMAN reported Saturday, K-State received a report from a female student on Friday afternoon of a sexual assault that occurred late Sunday inside a campus residence hall. At that time the university said no one had been arrested in the case and that “conditions may exist that pose a continuing threat to the community.” University police advised the community to be aware…
Wamego’s USD 320 Board of Education approved a bond resolution at Monday’s meeting. Board President Rob Adams asked for a motion to adopt the General Obligation Bond Resolution, which passed by a vote of 7 to 0. According to Superintendent Tim Winter, the bond did sell and this resolution is regulatory. With the sale of the bond, the approved projects can begin. BBN Architects, Carl Riblett went over the CMAR selection calendar, and has four companies that will be interviewed: Coonrod, McCown Gordon Construction Inc., and BHS, all of Manhattan and Loyd of Ottawa. Interviews will begin on December 13th. In other…
Today’s guest was Riley County Commissioner Ron Wells.
Today’s guests featured Don Thompson, Tom Neill, and Mark Robb of the Little Apple Barbershop Chorus, Hugh Davis from Junction City USD 475, Lieutenant. Brad Millington from the K-State Police Department, and U.S. Senator Pat Roberts. Little Apple Barbershop Chorus: Hugh Davis: Lt. Brad Millington: Senator Pat Roberts:
Today’s guests featured Master Sergeant Michael Ewing, Sergeant Dawn Douglas, Flint Hills Christian School Administrator Tim McDonald and Manhattan Catholic Schools Principal Scott Hulshoff. Tim McDonald and Scott Hulshoff