Manhattan city staff has changed their approach to the 2025 budget after commissioners last month indicated they would not support the proposed $2 million worth of reductions which would primarily be personnel cuts. Commissioners deliberated Tuesday on ways to decrease costs for 2025 and beyond in order to reduce expenditures and increase its general fund balance. The city is looking to do this through a combination of personnel reductions, increasing cost recovery, finding operational efficiencies, and utilizing alternative funding sources where possible.
Author: KMAN Staff
More than 15,000 fans cheered for the entry of the U.S. Army’s 1st Infantry Division Commanding General’s Mounted Color Guard from Fort Riley recently at the “Daddy of ‘Em All.” Fort Riley’s mounted color guard attended the 127th annual Cheyenne Frontier Days at the end of July to give displays of cavalry horsemanship and military tradition. Cheyenne Frontier Days bills itself as the world’s largest outdoor rodeo and western celebration with an annual attendance of 200,000 people. More on this story can be found at The Mercury.
by Cole Bertelsen K-State alum Derrick Mein returned from Paris Friday, though it wasn’t from any regular vacation. The Paola native took fifth place in trap shooting at the Olympic Games late last month, his second time representing Team USA in the international competition. “I thought I had a pretty good performance,” Mein said. “I would have liked to have made it just a little bit farther and brought home a medal, but I got closer than anybody’s been from the U.S. in 20 years in my event.” Read the full story at themercury.com
The Kansas Department of Revenue announced on Tuesday that the Flint Hills will be featured on the 2025 personalized state license plates. More than 30,000 Kansans voted for the design, which will be available for purchase for $45.50 at county the treasurer’s offices starting in 2025. View the full story at the Mercury
Manhattan city commissioners will meet today to discuss the 2025 budget. City staff provided an overview of 2023 actual revenues, and approaches to 2024 and 2025 operations. The city is facing a projected shortfall in the cash balance due to federal COVID funds running out, and much of Tuesday’s discussion centered around how departments may be able to slash costs. For more information visit themercury.com
KMAN’s AJ Shaw is joined for the full hour by Riley County commissioner Greg McKinley and deputy county counselor Bryant Parker.
A Junction City man was arrested on Monday afternoon after it was reported he committed a theft in Riley County. RCPD arrested 22-year-old Gage Ireton just before 2:15 p.m. in the 300 block of Kearney Street on probable cause charges of theft of property of services with a value of $1500 and $25,000, possession with the intent to use drug paraphernalia, possession of an opiate and possession of marijuana. He was booked into Riley County Jail and is confined at the time of this report on a bond of $12,000.
Gage Ireton, 22, of Junction City, was arrested on August 12, 2024, at approximately 2:14 PM in the 300 block of Kearney Street. Ireton was arrested on probable cause offenses of theft of property or services ($1,500- $25,000), use/possession with the intent to use paraphernalia, possession of opiate/opium/narcotic/certain stimulant, and possession of marijuana. Total bond was set at $12,000. Ireton was confined at the time of this report.
By Beth Day/Times of Pott County The City of St. George has received an official letter from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment regarding its water supply. St. George has been experiencing high nitrate levels for some time and has begun the process of designing a water treatment facility. Brian Foster, BG Consultants, who serves as the city’s engineer, told the council Thursday that the city had received a letter violation. “It (the letter) is requesting a response by Aug. 14, on whether to enter into a consent order. If you don’t respond, you will receive an administrative order,”…
By Emma Loura/Manhattan Mercury Initial field work is set to begin this month for the Keats sewer project. Riley County public information officer Vivienne Leyva on Monday told county commissioners BG Consultants will start doing surveys of the Keats area throughout August as it prepares to design the new sanitary sewer collection system, lift station and wastewater treatment facility. The project will get underway with workers marking utilities, which will allow BG Consultants to begin surveying clean outs and septic tanks to identify preliminary service line alignment in late August and early September. “Then they’ll be working to identify utility and…