Author: Troy Coverdale

The draft of the first five-year strategic plan for the city of Manhattan will be made public later this week. The city commission got a look at materials tied to it at Tuesday’s work session, weighing in. Part of the discussion included remnants from the recent budget sessions, with Mayor Wynn Butler noting that he was looking for more substance when it comes to fiscal responsibility, including a suggestion that a debt limit be considered. Commissioner Mark Hatesohl was one expressing concern that the “at-a-glance” presentation was full of priorities sought by city staff. Sarah Bongiorno with Planning NEXT, the…

The Pottawatomie County Treasurer’s Office continues to deal with the after effects of a cyberattack that effectively shut it down last week. County treasurer Lisa Wright told the County Commission Monday morning that her office continues to work with the state to get Drivers License services back up and running. Wright said her office worked through the problems sporadically early last week before everything locked down at midweek. cyber Email remains down for all Pottawatomie County personnel and offices because of the attack.

The Courtyard by Marriott in Aggieville was the site of a Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting Thursday evening. McNeill Hotel Company CEO Mark Ricketts tells KMAN there was so much that made sense when the company was approached about building on the former city-owned parking lot along Bluemont Avenue. Ricketts says the hotel sold out for last weekend’s game against Nevada and is already on mark for bettering it’s expected income by the end of next month. The hotel includes a parking garage after being built on a former city-owned parking lot. Ricketts says it offered some design…

Manhattan City Commissioners signed off Tuesday night on a change order that will add 500-thousand dollars to the total paid for construction of the new parking garage in Aggieville. A fire suppression system is mandated for buildings four stories or taller, according to Deputy City Manager Jason Hilgers. Hilgers told commissioners Tuesday night that it was an “unforced error” by city staff. But, commissioner Mark Hatesohl was critical of the late change The 450 spot garage is scheduled to open next spring, having cost more than 14 million dollars to build.

The Riley County Law Board has approved letters requesting the city of Manhattan and Riley County provide funding through American Rescue Plan Act grants that they’ll be receiving from the federal government. The funding would provide for a two-percent employee pay adjustment for the remainder of the year, cover Emergency Leave for COVID from 2020 that hasn’t been reimbursed, the purchase of a digital citiation system for use on patrol and to buy a truck for the Hazardous Evidence Response Team’s use. Captain Josh Kyle told the board the request was built around one-time funding items. Board member and Riley…

It may have been on the consent agenda, but the city’s 2022 budget passed the Manhattan City Commission by the barest of margins Tuesday night. With a property tax increase of three-point-499 mills facing residents, commissioner Mark Hatesohl opened the discussion by saying he was voting no on the budget after agreeing to the increase previously. Mayor Wynn Butler concurred, making clear he doesn’t think enough line-by-line work was done in preparing the budget. Commissioners Aaron Estabrook, Usha Reddi and Linda Morse were the three votes to carry the measure that will raise property taxes by three-point-499 mills for next…

Following the passing of executive director Judy Davis earlier this year, The Crisis Center, Inc, has named Kathy Ray as its new leader. Ray has spent the past 15 years with the Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence after working under Davis at The Crisis Center, Inc, following her graduation from Kansas State University. With KCSDV, Ray was a member of their leadership team and worked to improve cross-system responses in the state. The Crisis Center currently has a capital campaign underway for building a new safe shelter, a project launched under Davis. The center serves five counties in…

Senator Jerry Moran’s Kansas Wheat Tour stopped in Manhattan Thursday afternoon, giving him an opportunity to talk with the Kansas Wheat Commission board. Among the topics Moran addressed was the aftermath of the United States withdrawing its military from Afghanistan. He says there’s likely to be a need Kansas farmers can help ease. With the Senate likely to address infrastructure in the final quarter of the year, Moran says it’s important to have the focus on how agriculture is impacted if no action is taken. Moran says the top item farmers have on their mind when he talk with them…

U.S. Senator Jerry Moran offered the opening statements Wednesday morning as the Senate Judiciary dealt with the FBI’s handling of the sexual assaults of multiple gymnasts by former Olympic and Michigan State doctor Larry Nassar. Moran’s comments included a question he said was asked when he first met with the group of Nassar’s victims. Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, Maggie Nichols, and McKayla Maroney all testified after Moran highlighted the issue of FBI field agents failing to further investigate after claims were initially made. Moran and Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal co-sponsored a bill following an investigation into systemic abuse in the U.S. Olympic…

The Manhattan City Commission heard a group of proposals on Tuesday for potential parking fees for both on-street and off-street parking once the new Aggieville garage goes on line. Up for further discussion will be the potential of charging those who park in the garage after 8 p.m. as a way to gain additional revenue, though it isn’t in the plans currently, according to Deputy City Manager Jason Hilgers. Currently, parking enforcement is an eight-to-five process and Commissioner Usha Reddi questioned if enforcement shouldn’t occur later, to help maximize fees.  Hilgers said it can be addressed in the future. Plans…