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…
Author: Troy Coverdale
Troy Coverdale
Currently the host of "KMAN's Morning News", Troy is a 30 year veteran of radio, nearly 20 in northern Colorado, where he served as the "Voice of the UNC Bears" while serving as the news and sports director for one of the oldest AM stations in the country. No stranger to Manhattan nor Kansas, Troy is an alum of K-State in broadcast journalism and grew up near Circleville. He began his broadcast career with KSDB-FM on campus while working part time at another radio station in town. He's married to the former Monica Haugsness of Seneca, who has patiently put up with his schedule for more than 25 years.
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…
Repairs on Fort Riley Boulevard will result in the two inside lanes of the street being closed between 10th Street and Juliette Avenue starting Tuesday. It’s forecast that the repairs could take several weeks as rain might delay work. Also, work on 14th Street and Beach Lane at Anderson Avenue will prompt the closure of the north and south sides of the intersection, beginning Tuesday. Pedestrian access at the intersection will be closed throughout as the city is working on the storm sewer, sidewalks and street. It’s expected the project will be completed in between six to eight weeks.
The coronavirus pandemic and the federal foreclosure moratorium have resulted in what one study says is nine million dollars in outstanding rent being built up in Flint Hills counties. The Manhattan Housing Authority is urging those facing issues tied to rental arrears that the Kansas Emergency Rental Assistance program is sending aid to 500 households statewide each week to help ease the backlog. MHA commissioner Brad Claussen tells KMAN the aid availability covers both ends of rental transactions. The Assistant Executive Director of the Manhattan Housing Authority, Mandy Thomas, tells KMAN that applications can be submitted to the agency online.…
Hospitals throughout the region continue to deal with the stress being placed on the system because of the spread of the COVID-19 Delta variant. Ascension Via Christi Critical Care Director Melanie Haestert tells KMAN that strain is taking a toll on nurses and other health care providers. With the ICU at Ascension Via Christi in Manhattan seeing between two and four COVID patients over the past few weeks, nurse Natasha Duncan tells KMAN treating them doesn’t mean a quick visit at any time. Duncan says that trend of unvaccinated patients claiming they wish they had made a different choice is…
The Manhattan City Commission Tuesday night signed off on city staff entering into a pre-development contract with a group that has proposed a 40 million dollar mixed use project for Laramie and 12th Street in Aggieville. The approval of entering into that deal, though, drew complaint from Commissioner Linda Morse, who feels the city should seek to sell the parking lot for it’s value rather than potentially allow Back 9 to purchase it for a dollar. Back 9 is wanting to build a retail, office and residential development named “FUSE” on the lot, but appraisal of the lot pegs it’s…
The controversy over a lack of a kitchen at the soon to open Eisenhower Recreation Center became part of the discussion over the 2022 Manhattan City Budget. Andrew Elliott used public comment time at the City Commission meeting Tuesday night to express frustration over the status of the Northview area as a “food desert”. Elliott accused city staff of failing to discuss in good faith the potential of placing a kitchen in the rec center to help ease some of the food insecurity issues. Mayor Wynn Butler was blunt in his response. Commissioner Linda Morse floated the idea of providing…