Manhattan City Commission Summary
Week of June 3, 2026
Commission approves alcohol sales for Arts in the Park series
Alcohol sales cleared for Team USA soccer watch party
Commission advances Seth Child sewer project despite cost concerns
Commission formally opposes Green Valley incorporation
City to absorb $10,000 cost for school zone sign updates
Manhattan firefighters honored for heroic April rescue
Commission approves alcohol sales for Arts in the Park series
MANHATTAN, Kan. — Commissioners voted 4-1 to approve a special event resolution allowing alcohol sales during the Arts in the Park summer concert series. The city is partnering with Manhattan Brewing Company to sell beer during the musical events. A dissenting vote was cast over questions of whether alcohol is appropriate for family-oriented events in city parks. City staff noted that alcohol sales are a growing trend at public venues and serve as necessary revenue to help contractors recoup the costs of booking higher-quality bands.
Alcohol sales cleared for Team USA soccer watch party
MANHATTAN, Kan. — In a 4-1 vote, the commission approved a resolution allowing the consumption of alcoholic beverages at athletic fields within Anneberg Park for a Team USA soccer watch party on June 12. The resolution permits alcohol sales for three hours during the match against Paraguay. A lone dissenting vote was cast, with concerns reiterated regarding the appropriateness of alcohol at family- and youth-oriented sports complexes.
Commission advances Seth Child sewer project despite cost concerns
MANHATTAN, Kan. — The commission approved a $15,000 preconstruction agreement with Bartlett & West Construction LLC and a $77,602 engineering amendment for Bartlett & West, Inc. for the Seth Child Sanitary Sewer Interceptor Improvements Project. The project involves building a parallel relief sewer near the Westloop Shopping Center to address capacity issues. A previous single construction bid of $2.4 million vastly exceeded the city's $1.6 million estimate. The 4-1 vote moves the project to a construction manager at risk (CMAR) model in an attempt to find cost efficiencies. A dissenting vote was cast over the arrangement, with questions raised regarding the value to taxpayers of paying Bartlett & West Construction LLC to manage the construction process of a design created by its affiliated engineering firm, Bartlett & West, Inc.
Commission formally opposes Green Valley incorporation
MANHATTAN, Kan. — The Manhattan City Commission voted 5-0 Tuesday to approve a resolution opposing a petition to incorporate the city of Green Valley in neighboring Pottawatomie County, deeming it inadvisable under state law. City Manager Danielle Dulin said the city wants to protect its infrastructure investments and commercial growth along the Highway 24 corridor, emphasizing that Manhattan is not looking to unilaterally annex residential neighborhoods in the area. During public comment, arguments were made that the proposed Green Valley incorporation only includes neighborhood areas and would not affect the city's economic development plans along the highway.
City to absorb $10,000 cost for school zone sign updates
MANHATTAN, Kan. — The commission voted 5-0 to amend the city's school zone ordinance, a routine update that will cost taxpayers up to $10,000 to synchronize signage and speed limit light timers with Manhattan-Ogden USD 383's new schedules. Questions were raised during the meeting about whether the city should ask the school district to share or cover the cost of the updates, given that the district controls the schedule changes. While commissioners ultimately approved the ordinance to allow public works staff to begin the weeks-long process of changing the signs, they directed city administrators to discuss future cost-sharing opportunities with the school district.
Manhattan firefighters honored for heroic April rescue
MANHATTAN, Kan. — Four members of the Manhattan Fire Department were recognized Tuesday for their lifesaving actions during an April 14 residential structure fire. A fire captain, two drivers and a firefighter braved intense heat and dense smoke to rescue an unconscious occupant trapped on the second floor of the burning home. The team was commended for its bravery, and it was noted that medical personnel indicated the victim, who has since made a full recovery, was moments away from succumbing to their injuries.
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