City, county propose dissolving 50-year joint planning board

County appraiser highlights tax burden shift, calls to review exemptions

Officials press legislators on unfunded state mandates and jail overcrowding

County seeks extension of Criminal Nuisance Abatement Act

Rising salt and gravel prices hit public works budget

Groundwater delays Keats sewer lagoon project

County attorney to outsource appeals to Kansas attorney general

City, county propose dissolving 50-year joint planning board

MANHATTAN, Kan. — Riley County and the city of Manhattan are considering dissolving the Manhattan Urban Area Planning Board, a collaborative body that has been in place since 1976. County Planning Director Amanda Webb and City Planning Director Stephanie Peterson presented the proposal, explaining that the joint board often leads to duplicated efforts and confusion over jurisdiction. Under the new proposal, targeted to take effect April 1, 2027, Manhattan would handle subdivisions within its designated urban service area, streamlining the process for applicants and allowing the county to focus strictly on its own rural zoning and planning needs.

County appraiser highlights tax burden shift, calls to review exemptions

MANHATTAN, Kan. — Riley County Appraiser Anna Burson advised state legislators that a significant portion of the county's appraised property value is currently tax-exempt, which she said shifts a disproportionate assessed tax burden onto residential property owners. Speaking during a legislative luncheon, Burson warned against implementing appraisal caps, explaining that they create long-term inequities among homeowners while failing to address the root causes of high taxes. Instead, she urged lawmakers to review state-mandated 100 percent property tax exemptions for certain entities, arguing that exempt properties still utilize local government services that residents are currently forced to subsidize.

Officials press legislators on unfunded state mandates and jail overcrowding

MANHATTAN, Kan. — County officials confronted state lawmakers during a legislative luncheon over unfunded mandates that have shifted the burden of housing inmates and mental health patients from the state to local governments. County Attorney Barry Wilkerson criticized the state for closing mental health facilities and delaying competency evaluations, leaving defendants awaiting competency evaluations and convicted inmates in the county jail for extended periods. Officials noted that the Riley County Jail, built for 130 inmates, is currently housing more than 170, forcing the county to pay out-of-budget costs to house inmates in off-site facilities.

County seeks extension of Criminal Nuisance Abatement Act

MANHATTAN, Kan. — Riley County Counselor Jacob Hansen requested that state legislators remove or extend the 2027 sunset clause on the county's Criminal Nuisance Abatement Act. Hansen stated that the county has successfully used the law on roughly six properties to force compliance and clean up areas designated as criminal nuisances, avoiding direct costs to taxpayers for the cleanup. The request sparked debate among attending legislators regarding agricultural exemptions and the appropriate limits of county authority over private property.

Rising salt and gravel prices hit public works budget

MANHATTAN, Kan. — Public Works Director John Ellermann reported significant increases in material costs that will impact the county's road maintenance and winter weather response budgets. Gravel prices are set to increase by 10 percent next year, while salt prices have surged, jumping from $48.85 to $57.70 per ton delivered. Ellermann noted that the department is exploring ways to use salt more efficiently or switch to a sand-salt mixture, though current equipment limitations make the latter difficult to implement.

Groundwater delays Keats sewer lagoon project

MANHATTAN, Kan. — High groundwater levels are causing unexpected delays in the installation of the Keats sewer lagoon project. Public Works Director John Ellermann reported that crews are struggling to compact the soil in the project's southern cell and install the required lift station because water is seeping into the excavated areas faster than pumps can remove it. Ellermann stated that the department is adjusting schedules to manage the water flow, which appears to be running off a nearby hill rather than rising from the adjacent creek.

County attorney to outsource appeals to Kansas attorney general

MANHATTAN, Kan. — The Riley County Attorney's Office will contract with the Kansas Attorney General's Office to handle its legal appeals following the upcoming departure of Deputy County Attorney David Lowden, a specialized appellate attorney. County officials noted it would be difficult to quickly hire a replacement with comparable appellate experience in the current job market. The outsourced services will be funded using the salary already budgeted for the departing attorney's position, resulting in no new financial impact on the county budget.

Click here for local obituaries

Found a mistake? Have a news tip or feedback to share? Contact our newsroom using the button below:

Contact Us