There will be a vacancy on the Junction City – Geary County Metropolitan Planning Commission.

The Geary County Commission appointed Gary Schellhorn to the MPC this past Monday, and he took the oath of office and participated in the planning board meeting Thursday night at the Municipal Building.

But Schellhorn confirmed he will need to step down from the board. Although he has been a resident of Geary County he will be moving to a new farm site about two miles farther south in Morris County. You need to be a resident of Geary County to serve on the planning board.

 

The Economic Development Commission Advisory Committee elected to move forward with the application process to become an E-Community, which would provide another revolving loan resource available to businesses in Junction City.

Through an E-Community the EDC would sell tax credits to raise approximately $132,000 to be used for revolving loans.

Ben Kitchens, EDC Chairman explained that there was concern about whether or not they would be able to sell enough tax credits. But E-Community staff explained that local CPA’s should be able to help.

“They have people that would be willing to buy them, and we had heard that Calvin Pottberg’s firm had no problem helping Manhattan get rid of their tax credits last year,” said Kitchens. “I’m pretty positive that we will be able to do that. We need to get verbal commitments for 50 percent of it by the application date of August 7th. I don’t really see a problem.”

Kitchens went on to say that they will be targeting more new business owners and new businesses in order to improve their situation.

 

The Army is moving to reduce troop strength by 40,000 soldiers over the next two years to meet mandated sequestration reductions.

There will be impact on Fort Riley , but one that is relatively minor.

Sen. Jerry Moran has reported that the post will lose 615 troop positions between fiscal year 2015 and fiscal year 2017.  He expressed relief. “Absolutely. Based on what many of the fears and concerns were that might happen at Fort Riley, this outcome today is pretty pleasing. We would prefer of course, not to lose any troops at Fort Riley, but if 40,000 reduction is going to occur probably unrealistic to expect nothing to happen at Fort Riley.”

Moran complimented the residents of the Junction City – Fort Riley – Manhattan who attended the community listening session in February to support the post, and demonstrate the care and compassion Kansas citizens have for the installation, soldiers, and their families.

The breakdown on the units that will lose soldiers has not yet been released, but Moran noted there have been assurances there will be no reductions in the Brigade Combat Teams.  “What we were fearful from the very beginning was the loss of one or more of those BCT’s, which would have been at least 4,000 solidiers. And the cuts were are told will not include any reductions to BCT’s.”

Between fiscal year 2001 and fiscal year 2017, Fort Riley will have grown 57 percent including the loss of 615 positions.

Family members, volunteers or job seekers looking to learn or enhance skills to provide relief and support to people caring for others at home are invited to attend an upcoming Respite Education and Support Tools training. The one-day training happens in Manhattan, Thursday, July 23.

A second course will be offered in Salina on Thursday, August 13.

Cost is $25 for program materials and lunch. Advance registration is required. Call 800-432-2703 toll-free to reserve your place and for time and location details.

The training is sponsored by the North Central – Flint Hills Area Agency on Aging and the Kansas LifeSpan Respite Coalition.

 

Carissa Horton, PA-C in the Geary Community Hospital Rural Health Clinic has been named a Safe Sleep Trainer following completion of a Wichita, KS train-the-trainer session put on by the Kansas Infant Death and SIDS ( KIDS ) Network.

Horton learned how to best teach healthcare providers, parents, childcare providers, other caregivers and community members about the dangers in traditional sleep environments and how to create a safe sleep environment.

To schedule Horton for a safe sleep training session contact Jill Nelson, Delivering Change: Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies Program Coordinator at 785-238-3787.

June was a tale of two months.

Chuck Otte, Geary County Extension Agent, said the first half of the month was wetter and cooler than the second half which was much hotter and quite dry.

The average daily high during June was 86.5, 2.2 degrees above normal. The average overnight low temperature was 66.8, 4.4 degrees above normal. That gave the county a monthly mean temperature of 76.6, 3.2 degrees above normal. There was one temperature record during the month. The overnight low of 75 on the 20th tied the record high low temperature for that date. The highest temperature for the month was 99 on the 20th.

June is the county’s wettest month of the year with long term average rainfall of 4.80 inches. Milford Lake received 3.39 inches during the month, while Junction City received 5.39 inches. Normal year to date precipitation through the first six months of the year is 16.65 inches. Year to date Milford Lake has received 17.60 inches and Junction City 17.85 inches.

US Senator Jerry Moran reported Thursday morning that the US Army will be cutting 615 soldiers from Fort Riley and 60 soldiers from Fort Leavenworth over the next two years.

For local reaction the Post talked to Junction City Commissioner Mike Ryan who said he was “Elated” when he found out the news.

“I’m elated! The communities came together for the listening session, the work we put into it got the ball rolling and we gave a good effort for the military, our local military out here at Fort Riley, to carry the word forward and basically save a lot of jobs right here in our community,” said Ryan.

Junction City Manager, Allen Dinkel said that the news is positive but he want’s to see the final breakdown of the numbers.

“I think we have to take a look at the numbers and where it falls. There will be some analysis, will it be troops that are basically away from here now? Will it affect those living on base? That’s going to be some of the analysis that’s going to be done over the next few days and also if there was any civilian reductions as well. I don’t think we know that number yet,” said Dinkel.

We know the number to be cut but where on Fort Riley those cuts will be made is still unknown.

Ben Kitchens, Chairman of the Junction City Economic Development Commission Advisory Committee said that he’s pleased with only being hit with losing 615 jobs, but Junction City still needs to focus on diversifying its economy so it won’t always have to depend so heavily on the Army.

“I think it’s important that we continue to do things to diversify our economy, still depending on the Army, but yet coming in with other employers for jobs and get growth in a different way than just from the Army,” said Kitchens.

The cuts will be made over the next two years and are a part of the Army’s goal to reduce its overall troop size from 490,000 to 450,000 by the end of the fiscal year 2017.

Manhattan Town Center is announcing the opening of Books-A-Million later this month in the Dillard’s wing.

“it’s exciting to welcome BAM to our family of retailers at Manhattan Town Center,” said Allen Raynor, Manhattan Town Center General Manager. “The new bookstore will add to the variety offered as part of the experience in coming to the mall.”

Books-A-Million is the second largest bookstore chain in the United States. They are planning a July 23 opening with grand opening celebration to be announced.

The troop reductions planned by the Army are relatively minor at Kansas installations.

The Executive Director of the Governor’s Military Council John Armbrust said Thursday he expected Army troop reductions at Fort Riley to be in the 800 or a little bit less range.

Armbrust and members of the state’s congressional delegation have confirmed the reduction by the Army will total 615 soldiers from fiscal year 2015 until fiscal year 2017.  Fort Leavenworth in Kansas will lose 60 soldiers.  “I think this is very good news. Certainly shows the value of Fort Riley and Fort Leavenworth to the Army.”

On the units where the cuts might occur Armbrust did not know specific information. “I understand that it’s going to be various units that may take small cuts. There may be  some realignment in administratives areas. There may be some realignment in a brigade. I think it’s not one unit. I think it’s going to be several places that will actually end up taking some cuts.”

Armbrust felt the February community listening session in Junction City made a different in the Army decision. But our listening session showed not only the importance of Fort Riley, but as you well locally, but as you well know the focus was on the value of Fort Riley to the Army. I think that sent a very strong message.”

More than 4,200 people from the region attended the community listening session at the convention center in Junction City on Feb. 9 to show their support for Fort Riley.

 

 

 

 

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) – U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran says the two Army posts in Kansas have been largely spared as troop numbers are reduced nationwide over the next two years.

Moran told The Associated Press that Army officials informed him Thursday that Fort Riley and Fort Leavenworth together would lose fewer than 700 soldiers over the next two years. The Kansas Republican serves on the Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee.

The two posts together have about 19,300 soldiers.

Moran said Fort Riley is authorized to have 15,400 soldiers and will lose 615, or about 4 percent. Moran said Kansas officials feared losing 4,000 troops.

The senator said Fort Leavenworth will lose 60 of its 3,900 soldiers, a decline of 1.5 percent.

The Army is reducing its 490,000 active-duty troops by 40,000, or about 8 percent.