The Metropolitan Planning Commission has delayed any decision on the final plat for a proposed Dollar General Store at the southwest corner of Grant Avenue and North Monroe in Junction City.

City staff received the request for the continuance on Thursday.

Staff has raised the infrastructure concerns on both North Monroe and Grant Avenue at the location, but MPC Chair Maureen Gustafson urged more consideration of this project. “I think any time that we can bring a business into Junction City we need to look at all avenues to be able to work that through. We’re losing businesses right and left so if there is some way for us to be able to fit a business in without causing a lot of problems within the driving district and such we need to look at all avenues.”

The project will be brought back to the MPC in January for review with more available platting details.

Taxes, taxes, taxes.

Many have been critical of the increases and in some opinions, excessive tax hikes in Geary County and Junction City.

City manager Allen Dinkel said that contrary to rumor, Junction City’s taxes aren’t unreasonable in comparison with other communities in the Flint Hills region. “Everybody says we have a higher mil levy than everybody around us, well city-wide, the city of Junction City mil levy is now just a smidge under Manhattan, it’s under Abilene…you know it’s the County issues that pushed it (the mil levy increase) – you know, of course, 77% of the County’s valuation is inside the city of Junction City.”

Dinkel adds that the makeup of Geary County is different than other communities. “We have two large pieces of land in our county that are tax exempt, plus we have a smaller geographic county and less ag land…so we are what we are.”

The City’s mil levy went up approximately .37 and Dinkel said this is the third year in a row that the City’s increase has been relatively low.

“If you don’t take care of some things, then they just continue to degrade…so we try to find that balance…I always get the complaint that the City taxes are too high, and it’s not the City piece that’s the problem here it’s another of the entities,” said Dinkel.

The current mil levy for Junction City is 47.714,  a .357 increase was approved in the City budget. Manhattan’s current mil levy is 46.951, going in to 2017 it increases to 48.451.

Geary County taxes adopted a 6.1 increase in the property tax levy.

Dinkel was a guest on JC Now on the Talk of JC Thursday morning where he discussed taxes and other city issues.

 

 

A company that could employ 20 to 25 people is looking to locate in Geary County by the end of the first quarter of early second quarter in 2017.

Dennis Beson, Chamber of Commerce CEO, informed the Economic Development Commission of the news. “We have a company that has inquired and is looking for some possible buildings that we already have, they’d rather purchase a building than build a new building…it’s a little bit more on the Industrial side of things.”

This is not a final deal at this point; there is no official word on the name of the company interested in locating in Junction City.

December 8,2016 – Flint Hills Regional Council (FHRC), in cooperation with Fort Riley, local jurisdictions, state and federal agencies, and other regional organizations, are preparing a Joint Land Use Study (JLUS) to address the primary military operations conducted within the region. The JLUS is intended to strengthen the relationship between the military installation and the civilian community by examining the issues associated with the growth and development of the communities in proximity of it operations.

Previously, Fort Riley conducted a JLUS in 2005; however, major changes in the mission and operating environment have occurred since that time. The re-stationing of the 1st Infantry Division back to the installation has led to a significant increase in personnel, training hours, and number and type of training missions. Population growth in Junction City and Manhattan as well as major business development increased the potential for land use conflict. Both Fort Riley and the Flint Hills Region are positioned for continued future growth. The JLUS will assist in ensuring that growth is compatible with one another.

The final report will propose recommendations that will provide for these communities to continue to thrive within the Flint Hills Region while maintaining the mission of Fort Riley.

The community plays a crucial role in the drafting of the study because that input provides varying perspectives and differing opinions to ensure that the plan is well rounded and encompassing of the community. In order to effectively gather input, a variety of public engagement opportunities will be provided throughout the process. Public workshops will begin in February 2017.

Bookmark the following website and Facebook page to keep up to date with the latest news: www.fortrileyjlus.com or www.facebook.com/fortrileyjlus.

The Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce has a verbal agreement for a new Director on a six month temporary basis.

The name of the new Director will be formally announced next week. Dennis Beson, Chamber of Commerce CEO, said the woman they’ve hired has more than 25 years of economic development experience.

“[She] is somebody that can hit the ground running, won’t need a lot of handling and can put us almost immediately in connection with regionally and the State and I think that’s a big component that maybe we’ve been missing,” said Beson.

The goal for the new Director will be to work in Junction City three days a week. “The other two days she’ll still be working for us, but either she’ll be at meetings or at conferences or whatever it has to be that ‘s gonna focus and drive economic development in Geary County,” said Beson.

After a six month period, if both parties – the new Director, and Chamber – approve of the working relationship, there is a good possibility that within a year the Director would become a full-time employee that would live in Geary County.

The contract for the six month deal has not yet been signed.

The EDC job has been vacant since April 2016.

The Geary County Sheriff’s Department has reported that Deputies responded to US 77 Highway and Rucker Road at six a.m. Thursday for a two-vehicle non-injury accident.

Daxton McDaniel, Junction City, was driving a 2006 Toyota Corolla when the vehicle ran into the back of Danny Williams, Junction City, who was in a 2005 Dodge Ram pickup. McDaniel’s vehicle had to be towed from the scene.

Wednesday, December 7th the Manhattan-Ogden USD 383 Board of Education made a decision that will be remembered for years to come – a unanimous vote to retain the Indian name and image.

While there are certain conditions attached to that decision and the possibility still looms of future discussions and debates over the mascot, the issue was essentially laid to rest.

Board member David Colburn ultimately didn’t like the decision he made, but said it wasn’t the right time to “reimage” Manhattan High School. ” I think the image and the name need to be changed, but I also believe the community wasn’t ready for that; if we voted to change it would be severe repercussions.”

Colburn said that the decision by the Board was a positive one in that it would “keep the topic going” and get people on both sides of the argument working together to possibly make some other change in the future.

One MHS student who was disappointed in the Board’s decision, was Colburn’s daughter – 16 year old Lily Colburn.  “As a child of someone on the Board, I understand that compromises needed to be made.”

But what about the legacy of Frank Prentup – wasn’t that important to the student body where over 80% voted in favor of retaining the mascot, image and name?

“I had never heard of Frank Prentup,” said 18 year old Angie Moss, Lily Colburn, 16 year old Kathy Burton, and 18 year old Erick Echegaray all in choral-like unison.

“An entire culture is being used as a mascot…I’m disappointed,” said Moss.

Many, if not most of the attendees anxiously awaiting the Board’s decision Wednesday night were thrilled with the news that they would remain the Manhattan High Indians.

Lindsey Coltharp, mother of MHS students said she was “ecstatic.”

“I was very surprised with the decision, I was expecting a split decision like we had the last time in came in front of the Board (2001)…there is still room for change down the line, and I look forward to what the committee could come up with for those changes, but for now we are still Manhattan High Indians, so go MHS,” said Coltharp.

Similarly, 16 year old Caitlyn French was pleased with the Board’s decision.

“I completely support it, I want to keep our mascot, said French but she wasn’t fully on board with the creation of the committee to further research the trouble or solution surrounding the Indian. “We just took all this time and effort to just decide if we wanted to keep it and now they’re just going back and they’re just dragging the situation out…if they keep holding on and keep carrying on with it, it’s going to get confusing, people are not going to understand and they’re just going to give up pretty much.”

Board members noted that the Indian is only used for name and image purposes, there is no official “mascot” for Manhattan High School. For now, the issue has been laid to rest – Manhattan High will remain the Indians.

 

MANHATTAN, KS – 7 December, 2016 – The Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce and the Leadership Manhattan Board is honored to announce the 2017 Class of Leadership Manhattan. The sixteenth class includes: Garric Baker – Bruce McMillan ATA Architects, Jennifer Butler – Kansas Farm Bureau, Jamie Coones – Legacy Solutions Insurance, Allison Disbrow – ERA High-Pointe Realty, Shawn Dryden – New Boston Creative Group, Pamela Erickson – K-State Global Campus, Chris Fox – Fox Home Innovations, Amber Hamilton – Varney & Associates, Josh Hicks – The Fellow, Ben Kearns – Coldwell Banker, Matthew Kohls – BG Consultants, Blade Mages – 502 Media Group, Shellee Maginness – Farmers State Bank, Kiley Moody – K-State IC, Deb Nauerth – USD 383, Tracy Robinson – KSU Foundation, Michelle Sink – Commerce Bank, and Abby Stitt – Community First National Bank.

The first session of Leadership Manhattan is Jan. 12 and will be held at Meadowlark Hills. A welcome reception will be held that evening at the Staley School of Leadership Studies at K-State at 5:30 p.m. for the new class and alumni of Future Manhattan and Leadership Manhattan.

A total of five sessions will be culminating in the class graduation scheduled for April 6, 2017 at the Manhattan Country Club.

The mission of Leadership Manhattan is to ensure the vitality of our community by providing a continuous source of motivated leaders who are educated about the region, its challenges and opportunities, as well as trained and inspired to assume leadership roles in the Manhattan area at all levels.

More information about Leadership Manhattan, visit our website: www.manhattan.org/leadershipmanhattan.