News

Pottawatomie County commissioners on Monday took a step toward bringing a new fire station to Blue Township. The board unanimously approved a resolution, declaring the need for the facility in Fire District Number 5, which serves the southwestern area of the county, east of Manhattan. The resolution authorizes the county to issue up to $2 million in general obligation bonds to help fund construction. Read more: themercury.com - RSS Results in news of type article

Manhattan-Ogden focused its hiring efforts on recruiting more bus drivers and para-educators for the upcoming school year. While the need for paras varies year to year based on how many students need their assistance, USD 383’s human resources director said the school district is hopeful about recruiting additional bus drivers. Read more: News Radio KMAN

Synopsis: Because the membership of the joint recreation commission between Independence and U.S.D. 446 was consistent with state law when it was established in 1979, K.S.A. 12-1926(b) allows the commission to continue as constituted, provided the majority of commissioners have not voted to reorganize the commission. Cited herein: K.S.A. 12-1907 (1979); K.S.A. 12-1926. Read more: Kansas Attorney General Opinions

Built in 1964, Marion’s odd-looking water plant is still going strong. Blocky, made of large bricks, and painted a stark light blue by a former operator in the early ’80s, it strongly resembles a giant ice cube. Compared to the industrial and fierce-looking Hillsboro plant, Marion’s is quainter, easier to digest. Read more: Marion County RECORD

Marion City Council members reviewed a proposed ordinance Monday that would set standards for customers with renewable energy systems. The ordinance says the city would pay for excess energy produced by a customer’s generator, but it doesn’t specify the rate. Instead, the customer would be paid the average monthly cost of electricity the city purchased wholesale from Kansas Power Pool. Read more: Marion County RECORD

New PVC pipes soon will replace Peabody’s antiquated cast-iron mains, improving water quality significantly, Darin Neufeld, vice president of EBH Engineering, told city council members Monday. “We’ve got problems in parts of town with chlorine residual and color,” Neufeld said. Peabody’s old pipes will be abandoned underground, Mayor Catherine Weems said. Read more: Marion County RECORD

A new study estimates that a lack of investment in utility-level battery storage could increase prices by as much as 80% in the power grid of which Kansas is a part. Read more: CJonline

It wasn’t patrons the BOE heard from at its Monday meeting, but Hesston students and their parents. Multiple Hesston parents, students, and state senator Stephen Owens addressed the Board of Education. Their parents and students asked that the BOE not end a cooperative agreement that allowed their children to participate in Newton sports. Read more: Harvey County Now

The public will have its official say about a battery energy storage system (BESS) in town in November. Halstead’s city council voted 4-1 Monday evening to place a petition on the ballot submitted by Halstead resident Kevin Henderson with 331 signatures of registered voters. The council had a choice of either putting the petition to a vote by the people or passing it themselves. Read more: Harvey County Now

Lawrence’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Board voted 4-3 to make a stronger statement to the city commission against a proposal to implement fees for residents to use Lawrence’s recreation centers. The city’s rec centers are currently admission-free. Parks and Rec staff members presented a new proposal Monday for lower fees than what they’d previously proposed, which would’ve charged adult residents $25 per month to use Sports Pavilion Lawrence and the East Lawrence and Holcom Park recreation centers. The new proposal would instead charge adults $12 per month to have access to use all three of the rec centers. There would be [...]