The USD 383 Manhattan-Ogden school board voted Wednesday to notify Riley County that it intends to exceed the revenue-neutral property tax rate for the 2027 fiscal year budget while also approving nearly $1 million in funding to keep after-school programs affordable following the loss of a federal grant.

The board unanimously approved certifying its intent to exceed the revenue-neutral rate, a required procedural step before adopting a budget that would generate more property tax revenue than the previous year. District officials stressed that rising operating costs and statutory funding requirements make the revenue-neutral rate impractical for school districts.

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The USD 383 Manhattan-Ogden Board of Education voted unanimously Wednesday to begin proceedings to terminate the employment contract of Marlatt Elementary School principal Sheila Henke.

The board cited alleged violations of board policy and failure to perform contractual duties.

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Riley County commissioners on Thursday signaled preliminary support for a proposal to relocate the Riley County Fairgrounds from CiCo Park to county-owned property west of Manhattan. They did not yet give any official approval for the plan but expressed support for seeking more public feedback.

Dave Lewis and Lance Sharp, speaking on behalf of a volunteer task force, presented a conceptual $20.5 million proposal for a new Flint Hills Event Complex on about 39 acres of land near the county shops along Tuttle Creek Boulevard/U.S. Highway 24.

The proposal would replace aging fairgrounds facilities at CiCo Park with a larger, multipurpose complex featuring livestock barns, a show pavilion, a rodeo arena, expanded carnival space, RV parking and an exhibition hall that also could house the Riley County K-State Research and Extension office.

To view the full article visit theMercury.com.

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USD 383 is in the final stages of budget development for the next fiscal year while preparing to cover an estimated $938,000 shortfall in its special education fund, officials told the school board Wednesday.

Director of business operations Development Andy Hutchinson said district staff members are moving from preliminary revenue projections to detailed expenditure planning for 2026-27 ahead of budget adoption later this summer.

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USD 383 school board member Katie Allen is seeking more than $6 million in compensation in her lawsuit against Kansas Department of Education officials, according to new court documents.

Allen filed a federal lawsuit against her former boss, Randy Watson, commissioner of education, for “demanding” she resign after she made a Facebook post in September. She said it was a violation of her First Amendment right to free speech. She has named Watson in his individual capacity and added Jake Steele, the new education commissioner, in his official capacity. The department itself is no longer listed as a defendant.

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U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall said Tuesday that he wants to minimize casualties and avoid a “forever war” as the United States negotiates with Iran to end the 100-day conflict.

Marshall, a Republican representing Kansas, spoke to reporters in a video call Tuesday morning as U.S. officials continued talks in Switzerland.

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USD 383 students will be without their phones from the beginning of the school day to the end under a new policy the school board approved Wednesday to align with Kansas law.

The Manhattan-Ogden school board at its meeting voted 6-1 to approve a policy prohibiting students from “using or accessing personal electronic communications devices during the school day while on district owned or operated property.” The school district had been developing its own cell phone policy, but officials decided they had to change tack after Gov. Laura Kelly signed into law a more stringent cell phone ban in March.

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We don’t yet know many of the specifics of a large-scale data center proposed for Pottawatomie County, which was presented to the public last month.

The developer hasn’t shared the name of the company that would be the end-user, the size of the facility or details about its utility needs.

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Riley County’s appraiser warned county commissioners that appraisal appeals are increasing again after a brief decline and said millions of dollars in pending exemptions could affect future budgets.

During a commission meeting Thursday, county appraiser Anna Burson said the office is preparing for small claims hearings related to the 2026 tax year while continuing to manage payment-under-protest hearings and Board of Tax Appeals cases dating back several years.

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The Manhattan-Ogden USD 383 Board of Education on Wednesday night approved the purchase of a district-based artificial intelligence server.

Board members said the technology is necessary for the future of education and emphasized privacy and security safeguards.

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