It’s not very often the local intergovernmental group that meets on the fourth Mondays of most months takes action, but the group seems to be close to doing so–with Manhattan City manager Ron Fehr offering to craft a resolution for the next meeting. The resolution would support more funding for education, specifically in the area of impact aid that comes from the federal government for ebbs and flows of military funding.
Impact aid provided by the federal government is often held onto by the state of Kansas and re-distributed, but there are questions about whether most of that money actually gets to the school districts that are most impacted.
Fehr’s offer followed Manhattan/Ogden USD 383 School Board member Leah Fliter’s and Asst. Supt. Eric Reid’s sharing of information with intergovernmental leaders Monday, asking for the group’s input, especially at a local November meeting prior to the November 30th Governor’s deadline to submit input regarding the K-12 funding system.
School district officials also passed out a handout reminding the intergovernmental leaders of the block grant system expiring next year, with the legislature repealing the 1992 school finance formula in 2015.Reid says the need for a second military count date is just one suggestion the local school district plans to make, but several other suggestions are expected by the early November school board meeting.
Also Monday, Via Christi Hospital/Manhattan President Bob Copple addressed the group, with a talk about challenges facing the medical field locally.
A lack of primary care physicians was a recurring theme–although Copple stresses Manhattan is not unique in that respect. But he says while there are shortages across the country, planning needs to be done as it takes time to replace retiring physicians.
Copple updated intergovernmental leaders about plans to do more recruiting with an Explorer type program as one way to reach young people who might be considering a medical career. but he warns it takes time. Copple also talked about efforts to stop out migration of patients and KanKare expansion. And even though behavioral health loses money, he stressed the need for more efforts in that area. Changes he listed included more self pay patients and a need for more transparency. Copple also provided construction and renovation updates to the group of leaders
The intergovernmental group is made up of representatives from the city of Manhattan, Riley County, USD 383, K-State, Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce, and Fort Riley.
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