Letters for May 7, 2022

The VITA program is orchestrated by the IRS with Riley County K-State Research and Extension as the local sponsoring agency. This year there were 13 volunteers who prepared 724 returns for low to moderate income clients; defined by the IRS as those who have household incomes of less than $ 72,000. This year, our clients saved $ 150,000 in tax preparation fees and received refunds of $ 1,338,271! The total cost of the program, which includes in-kind service from Riley County K-State Research and Extension, totals near $ 26,000, a $ 57 return for every $ 1 invested.

Our valuable and treasured partners included Konza United Way, the Caroline Peine Charitable Foundation, and the K-State Credit Union with grant and sponsorship money. The Manhattan Public Library was, once again, a phenomenal partner as well, providing the physical space and equipment to prepare the returns. This is truly a community effort!

Sue Simmons, our co-site coordinator, once again did an outstanding job, and is a driving force in this effort. A record number of volunteers spent over 2,000 hours preparing returns.

Volunteers were: Don Boggs, Barb Poresky, Roger Ruggels, Daryl Bucholz, Betsy Draper, Lindi Hight, Dinh Race, Danica Phan, Shauntia Rippe, Jennifer Wilson, Chris Urban, Sarah Desmet, and Sara Boro.

Gary Fike, Riley County Extension director

and co-site coordinator

Highlighting mental

health in May

Mental Health is important all year, but in May, we recognize Mental Health Month.

Pawnee’s theme for this observance is “May is Mental Health Month — It’s Time to Talk.”

Conversations about mental health are becoming easier and more common at home, in the workplace, and at school. We encourage you to take time this month to reflect on your own mental health as well as potential symptoms you may notice in others.

If you or your loved ones are experiencing anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts or any other mental health challenge, contact Pawnee at 785-587-4345 or visit us online at www.pawnee.org.

Founded in 1956, Pawnee provides a full range of psychotherapy, crisis, medication management, and substance use recovery services. We serve 10 north central Kansas counties, including Clay, Cloud, Geary, Jewell, Marshall, Mitchell, Pottawatomie, Republic, Riley and Washington. As one of 26 Community Mental Health Centers in the state of Kansas, we serve everyone in need of services regardless of ability to pay.

Robbin Cole,

chief executive officer, Pawnee Mental Health

Food insecurity editorial lacked consistency

In response to your dismissive editorials on food insecurity last week, it is clear that you are unaware of definitions of “food insecurity.” To cite only one, the USDA defines food insecurity as a “lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life.” Food insecurity can lead ultimately to starvation, but it is not to be equated with starvation, as you imply.

You scoff at the claim that 20,000 residents in Riley County are food insecure. The U.S. Census puts the poverty rate at 21% of the Riley County population. Other reports put the rate a bit higher. But whether the 21% amounts to 12,000 or 15,000 of our neighbors, should it not still be a concern? Reports show that 38% of students in USD 383 qualify for free or reduced cost lunch, which refutes your attempt to blame our higher food insecurity numbers on college students.

As you suggest, overconsumption and food waste are critical issues that need to be addressed for our personal nutrition and health. But reducing overconsumption and waste alone does not address problems of food distribution and access, which are much more complicated than your suggested trip from Sharingbrook to Dillons. Even that trip can be a challenge, depending on whether you are traveling in your SUV or walking.

You say that you are willing to listen. I encourage you to do just that by getting out in our community and visiting with many of our dedicated service agencies that are tirelessly and creatively working with those in our community who are dealing with food insecurity, housing, health and other issues, all of which impact each other. You will be inspired by how creatively these agencies, their staff and volunteers, are addressing the need. You will also learn that the need is far greater than their present capacity can meet.

Here’s a suggestion. After you have become informed of food insecurity and poverty in our community and county, you can run a series of articles in the Mercury on how twenty-plus percent of our neighbors live and how service agencies and volunteers are working with them to improve their lives. It would be much more informative and valuable than more inane editorials.

Dave Stewart

1001 Overhill

No surprise Matta

pushes back

The recent comments and behaviors by city commissioner John Matta should not surprise us. Clearly intended as “us against them” language, making side (snide) comments about removing Linda Morse as mayor in order to approve his advisory committee selection is exactly what was promised to us by the nature of their campaigns.

Butler and Matta created polarization of local politics with their “six-pack” marketing scheme. They said everything they needed to say by reducing the complexity of governing into binaries of right and wrong, even with something as minor as voluntary advisory committee designees. Butler, Matta and Hatesol are more concerned about exerting power and control over Reddi and Morse (male superiority, not lost on us over here) than true objection. In fact, it’s clear that they would like to use the 3-2 split to change procedures and policies, not for the benefit of diversifying board voices, but to place people that align to their partisan agenda.

Oddly enough, as it was pointed out in the From the Publisher column, advisory board designees hold no voting power but offer perspectives and advice to the commission. What are they afraid will happen if Morse’s choices are appointed? They will hear perspectives from “the other side”? Unfortunately, building an echo chamber is the definition of exclusion, and demotion of civic discourse.

Now, we as a community can’t believe the myth that local government is completely non-partisan and this is a “new wave” of partisan battling in the city commission. What is new: is flagrant, obvious bullying to delegitimize the role of a mayor. A mayor who has demonstrated competency, fairness and a hearty amount of town approval.

Are they making the point that the three conservative men are more representative of Manhattan? If they want true equity of representation, perhaps the city should vote in wards that represent true neighborhood needs. Let’s start asking, “Will this person elevate the diverse set of voices and beliefs that exist in our city?” Let’s stop asking, “Is this person on MY side?”

Shana Bender, MAPJ Chair

Hiring of RCPD director has been slow, opaque

The Manhattan-Riley County Coalition for Equal Justice (CEJ) is committed to eliminating racial disparities in the enforcement of law in Riley County and subsequently create equity before the law for all Riley County residents.

For this goal to be realized, it is imperative that the director of the Riley County Police Department (RCPD) is equally committed to justice, equity, transparency, and equality. The Riley County Law Board, that oversees the RCPD, and thus hires the RCPD director, is currently establishing the hiring process following the retirement of Director Dennis Butler.

Thus far, we have found this process to be slow and lacking in transparency. Therefore, CEJ urges the Law Board to communicate with the public about where they are in the hiring process, to release a position description so that the public might know the characteristics and qualifications being sought in a new director, and to provide a projected timeline in terms of how quickly they hope to have the new person hired. Our hope is that the Law Board shares our commitment to justice, equity, transparency, and equality and will do its due diligence to find a new director who embodies those qualities.

Lorenza Lockett

and Megan Hartford,

CEJ co-chairs,

with fellow CEJ members