'Antiquing hub' growing rapidly

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, May 11, 2001 by Capital-Journal

Commercial utilities are provided by the following companies: KP&L for electricity, Sprint for telephone service, and Galaxy Cablevision for cable service. There is no natural gas in the community, which heats by electric service or propane.

Current assessed valuation is $2,619,146. The city tax levy is 14.684.

Estimated 2001 expenditures are $468,589. The city's debt load is $115,000 in general obligation bonds.

Major businesses in town are Riley Elevator, owned by Bob Buchanan and operated by Dan and Debbie Higgins; Schurle Signs, owned by Richard and Janet Schurle; and Homes-Pfeifley Funeral Home, owned by Phil Pfeifley.

A popular cafe and gathering place is the tiny Calico Inn, operated downtown by Trix Fasse. There is one financial institution the Riley State Bank, with Mike Hagenmaier as president.

Riley has a library. Staffed by volunteers, it is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The city has a weekly newspaper, the Riley Countian, which is owned by Wayne and Rommele VanSickle.

The only medical care available in Riley is a visit every other Wednesday by Manhattan dentist Dr. Dan Winter to a satellite office.

Riley Housing Authority operates a 24-unit income-based housing complex with two three-bedroom units, six two-bedroom units, and the rest single-bedroom units, Leupold said. The nearest nursing home is in Leonardville, six miles north of Riley.

Hagenmaier said a corporation formed to buy and develop residential sites in Riley about 4 years ago bought a plot on the city's west side to subdivide into 18 lots. The city annexed that Madison Addition and extended utilities to all the lots. There still are 12 lots for sale.

The corporation also owns another seven acres on the west side that haven't been brought into the city but is available for future expansion.

Hangemaier said the lots sell for $6,000 to $7,000 and the houses are in the medium price range, from about $100,000 to $140,000.

Riley has three churches, including a Presbyterian, a United Methodist and a Baptist. Other major organizations include the Optimist Club, Lions Club, Riley County Ball Association (including Riley and Leonardville), American Legion and Auxiliary, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, 4-H, and PTO.

The city has a city park in two locations, a west site and an east site, and a municipal swimming pool that was built in the 1980s.

Playground equipment was added last year, and tennis and basketball courts were resurfaced. This year, the city will add picnic tables and continue building sidewalks. This spring, electricity was provided to a shelter house.

The city ball field, on school property, is shared by the school district, the city and the ball association.

A community center called Riley Centre is located on the city's west side and serves as a senior center where meals are served each Wednesday at noon.

A sand green golf course is located at Leonardville.

One major citywide event in Riley is a fall festival that was established by Riley merchants as a "thank you" to customers.

Mayor Baer characterized the town of Riley as fortunate enough to be a small community with enough growth that is slow enough that the city can keep up the infrastructure to match it. He and banker Hagenmaier said Riley is a bedroom community primarily to Manhattan, which is 18 miles away.