The city of Hays has agreed to a three- year, “no-drill” oil and gas lease of  Fort Hays Memorial Gardens.

Land adjacent to the cemetery west of Hays is leased by David Barker for oil and gas exploration:

The city is getting a $1,000 dollar lease bonus, and a standard one-eighth royalty, plus a proportionate amount of any production.

Hays City Commissioners approved the lease during their meeting Thursday night.

In other business, they accepted the low bid of $66,000 for repainting the interior of the city’s north water tower and approved an ordinance and resolution authorizing issuance and delivery of general obligation refunding and improvement bonds.