DODGE CITY, Kan. (AP) — A proposal to merge Dodge City Community College into Fort Hays State University apparently has collapsed.

The merger had sparked controversy since it was first announced this spring. Supporters said it would help the Dodge City-area economy and provide more educational opportunities. Opponents were concerned the merger would hurt the community college’s educational mission and its current faculty and staff.

On Tuesday, the community college’s Board of Trustees voted 3-3 on a proposal that recommended that Fort Hays become an upper division college and technical institute in Dodge City, with the Dodge City college remaining independent.

The Dodge City Daily Globe reports the null vote essentially ends merger plans because the Kansas Board of Regents had sought a unified show of support from the college’s board.

TOPEKA — Several western Kansas road projects are among those for which the Kansas Department of Transportation approved bids Oct. 22 in Topeka.

Northwest Kansas counties included in the projects are  Decatur, Logan, Rawlins, Thomas and Sherman. Barton County as well as several southwest counties will also be included.

The work includes state highway construction and maintenance projects in Kansas.

District One — Northeast

Johnson – 69-46 KA-2788-01 – Bridge #256 on U.S. 69 located 0.14 mile south of I-35/I-635/U.S. 69 (Turkey Creek), special, Phillips Hardy Inc., Boonville, Mo, $1,692,950.80.

Johnson – 35‑46 KA‑3652‑01 – I‑35/I‑635 interchange, truss (#046S223) just east of bridge #258 carrying I‑635 northbound over I‑35 southbound, signing, Collins & Hermann Inc., St Louis, Mo, $162,521.82.

District Two — North Central

Geary – 70-31 KA-3985-01 – Rest areas, eastbound/westbound at State Milepost 294, fencing, 1.0 mile, Leavenworth Excavating & Equipment Company Inc. and Affiliate, Leavenworth, Ks, $233,921.13.

Republic – 36‑79 KA‑2085‑01 – Bridge #012 on U.S. 36 located 0.22 mile east of U.S. 81 (Riley Creek), bridge replacement, 0.4 mile, Smoky Hill LLC, Salina, Ks, $3,243,531.00.

Republic – 36‑79 KA‑2334‑01 – U.S. 36, from 0.24 mile east of U.S. 36/U.S. 81 junction, east to 1.1 miles east of U.S. 36/U.S. 81 junction, pavement reconstruction, 0.9 mile, Smoky Hill LLC, Salina, Ks, $4,824,325.12.

Riley – 18‑81 KA‑3857‑01 – Bridge #041 on K‑18 located 0.12 miles north of the Riley/Geary county line, bridge repair, Bettis Asphalt & Construction Inc., Topeka, Ks, $94,594.75.

Statewide -106 KA‑4040‑01 – K-28, from the K-28/K-14 junction east to the K-28/K-148 junction; K-148, from the K-148/K-28 junction, east to the Jewell/Republic county line; K‑148, from the Republic/Jewell county line east to the U.S. 81/K‑148 junction, milling and overlay, 28.6 miles, Hall Brothers Inc. & Consolidated Subsidiaries, Marysville, Ks, $3,005,548.22.

District Three — Northwest

Decatur – 83‑20 KA‑3668‑01 – U.S. 83, from 9 miles north of the Decatur/Sheridan county line north to the concrete pavement (in Oberlin), conventional seal, 8.0 miles, Heft and Sons LLC, Greensburg, Ks, $402,516.70.

Logan – 83‑55 KA‑3669‑01 – U.S. 83, from the Logan/Scott county line north 29.1 miles to the east junction of U.S. 83/U.S. 40, milling and overlay, 29.1 miles, APAC Kansas Inc. Shears Division, Hutchinson, Ks, $5,056,814.05.
– 83‑55 M‑0041‑01 – U.S. 83 from the Scott/Logan county line north 29.1 miles to the east U.S. 40/U.S. 83 junction, stockpile bituminous material, 29.1 miles, APAC Kansas Inc. Shears Division, Hutchinson, Ks, $15,237.50.

Logan – 55 KA‑3976‑01 – K‑25, from the north city limits of Russell Springs north to the west junction of U.S. 40/K‑25; U.S. 40, from the Logan/Wallace county line east to concrete pavement (0.25 mile west of west U.S. 40/U.S. 83 junction), conventional seal, 46.8 miles, Heft And Sons LLC, Greensburg, Ks, $1,270,287.10.

Rawlins -117‑77 KA‑3670‑01 – K‑117, from the U.S. 36/K‑117 junction, north to the Kansas/Nebraska state line, recycle and overlay, 12.0 miles, Bettis Asphalt & Construction Inc., Topeka, Ks, $1,141,821.36.

Sherman – 24B-91 KA-3663-01 – U.S. 24 Business, from the north junction of U.S. 24 Business/K-27, east and south to the east junction of I-70/U.S. 24 Bus., milling and overlay, 2.3 miles, Venture Corporation, Great Bend, Ks, $873,068.32.

Sherman – 27-91 KA-3665-01 – K-27, from the north junction of U.S. 24 Business/K-27 north to the Sherman/Cheyenne county line, ultra thin bonded asphalt surfacing, 16.6 miles, Venture Corporation, Great Bend, Ks, $1,669,276.92.

Sherman – 70‑91 KA‑4036‑01 – I‑35, from 0.114 mile west of the I‑70/K‑27 interchange east to the I‑70/K‑253 interchange (near Edson), milling and overlay, 10.1 miles, Venture Corporation, Great Bend, Ks, $5,515,943.51.

Sherman – 70‑91 M‑0042‑01 – I‑70, from 0.25 mile west of the I‑70/K‑27 interchange, east to the I‑70/K‑263 interchange (near Edson), stockpile bituminous material, 10.2 miles, Venture Corporation, Great Bend, Ks, $16,000.00.

Thomas – 97 M‑0038‑01 – Oakley Mixing Strip on the west side of U.S. 83 and at the Colby Subarea Shop, stockpile bituminous material, Venture Corporation, Great Bend, Ks, $97,728.00.

District Five — South Central

Barber – 281‑4 KA‑3829‑01 – U.S. 281, from the state line north to the U.S. 160/U.S. 281 junction, slurry seal, 23.9 miles, Vance Brothers Inc., Kansas City, Mo, $2,188,622.40.

Barton – 96‑5 KA‑3818‑01 – K‑96, from the Barton/Rush county line to Great Bend, milling and overlay, 13.6 miles, Venture Corporation, Great Bend, Ks, $2,486,835.38.

Barton – 281‑5 KA‑3828‑01 – U.S. 281, from U.S. 281/K‑4 north to the Barton/Russell county line, milling and overlay, 11.1 miles, Venture Corporation, Great Bend, Ks, $1,674,024.15.

Kiowa – 400‑49 KA‑3263‑01 – U.S. 400, from the Kiowa/Ford county line east to U.S. 400/U.S. 54 junction, overlay, 6.3 miles, Venture Corporation, Great Bend, Ks, $2,698,924.92.

Pratt – 281‑76 KA‑3827‑01 – U.S. 281, from Pratt north to Iuka, ultra thin bonded asphalt surfacing, 5.0 miles, Venture Corporation, Great Bend, Ks, $659,557.00.

Sedgwick – 96‑87 KA‑3576‑01 – K‑96, bridges #315 and #328, located 0.56 and 0.61 mile east of K‑96/West Street (K‑96 over the Arkansas River), bridge repair, Wildcat Construction Co. Inc. & Subsidiaries, Wichita, Ks, $817,447.93.

Stafford – 50‑93 KA‑3264‑01 – U.S. 50, from west city limits of Macksville east to the east city limits of Macksville, milling and overlay, 1.0 mile, Venture Corporation, Great Bend, Ks, $919,626.77.

Stafford – 50‑93 KA‑3806‑01 – U.S. 50, from west county line to U.S. 50/U.S. 281, milling and overlay, 15.0 miles, Venture Corporation, Great Bend, Ks, $2,570,722.02.

Stafford – 281‑93 KA‑3830‑01 – U.S. 281, from U.S. 50/U.S. 281 north to U.S. 281/K‑19, overlay, 14.0 miles, Venture Corporation, Great Bend, Ks, $2,115,452.18.

Statewide – 19-106 KA‑4033‑01 – K‑19, from the K‑19/K‑19 spur junction east to Pawnee/Stafford county line; K‑19, from Stafford/Pawnee county line east to U.S. 281/K‑19, milling and overlay, 19.1 miles, Venture Corporation, Great Bend, Ks, $1,802,682.57.

Statewide – 42-106 KA‑4034‑01 – K‑42; from U.S. 281/K‑42 to south county line; from north county line to east county line; from west county line to K‑14/K‑42, milling and overlay, 37.6 miles, Venture Corporation, Great Bend, Ks, $3,095,127.95.

Statewide – 14-106 KA‑4035‑01 – K‑14; from the east U.S. 54/K‑14 junction north to the Kingman/Reno county line; from the Reno/Kingman county line north to K‑14/K‑96, recycle and overlay, 21.1 miles, APAC Kansas Inc. Shears Division, Hutchinson, Ks, $5,048,507.37.

District Six — Southwest

Grant – 25-34 KA-3685-01 – K-25, from Ulysses north to the Grant/Kearny county line, milling and overlay, 9.9 miles, Venture Corporation, Great Bend, Ks, $1,861,056.38.

Statewide – 106 KA‑3968‑01 – K‑96, from the Lane/Scott county line east to the west city limits of Dighton; K‑4, from the Lane/Scott county line east to the east K‑4/K‑23junction; K‑4, from U.S. 83/K‑4 east to the Scott/Lane county line, recycle and overlay, 35.3 miles, Venture Corporation, Great Bend, Ks, $5,547,080.74.

Hamilton -50‑38 KA‑3680‑01 – U.S. 50, from the Kansas/Colorado state line east to the east city limits of Syracuse, milling and overlay, 17.2 miles, J & R Sand Company Inc., Liberal, Ks, $2,808,261.13.
Statewide -160‑106 KA‑4014‑01 – U.S.160; from the Grant/Stanton county line east to the west city limits of Ulysses; from the north junction of U.S. 160/K‑27 east to the Stanton/Grant county line, milling and overlay, 21.4 miles, APAC Kansas Inc. Shears Division, Hutchinson, Ks, $2,770,461.42.

Statewide -190‑106 KA‑4028‑01 – K‑190; from U.S. 160/K‑190 south and east to the Grant/Haskell county line; from the Haskell/Grant county line east to the west U.S. 56 junction at Santana, overlay, 12.3 miles, J & R Sand Company Inc., Liberal, Ks, $1,084,350.50.

Statewide – 106 KA‑4029‑01 – K‑25, from the Grant/Stevens county line north to the south city limits of Ulysses (Colorado Street); U.S. 56, from U.S. 56/K‑51 north to 0.1 mile south of the east junction of U.S. 56/K‑25; K‑25, from the east junction of U.S. 56/K‑25 north to the Stevens/Grant county line, milling and overlay, 28.6 miles, Venture Corporation, Great Bend, Ks, $5,232,420.31.

Statewide -83‑106 KA‑4032‑01 – U.S. 83; from the Haskell/Seward county line north to 0.2 mile north of the U.S. 83/U.S. 160/K‑144 junction; from the south junction of U.S. 83/U.S. 160 north to the Seward/Haskell county line, recycle and overlay, 20.2 miles, J & R Sand Company Inc., Liberal, Ks, $5,917,815.76.

By NICK BUDD
Hays Post

After months of discussions and negotitations, along with a 20-minute executive session to discuss final details, commissioners approved DP Management’s Community Improvement District at the Hays Mall by a vote of 3-2. Commissioners Ron Mellick, Shaun Musil and Eber Phelps voted in favor of the district. Mayor Henry Schwaller and Commissioner Kent Steward dissented.

The CID will create a 1 percent additional sales tax on sales generated on mall property to be used to fund approximately $3.1 million in interior and exterior improvements.

Steward said he hasn’t agreed with the proposal since it was brought to the commission, saying it is an improper use of taxpayer dollars.

“This is welfare for the rich at the expense of the poor with hopes of improving and extending the life of the Mall,” Steward said. “This is $3 million without any guarantee of results, and it is not my idea of good business.”

Throughout the application process, DP Management has said several national retailers have shown “significant interest” in coming to the mall if the renovations are made. CEO Terry Clauff said the tax increase was a “small assessment for a very large gain.”

Musil changed his feelings about the CID. After he was initially against the proposal early in the application process, he chose to vote in favor of it due to various discussions with businesses in Hays.

“When I talked to businesses, they said they didn’t like they way (DP Management) was going about it, but we want to see Hays have more business,” Musil said. “The reason I’m changing my vote is because I’m looking at the future of Hays. Maybe it’ll keep people in town shopping here and the people that come here for all the various events.”

Mayor Henry Schwaller switched his stance on the issue moving from being in favor of the proposal to voting against it due to the lack of a guarantee for increased business.

“If they came to us and said we want to build a restaurant or other business with the lease, that gives us a guarantee and we don’t have that and, therefore, I can’t commit to this,” Schwaller said.

Schwaller cited the empty promises from the TIF district at Home Depot, when the city was told there would be several other businesses on the way.

“It’s a catch-22, you have to put the priorities in front of national retailers in order to gain their interest in order to be in this market,” said Clauff.

Commissioner Eber Phelps said the improvements will add a pull factor to the area that, in return, might bring more people to the city of Hays.

“With the decline of the occupancy of the mall, our pull factor has gone down,” Phelps said. “As far as I know, this is one way to try to increase that pull factor once again and that’ll bring more shoppers to Hays because of the increase in opportunities.”

Mellick noted the economic development process has changed drastically in recent years, and if Hays wants to keep up, the city will have to “play the game, whether we like it or not.”

“I see no other way for us to proceed,” he said. “If not, we’re going to be on a downward spiral not only at the mall but more than likely in the whole town because we will be getting less people in here to shop.”

Commissioners also approved changes to the development agreement after discussions at last week’s work session when commissioners asked for earlier deadlines, restrictions on the CID if the mall is sold, and maintenance requirements. DP Management and the ownership group have until July 1, 2016, to complete the first phase of improvements and Dec. 31, 2016 to complete the second.

Phase one improvements include improvements to the interior, parking lot, exterior lights, and demolishing the former bank drive-through and Montana Mike’s Building. The second phase includes renovations to the insulation system, mall entrances and landscapes. If the developer fails to complete the first phase of improvements on time, DP Management will not be eligible for any of the funding from the CID.

If the second phase of improvements aren’t complete on time, they won’t be eligible for the reimbursement for that phase. If either of these situations were to happen, the money that was collected would be placed in the general fund.

According to finance director Kim Rupp, the application will be sent to the state for finals approval. Once approved, the 1 percent sales tax increase will be put into place around April 1. Clauff said improvements to the interior will begin after the holiday season and exterior improvements will start at “the first sight of spring.”

By NICK BUDD
Hays Post

During Thursday’s Hays City Commission meeting, commissioners unanimously approved a resolution that raisedd the transient guest tax from 4 percent to 5 percent. The tax is charged, along with the regular sales tax, on all hotel and motel rooms rented in the city limits.

The transient guest tax was passed in 2006 to help fund the Hays Welcome Center on Vine Street. It included a stipulation that dropped the rate from 5 percent to 4 percent once the center was paid off, which happened in October, four years ahead of schedule. The resolution also allows the city commission to adjust the rate at their discretion.

The income from the transient guest tax will be used to fund marketing materials, advertisement for the Hays Regional Airport, wayfinding signs, quality-of-life agencies, including half of the Downtown Development Corp., and other marketing events around the community.

“According to state statute, the transient guest tax can be used to promote your community, pay for things that help bring tourists to your community, and to help facilitate tourists while they’re in the community,” said City Manager Toby Dougherty. “Taking some of these costs out of the general fund would provide more monies in the future for police, fire, parks and other general fund expenditures.”

Dougherty also mentioned hotel stays in the city have “increased steadily” over the past couple of years.

Commissioner Kent Steward said that even though he is generally against tax increases, he believes the transient guest tax is a good way to fund these types of ventures.

“People in Hays won’t pay this, and we’re right on the interstate so it would be foolish not to take advantage of the opportunity to generate some funds,” Steward said. “People who visit Hays and stay in motels use a lot of city services, so there’s nothing unreasonable about taxing them a little bit.”

With the increase, the city has one of the lowest transient guest tax rates when compared to comparable cities around the state. In a list released by the city, the only town with a lower rate is Russell, which has a TGT rate of 4 percent.

Skies will be mostly sunny today but it will continue cold. Look for highs to top out in the mid and upper 20s. Winds will become light and variable. Chances for snow will increase late Friday night through Saturday night. Snow amounts up to 3-4 inches will be possible over central Kansas with lesser amounts farther south and west.

Today Mostly sunny, with a high near 31. Wind chill values as low as 4. Breezy, with a south wind 6 to 11 mph increasing to 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon.
Tonight Snow, mainly after 3am. Low around 22. South southeast wind 8 to 14 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.
Saturday Snow, mainly before 11am. High near 28. South wind 5 to 11 mph becoming north in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.
Saturday Night A 50 percent chance of snow, mainly before 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 10. Wind chill values as low as -3. North wind 9 to 14 mph. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 29. North northwest wind 9 to 11 mph becoming west in the afternoon.
Sunday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 11.
Monday Mostly sunny, with a high near 27.
Monday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 5.