By NICK BUDD
Hays Post

At last Tuesday’s Hays City Commission meeting, commissioners unanimously established a special benefit district for businesses on both sides of the alley west of Allen Street between Seventh and Eighth.

The benefit district will allow all of the businesses within the district to pay for the alley, which has deteriorated due to increased traffic, to be paved over 10 years.

The district was sparked by owners of S&W Supply, who contacted adjacent property owners to garner support for the project. The entire cost of the project will be assessed to those property owners.

According to Assistant City Manager Paul Briseno, the payment for each will depend on how much square footage is adjacent to their property. The project will cost the businesses $60,000 over a 10-year period. An engineering services agreement was also signed with Ruder Engineering and Surveying LLC.

In other business, commissioners:

• Approved purchasing a new recycling truck for $172,849 from Lang Diesel. The old truck has reached the end of its life cycle, city staff said.