After a dusting of snow Saturday offered Hays the first snowfall of the season, a more substantial amount of the white stuff could be on the way this week.

The National Weather Service is calling for a 50 percent chance of snow beginning after midnight Tuesday and continuing until about noon Wednesday. The NWS is calling for snowfall in Hays to be between 1 and 2 inches. More snow is expected to the east, where Salina forecasts call for 2 to 3 inches.

After that front passes, the mercury is expected to drop drastically. The high temperature Wednesday is projected at 22 degrees, with the overnight low falling to around 3 degrees.

The chill will continue Thursday, with more moderate temperatures returning this weekend, with a high of 43 predicted Saturday and Sunday.

Click HERE for the complete extended forecast.

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

The Ellis County Commission will hold a public hearing on the sale of the Tholen Building at Monday’s meeting.

Earlier this year, the commission decided to sell the building, located at 209 West 12th in Hays, known as the Tholen Building. It had been used to store county records.

After advertising the intent to sell the building in October, the commission received two on Nov. 2 and opened the sealed bids at its Nov. 7 meeting.

Mark Ottley submitted the high bid of $41,911.

The commission will also continue a discussion on the Hays extraterritorial jurisdiction at Monday’s meeting.

County Administrator Phillip Smith-Hanes and Hays City Manager Toby Dougherty met to discuss the so-called 3-mile zone surrounding the city of Hays. The city presented a new proposed map to the county in September and the Joint Planning Commission presented its opinion to the commission last month.

Monday’s commission meeting is at 5 p.m. at the County Administrative Center.

KDOT

Winter weather is in the forecast for Kansas and Kansas Department of Transportation crews are equipped and ready.

“Every year KDOT has snow fighter training and this year is no different,” said KDOT’s Bureau Chief of Maintenance Clay Adams. “Our crews are ready to respond to whatever winter brings us.”

KDOT has stored 130,000 tons of salt and 60,000 tons of salt/sand mix in preparation for the season and has 1,200 operators who are trained and ready to plow and treat roads.

To make it easier for travelers to know before they go, KDOT’s traveler information website KanDrive has been enhanced. Last year the public asked for camera tours to be added to the site as well as a simplified legend for users. The camera tours option allows users to view multiple images of a highway corridor or region on one screen.

Those improvements, along with the addition of road closure alerts, a dedicated road condition map and a simpler map layout, make the tool easier to use.

“We listened to the user suggestions and made the changes that were most requested,” Adams said. “We know this gives the public the best tool for knowing what is on Kansas’ roads.”

In addition to visiting KanDrive, https://www.kandrive.org, drivers can obtain route specific road conditions and weather information by calling 5-1-1 within the state or (866) 511- 5368 from out of state.

Those planning to travel during or after a storm should follow these safety tips:

• Completely clean frost and snow off all windows, mirrors, and lights, and use headlights to provide optimum visibility.
• Slow down, accelerate and brake gently, and increase following distance between other vehicles.
• Don’t use cruise control.
• Allow for more travel time.
• Always wear a seat belt, and secure children in the proper child safety seats.
• Slow down and move over for stopped emergency vehicles and maintenance crews.
• If possible, remain buckled up and in your vehicle for protection from other vehicles.
• If involved in a crash, or need assistance, call 911, or contact the Kansas Highway Patrol at *47 (*HP) from a cell phone. Call *582 (*KTA) on the Kansas Turnpike.

The city of Hays announced Monday that Hays Police Lt. Tim Greenwood and Eamonn Coveney, GIS specialist, recently graduated from the University of Kansas’ 2016 Certified Public Manager program.

Established in 1993, the Kansas Certified Public Manager program is a year-long, professional education opportunity for managers working in government agencies, nonprofits, and organizations that contract to provide public services and meet community needs.

The CPM certificate is a nationally recognized emblem of management excellence.