🎥 Jacobs appointed to fill vacant Hays City Commission seat

Newly appointed Hays City Commissioner Sandy Jacobs shakes hands with other commissioners Thursday night. She will be sworn into office Jan. 26 to fill the unexpired term of Eber Phelps.

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

“We could have tossed a dart and been just fine.”

Hays Vice-Mayor James Meier, his fellow city commissioners and even candidate James Leiker all agreed Thursday night there could be no wrong choice among the six candidates vying for the unexpired term of Eber Phelps.

“This has been gut-wrenching decision,” added Commissioner Lance Jones, who said he “met personally with everybody who put an application in. And, James is right. There is not a bad selection out of this group. Everyone was qualified for this position.”

During last night’s special session, the candidates, Bill Ring, Sandy Jacobs, Marty Patterson, James Leiker, Brad Pendergast, and Ron Mellick, first delivered short remarks about their desires to serve as a city commissioner.

A motion was then made by Meier to appoint Sandy Jacobs to the position, seconded by Jones, and then unanimously approved. Commissioner Henry Schwaller participated in the special session via phone. Although Schwaller said he “would like to see (former city commissioner) Ron Mellick reinstated, I’ve known Sandy for years and I know she’ll do a fine job.”

Jacobs is the executive director of Heartland Community Foundation in Hays and an active community volunteer. She is a retired bank executive with more than 40 years of financial experience and said that’s “a skill set I can bring to the table with the challenges I see and the budget issues in the near future.”

“The strongest thing I’ve done in my career and through my volunteerism and what is in my soul, is that I want to work to ensure sustainable economic growth for this community.

“My passion lives and breathes in the city of Hays and the citizens of Hays. I think that’s what it’s all about,” Jacobs concluded.

Jacobs will be sworn into office Thu., Jan. 26, during the next regular commission meeting. The unexpired term of Phelps, now the 111th Dist. state representative, expires in January 2018.

The commissioners encouraged all the candidates to run for in 2018. According to City Manager Toby Dougherty, there will be three seats open on the city commission.