By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
Two local groups hoping to fund and build additions to two Hays parks presented their proposals to city commissioners Thursday night.
The commission favored the visions of both projects but is concerned about the details of each plan as well as long term maintenance costs of the structures.
Vance Chartier, Veteran Alliance Project Director, talked about a proposed “General [Alexander] Hays Veterans Memorial” to be built in Veterans Memorial Park, 13th and Canterbury.
Alexander Hays was a Union Army general in the Civil War. Fort Hays and the city of Hays are named after him.
“We want this to be a place to honor veterans, to reflect and think about the sacrifices that have been incurred, and for families to come and remember their loved ones that have fallen,” said Chartier, who is also director of the Kansas Merci Boxcar museum in the same park.
The 2,000 square foot new memorial, a star shape made of steel panels, would surround the existing limestone obelisk memorial to Ellis County veterans. Names of northwest Kansas veterans from historic Fort Hays to today would be engraved on the proposed memorial.
The Veteran Alliance, composed of The Society of 40 Men and Eight Horses, Voiture 1543 and Patriot Outreach with the support of American Legion Post 173, Marine Corps League 970 and the Hays Veteran Business Coalition, wants permission to build in the city’s park. They would not ask the city for any money to support the project, according to Chartier.
Chartier said the group has already chosen a contractor. Vice-Mayor Henry Schwaller explained the city would have to open up the project for bids because the memorial would be on city property.
“This would be an excellent addition to the community,” Schwaller said, “but to pull off a project of this size and this scope might outstrip the resources of the partner organization.
“I do want this to happen,” he continued, “but because this is not our land – it belongs to the residents of Hays – we cannot have any screwups. …We also don’t want to commit to something that three to five years down the road could be a problem for the future commission to handle.
“It’s no disrespect to what you’ve done. It’s just that we need a little more information before we can proceed.”
The commission asked Chartier to come back with a more detailed action plan as well as the support of all the veterans organizations.
Mike Morley, senior vice commander of VFW Post 9076, told commissioners his group has several concerns about the project including the lack of community input. “The local post does not lend its support to this project,” said Morley.
The local VFW Post officers also feel fees involved with the project are too high.
“It was presented to us that 15 percent of the money collected would go to fundraising and other administrative costs which we thought was excessive,” Morley said. He also noted there are already a number of veterans memorials in the community.
“The VFW is a service organization. We have our Honor Guard, which every year buries dozens of veterans throughout northwest Kansas. When we fundraise, we want it to go to things like that Honor Guard, for the service officers who help returning veterans fill out a VA disability claim, and direct aid for veterans in our community who might be unable to pay a utility bill or rent.
“We certainly applaud the intent behind the project,” Morley concluded, “but we think there’s other ways to honor veterans that can mean so much more and be more impactful.”
Commissioner Sandy Jacobs told the memorial group they “have the cart before the horse.”
“And I don’t want you to leave here thinking we don’t support veterans,” she emphasized. “Brian Nichols was a dear friend of our family. My son-in-law is a colonel in the Army, active. We understand and we appreciate. I think I was as clear as I could be earlier. It’s about your project and about your plan and about your execution on that plan.”
The second group asking to build an addition in a city park group believes their $1.6 million dollar accessible recreation complex would be a “destination stop” in Hays.
“Families with children who have special needs often travel by car because it’s easier to manage their child’s complex medical needs,” explained advocate Sarah Meitner. “How wonderful would it be to have this haven here in Hays for those families to stop and stretch their feet.”
The city commissioners agreed there is such a need for visitors and local residents alike, and expressed support of the proposal put forth by Arc of the Central Plains to build it in Seven Hills Park, 33rd and Hillcrest.
Meitner, the mother of a special needs son, says the non-profit group would raise the money to build the complex. When completed, it would be gifted to the city which would then maintain the facility.
Those future costs concern Commissioner Ron Mellick.
“I’m worried about ongoing maintenance because it’s all going to have to be replaced and what it’s going to cost,” Mellick said. “We’ve had sustainable budgets and then we put this in, and all of a sudden our budget – we have to raise the mill levy.”
The accessible recreation complex would consist of a playground, baseball field, and splash pad.
Schwaller called the proposal “the best I’ve ever seen from the public.” He said it has the support of the city and encouraged the group to move forward with a request for design proposals and its fund raising.