Annexation at Highway 183 Bypass and 33rd approved by city commission

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Hays city commissioners Thursday approved an ordinance to annex 23.31 acres of property located on the west side of the Highway 183 Bypass at 33rd Street. It was formerly a mobile home court.

The owners, Robert and Sondra Swift, Hays, requested annexation of the land which is approximately 500 feet from the city limits but is not contiguous.

A portion of the property being annexed is known as Creeksite Acres. Several years ago, the buildings and some infrastructure were removed from the property. The remainder of the property includes Big Creek on the west side. The entire property is located within the 100-year floodplain and any development would be required to follow city of Hays floodplain development ordinances.

Hays Public Works Director Jesse Rohr told the commission the developer plans to extend a city water main from Columbine west to the property at no cost to the city. A sewer line is located along the east side of the bypass.

Plans call for an RV park to be opened at the site according to Jacob Wood, assistant city manager.

Public Works Dir. Jesse Rohr with Shirley McDonald, administrative asst.

At the beginning of Thursday’s meeting, three employees were introduced to the commission by their department heads as new hires or newly promoted.

They are Shirley McDonald, promoted to full-time from part-time administrative assistant for the Public Works Dept., Jacob Schnabel, a new Maintenance Worker I in the Water Resources Dept., and Officer Dakota Gully, who was promoted from part-time to full-time with the Police Dept.

McDonald has worked for public works for four years. “It was an easy transition,” Rohr said.

Dir. of Water Resources Jeff Crispin with Jacob Schnabel, Maintenance Worker I.

Schnabel has a bachelors degree in music from Fort State University. “He’ll also in the future be joining the Marines,” said Jeff Crispin, water resources director. “I think that’s awesome.”

Gully is from Golden, Colorado. “Like so many of the young people in our community, Fort Hays State brought him to Hays,” said Don Scheibler, police chief. “He played football for FHSU and wrestled. He has a bachelor’s degree in agriculture and secondary education. I think he was on the fast track to becoming a teacher when we grabbed him up and got him interested in law enforcement.”

Police Chief Don Scheibler with Ofc. Dakota Gulley

Both Gully and Schnabel happened to be celebrating their birthdays Thursday, which was also Valentine’s Day.