By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
Overland Property Group, Leawood, plans to redevelop the former Washington Elementary School, 305 Main, and construct income-qualified housing.
As part of the process to apply for federal tax credits through the Kansas Housing Resources Corp., must request a Resolution of Support from the local governing body.
City Manager Toby Dougherty told city commissioners during their Thursday night work session “this is something that has been done previously by commissions for all the StonePost developments either planned, or the ones that were pursued but not constructed.”
Overland Property Group (OPG) has built three phases of income-qualified housing in Hays to date. Phase 1, built in 2006, is on the southeast corner of 5th and Main. Phase 2 was built in 2010 west from the school across Main Street. Phase 3 is immediately north of Larks Park on Fourth Street and was built in 2012.
The city commission has offered letters of support for all the OPG projects including for a failed project attempt on East 22nd Street in 2014. The commission also authorized a resolution of support in 2017 for an attempt to redevelop the former Fort Hays Trailer Park.
StonePost Lofts would consist of up to 20 units with 1, 2 and 3 bedrooms targeting families between 30 to 80% of the Ellis County area median income.
Commissioners will vote on the resolution during their Feb. 28 meeting.
In other business, commissioners reviewed a low bid from Murphy Tractor and Equipment, Great Bend, of $34,445.91 for a double drum asphalt compactor. The equipment was budgeted for $37,000 in New Equipment Reserve.
Public Works Director Jesse Rohr said the compactor would be used by the Service Division for asphalt street patching, overlays and repairs.
The 39-inch drum is smaller than what is used by Ellis County Public Works.
“This is more portable for places we get into, ” Rohr explained. “Heavy enough to do the job, but not so large we can’t get it in to the job we need to do.” It will be trailered between locations.
Rohr said the equipment will also be used for subgrade compaction prior to placement of concrete patches.
“When we get into large street projects, such as the one coming up this year on General Custer, we could use this rather than our small plate compacter that guys pick up off the truck and place it down on the road. This will produce a better end product, longer end-life of the concrete or asphalt.”
The bid will be considered next week.
Kim Rupp, Finance Director, also presented the annual review of each section of the Comprehensive Financial Management Policy. The city is in compliance with all aspects of the policy.
A 10 minute executive session was requested by Dougherty at the end of the meeting for discussion of possible property acquisition. No action was taken.