By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

The city of Hays is in the process of developing a fire/rescue training facility south of the newly remodeled wastewater treatment plant.

Money was budgeted for the project and the Hays Fire Department also received a grant from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation, Logan, to finish the work.

In the past 18 months a fire training tower and burn box have been purchased and a substantial concrete pad was poured.

The final key component is a classroom at the site.

“It allows for the fire departments using the facility to do classroom learning before the training and then possibly debrief after the training,” says Toby Dougherty, city manager.

The city contacted the Fort Hays State University Department of Applied Technology and instructor Kris Munsch, whose students construct a garage each year.

“I reached out to Kris Munsch to see if they would have an interest in a joint project because essentially what we’re looking at is an oversized garage with restrooms, and Kris was excited about the project.”

City staff would provide assistance such as site grading and concrete work.

City commissioners will hear about the project proposal from Munsch and Fire Chief Ryan Hagans during their work session Thursday.

If the commission supports the idea, the plan calls for design by FHSU construction management students in the Fall 2019 semester with construction by the students in the Spring 2020 semester.

NCK Tech was also approached about the project to assist with plumbing, heating, and HVAC.

Dougherty says it “solely depends on the size of the class whether or not they can do their existing tasks and do any existing tasks. It’s going to be a ‘wait and see,’ but we’d like to have the involved as well.”

Other agenda items for the May 16 work session include discussion of  the following:

• Bid award and Federal Aviation Administration grant for a new airport truck and snow plow
• Bid award for contract sewer cleaning and video inspection
• Bid award for a Water Resources Department dump truck

Eber Phelps will also be sworn into office. He was appointed last week by the city commission to fill the unexpired term of James Meier who is moving to Wichita.

The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in Hays City Hall, 1507 Main.