By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

The Hays USD 489 school board will hear an update tonight on the $1.76 million renovation to the Oak Park Medical Complex.

The complex is being renovated for use by Early Childhood Connections.

The school district purchased the complex for $2 million, which will be paid for through a lease agreement out of capital outlay funds. The district received a $1.47 million federal grant and a $500,000 donation from HaysMed, the primary owner of the complex before it was sold, for the renovations.

The district hopes to have the facility open sometime this fall.

The board also is set to vote on two other capital projects on which work would be done this summer.

Members are expected to vote on a re-keying all the doors at Hays High School, Hays Middle School, Roosevelt Elementary and the new Early Childhood Connections building.

The district has received at $57,000 matching grant to replace interior door locks. The district’s match for the project will be $53,000.

Rusty Lindsay, buildings and grounds director, said the current lock system is no longer secure because keys can be easily duplicated.

The other project is to replace concrete in the Hays High School Parking lot. The district is scheduled to do a portion of the parking lot each year until all of the concrete has been replaced. This year’s low bid was for $96,600 from Brian’s Concrete Services of Hays.

In other business, the board will

• Hear a Lincoln Elementary School Site Council presentation
• Vote on revisions to the Classified Handbook
• Vote on board policy revisions
• Vote on the 2019-20 board meeting calendar
• Hear a report on workers compensation and cyber liability insurance
• Hear a report on property and casualty insurance
• Chris Hipp, director of the West Central Kansas Special Education Cooperative, will present the district assessment recommendation

At 5:53 a.m. Sunday, the Ellis County Fire Department was dispatched to a structure fire at 106 Vicki Lane. Upon arrival, fire was reported to be seen throughout the home.

Fire crews used three fire attack lines to extinguish the fire. Due to the extent of the fire, a defensive fire approach was used to help ensure other close structures would not be impacted as well as limit the risk to the firefighters.

The home received extensive fire damage and is a complete loss, however the nearby garden sheds were protected and saved.

The fire was reported out and under control at 7:01 a.m. Midwest Energy was contacted to shut off utilities to the building. Fire crews remained on scene until approximately 10 a.m. to assist the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office with the fire investigation and put out any remaining hot spots.

After the investigation, it was determined the most likely cause was a faulty electrical outlet.

Twenty-seven firefighters from the Ellis County Fire Department (Hays, Ellis, Victoria and Munjor) responded to assist. The fire was located within the automatic aid program area and the Hays Fire Department responded with an additional six firefighters. The ECFD was also assisted by the Ellis County EMS, sheriff’s deputies and the Hays Police Department.

— Ellis County Fire and Emergency Management

LARNED, Kan. (AP) — Authorities have charged a 31-year-old Kansas prison employee with having unlawful sexual relations with an inmate.

Pawnee County Attorney Douglas McNett said in a release that Jennifer Stevenson, of Otis, is charged with one felony count of unlawful sexual relations.

The alleged incidents occurred at Larned Correctional Mental Health Facility in August and September of 2018.

Stevenson has been released from jail pending her preliminary hearing next week.

CITY OF ELLIS

ELLIS – Ellis city council members will consider approving employee health insurance quotes from Freedom Claims Management during their meeting Monday night.

Also on the agenda are consideration of bids for construction of bathrooms in South Walnut Park and approval of electrical contractor work and water supply materials for the Lakeside Campground expansion project

The complete agenda follows.

 

AGENDA

May 20, 2019

REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF ELLIS

City Hall – Council Meeting Room

 

BILLS ORDINANCE REVIEW WORK SESSION BEGINS AT 7:00 P.M.

ROLL CALL AND MEETING CALL TO ORDER AT 7:30 P.M.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

AMENDMENTS TO AGENDA (if needed)

1)            CONSENT AGENDA

1. a)            Minutes from Regular Meeting on May 6, 2019
2. b)            Bills Ordinance #2069
3. c)            Manual Journal Entries for April

(Council will review for approval under one motion under the consent agenda.  By majority vote of the governing body, any item may be removed from the consent agenda and considered separately)

PUBLIC COMMENTS

(Each speaker will be limited to five minutes.  If several people from the group wish to speak on same subject, the group must appoint a spokesperson.  ALL comments from public on agenda items must be during Public Comment.  Once council begins their business meeting, no more comments from public will be allowed.)

2)            PRESENTATIONS OF AWARDS, PROCLAMATIONS, REQUESTS & PETITIONS (HEARINGS)

1. a)            Public Works Week Proclamation

3)            SPECIAL ORDER

1. a)            Fire Department Monthly Report – Chief Dustin Vine
2. b)            Review and Consider Approval of Employee Health Insurance Quotes – Lori Miller and Julie Yarmer, Freedom Claims Management

4)            UNFINISHED BUSINESS

1. a)            Consider Approval of Roster of Committee Appointments
2. b)            Consider Bids for Construction of South Walnut Park Bathrooms

5)            NEW BUSINESS

1. a)            Review Bids for Meal for Community Block Party
2. b)            Consider Approval to Purchase Submersible Pump for Sewer Lift Station
3. c)            Consider Approval of Electrical Contractor Work and Water Supply Materials for Campground Expansion Project

6)            REPORTS FROM CITY OFFICIALS

1. a)            Administrative

1)            Public Works

(1)          Comparative Water Report

(2)          Department Update

2)            Police

(1)          Department Update

3)            City Clerk

(1)          Health Insurance Savings Report for April

(2)          April Financial Statements

(3)          Draft Minutes from Committee Meetings

(4)          Department Update

4)            Attorney

(1)          Update on Status of Code Violation Cases

5)            Mayor Update and Announcements

EXECUTIVE SESSIONS

7)            ADJOURNMENT