🎥 Grow Hays to receive extra funding from city of Hays

City commissioners discuss outside agency funding during a second review of the 2020 budget draft.

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

After requesting funding from the city of Hays for the first time in two years, Grow Hays will receive a little more than it asked for.

Doug Williams, Grow Hays executive director, made a $100,000 funding request from the city’s proposed 2020 budget during a presentation in June.

During last week’s work session, commissioners agreed to Mayor Henry Schwaller’s suggestion not to renew the $45,000 city contract with business recruiter Retail Strategies for a third year, resulting in a savings of $42,500 in the economic development fund this year.

“They told us what we needed to know. … We know our trade area, we know who lives here, we know what they buy and what they’re seeking.

“We’re done. They can’t recruit anybody and we haven’t heard from them in a year,” Schwaller said.

“That’s where I’m at,” said Shaun Musil, vice mayor.

“We may see some impact on our retail side from additional work being done by Grow Hays,” Commissioner Sandy Jacobs said. Grow Hays was formerly the Ellis County Coalition for Economic Development.

“We have $42,500 for economic development in the 2019 budget that is not spent,” Musil pointed out. “I’d like to offer that to Grow Hays this year and possibly that same amount next year.”

Jacobs went further, offering the remaining $42,500 this year plus the total economic development budget of $87,500 in 2020 “since we’re not going to renew with Retail Strategies,” she said.

The total would be $130,000 to Grow Hays over the 2019/2020 budget cycle. All the commissioners agreed.

“We would also hope that their solicitation of investment from local businesses increases as well,” added Phelps.

The commission will vote on the $42,500 expenditure for 2019 at their meeting tonight.

Commissioners also gave their consensus to the following funding requests:

CARE COUNCIL – $168,000, up from $164,000
Fort Hays State University Scholarship Program – $100,000
Downtown Hays Development Corporation – $50,973
Ellis County Historical Society – $12,000
Hays Arts Council – $12,000
Wild West Festival – $9,500

“That $100,000 investment is realized over and over during the school year,” Phelps said of the FHSU allotment.

Mellick praised DHDC for asking for 5% less this year.

“I’m happy with that. I think that’s showing some restraint in not thinking this is an entitlement,” Mellick said.

“They do good things. … We’ve given them lots of money over the years and lots of opportunity, and they have ran with that money well. But they need to slowly – to a certain extent – become a little more self-funded.”

The Ellis County Historical Society is working on a strategic plan, which could include a new building. The museum is housed in the First Presbyterian Church, 100 W. 7th, located in the city’s historical district. Mayor Schwaller noted it would require a resolution from the city commission to raze the church.