By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

A revised agenda for Thursday’s Hays City Commission meeting now includes an authorization request for right of way acquisition within the North Vine Street Corridor Project.

During an executive session at the end of the Sept. 12 city commission meeting, John Braun, city project manager, presented details of proposed offers to acquire right of way, easements, and costs associated with the project.

“There are 19 properties — various small tracts — between 32nd Street and 41st and Mopar,” Braun said Wednesday afternoon. “Those will remain confidential until the project is bid out.”

The commission will vote on authorizing $390,020 for the property purchases to be funded out of Capital Projects.

Other agenda items include a recommended bid award to complete Cure in Place Pipe (CIPP) lining of approximately 15,000 linear feet of 8-inch sanitary sewer.

Sewer cleaning and inspection has been performed by a contractor yearly since 2013, giving staff data to develop a repair program.

CIPP costs about $25 per linear foot, according to Jeff Crispin, water resources director, much less than the cost of $300 to $500 per linear foot to replace a sewer line.

The project includes a spot repair of the Hays Aquatic Park swimming pool drain under the Big Creek levee.

“An inspection of the pipes under the levee revealed there’s a hole in the swimming pool line which could cause a problem in case of Big Creek flooding,” Crispin said. “The Army Corps of Engineers requires the pipe to be repaired for us to remain eligible for federal levee programs.”

The low bid of $377,251.50 was submitted by SAK Construction, O’Fallon, Missouri.

A design contract for reconstruction of 27th Street from Hall to Fort will be reviewed. Kirkham Michael & Associates, Inc., Ellsworth, submitted the low bid of $89,900 for engineering services.

Annexation of 4890 and 4940 General Hays Road will be considered. Owner J & L Capital LLC wants the properties annexed for development and connection to city services. The land is contiguous to city limits. Staff is recommending the annexation.

The Sept. 26 meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. in Hays City Hall, 1507 Main.

HPL

Educators, historians and community leaders will speak about New Deal programs and their impact on Kansas at Hays Public Library’s New Deal Day on Saturday, September 28 from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

The New Deal was a large-scale government relief program enacted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt that included public works projects and financial reforms intended to relieve the burdens of the Great Depression.

The idea for New Deal Day came from Kansas Room Coordinator, Jeremy Gill, who has a research interest that includes the New Deal era of the 1930s-40s. Gill wrote his master’s thesis about Hays’ Frontier Historical Park which was constructed in part by the Civilian Conservation Corps and the National Youth Administration.

“When I started my job back in March, I was contacted by several people who wanted to do programming at the library. It dawned on me that all of them had a connection in some way to the New Deal in Kansas, so I figured that instead of doing separate lectures, the library could have a symposium revolving around this time period,” Gill said.

The docket includes an impressive array of speakers from different mediums and professions.

Gill will give opening remarks and present on the construction of Frontier Park.

Guy Windholz, former county commissioner and member of the Ellis County Court House Preservation Committee will present on WPA limestone construction projects in Ellis County.

M.J. Holt, author and historian, will present on her latest book, “Confessions to Mr. Roosevelt” a historical fiction book that revolves around the Federal Writer’s Project. Ms. Holt is the author of seven books about 19th century western plains life. She is a research consultant for PBS documentaries, including “The American Experience.” She appeared on C-Span’s “First Ladies Series” in connection with her biography of Mamie Eisenhower.

Kara Heitz, historian and educator will be screening her new film. “A New Deal for Public Art in the Free State” explores publicly funded arts projects during the New Deal in Kansas. Heitz is currently a liberal arts lecturer at the Kansas City Art Institute. She also runs the media production company, Clio’s Scroll Productions, that creates historically-focused documentary films and podcasts.

“I am really excited to bring all of these bright minds together to discuss and celebrate the men and women who took part in these programs,” said Gill. “They attempted to make something positive out of a very dark period in U.S. history and in many cases, we are still using or enjoying the fruits of their labor.”

You can find out more about this and other library programs at hayslibrary.org or by calling 785-625-9014.

Hays Post

CATHARINE — A 34-year-old Hays man was arrested Wednesday north of Catharine after a nearly four-hour standoff.

According to the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office, just before 4:30 p.m. law enforcement officials were called to the 2200 block of Feedlot Road for the report of an unlawful discharge of a firearm.

During the incident, the man reportedly discharged a weapon several times.

The man, who has not been identified, was apprehended just after 8 p.m.

The Kansas Highway Patrol, Hays Police Department, Ellis County EMS, Rural Fire and Hays Drone Service all assisted during the incident.