By NICK BUDD
Hays Post
Hays city commissioners are scheduled to discuss renewing the health insurance policy for the 2015 fiscal year at their work session on Thursday night.
The low bid came from the city’s current provider, Coventry Health Care, which calls for an increase of 19.5 percent over current rates — an approximate $1.7 million increase. The increase is approximately $78,000 over the cap implemented by the commission, but the city plans on using savings from last year’s renewal with Coventry to cover the difference in order to continue to provide no-cost health insurance to city employees.
The next lowest bid came with a 34 percent increase from the current rates.
Commissioners will also discuss awarding contracts for the pedestrian and bicycle paths in the city of Hays. KDOT has submitted an Authority to Award Contracts and Commitment of City Funds for both the levee trail and street bike lanes.
Construction bids for the projects were opened in October. The low bid for the on-street lanes is APAC of Hays, which proposed a construction cost of approximately $346,000. The low bid for the levee trail came from Bryant and Bryant Construction of Halstead, which bid a construction cost of approximately $496,000.
Using KDOT’s transportation enhancement grant, the city will be responsible for 40 percent of the total cost — approximately $491,000, which will be paid before the project begins. Construction is set to begin between early spring and mid-summer. The project will be complete by fall 2015.
In other business, commissioners also will:
• Receive a Water Conservation Project Update from Stacie Minson and members from a FHSU Leadership 310 team.
• Discuss awarding a bid for a new recycling truck. During budget meetings, commissioners budgeted $193,000 for a new truck. The lowest proposal came in at approximately $172,000 from Lang Diesel.
• Talk about establishing a benefit district in order to pay to pave the alley behind S&W Supply between Seventh and Eighth streets. Property owners in that area have petitioned to the city to create the district due to heavy truck traffic. The project is expected to cost approximately $60,00, and there would be no cost to the city if the commission approves it.
• Receive the 2015 street maintenance program. After funds are set aside for the sidewalk rebate program, approximately $638,000 are available for street projects. The plan includes chip seal work, poly patch, curb and brick repair, two major rehab projects on 12th Street (east of Canterbury and on the 600 block of East Fifth street), and some funding for other minor repairs.
Click HERE for a full work session agenda.