By NICK BUDD
Hays Post
A candidate for the Hays City Commission is using the passage of the community improvement district at the Hays Mall as an inspiration to become a city leader. James Meier was the first new candidate to file with the city clerk in late January.
“It really wasn’t the position of the taxpayer to come in and help them out with that. … I think CIDs and TIFs have a place, but we have to be smart about it,” Meier said. “A 1-percent sales tax benefit doesn’t bring in a business. It may be a deal-closer, but at the end of the day, if a business wants to be in Hays, they’re going to be in Hays.
Meier works as a pharmacist at Hays Medical Center and also fills in at Walmarts and independent stores across central and western Kansas. He works as District 1 Director for the Kansas Council of Health-System Pharmacists and is an appointee to the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission, which investigates and enforces the Kansas Campaign Finance Act. He said throughout his travels, he has found Hays is and attractive and competitive place in western Kansas — but there is still room for improvement.
“We are really in competition with Great Bend, Kearney, Salina and other towns similar and close to Hays,” Meier said. “We have to realize we’re in competition with those communities and therefore use our tax dollars in the most effective way.”
Over the next few years, commissioners will be dealing with reconstructing the wastewater treatment plant, a move expected to cost as much as $28 million that most likely will involve increasing utility rates. Commissioners recently approved using a design/build process, in which a owner-representative will be hired to over see the contractors.
“One proposal I agree with is just raising rates right now knowing this is something that’s going to have to be done in the future,” Meier said. “I don’t think there’s a way around this. It’s just something that the community is going to have to bite the bullet on.”
The pharmacist said his work on the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission has reconciled his trust in people while dealing with difficult decisions. The commission is responsible for investigating violations of the Campaign Finance Act across the state.
“It’s really interesting how easy and quickly you learn to work with people that you never thought you’d be able to work with … and, in the end, you have to learn to trust those people,” Meier said.
Meier also said in four years the city should be at least preparing to break ground on the wastewater treatment plant and he expects to see an idea for a convention center come up within that time frame, as well.
There are three seats open in the April city commission elections. Incumbents Ron Mellick and Kent Steward have opted not to run, while Mayor Henry Schwaller is on the ballot for re-election. The other candidates are Lance Jones and Scott Simpson.
Check Hays Post for additional candidate profiles as the election nears.