By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
The 2016 budget was adopted by Hays city commissioners Thursday night following a review of the highlights by City Manager Toby Dougherty and a public hearing. The 25 mill levy is the same as it has been the past seven years.
The only change made was in funding for outside agencies.
Last week, commissioners reduced the allocation for the Ellis County Coalition for Economic Development at the urging of Commissioner James Meier. The commission, absent Henry Schwaller, agreed they were unhappy with the performance of the Coalition and in its communication with the city.
During the budget hearing, Schwaller recommended funding the Coalition’s entire $87,550 request, but instead “parking” the money until the Coalition “answers the commission’s concerns.”
“I think we owe it to that entity to give them time to respond to our concerns and come back with a plan that is mutually agreeable for both the Coalition and the city,” he said.
“So in lieu of just giving them that money, we will park that money in a Economic Development Activities account. If we get our differences resolved — and I think we will — it will be allocated to them,” Schwaller said. “If we don’t get our differences resolved — I don’t think that will happen — then we take the money and do something else with it.”
The city has a voting representative on the board, currently Schwaller, and the city manager also has a seat at the table as a non-voting member. One Ellis County commission and the county administrator also are on the board in a similar fashion.
Kurt David, chairman of the board for the Ellis County Coalition for Economic Development, came to the podium to thank the commission for returning its full funding.
“There’s been a number of discussions, fruitful and timely, since last Thursday,” David reported. “I think we’ve made a lot of progress, and I’m happy to tell you the two groups (Coalition and city) are working together in some meetings for us to start creating the job description and creating the strategic plan that needs to happen to meet your requirements.”
Meier thanked David for meeting with him and other members of the ECCED board Wednesday.
“I think everybody understood there’s issues and that we can work through it. That’s why I’m comfortable restoring the funding but putting it in a ‘holding pattern’ until we do come to some kind of resolutions,” Meier said.
“We’re happy with that, and I’m confident we’ll meet your expectations,” David replied.
Vice Mayor Shaun Musil told David he would like to see Coalition Executive Director Aaron White and board members to appear before the commission a couple times a year to update the commission on what’s going on.
“I know Aaron gives us a good recap, but I just think it’s something we all need to know about — what’s going on in the community,” Musil said.
“That will happen,” said David.
Commissioners denied increases requested by Fort Hays State University Scholarship Program, Ellis County Historical Society and Hays Arts Council.
Also at Schwaller’s suggestion, the commission agreed to move the Sister Cities Advisory Board under the “umbrella of the Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau and call it Community Relations.” Sister Cities will remain a volunteer organization, he clarified, and it will elect new board officers.
“I want to have a more hands-on role,” Schwaller explained. “I think they’re looking to us for some leadership.
“We will provide direction whether the commission wants to go forward with our Sister Cities relationships or if we are interested in promoting a diversity community–this ‘inclusiveness’ message,” he added. “That way they’re in an area that promotes the community. They’re either promoting it by developing relationships with other cities or promoting the fact that we’re a ‘friendly community.’ ”
“I think those can work hand-in-hand,” said Mayor Eber Phelps, as the other commissioners nodded in agreement. “Sister Cities is a committee formed by the city some years ago, and I think it deserves to be a line item in the city budget.”