By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Every military veteran has a story, whether they served in peace time or during war.

“Although most veterans don’t like to talk about themselves, their families love to talk about their veterans or their friends that served,” according to Vance Chartier, the new commander of Hays American Legion Post 173.

The American Legion, 1305 Canterbury, will host an “Honor Your Veteran Care and Share” event Saturday, Nov. 14, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Local veterans and their families are invited to participate and “share personally while sitting at the table or to come up to the podium and share their veteran’s story.”

“We felt it would be nice to provide them a forum to come and share their pictures, their stories, their memorabilia, the medals that their veterans have earned,” Chartier said. “This can be veterans who are still living or those who have passed on.”

Guest speakers will include Doug Nichols, Palco, the father of former Hays resident Bryan Nichols, an Army helicopter pilot who was killed in action Aug. 6, 2011, in Afghanistan.  American Legion Rider Ron Bennett will talk about his involvement with Honor Flights which fly World War II and Korean War veterans to Washington at no cost to view the national WWII and Korean War memorials.

Chartier has his own family veterans’ stories to tell.

“I have a couple uncles I’m rather proud of. Arthur Chartier, Jr. served in World War II on the U.S.S. Vincent, a minesweeper ship, at the end of the war assigned to mine sweep the China Sea between Japan and China.

“They had been chasing an (enemy) sub. He was one of the sailors working in the engine room. The ship captain kept calling down asking for more speed. The chief engineer kept saying they were at max power and they couldn’t catch up to the sub.

“My uncle got on the com (communications speaker) and told the captain he could get more power out of those engines. He was a master mechanic, loved working on engines, so he knew how to make those engines hum. He was able to get enough power–taking them over their maximum capacity–to catch up to the sub and they were able to take the sub out…with depth charges,” Chartier said.

When the surrender by the Japanese was signed, the U.S.S. Vincent was still on its mission.

According to Chartier, the American fleet was in such a hurry to get back to the U.S., they forgot to notify the Vincent to come back.

“So, the Vincent finished their mission, tried to contact the fleet, and there was no one there. The ship had enough fuel to get back to the United States, but the food rations were very short. They basically lived off about a half-cup of beans a day. The crew was so malnourished by the time they got back to port in San Francisco, they were kept there a few days to fatten them up before they released them to their families,” Chartier said.

The evening will start with the American Legion Riders Post 173’s “People’s Choice Cook-Off” and meal from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children. Admission to the Honor Your Veteran event only is by donation.

For more information about both events contact Amanda at (785) 673-9151 or Rhiannon (785) 650-3588.

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Hays city commissioners will be looking ahead to 2016 during their work session Thursday, Nov. 5

Agenda items include the 2016 Employee Pay Plan and Job Classification–the 2016 budget contains the recommended $2,050 annual pay increase–along with health insurance for next year.

According to Human Resources Director Erin Giebler, after 24 plan designs were reviewed, city staff, with the approval of the Wage and Benefit Committee, recommends providing employees with a dual option plan through Aetna. The Base Plan will be provided to employees and their families at no cost. Employees enrolling in the Premium Plan would pay 8.3 percent of the total premium. The renewal with Aetna for the city’s current plan is a 3.85 percent  increase or $1,862,920.08.

John Braun, Assistant Director of Public Works, will present the 2016 Street Maintenance Program. High-profile projects include the mill and overlay of Hall Street from 27th Street to 41st Street, 27th Street from Englewood to Hall Street, and 27th Street from Sherman to Canterbury, as well as brick repair for a two-block section of Ash Street between 17th Street and 19th Street.

Commissioners will also consider a request to vacate a portion of a drainage dedication in the Golden Belt Estates 3rd Addition, at 4500 Van Buren Drive, and will look at a request of proposal for auditing services.

The complete Nov. 5, 2015, work session agenda can be seen here.

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

Today is “Dine Out Day” with the United Way of Ellis County and the Taco Shop, 333 w. 8th, Hays.

Residents are encouraged to help with “Uniting Our Community” by dining at the Taco Shop, Nov. 4.

The restaurant will donate 10% of the day’s proceeds to the United Way of Ellis County. The Taco Shop is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

This year’s fundraising goal is $490,000. The online auction is underway.

Thursday, Nov. 5, a special evening shopping event at Couture For Men and Women, 1109 Main, will feature appetizers, drinks and entertainment from five to eight p.m.  A portion of the evening’s proceeds will be donated to UWEC.

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Shorts and sandals were Sunday’s attire for many Hays residents Sunday as the temperature soared to 80 degrees.

Not warm enough for a record, though.

According to the K-State Agriculture Research Center, the record high for Nov. 1 in Hays was 83 degrees in 1990. One year ago, the temperature reached just 56 degrees.

Saturday’s high was also above normal at 70 degrees.

The weekend’s balmy weather came after a high of just 45 degrees on a drizzly Friday, with 0.33 rain recorded for Hays at the Ag Research center south of town.

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

“It’s a truly great day in our community. It’s been a long time coming and it really feels awesome.” That’s how Ellis County Commissioner Dean Haselhorst summed up Tuesday’s official opening of the new Ellis County Emergency Services Building, 1105 E. 22nd, Hays.

A ribbon-cutting was conducted by the Hays Area Chamber of Commerce outside the building as a light rain fell. The crowd then went inside for opening remarks and tours of the $3.5 million facility.

For the first time in Ellis County history, county Emergency Medical Services, Rural Fire, and Emergency Management are all under one roof.

“One and a half weeks ago, we received the keys to this beautiful facility. For me it was somewhat of a special day,” said Emergency Manager Bill Ring. “That same day seven years earlier, I had started working for Ellis County.”

Ring’s office had been in the basement of the Law Enforcement Center in the Ellis County courthouse. “Now as I start my eighth year, I have a beautiful above ground office–with a large window–to watch the weather, which is one of my jobs,” he said with a laugh.

Ring, Rural Fire Chief Darin Myers and EMS Director Kerry McCue, both in their dress uniforms, all spoke before leading 20-minute tours through each area of the building.

“It’s a great accomplishment and we have a great group of county volunteers for the fire department,” Myers said. He pointed out that the building houses just one of the rural fire companies. There are five more throughout Ellis County.

Former rural fire chief Dick Klaus, who recently retired after serving 36 years, was recognized as well as several former Ellis County commissioners, including Swede Holmgren, Perry Henman and Glenn Diehl. Ellis County Chairman Marcy McClelland explained the funding of the project.

Work began on the building in July 2014, financed by a five-year, half-cent sales tax approved by county voters in May 2013. The tax is also being used to fund safety and security improvements underway at the Ellis County Law Enforcement Center and courthouse, 1204 Fort. Emergency dispatch remains in the LEC basement.

“For the past 21 months, collections have averaged $287,000 per month,” McClelland said. The tax will remain in effect for five years, or until both projects are paid off.

“We appreciate the votes in favor of the sales tax to do this,” said McCue. “We started looking at space needs for EMS in 1996, a journey of almost 20 years.”

Father Fred Gatschet of the FHSU Comeau Catholic Campus Center and First Presbyterian Church pastor and Ellis County Ministerial Alliance President Celeste Lasich led prayers of thanksgiving and protection for the Ellis County first responders.

Lasich told the audience her father Bill was “lifetime law enforcement, and that started in the fire department. So I am someone, as many of you who are family members, know what it is to have your loved one come home from successfully having fought a fire. I’m grateful for all of you,” she said with a sweep of her arm towards first responders gathered for the ceremony in the fire engine bay.

Haselhorst, who took over as construction manager of the building several months ago, also thanked the Ellis County Space Needs Committee, the architects and contractors.

Commissioner Barb Wasinger, who underwent surgery Tuesday, was unable to attend.

The opening ceremony video, by Hays Post’s James Bell, is below.

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

People enjoying the Hays Kiwanis Park will soon want to, and be able to, linger a little longer.

The park at 17th and Harvest Road in east Hays has never had a restroom.

It soon will have one, along with new playground equipment to replace the aging unit purchased in 1991 by the Hays Kiwanis Club.

The improvements are possible thanks to a $40,000 contribution from the Hays Kiwanis Club in January commemorating the 100th year of Kiwanis International. That money was placed in the city Park Improvement Fund and matched with $40,000 from the 2015 Special Park and Recreation Budget–a total of $80,000.

Hays city commissioners Thursday night approved the recommended purchase of the CXT Inc. Cortez Precast Flush Restroom  for $40,100 through the State of Kansas Bid Procurement Contract. Plumbing and electrical work will cost another $6,085.

Kiwanis Club members reviewed the proposals and requested approval to purchase the play equipment from ABCreative in De Soto, Kan., for $30,420, which includes labor for an install supervisor from their firm.

Another $2,800 will be required for fall zone materials after the unit is installed.

“I’ve stated on many occasions, the city of Hays’s parks would not be what they are today without the generosity of  our local civic groups, and the Kiwanis Park is a prime example of that,” said Director of Parks Jeff Boyle.

The new restroom will be installed across the parking lot from the playground, in close proximity to the water and sewer lines.  A sidewalk will be put in between the parking lot and the restroom.

“As the father of a four-year old, they’re playing, they have to go to the restroom and they just take off,” said Vice-Mayor Shaun Musil.  He questioned Boyle about the possibility of installing a metal fence barrier against cars in the parking lot to make it safer.

Boyle was amenable.

“We’ve already done something like that in east Frontier Park and north Frontier Park,” Boyle said, “using oil field pipe.  It was rather cheap and looks nice.”

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Immediately after approving the minutes from their previous meeting, Hays city commissioners Thursday night formally recognized 22 city employees for their long-time service.

Mayor Eber Phelps presented 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 year service awards as Finance Director Kim Rupp read a short narration of each person’s career.

Those employees who were present shook hands with the governing body and had their pictures taken with the city commissioners.

The 2015 Hays employee service recognition included the following:

5-Year Awards
Erin Giebler – Erin Giebler joined the City of Hays in 2010 as the HR Assistant. A year later
she was promoted to Director of Human Resources.
Johnny Rupp – Johnny Rupp started with the Solid Waste Division in 2010 and continues to
serve as a Recycling Collector.
Travis Hageman – Travis Hageman began with the Hays Fire Department as a Volunteer
Firefighter in 2009. In 2011, Travis was promoted to a Full Time Firefighter.

10-Year Awards
J.B. Burkholder – J.B. Burkholder joined the Hays Police Department in 2005. In 2011 he
was promoted to a Uniformed Investigator until 2015 when he took over his current position,
Investigator.
Greg May – Firefighter, Greg May, was hired by the Hays Fire Department as a Volunteer
Firefighter in 2005 and joined the department full time the following year.
Mark Augustine – Mark Augustine began in the Parks Department as a Parks Maintenance
Worker in 2005. Mark was promoted to a Parks Technician in 2009.
Stan Moore – In 2005, Stan Moore joined the Police Department as an Animal Control
Officer and continues to serve the City in this position.
Toby Dougherty – Toby Dougherty joined the City of Hays in 2005 as the Assistant City
Manager. In 2007 Toby was appointed City Manager.
David Vilaysing – David Vilaysing began his employment with the Hays Police Department
in 2005 as a Police Officer. In 2014, David was promoted to Police Corporal for the City of
Hays.

15-Year Awards
Keith Mermis – Firefighter, Keith Mermis, joined the Hays Fire Department in 2000.
John Braun – In 2000, John Braun was hired by the City of Hays as an Engineering
Technician. In 2003 John was promoted to the Engineering Superintendent and later that year
he took over his current position of Assistant Director of Public Works.
Troy Basgall – Troy Basgall began his career at the City of Hays as a Refuse/Recycling
Collector in 2000. In 2007 Troy was promoted to a Refuse Driver.
Marvin Honas – Marvin Honas was hired in 2000 as the Solid Waste Superintendent.
Marvin has been serving in this position for the last 15 years.
Brian Dawson – Brian Dawson began working as a Police Officer in 2000. In 2001 he was
promoted to a School Resource Officer. In 2010 Brian was promoted to Police Lieutenant and
the following year he took over his current position, Assistant Chief of Police.

20-Year Awards
Dustin Degenhardt – Dustin Degenhardt joined the City of Hays in 1995 as a Refuse
Collector. In 1998, he moved to the Service Division where he served as a Maintenance
Worker I, Maintenance Worker II, and his current position, Equipment Operator.
Aaron Dome – Aaron Dome began at the Water Treatment Plant in 1994 where he held
positions as a Plant Trainee, Plant Operator I, and Plant Operator II. In 2006 Aaron joined the
Hays Fire Department as a Firefighter. Today he serves as Fire Lieutenant.

25-Year Awards
Jeff Gerstner – Jeff Gerstner was hired at the City of Hays in 1990. He has served the City
in multiple roles throughout his 25 years. Jeff has served as a Refuse Collector, Meter Reader,
Maintenance Worker II and his current position as Utilities Equipment Operator.
Dave Bunger – David Bunger began with the Hays Police Department in 1989 as a Police
Officer. In 2005 he took over the responsibilities of a Police Investigator and in 2008 he was
promoted to Police Detective.

30-Year Awards
Carolyn McCollum-Scantlin – Carolyn McCollum-Scantlin began with the City of Hays in
1985 as a Dispatcher. She was promoted to Communications Sergeant in 2003 and in 2012
she took over her current Director of the Communications Center duties.
Kurt Arnhold – Kurt Arnhold began as a Utilities Worker in 1985. In 1992 he was promoted
to a Meter Reader and in 2003 he was promoted to a Maintenance Worker II where he has
served the Service Division and, most recently, the Solid Waste Division.

35-Year Awards
Brenda Kitchen – City Clerk, Brenda Kitchen, was hired by the City of Hays’ Clerk’s Office
in 1980. She has held the Account Clerk I, Account Clerk II, Deputy City Clerk, and City Clerk
position.

40-Year Awards
Lori Hertel – In 1975, Lori Hertel joined the City of Hays’ Clerk’s Office. She began as an
Account Clerk I and was promoted to Account Clerk II before taking over her current position,
Accounting Specialist.