The T-shirt for the first Stropes memorial fundraiser, a basketball tournament in August 2011.
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
ELLIS — The annual “Just Breathe” disc golf tournament in memory of Ellis resident Bryce Stropes will be held Sunday, July 26, in Ellis Creekside Park, 500 Taylor.
Participants ages 13 and younger will start at 3 p.m.; ages 14 and older will start play at 4 p.m.
Cost is $20 per team of two with sign-up and payment due at the Ellis city swimming pool by July 26. Advanced orders for event T-shirts are $10 and due Monday, July 20. The shirts will also be available for order during the tournament.
The pool will also be open July 26 for free swimming.
All proceeds go to the Ellis swimming pool safety and training equipment fund or “Charlie” training.
A 14-year-old Ellis resident Bryce Stropes, drowned while playing in the city swimming pool July 22, 2010, despite the efforts of lifeguards, an volunteer firefighter who was also at the pool, and EMS personnel. His death was determined to be from shallow water blackout drowning.
Since then, the community has rallied to turn the tragedy into something positive.
A comprehensive education program about shallow water blackout drowning was instituted, pool safety training was improved, and Charlie — a life-size drowning victim simulator — was purchased. Charlie is used in pool rescue training for the lifeguards, emergency personnel and other interested groups.
More information is available at the pool, 301 Taylor, or by calling the pool at (785) 726-3130.
You can’t fight Mother Nature, and this year, organizers of the Ellis County Relay for Life, don’t have to worry about that.
For the first time, the 21st annual local fundraiser for the American Cancer Society will be held indoors–at Fort Hays State University Gross Memorial Coliseum. The event date has also changed–from early June to mid-fall–Saturday, Sept. 19.
“It’s kind of exciting–moving out to Gross Memorial Coliseum this year. It’s inside; it’s climate-controlled so you don’t even have to worry about being too warm or too cold,” said Kim Peach, ACS Relay for Life Community Manager.
For many years, the Hays Middle School (formerly Felten Middle School) outdoor track was the site of the Ellis Co. RFL with teams walking around the track for 12 continuous hours, from 7 p.m. Friday night to 7 a.m. Saturday morning. Teams set up their “campsites” around the track where many of them offered more games, keepsakes and foodstuffs for a cash donation to RFL. Threatening thunderstorms with lightning forced the Relay to end early a couple of times.
In recent years, the Relay was shortened, ending at midnight to make it easier for more people to participate.
Last year, the Relay moved to the Hays Mall parking lot, focusing on family-fun events throughout the evening as walkers wound through a makeshift track around the luminaries.
At GMC, there will still be ‘campsites,’ but “you won’t have to have them staked down,” Peach said with a smile, and it will still be family-oriented. And of course, there is a built-in track around the basketball arena for the luminaries and the team walkers. There will also be food vendors, she said.
Because the Relay will be indoors, Peach is planning for more participation from cancer survivors and their caregivers.
“We always do a personal invitation to the survivors which will be mailed any day, but we want the caregivers to know we haven’t forgotten about them.
“Sometimes it’s hard when you lose your loved one, you think that maybe you’re not a part of it any more. But you should be a part of it more than ever because we’re here to support you, too,” she said.
Whether you’re a caregiver or a cancer survivor, “there’s nothing like empathy to say you understand what someone is going through.”
Most of the money raised by the ACS Relay for Life national program goes towards scientific research.
“There’s been a lot of great improvements in the early detection of cancer,” Peach noted.
“A lot of people talk about there being more cancer, but the truth of the matter is, we’re detecting more cancers earlier and more people are surviving–and that’s huge. The more advances that we have and the better quality of treatments we have, people are having quality-of-life afterwards.”
KU Medical Center in Kansas City has received several ACS research grants.
“KU has a bunch of (research) going on right now. They just got new grants which have been renewed for this year. It’s exciting when you get grant money at home.”
“We do have services that come right through Hays Med (at the Dreiling/Schmidt Cancer Institute) to here but anybody anywhere is able to get any of the services that we offer by calling our 800 number at 1-800-ACS-2345. They can also go to www.cancer.org.
A rainstorm Memorial Day weekend forced postponement of a polo demonstration in Hays to tomorrow, Saturday, July 11, at 7 p.m. the Bickle-Schmidt Sports Complex, 1376 Old Hwy 40.
The Mariposa Polo Club in Liberal will stage an exhibition game east of the Fort Hays State University soccer complex. Admission is free and attendees should bring their own chairs.
The event was in connection with the “Polo on the Plains” exhibition at the Ellis County Historical Society in Hays, sponsored by the Kansas Humanities Council as part of the Smithsonian Institution Museum on Main Street traveling exhibition Hometown Teams.
The heritage of British livestock breeders in eastern Ellis County led to a taste for the sport of polo well into the 20th century.
According to ECHS Executive Director Don Westfall, the Hays Polo Club played at the Golden Belt Fairgrounds, where Fort Hays State University Lewis Field is now located.
His research showed the team also traveled, playing area teams in Fairport.
“I know when the Hays Polo Club went to play Fairport on one occasion, I guess they got there earlier than when they were expected…that’s why the cowboys were still working on the ranch with the Hays Polo Club got there,” Westfall said.
“So the cowboys had to get themselves together rather quickly–they just rode in from their work location. That was the game where they used pitchforks for mallets and gourds for balls because they had not really gotten all their equipment together yet.”
Westfall discovered the Hays Polo Club also traveled as far away as Tulsa, Oklahoma, for matches.
There are currently two polo teams in Kansas, Mariposa Polo Club in Liberal and the Fairfield Polo Club in Wichita.
Find out more about polo in Hays with Westfall and Mike Cooper of Community Connections.
Kim Rupp, Hays Finance Director, shows city commissioners the draft SRF loan application information.
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
The first steps towards applying for a state revolving fund (SRF) loan to pay for renovation of the Hays wastewater treatment plant were approved unanimously Thursday night by city commissioners.
Johnny O’Connor, Assistant Director of Utilities, described approval of the three agenda items as “housekeeping” in the process of a potential SRF application. None of the changes affect the project cost.
Olathe-based HDR Engineering is the city’s owner-representative for the $30 million project.
“Planning is in motion for construction and upgrade of the wastewater facility,” O’Connor said.
“Preliminary estimates indicate a total cost of $30 million. The Kansas State Revolving Loan Fund is the most cost-effective option to fund this project. Given the fund includes federal dollars, there are many requirements,” he explained.
City Commissioner Henry Schwaller pointed out the city is not yet obligated to proceed with the SRF.
“We are merely looking at this as one of many options to potentially fund the wastewater plant. We’re just getting everything lined up but if we do seek this option, we’ve done all our due diligence and we’ll be ready to launch. If not, we’re not out of anything. We’ll still have other options available,” Schwaller said.
August 13 was set as the public hearing date to review with the public the purpose and recommendations of the wastewater facility plan. A public meeting about the project will also be held during the commission’s July 16 work session.
The project must be completed by 2018 to adhere to stricter Kansas Department of Health and Environment effluent requirements.
The city was fined $18,000 last year by the Environmental Protection Agency for excessive ammonia levels in 2012.
The Hays wastewater treatment plant was built in the early 1950s.
Nearly 300 competitors are in McCracken this week for the 29th annual McCracken Rodeo in the Jack Wilson Mustang Arena.
KPRA Open rodeo action is at 8 p.m. tonight and Saturday with kids events starting at 7 p.m.
Allen McCloy, owner of McCloy Rodeo Company, in Morse, Texas, has been the McCracken rodeo stock contractor for 23 years.
“Competition with his three brothers” is what McCloy said got him started in rodeo where he “rode saddle broncs, barebacks and bulls.”
McCloy is on the road about half the year with his livestock and a crew of 8 to 10 people.
“We have an excellent crew and they do an outstanding job,” he said.
“We take excellent care of these animals because they are our livelihood. They eat before we eat; we make sure they’re taken care of before we relax.
“We raise a lot of our stock and retire them to our ranch. We’ve even had some of them buried on our ranch.
“If I didn’t love it, I wouldn’t be doing it,” McCloy said with a laugh.
There are five young women competing in the Rodeo Queen and Princess contests Saturday morning at 9 a.m. The two winners will be crowned by their predecessors, Mikaela Brackney and Abbie Schwab, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday just before the second night of rodeo begins.
A rodeo dance will be held on the grounds after the rodeo both nights.
Other Saturday events include a golf tournament, cancer benefit run/walk, trail ride, and a 12:30 p.m. dinner meal hosted by McCracken High School alumni.
Tickets are available at the gate or in advance in McCracken–Charlie’s, and Midland Marketing; Ness City–G&L Pharmacy; LaCrosse–Farmers Bank & Trust, Nekoma State Bank, LaCrosse Abstract & Title, and State Farm Insurance; Hays–Vanderbilt’s; and WaKeeney–Keyser True Value. Adult tickets are $10 at the gate or $8 in advance. Children’s tickets (ages 5 to 12) are $7 at the gate or $5 in advance.
Events continue tonight for the 29th annual McCracken Rodeo in the Jack Wilson Mustang Arena in McCracken.
Admission is free for Thursday’s rodeo slack which starts at 8 p.m. with 36 bullriders signed up and more competitors to follow. Wednesday night featured national barrel racers.
There are nearly 300 cowboys and cowgirls competing this week, according to rodeo volunteer Roger Legleiter, which is “up from previous years.”
Allen McCloy of McCloy Rodeo Company, Morse, Texas, has been the McCracken rodeo stock contractor for 23 years.
“Slack is–you get so many contestants that you can’t run them all in a performance–it’s overflow. We don’t want to turn anybody down and we still want to limit our performances to 2 to 2.5 hours. So we take about 10 to 12 contestants from each event during the rodeo, and the extra we run in slack,” McCloy explained.
“We do that tonight (July 9) and it’s free,” he added.
The two nights of KPRA Open rodeo kick off Friday night with the gates opening at 5 p.m. both evenings. Kids events start at 7 p.m. and the rodeo performances get underway at 8 p.m.
“Generous sponsors and individuals from 40, 50, 60 miles away” from McCracken have consistently contributed their time, thought, energy and funding to the success of the award-winning rodeo, Legleiter said. “It’s also a reunion of sorts.”
“We just have a lot of fun. Everybody pitches in…there’s a lot of work that needs to be done,” he added. Brenda Legleiter, Roger’s wife, heads up the concession stand and lines up the volunteers to work it.
There are five young women competing in the Rodeo Queen and Princess contests Saturday morning at 9 a.m. The two winners will be crowned by their predecessors, Mikaela Brackney and Abbie Schwab, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday just before the second night of rodeo begins.
A rodeo dance will be held on the grounds after the rodeo both nights.
Other Saturday events include a golf tournament, cancer benefit run/walk, trail ride, and a 12:30 p.m. dinner meal hosted by McCracken High School alumni.
Tickets are available at the gate or in advance in McCracken–Charlie’s, and Midland Marketing; Ness City–G&L Pharmacy; LaCrosse–Farmers Bank & Trust, Nekoma State Bank, LaCrosse Abstract & Title, and State Farm Insurance; Hays–Vanderbilt’s; and WaKeeney–Keyser True Value. Adult tickets are $10 at the gate or $8 in advance. Children’s tickets (ages 5 to 12) are $7 at the gate or $5 in advance.
Hays City Commissioners are expected to take action this evening on three “housekeeping” items related to the upcoming renovation of the wastewater treatment plant.
Commissioners will consider an amendment to the contract with Olathe-based HDR Engineering, the city’s owner-representative for project, estimated to cost $28 to $30 million. The change is a requirement in order to pursue state revolving loan funds (SRF) according to City Finance Director Kim Rupp. “There is no legal or financial consideration,” Rupp said.
During tonight’s Hays City Commission meeting, the commission will also consider a resolution authorizing Hays City Manager Toby Dougherty to sign forms for the SRF. They’ll also consider setting August 13 as the day to hold a public hearing for the wastewater facility plan. The project must be completed by 2018 to adhere to stricter Kansas Department of Health and Environment effluent requirements.
Interim Public Works Director John Braun will present information about the Tallgrass Addition Phase 5 Benefit District in east Hays. Construction bids are higher than the engineer’s estimate. According to Braun, the developer wants to proceed with the project.
Braun will also present updates about three vehicle abatement cases.
The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. tonight, July 9, in Hays City Hall, 1507 Main Street.
TOPEKA–The Kansas Highway Patrol has released preliminary data from its Independence Day weekend holiday activity.
The reporting period for the holiday weekend ran from 6:00 p.m. Thursday, July 2, 2015, through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, July 5, 2015.
During that time, the Patrol worked two fatal crashes, neither of which was alcohol-related. One person died in each crash–in Washington county and in Harvey county.
Information in the table is compared to the 2014 Independence Day holiday activity. The 2014 reporting period was the same amount of time as the 2015 period. For 2014, data was collected from 6:00 p.m. Thursday, July 3, 2014, through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, July 6, 2014.
The Hays wastewater treatment plant must be extensively renovated by 2018 to meet stricter KDHE effluent guidelines.
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
A public meeting about the Hays wastewater treatment plant renovation will be held next Thursday, July 16, during the Hays City Commission work session.
A public hearing will also be scheduled, during which commissioners can take action. Commissioners are expected to approve the August 13 date during their meeting this Thursday evening, July 9.
Commissioners will also approve an amendment in the contract with Olathe-based HDR, the city’s owner representative for the project. The language change will not affect costs or work schedules, according to Johnny O’Connor, Assistant Director of Utilities.
The steps are required in applying for financing through the state revolving loan fund (SRF) for the project, currently estimated to cost $28 to $30 million–one of the biggest projects ever undertaken by the city of Hays.
“Going through all of this doesn’t lock us into the state revolving loan fund,” according to Hays City Manager Toby Dougherty.
“If there are other options when it’s time to seek financing, we can still get out (of it.) But if we don’t do all this ahead of time, we can’t use state revolving loan funds,” Dougherty explained.
“Johnny and Bernie (Director of Utilities Bernie Kitten) told staff the state is very eager to get us in this program. They utilize some federal monies for this program–hence all the hoops we have to jump through…a lot like the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) (airport) monies we get, there’s always five more steps in an FAA project than a regular project,” he said.
“The state needs to justify that they’re actually utilizing this (federal) money and doing good with this money. So they want us in this program and they’re being very accommodating.”
If commissioners decide to apply for the SRF loan, they will do so shortly after the public hearing.
“Once we’re approved, then we can lock in an (interest) rate,” according to City Finance Director Kim Rupp.
“It it time sensitive. You keep hearing they’re going to raise rates…whether they do or not, the rates are good now so we want to get moving and get as far down the road as we can as quickly as possible,” Rupp said.
Hays has used the SRF previously.
“We actually just paid off a state revolving fund loan last year. It was taken out in the ’90s for the last upgrade at the wastewater treatment plant,” said Dougherty.
The Chamber is currently seeking applications for nomination to the Board of Directors for the Hays Area Chamber of Commerce.
MISSION STATEMENT:
The Hays Area Chamber of Commerce works for the business prosperity of Hays and its neighbors.
Prospective Candidate Orientation: Wednesday, August 19th at 2:00 p.m. at the Chamber, 2700 Vine Street. Your attendance at this one-hour informational meeting is not required, but strongly encouraged for understanding your future commitment. If you are unable to attend and would like more information, contact Tammy at 628-8201.
Director Commitment: 4-5 hours per month plus Board retreat and Board trainings.
Director Requirements: Business must be a member of the Hays Area Chamber of Commerce for a minimum of one year prior to application. Nominee must be able to demonstrate leadership abilities. (Self nominations are encouraged)
Term: Elected Board member will begin his/her service on January 1, 2016 for a 3-year period, ending on December 31, 2018
ELLIS–Water dominates the Ellis City Council agenda for tonight, July 6. Council members will consider approval of the Municipal Water Conservation Plan, modifying water rates for utility customers, and revisions to the utility policy for base water allowance.
They will also discuss the Water Advisory Committee.
The meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. tonight in Ellis City Hall.
The complete meeting agenda follows.
AGENDA July 6, 2015 REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF ELLIS
City Hall – Council Meeting Room
BILLS ORDINANCE REVIEW WORK SESSION BEGINS AT 7:00 P.M.
ROLL CALL AND MEETING CALL TO ORDER AT 7:30 P.M.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
AMENDMENTS TO AGENDA (if needed)
PUBLIC HEARING – PROPOSED ANNEXATION OF PROPERTY
CONSENT AGENDA
Minutes from Regular Meeting on June 15, 2015
Bills Ordinance #1976
February, March and April manual journal entries
(Council will review for approval under one motion under the consent agenda. By majority vote of the governing body, any item may be removed from the consent agenda and considered separately)
PUBLIC COMMENTS
(Each speaker will be limited to five minutes. If several people from the group wish to speak on same subject, the group must appoint a spokesperson. ALL comments from public on agenda items must be during Public Comment. Once council begins their business meeting, no more comments from public will be allowed.)
PRESENTATIONS OF AWARDS, PROCLAMATIONS, REQUESTS & PETITIONS (HEARINGS)
SPECIAL ORDER
Fire Department Monthly Report – Chief Denis Vine
Discussion on Wireless Meter Technology – Will Clark, Verizon Wireless
Consider Exception to Watering Regulations – Dan Pyle, Ellis Recreation Commission
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Consider Property Insurance Revisions
Consider Policy on Volunteer Work on City Property
Update on Water Exploration – KDHE Lab Results
Consider Approval of Municipal Water Conservation Plan
Consider Ordinance Modifying Code Section 15-502
Consider Ordinance Modifying Water Rates
Consider Revisions to Utility Policy for Base Water Allowance/Credit
NEW BUSINESS
Consider Approval of Appointments to Cemetery Committee and Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals
Consider Approval of Destruction of Records
Consider Approval of Application for Local Incentives – WT Services, LLC
Consider Approval of Application for License to Sell Cereal Malt Beverages – Tim Kohlrus, Ellis Volunteer Fire Department
Consider Approval of Public Property Permit Application and Event Request for Traffic Control – Ellis Jr. Free Fair
Consider Approval of Resolution Waiving GAAP Reporting Requirements
Consider Contract for 2016 Budget Services – Adams, Brown, Beran & Ball
Discussion of Request from BG Consultants for Old 40 Highway Project
Consider Purchase of Chlorine for Swimming Pool
Consider Purchase of Small Dump Truck
REPORTS FROM CITY OFFICIALS
Administrative
Public Works
Comparative Water Report
Discuss Sewer Cleaning Contract
Consider Approval of Hiring Department Employee
Department Update
Police
June Monthly Activity Report
July Staff Calendar
Department Update
City Clerk
February, March, and April Financial Statements
Minutes from Committee Meetings
Schedule Budget Work Sessions
Department Update
Attorney
Mayor/Council
Discussion on Water Advisory Committee
Report on Storm Shelter Project
EXECUTIVE SESSIONS
ADJOURNMENT
Beginning Monday, July 6th, road construction will occur on 41st Street between Hall Street and Thunderbird Drive. The road will remain open to traffic, but there may be some minor inconvenience. Work should be complete by July 10th.
Traffic Control will be in place to direct the traveling public. Motorists should use caution and if at all possible avoid this area. The City of Hays regrets any inconvenience this may cause to the public. If there are any questions, please call the contractor APAC at 625-3459 or the Public Works Planning, Inspection, and Enforcement Division at 628-7310.
Hays City Commissioner Lance Jones finds one-way streets “confusing.”
“I’m not a fan of one-way streets, especially if they’re wide enough to drive two ways,” Jones said during the Thursday night commission work session.
He had asked commissioners to discuss the possibility of changing Sixth and Seventh Streets in south Hays from one-way to two-way streets.
City Manager Toby Dougherty said he found commission minutes from the 1990s that may explain why those two streets were originally designated one-way.
During the 1950s, Eighth Street was the highway through Hays. Students traveling to and from the Fort Hays State University campus could drive on Sixth and Seventh, avoiding the busy highway traffic on Eighth Street.
“Sixth Street still provides a really good one-way exit from campus after games and events at the Beach-Schmidt Performing Arts Center,” Dougherty said. “It’s a quick way to disperse traffic.”
Sixth Street is narrower than Seventh Street. City staff has determined that Seventh could handle two-way traffic with no issues, but changing Sixth Street to two-way traffic would require eliminating parking on one side of the street.
Commissioners agreed to study the issue further at another work session and also want input from the public about the possible change.
In other business, commissioners heard a memorandum to amend a contract with HDR, the city’s owner-representative for the wastewater treatment plant reconstruction project. The change is a requirement in order to pursue state revolving loan funds (SRF), explained City Finance Director Kim Rupp. “There is no legal or financial consideration,” Rupp said.
The commission will also consider a resolution authorizing Dougherty to sign forms for the SRF at next week’s regular meeting. They’ll also consider setting August 13 as the day to hold a public hearing for the wastewater facility plan. The project is estimated to cost about $30 million and must be completed by 2018.
Interim Public Works Director John Braun presented information about the Tallgrass Addition Phase 5 Benefit District in east Hays. Construction bids are higher than the engineer’s estimate. Braun said the developer wants to proceed with the project.
Braun also presented updates about three vehicle abatement cases. The vehicles are “inoperable and no progress has been made by the owners,” Braun reported.
Commissioners went into a 10-minute executive session with Dougherty and City Attorney John Bird to discuss litigation against the city.
No action was taken following the executive session.
Commissioner Henry Schwaller was absent from Thursday night’s work session.
