The Hays Fire Department has smoke detectors available at no cost for qualified Hays residents.
To qualify, said firefighter Lucas Everett, you “must live within the Hays city limits, own the home in which the alarm will be installed and either have no detector present or no working detectors present.”
Call the Hays Fire Department at (785) 628-7330 to make an appointment for a firefighter to install the detector.
“While we’re in your home, we’ll explain the function and purpose of the smoke detector and answer any fire safety questions you may have,” said Everett.
“If you do have working smoke detectors present in your home, the Hays Fire Department will also check and change the batteries, if you can’t do it yourself or if you don’t know how to do that.”
Everett also reminded everyone to change batteries in their smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. The Hays Fire Department recommends doing this twice a year in connection with Daylight Saving Time.
The smoke detectors being given away were donated by the Office of the State Fire Marshal through the program “Saving Lives of Kansans, One Home at a Time.”
When the city of Hays implemented a new Stormwater Utility fee in July 2011, flood control was anticipated as the biggest concern.
Since then, according to City Manager Toby Dougherty, “aging infrastructure has become a bigger problem, and now, (state and federal) regulatory requirements are a pressing issue.”
During Thursday’s Hays City Commission work session, new Stormwater Specialist Steven Walters reviewed stormwater activities in Hays.
Walters explained the city’s new stormwater permit, issued in February, requires further reduction of “impairments” or contaminants in the city’s Big Creek watershed.
“We as a municipality are supposed to reduce the levels of these impairments to the ‘maximum extent practical’, and we may see that change to actual numbers required for the next permit,” Walters said. “We don’t know what will happen:”
Hays collects water samples in five locations — only three are required — four times a year following “significant rainfall events of more than one-half inch.” The contaminants monitored are E. coli, nitrogen, phosphorus, orthophosphate and total suspended solids.
Collections of stormwater runoff Sept. 5 show E. coli contamination is very high in the Big Creek Oxbow on the Fort Hays State University campus. The Sept. 5, E. coli MPN (Most Probable Number) was measured at 199,000. Recreational Use Water Exposure Limits is 126 MPN.
Commissioner Shaun Musil asked how that compares with other similarly sized Kansas cities.
“There hasn’t been a whole lot of data collected,” Walters replied. “That’s what this permit kind of does, is gather information to establish a ‘baseline’ number for the state so they know where they want to go with regulations.”
“The biggest E. Coli contributor there is dogs and cats — pet waste,” according to Walters, “and it’s made worse by limited sunlight penetrating the stagnant water which will kill the bacteria.”
Commissioner Eber Phelps pointed out the FHSU campus area is home to a “hundreds of feral cats” and “pet owners often walk their dogs along the Big Creek dike.”
“We have to try and do our best to control these contaminants coming off our watershed and flowing into Big Creek,” Walters added. “It’s a challenge and will require some city expenditures.”
Stormwater runoff is regulated by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment through the federal Clean Water Act of the Environmental Protection Agency.
In other business, commissioners agreed to move a bid recommendation for storm sewer structure repair to the Oct. 28 meeting. Commissioners, the city manager and city attorney met in a 15-minute special session at the end of Thursday’s meeting. No action was taken.
The Oct. 9 Hays city commission meeting has been canceled due to a lack of quorum.
While the Ellis County courthouse and law enforcement center are being remodeled, a process that is slated to take 325 days–nearly a year–inmates in the Ellis County Jail will be housed in temporary jail pods.
Sheriff Harbin said the county is currently in discussions to rent several mobile modular jails with the company Jails on Demand.
“The pods will basically be a jail cell,” Harbin explained.
“They’ll have bunks, toilet facilities, a shower. They’re kind of like a mobile home, without all the luxuries of a mobile home.”
The steel structures, which are configured in compliance with American Correctional Association standards, will be placed on the former NEW call center property on south Commerce Parkway.
Courthouse offices will be temporarily housed in the vacant NEW building.
Harbin said Ellis County is waiting on cost estimates from the company, which he expects to have within the next couple days.
The jail pods are moved by semi-trucks and will be hooked together in a configuration designated by the county.
“A security fence will be installed around the jail pods,” Harbin stressed.
Some inmates will be housed out of county. Harbin has told county commissioners in recent meetings he expects there will be some inmates no other county will accept. Those inmates will be housed in the temporary pods in Hays.
“This is bare-bones housing. They’re not fancy, but they’re functional,” added Harbin.
It’s a short agenda, just two items for Hays city commissioners to review during their work session this Thursday evening.
The first agenda item is an update of stormwater activities.
City Stormwater Specialist Steve Walters will review the National Pollutant Discharge System permit and which requirements the city still needs to meet. Walters will offer recommendations on how to do meet the requirements.
There will also be a look ahead to large stormwater projects proposed for next year, according to Assistant Hays City Manager Paul Briseno.
“These include levy repair upgrades, the Lincoln Draw project engineering with the Army Corps of Engineers and the 13th Street stormwater project from Main to Milner, which will be done in collaboration with the reconstruction of 13th in that area, as well as the Eighth Street drainage project.
“The total cost of of these major projects would be roughly $1.3 million. Those funds are budgeted in the city’s 2015 budget,” Briseno said.
Commissioners also will hear a bid recommendation from I.D. Creech, director of Public Works, for storm sewer structures repair.
“Roughly 100 structures need to be rehabilitated — manholes and inlets, the structures adjacent to city streets,” Briseno explained.
Utility Solutions LLC of Basehor has submitted the low bid of $37,180, considerably below the engineer’s estimate of $70,980. The project would be funded from the stormwater utility line item.
The work session begins at 6:30 p.m. Thursday night in Hays City Hall, 1507 Main. Click HERE for the Oct. 2 meeting agenda.
Next week’s city commission meeting, Oct. 9, has been canceled due to the lack of a quorum.
“The best fire prevention tip is to make sure you have a working smoke detector in your home,” Hagans stressed. “It’s best to have one on every floor of the house and also outside each bedroom door or actually in each bedroom.
“Smoke detectors should be replaced at least every 10 years — every seven years is better. And be sure to change the batteries regularly. An easy way to remember is to do it in conjunction with Daylight Saving Time changes in the spring and fall — change your clock, change your batteries.”
This year Daylight Saving Time ends Sunday, Nov. 2.
Thanks to a grant from the office of the state fire marshal, the Hays Fire Department has some smoke detectors free of charge for low-income residents or those on a fixed income.
“Just give us a call, and we’ll even come to your home and install it,” said Hagans.
More information is available at the Hays Fire Department at (785) 628-7330.
From left, Hays Police Officer Colin Roe and Jolynn Ashmore, general manager of United passenger service at Hays Regional Airport, thank DSNWK employee Jeff Saindon, who found and turned in a large amount of cash Friday.
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
Hays resident Jeff Saindon was shaking a lot of hands at work Friday morning.
The longtime employee of Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas Employment Connections was on the job as usual at the Hays Regional Airport.
While he was cleaning in the terminal area about 9:20 a.m., Saindon found what he thought was probably litter — a discarded envelope. Just to be sure, Saindon first opened it.
Inside was several hundred dollars in cash.
Saindon showed it to his DSNWK crew supervisor Connie Fross, who took it to the United Airlines general manager Jolynn Ashmore, who in turn called the Hays Police Department.
Responding HPD Officer Colin Roe was impressed with Saindon’s decision to turn in the money.
“You’re doing a great job,” Roe told Saindon. “Not everybody would have been that honest. A lot of people would have kept the money themselves.”
Ashmore and Fross agreed, and they all thanked Saindon, taking turns to shake his hand.
“You’re very trustworthy,” Ashmore said to Saindon.
Roe said the HPD will begin an investigation to find the rightful owner of the cash.
Ashmore said the Hays airport has a video security system.
“It’s easily accessible by the police because the airport is city-owned,” she explained. “Hopefully, they’ll be able to see who left the envelope.”
It’s long been a tradition at TMP-Marian High School for fathers of senior class students to build the homecoming bonfire, usually with help from their sons.
Dean Haselhorst worked with his son Kolby and several other parents and their sons to gather and stack approximately 500 wood pallets donated by various Hays businesses.
“We had a lot of good help from a lot of good people the past three days. It’s always fun,” Haselhorst said.
Dean Haselhorst tosses farm diesel fuel on 500 stacked pallets.
Haselhorst was in charge of fueling the bonfire shortly before dusk Thursday night.
Under the watchful eyes of several Hays Fire Department firefighters, Haselhorst filled a bucket several times with farm diesel and tossed the fuel on the stack in the open field southeast of the school.
Kevin Gottschalk, father of Kaylor, who is a homecoming queen candidate, was in charge of building the outhouse on top of the stacked pallets.
“It’s a tradition, I’m not sure why, to have an outhouse on the very top of the bonfire,” Gottschalk said with a smile. “We built something that kind of looks like an outhouse, and the kids painted it.”
TMP sophomore Thomas Cole takes a whack at the “Plainville Opponent.” Cole is a tight end and linebacker for the Monarchs.
Following a car-bash fundraiser sponsored by STUCO and the blessing of fall sports and activities, a large crowd gathered at a safe distance from the bonfire as it was lit by a Hays firefighter.
The TMP 2014 homecoming pep rally was underway.
TMP cheerleaders rally the crowd in the light of Thursday’s homecoming bonfire.
Hays American Legion Post 173 Commander Kevin VanHorn listens as American Legion National Commander Mike Helm of Norcatur talks to local veterans last week in Hays.
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
The new American Legion National Commander, Mike Helm, along with U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., who is a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, have called for immediate action to remove certain U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs employees.
Helm, a native of Norcatur in northwest Kansas, was in Hays recently as part of his national tour.
Last week, Helm sent a letter to President Barack Obama saying corrupt managers within the agency need to be “fired immediately.”
“The only way those culpable will get their just desserts, and credibility will be restored to the thousands of VA employees who really deserve it, is for you to demand that those who caused this scandal, and those who oversaw it and did nothing, be fired and removed from government,” Helm wrote.
Click here to read the full letter from the American Legion National commander to President Obama.
Moran sent a letter to VA Secretary Bob McDonald calling for immediate action to remove the VA employees who were found to have abused their positions. Click here to read Moran’s entire letter.
With the passage of the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act this summer, Congress empowered the VA secretary with the ability to more readily terminate employees for poor performance and misconduct.
Lightning caused an oil tank battery fire near Bunker Hill Tuesday morning. (Photo courtesy Keith Haberer)
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
BUNKER HILL — Today’s early morning thunderstorm brought welcome rain to the area, along with lots of lightning and noisy thunder.
The lightning started an oil tank battery fire 6 miles southwest of Bunker Hill on Tuesday morning.
According to Russell County Emergency Manager Keith Haberer, crews from Russell County Rural Fire District Five and Russell-Grant Township responded to the fire at 7:34 a.m.
“A lightning strike hit the equipment causing a fire in one gun barrel. Fire crews were able to extinguish the blaze in about 45 minutes,” Haberer said.
Pink tags mark trees eligible for the city of Hays Tree Rebate Program
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
The Hays Beautification Committee is promoting fall tree planting.
Between now and mid-October is “the best time” for planting trees in the Hays area, according to Jim Strine, an HBC committee member and recently retired Northwest Kansas District Forester.
“We’ve had some summer moisture, and now that the city recently eased the outdoor watering restrictions, this is a perfect opportunity to plant new trees, which need extra water to get them started,” Strine said.
“Of course, the temperatures aren’t as hot as summertime, the soil temperature is a lot better which allows the root system to get established before winter hits, and then the trees are already established before the hot weather hits,” he added.
The city of Hays has a rebate program for homeowners within the city limits who plant a “preferred or acceptable” tree for the local growing conditions.
Strine and other HBC volunteers have affixed neon pink tags on trees eligible for the rebate sold at local businesses. Research trials by K-State Research and Extension have determined which trees will thrive in the hot, windy and dry conditions prevalent in the area.
“There are some rules you have to follow,” said Hays Director of Parks Jeff Boyle.
“You can’t plant a tree where it will interfere with sight lines for drivers, or anywhere the tree would eventually grow tall enough to interfere with a power line.”
Ellis County Extension Horticulture Agent Holly Dickman
Details about the tree rebate program are available on the city’s website or in brochures available at Hays City Hall, the Parks Department and local vendors selling trees.
Ellis County Horticulture Extension Agent Holly Dickman will present a fall tree planting program Tuesdayin the Ellis County Meeting Room, 601 Main.
The free program starts at 7 p.m. Pre-registration is due Monday by calling the Ellis County Extension Office at (785) 628-9430.
City officials say the first month reliability rate for SkyWest/United Express at the Hays Regional airport is 85 percent to 90 percent.
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
The first full month of passenger service by SkyWest, flying as United Express at the Hays Regional Airport, was successful, according to acting airport manager I.D. Creech.
Service between Hays and Denver started Aug. 1.
Although United has not yet released any official figures, Creech said, “We do know, unofficially, about 700 passengers flew out the first month and more than 700 people flew in, probably because of school starting in Hays.”
On-time service was “pretty good,” he added, “with three weekend flights canceled. SkyWest’s reliability in August was between 85 and 90 percent.”
Many flights from Denver are arriving in Hays early because of a prevailing western tailwind.
“The crews will then load early and leave early if all the passengers are already here,” Creech said. “They’ve been very, what I’d call ‘friendly,” with the flight schedule to get people on the plane in Denver coming home to Hays for the 10 p.m. arrival. There’ve been a couple of night flights arriving a little late because, as a courtesy, they waited on passengers making connections in Denver to make the Hays return flight — as long as it’s not a long delay.”
Creech also reminded passengers to book and schedule their flights online at www.united.com because the United Airlines website offers “advantages in baggage handling and ticket combinations.”
“We’re ecstatic about having them here,” Creech said.
Traffic flow within the 41st Street project in north Hays has changed.
According to Hays Public Works Director I.D. Creech, the traffic pattern from houses in the area now flows west. Through traffic is prohibited.
“We’ve been talking about this street widening project for some time,” Creech said. “It’s a KDOT project, so we don’t have much control over it, but it’s still on track to be completed in spring 2015.”
The intersection of 41st and Hall Street will be the next section of work.
“That intersection will have to be closed, so we’ll be alerting the public about how drivers should avoid that area,” Creech said.
41st Street is being widened between Hall Street and the U.S. 183 Bypass. A bike and pedestrian lane also will be added.
Kansas Association of Police Chiefs vice president Ed Howell, Hays.
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
The actions of police officers in Ferguson, Mo., during recent unrest — and their use of heavy-armored trucks and military-style equipment, including assault rifles — have spurred a national debate about the militarization of local law enforcement agencies.
St. Louis County’s top police officer Col. Jon Belmar said Tuesday the equipment helped keep civilians and law enforcement officers safe.
The vice president of Kansas Association of Chiefs of Police Ed Howell agreed. Howell is also director of police for Fort Hays State University.
“We need to make sure that we have the tools to confront with what we’re being confronted with,” Howell said. “Just because we acquired that equipment through the military doesn’t mean it’s a militarization of the civilian police department.
“It’s a ‘measured response,’ ” he added.
“You’ve got a proliferation of guns in general in society. If you analyze the data, especially from the Department of Justice, an active shooter often has an assault rifle. So, you have to match what you’re possibly going to be confronted with, using a measured response dependent on the event.”
Howell also explained how his law enforcement department and others are “being good stewards with the money that we’re provided” by purchasing military equipment.
“If I used my (FHSU) budget, tax-generated or fee-generated, and I buy that tool — that rifle — at open market, it’s going to cost me a minimum of $1,000. If I get it through federal surplus (Federal Surplus Personal Property Donation Program), I can get it for $81 — a big difference.”
When three groups of protesters were on the FHSU campus during last May’s commencement ceremony, campus police officers were not brandishing assault rifles. Those were left in patrol vehicles.
“We had a protest group from Fred Phelps (Westboro Church in Topeka) and two more counter-protest groups. Did we break out the assault rifles? No,” Howell said with a frown.
By BECKY KISER
The smoke detectors being given away were donated by the Office of the State Fire Marshal through the program “Saving Lives of Kansans, One Home at a Time.”
