It’s somewhat unusual in Ellis County–a request of County Commissioners to perform a “fence viewing.”
County Counselor Bill Jeter told County Administrator Greg Sund it’s just the second fence viewing request in 25 years:
The request,by landowners Robert Boardman and his wife, will be considered by Ellis County Commissioners during their Monday night meeting.
The Kansas Board of Regents members will have a special snack to enjoy during their meeting this week in Topeka, courtesy of Fort Hays State University’s Institute of Applied Technology.
Ten Delicious Red apples have lasered on them the Institute’s name and the Victor E Tiger logo.
Assistant Professor of Construction Management Kris Munsch came up with the idea recently as he showed his students the of basics of Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machining. Munsch says he “hopes the students will see the power of combining the foundation of woodworking with the ease of computer-driven machines.”
FHSU President Dr. Ed Hammond will hand-deliver the apples. He presents the updated FHSU Master Plan to the Regents Thursday .
FROM ELLIS CITY CLERK AMY BURTON:
Due to an expected lack of quorum, the City of Ellis Regular Council Meeting scheduled for tonight has been rescheduled to Tuesday, September 17, 2013 at 7:30 p.m.
AGENDA
September 16, 2013
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)
1) CONSENT AGENDA
a) Minutes from Regular Meeting on September 3, 2013
b) Bills Ordinance #1933
c) August monthly 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.)
2) PRESENTATIONS OF AWARDS, PROCLAMATIONS, REQUESTS & PETITIONS (HEARINGS)
3) SPECIAL ORDER
a) Fire Department Report
b) Fort Hays State University Leadership 310 Team Presentation
4) UNFINISHED BUSINESS
5) NEW BUSINESS
a) Appointment to Vacant Council Position
b) Consideration of Event Request – Ellis High School
c) Consider request for water variance – USD 388
d) Update from Water Advisory Committee
e) Consideration of Repairs to Champion 710 Grader
f) Consider Approval for Police Department Tire House Addition
6) REPORTS FROM CITY OFFICIALS
a) Administrative
1) Public Works
(1) Comparative Water Report
(2) Well histories
(3) Sewer Cleaning and Inspection
(4) Update on Street Project
(5) Department Update
2) Police
(1) Monthly Report
(2) Approval for Advertising Vacant Position
(3) Update on vehicles
(4) Department Update
3) City Clerk
(1) August Financial Statements
(2) Department Update
4) Attorney
5) Mayor/Council
EXECUTIVE SESSIONS
7) ADJOURNMENT
Hays businesses and schools, including our own Eagle Communications, have teamed up to participate in the Take Charge Challenge sponsored by the Climate + Energy Project, which runs through January 31.
Hays is competing against Hutchinson, Kansas City, Kansas, and Warrensburg, Missouri for the $10,000 Grand Prize which will be used towards an energy or water conservation project.
The Take Charge Challenge encourages businesses and schools to inventory their electrical and water using devices, conduct an audit to see where improvements can be made, and then implement new energy and water saving devices.
Midwest Energy will do free audits at participating locations:
In addition to Eagle Communications, other entities already signed up for the Take Charge Challenge include
Northwestern Printers, Midwest Energy, Ellis County, Hays Medical Center, Nex-Tech, Thomas More Prep Marian and Holy Family schools, Ellis County Coalition, Cross Manufacturing, Hadley Center, and Master Cleaners.
To sign-up for the Take Charge Challenge, contact Sandy Beisner, TCC Leadership Team, 785-650-2577.
Community volunteers will be going door to door in Hays Tuesday, October 8, collecting non-perishable food items during “Trick or Treat So Others Can Eat.”
The donations will go to the Community Assistance Center, which serves low-income residents of Ellis County.
Hays High School’s DECA Club coordinates the annual project. Seniors Macey Pfeifer and Jessica Stoecklein are in charge this year:
This is at least the 14th year for the canned food drive. DECA members who volunteer are also getting valuable experience, says Pfeifer:
The most-needed food items are canned fruits, vegetables and meat products, as well as boxed macaroni and cheese, instant potatoes, Hamburger Helper, and dried pasta.
No Hays school board members will be on the hiring committee for the new USD 489 business manager position.
There were eight applicants for the job shortly before this week’s deadline.
Those people will be screened by consultant Randy Gustafson, and a three-person committee will conduct the interviews. Interim Superintendent Dean Katt recommends Board Clerk Cheryl Shubert, Assistant Superintendent for Special Services Mark Hauptman and a third person to be committee members:
The board agreed to soon review the policy requiring its members to be involved in some job hire interviews.
Now that school is back in session and vacation season is mostly over, events for local residents are on the increase at the Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau.
CVB Executive Director Jana Jordan has a preview:
The Hays CVB posts daily reminders about upcoming activities on their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/HaysCVB
As of Wednesday, 62 customers have signed up for the new online utility bill pay offered by the city of Hays, according to Finance Director Kim Rupp.
“It’s gaining in popularity,” he says, ” and is perfect for people who want the flexibility of paying their bill any time of day.”
There’s no fee to utilize the program which started August 23rd.
Rupp and city I-T Coordinator Chad Ruder have been working on the project for awhile:
Utility customers can enroll in the program by clicking a link on the front page of the city’s website www.haysusa.com.
You’ll need your account number and customer identification number, both found on the printed billing statement.
The new online system also allows viewing a customer’s bills the past 13 months as well as a look at their monthly water usage.
The I-70 westbound rest area facilities located east of Russell are now open to the traveling public.
The facilities were closed Sunday, September 8, in order to make repairs to a broken water line, according to KDOT Area Three Engineer Kevin Zimmer.
Although the restroom facilities were closed, the parking lot, dump station, and picnic areas remained open.
It wasn’t the traditional ribbon cutting. Instead, three cheers went up for the third and final Chestnut Street District Gateway Marker.
Members of the Downtown Hays Development Corporation Board of Directors gathered around the limestone marker at 17th and Main Streets.
Along with the other two, it’s designed and constructed by local artist Pete Felten. He used limestone from the historic Opera House building at 9th and Fort which was demolished last summer.
DHDC Executive Director Traci Stanford says the markers resemble the many stone buildings and structures in downtown Hays:
Monday’s ceremony was one of the final few duties remaining for Stanford who is moving to her husband’s new job location later this month.
Megan Colson, Projects Coordinator for the Hays Area Chamber of Commerce, will assume the DHDC Executive Director position September 23.
Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas has received an $80,000 grant from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation.
DSNWK president Jerry Michaud says the award will be used to replace the roof at Pioneer Developmental Center in Russell.
“We are forever grateful to the Hansen Foundation for their tremendous support of DSNWK and other organizations throughout northwest Kansas,” said Michaud.
Developmental Services is a private, not for profit organization serving more than 500 individuals with developmental disabilities in the 18 counties of northwest Kansas.
A decision made by TMP Marian just before school started allows USD 489 to utilize Victory Road on the north side of O’Loughlin Elementary School for drop-off and pick-up of student.
The road was previously closed because of deterioration.
For now, drivers of O’Loughlin students are turning around in the TMP baseball/softball parking complex, which will be an issue when spring sports starts.
Hays school board vice-president Darren Schumacher and TMP representatives are in talks about sharing costs for repair and/or reconfiguration of Victory Road:
Architect Terry Ault will have preliminary drawings in a couple of weeks of an option to build a new road connecting 12th Street to 13th Street on the south side of the O’Loughlin property.
Two Hays students are semifinalists in the 59th annual National Merit Scholarship Program.
Officials of National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced Wednesday TMP-Marian High School seniors Jacob Brull and Ryan Hammerschmidt are semifinalists.
Jacob is the son and Chris and Jen Brull of Plainville, who are both 1989 TMP graduates. Ryan is the son of Robert and Patricia Hammerschmidt of Hays.
The two TMP-Marian seniors, who have already tested in the top one-half of one per cent of all high school seniors, have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 8,000 National Merit Scholarships worth about $35 million that will be offered next spring.
