The Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission is hosting a series of public input meetings across the state this month.

The group will be at the Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau Friday,  April 19, from 5:30 to 7:30p.m.

Hays resident and vice-mayor Henry Schwaller is an advisory board member.

The information will used for strategic planning and activities of the Creative Arts Industries Commission which generates creative industry-related jobs in Kansas.

Other meetings have been held in Fort Scott, Lawrence, Dodge City, and Salina.  The final two sessions will be held in Shawnee Mission and Wichita.

The KCAIC is under the auspices of the Kansas Department of Commerce.

Topeka resident Stephanie Mott is executive director of the Kansas Statewide Transgender Education Project (K-STEP) and chairperson of the Kansas Equality Coalition.

She is also a transsexual woman.

Mott was in Hays Sunday at the invitation of the Open Roads LGBT Community Center to talk about what it means to be transgendered.

“Transgender is when someone identifies inside as the gender not associated with their biological birth sex enough that they need express that in some fashion”, she explained.

Last week in Lawrence at the University of Kansas, Mott received the Emily Taylor Center for Women and Gender Equity “Pioneer Woman” award for her contributions to Kansas as an activist and advocate for the rights of lesbian, gay,bi-sexual and transgendered people. 

She’s in good company. Former Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius, now the U-S Health and Human Services Secretary, and famed Kansas aviator Amelia Earhart, have also been honored with the “Pioneer Woman” award.

It’s going to happen.”

During a public information meeting Tuesday night at the  Hays VFW, Ellis County Commission chairman Dean Haselhorst said if the proposed half-cent county sales tax fails, “‘Plan B’ will likely mean an increase in property taxes.”

The sales tax would fund two projects, a new combined Emergency Medical Services/Rural Fire building, and safety and security improvements to the Ellis County jail and courthouse.

It would sunset in five years, or when the project is paid off, whichever comes first.  Total costs, with interest, are estimated at $14.3 million dollars.

Presentations were made by Sheriff Ed Harbin, Ellis County Attorney Tom Drees, District Judge Glenn Braun, EMS Director Kerry McCue and Rural Fire Chief Dick Klaus. Each explained the problems the outdated and crowded facilities are causing.

The courthouse was built in 1940; the jail in 1970.  There were 11 EMS employees in 1990;  today there are 41 working in the same building.  The rural fire station is too small to house all the vehicles.

County Administrator Greg Sund reassured a skeptical audience member that all possible scenarios have been studied the past three years.  “These recommendations satisfy the county’s needs, not wants, ” he said.

“There are other benefit to this plan.  We’ll be able to sell three buildings–EMS, Rural Fire and the Tholen Building, where EMS records are kept, ” said Sund.  “There are also savings of nearly $28,000 a year that the county is currently paying to rent offices and storage buildings.”

Sheriff Harbin pointed out another savings.  The jail capacity is 30, but the average daily inmate population is about 50.  “Right now, we’re spending $185,000 a year to house prisoners out of county, ” said Harbin.  That cost, and the liability,  would end if a bigger jail is built.

Five more public meetings will be held.  The sales tax election is May 14.

 

 The city of Hays sales tax dropped April 1^st, but some businesses haven’t yet adjusted, according to Director of Finance Kim Rupp.

“We’ve had several calls to the city clerk’s office with complaints that some businesses are still charging customers the old rate,” he said in a Tuesday news conference.

“The citywide retailers half-cent sales tax ended April 1.  It was used to fund the new Bickle-Schmidt Sports Complex.  The current Hays sales tax is 8.05%  and that applies to all businesses within the city of Hays.”

Although nearly all Hays retailers made the switch, Rupp suggests consumers contact the businesses if they have overpaid for a purchase, and ask for a refund.

A study of budget cuts for the arts has won a national advocacy award for the Kansas Music Educators Association. Hays High School director of bands Craig Manteuffel is the group’s vice-president.

The survey finds that more than 600 music positions in grades K – 12 have been eliminated in Kansas the past five years.

Manteuffel calls it a “real travesty.  The 2012 national A-C-T average composite  is 21.1  The Kansas average is 21.9  The KMEA all-state honor group composite average is 27, a huge jump,” says Manteuffel.

“Music can do so much–teach team work, problem solving, and of course, creativity.  Today, most big corporations are looking for creative employees.”

The study, headed by a KSU professor, has been presented to national and state legislators, as well as the Kansas Board of Education.