A preliminary design by Overland Property Group for proposed “The Reserves at Stonepost,” 615 E. 5th. (Click to enlarge)
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
A development group that has built three income-qualified housing complexes in Hays hopes to build another one.
The Overland Property Group, Leawood, wants to redevelop the Fort Hays Trailer Park, 615 E. 5th, and construct a 48-unit multi-family apartment complex. The initial plan is to build two and three bedroom units similar to current properties on South Main and near Larks Park.
Assistant Hays City Manager Jacob Wood says as part of the process in applying for state low-income housing tax credits, Overland Property Group requires a Resolution of Support from the city.
Overland Property Group has built income-qualified housing in three phases in Hays. Phase 1 in 2006, is on the southeast corner of 5th and Main. Phase 2 in 2010, is across Main Street to the west. Phase 3 in 2012, is immediately north of Larks Park on Fourth Street. The city commission authorized support resolutions for each project. Commissioners also authorized a resolution of support for a failed attempt at a project on East 22nd Street in 2014.
A deteriorated asphalt roadway in the trailer park.
Regarding the new proposed development “The Reserves at Stonepost,” Vice President of Development Matt Gillam wrote in a letter to the city “we have gone to great lengths to find and secure a site in Hays that meets all our stringent qualifications but also is in line with the city’s for responsible new and infill development.” Gillam estimated a $6 million construction cost.
Entrance into the Fort Hays Trailer Park
According to Hays City Manager Toby Dougherty, the Fort Hays Trailer Park is “currently in very poor condition and the city has a long history of abating properties on the site that are in violation of our Code of Ordinances.”
City staff is supporting the project calling it “very beneficial to the community” and that it “would greatly enhance the area” in south Hays.
Commissioners will find our more about the housing proposal during their Thu. work session. See the complete agenda here.
Dena Patee is executive director of the Ellis Alliance.
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
The Ellis governing body and specifically, new city council member Dena Patee, are still waiting for an opinion from the Kansas Attorney General about her potential incompatibility to serve.
Patee was the top vote-getter in the Nov. 8 general election. She was informed after votes were tallied that the city’s attorney, Olavee Raub, believes Patee is incompatible to serve because of her employment with the Ellis Alliance.
Patee has served a director of Ellis Alliance since its formation in July 2007. Of the group’s approximate $34,300 budget, the city of Ellis contributes $12,500. Other primary stakeholders include Ellis County, the Community Foundation of Ellis and the Ellis Industrial Development Corp.
Raub drafted a letter Nov. 10 to Patee, who has since been sworn into office and is participating in council meetings. The city council voted unanimously in late Nov. to purse the AG opinion.
Since then, the AG’s office has “requested more information three times,” Ellis Mayor Dave McDaniel said Saturday.
Although the situation is “causing some tension,” according to McDaniel, “I feel she’ll be exonerated, if that’s the right word. Of course, she would have to not vote on some issues.
“It’s a small town and people need to work together in multiple leadership positions,” he added.
During the Feb. 6 council meeting, Mayor McDaniel “noted a conversation he had with State Representative Ken Rahjes during Local Government Day where Mr. Rahjes received a call from a female stating the City had a personal vendetta against Ms. Patee as to the reasoning behind the Attorney General’s opinion,” according to meeting minutes. McDaniel then said he wanted “it to be stated for the record that the City in no way has ever had a personal vendetta against Ms. Patee, and the Attorney General’s opinion is purely a legal issue to protect the City against current and future Council decisions.”
“There is no vendetta,” McDaniel said again Saturday, shaking his head. McDaniel was in Hays for the state legislative update by four area legislators, including Rep Rahjes.
Since she took office in Jan., Patee has not had to abstain from any votes. “It just happens that no city council vote has come up that involved the Alliance, Community Foundation of Ellis or the Walter P. Chrysler home,” Patee said Monday. The Ellis Alliance is a central point of contact for many of the town’s local organizations, including the Foundation, Chamber of Commerce, the Economic Development Group and Travel and Tourism.
“In a small community, you’re going to be hard-pressed to find enough people interested in serving, and they’re going to be related to somebody or be involved in another community board,” she added.
NCK Tech President Eric Burks, Beloit, explains the Hansen Career Enhancement Scholarship to the Hays city commission.
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
Enrollment at NCK Tech College in Hays has grown steadily since 2012. A new partnership program between the two-year school, which also has a Beloit campus, and the Dane G. Hansen Foundation in Logan is attracting more students, particularly those who need the most support.
The Hansen Career Enhancement Scholarship is an integral part of the program designed to help non-traditional students upgrade their skill sets.
“We’re so fortunate in northwest Kansas to have the Hansen Foundation,” said NCK Tech President Eric Burks, Beloit. “Everywhere you look, in all communities, they’re really making a difference.”
“We started a program last year. We were granted $100,000 by Hansen and they liked what we did. So they gave us another $100,000 to continue with the pilot program.”
He gave the Hays city commission an example of someone who might best benefit from the program.
“Say somebody is working at a convenience store or as a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant). They’re working at a job that doesn’t have much upward mobility. They have the capability but for whatever reason, they’ve just been stuck in the rut of life.
“This is designed to help pay for not just books, tuition and all that, but also to help them with daycare expenses, any living expenses they have that would be a barrier for getting access to education,” he explained.
The program has worked well, according to Burks, who called it “a humbling experience for me.”
“It’s amazing what some of our students go through to gain access to education. We have five students we’ve been able to really help out.”
Burks wants to spread the word about the Career Enhancement scholarship and attract more eligible students.
“If you know somebody like this who could really use a hand-up, we’re very interested in helping and talking to them.”
The 10 largest programs at NCK Tech, including the Beloit campus, are nursing, diesel, automotive technology, heavy equipment, welding, business management, electrical technology, plumbing, heating and air conditioning, and agriculture equipment technology.
The largest growth programs last year were diesel, heavy equipment, business management, PHAC and ag equipment tech. Burks said the heavy equipment program is “basically the only one in the state that does bulldozers, excavators and scrapers.”
For more information, contact NCK Tech in Hays at (785) 625-2437.
Sen. Rick Billinger (R-Goodland) introduced ‘Joey’s Law’ in the Kansas Senate.
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
A hearing for proposed legislation concerning Kansans with certain disabilities relating to vehicle registration is scheduled Wed., Feb. 15 in the Kansas Senate.
Senate Bill 74 was introduced Jan. 24 by 40th Dist. Sen. Rick Billinger (R-Goodland) and then referred to the Transportation Committee the next day.
Billinger, a freshman senator, introduced the bill in the aftermath of the Aug. 18, 2016 death of Hays resident Joey Weber. The 36-year-old man, who had autism, was shot and killed by a Hays police officer during a brief struggle following an attempted traffic stop for an expired license tag. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation determined HPD Sgt. Brandon Hauptman acted in self-defense.
“This bill is to hopefully make sure such a tragedy never happens again,” Billinger told the audience at Saturday’s legislative coffee presented by the Hays Area Chamber of Commerce.
SB 74 has four parts to it. All are voluntary and optional. Deaf and hard of hearing persons, military veterans and registered offenders in Kansas are also addressed.
The bill is focused on any Kansas resident who “needs assistance with cognition, including, but not limited to, persons with autism spectrum disorder, or is responsible for the transportation of such a person, may request that such information be included as part of the vehicle registration.” That person must submit “satisfactory proof (of needing) assistance with cognition” to the state director of vehicles.
People who are “deaf or hard of hearing may (also) request…a driver’s license which is readily distinguishable from drivers’ licenses…,” according to the propose bill. Kansas veterans “may request…a driver’s license which shall include the designation “VETERAN” displayed on the front of the driver’s license at a location to be determined by the secretary of revenue.”
“If someone who has autism or a similar type situation, they can apply to have a line item put on the registration of the vehicle that says this person has special needs,” Billinger explained. “We can also have it put on the driver’s license. In addition to that, a decal can be put on the license plate.”
Billinger has also drawn up an amendment that will be placed in the bill.
“We’re also going to offer a placard, similar to what you have hanging on your visor to park in a handicapped parking stall. It would be placed either on the sun visor or on the dash.
“In Joey’s case, the car he was driving wasn’t his. He was driving his father’s car because his pickup had mechanical problems. So, if this bill had been in effect, that automobile may not have had it on the registration, although it could have because it was his father’s car.
“Obviously, the police officer never got to Joey’s driver’s license, so that wouldn’t have done it.
“So, hopefully, the decal on the tag would have. When the officer gets ready to run that tag, he would have seen than decal and realized ‘special needs here.’ The placard could have been hanging where it would be visible.”
Billinger realizes some people may not want to put the decal on their car tag “for fear of maybe being targeted. That’s why we decided to offer the placard. That was one of our concerns about putting it on the license plate.”
“All four are optional. If people choose to, they can do this. If they don’t, they don’t. It’s not a mandate,” Billinger stressed. “We’re hoping with the four options, we’ll never have another incident like this happen.”
111th Dist. Rep. Eber Phelps, (D-Hays), a lifelong Hays resident, called it “one of the most unfortunate incidents that ever happened in Hays.”
Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler (R) talks to Mayor Shaun Musil following Saturday’s legislative coffee.
Phelps said he had discussed the bill with Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler, who was in the audience at the Ellis Co. Administrative Center. Following the investigation of Weber’s death by the KBI, Scheibler said he “told the Weber family he will support their efforts for a law that would add special needs information to vehicle registration but said he believes it must be voluntary.”
“Unfortunately, in this incident with Joey, he was driving a vehicle with an expired tag…nevertheless, I support this legislation. There was similar bill introduced in the House (HB 2016) by Rep. Gail Finney from Wichita. If it can save other people down the road, I’m all for it and I will be supporting it. If the companion bill comes over from the Senate, I will support that as well.”
The House bill has been also been referred to its Transportation Committee, of which freshman 117th Dist. Rep. Leonard Mastroni, (R-LaCrosse), is a member.
“I support the Senate bill as well,” said Mastroni. “The House does have a companion bill. Sen. Billinger and John Weber (Joey’s father and an Oakley resident) came in and testified to the Transportation Committee. Between the two, I’m sure we’re going to get this taken care of.”
“We’re scheduled to work on this Tuesday,” added 110th Rep. Ken Rahjes (R-Agra), calling Weber’s death “extremely unfortunate.”
“We’ll pass it out of committee and then it’ll move forward. Hopefully, we can get this fixed.”
Both bills are known and cited as “Joey’s Law.”
(L to R) Rep. Leonard Mastroni (R-LaCrosse), Rep. Eber Phelps (D-Hays), Sen. Rick Billinger (R-Goodland), Rep. Ken Rahjes (R-Agra) speak at Saturdays’ legislative coffee in Hays.
Saturday morning’s first in a series of the HACC legislative coffees featured three new faces: Sen. Billinger, Rep. Mastroni, and the return of Rep. Phelps, who previously served 16 years in the Kansas House. Much of the forum addressed the state’s budget deficit. Hays Post will have more detailed information from the legislators later in the week.
HACC Executive Director Tammy Wellbrock, who served as forum moderator, says the next legislative update will be in March. A date has not been scheduled.
Local motorcyclists, dog walkers and convertible drivers seemed to know it Friday.
They were outdoors enjoying the warm weather and a new record high for Feb. 10 in Hays–83°, according to official statistics from the K-State Agricultural Research Center.
That temperature barely edged out the previous high of 82° in Hays on Feb. 10, 1951.
Today’s high will be much cooler, 63°, although still unseasonably warm for early February. The extended weather forecast calls for a 20% chance of rain Monday afternoon.
Asst. City Manager Jacob Wood explains the revision options for sidewalk replacement rebates.
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
A longtime rebate program for replacement of deteriorated sidewalks on residential properties in Hays will be expanded to include commercial properties.
City commissioners unanimously approved the expansion Thursday night while stressing that requests from homeowners will come first.
“This is part of the overall street maintenance program,” City Manager Toby Dougherty reminded commissioners. “So you have a budget amount ($20,000). If we were to go over that, and it was all commercial-driven, we’d probably come back to you and have a conversation. If we just had some nice usage and some residential rebates drove it over, we would pay those out for the year and not have a budget violation. But we would come back to you during the budget process the following year and say ‘let’s up it to $25,000, or do you want to cut the commercial side back down?’
“If you’re worried about residential getting shut out, please don’t. We’ll make sure that doesn’t happen,” Dougherty said with assurance.
Mayor Shaun Musil, who first suggested the revision, and Commissioner Sandy Jacobs want the city to step up its education about the sidewalk rebate program.
“I know we send it in their bills, but a lot of people don’t look at their bills; they just pay them online,” Musil acknowledged. “We stepped up our water conservation education a few years ago and I think it definitely helped. So, I’m gonna do my best to see what I can do and maybe together we can come up with some ideas on educating not only the commercial businesses but also the homeowners. I think it would benefit them more than anybody.”
Commissioners liked the suggestion from city staff to limit rebate requests to 1,500 square feet, about 375 linear feet.
“In the last 10 years, the largest residential use we’ve had by a single customer was 1,104 square feet so this would still cover almost any residential property in the city,” reported Assistant City Manager Jacob Wood, “but it will still be limiting for commercial customers.”
The amount of reimbursement is based on the current cost locally for concrete by the square foot for a 4-inch pedestrian sidewalk.
The city has budgeted $20,000 for the sidewalk replacement program the past few years, although the entire budget has not been expended:
Hays City Attorney John Bird explains all leases with Union Pacific Railroad are terminable with a 30-day notice.
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
The city of Hays has several leases with Union Pacific Railroad, including right-of-way parking in the downtown area and for the UP Park at 10th and Main. At any time, UPRR can give 30 days notice and terminate those leases.
City commissioners approved Thursday night entering into a new lease for railroad property on the east edge of the park for the Downtown Pavilion Project. This lease, however, is part of a limited indemnification agreement with the Downtown Hays Development Corporation (DHDC).
DHDC will pay the city’s yearly $3,000 lease, with an automatic increase of three percent per year. The agreement also requires DHDC to pay all costs associated with dismantling and/or moving the pavilion if UPPR terminates the ground lease with the city and requires removal of the pavilion.
“What we’ve done is laid most of the risk off on DHDC,” explained City Attorney John Bird. “You, as the board of directors of the city have, I think, done what you’re supposed to do, which is to say, if the railroad does for an arbitrary reason say the pavilion has to be taken back out, it’s not going to come out of your (the city’s) pocket. It comes out of DHDC’s.”
Site plan by FHSU students for the open air pavilion in the east end of Union Pacific Park, 10th and Main
The $190,000 project was first presented to the city May 5, 2016, by DHDC and a group of FHSU Construction Management students for construction of a 40′ by 80′ open air pavilion and a restroom. If FHSU is not able to finish the project, DHDC must assume all labor costs for completion of the pavilion.
The restroom is a pre-fabricated building which has already been ordered. Vice-Mayor James Meier pointed out the restroom, to be placed east of the pavilion, “could be picked up and moved to a different park and used someplace else and we’d be out the moving costs. It’s not like we’d have to tear down a bathroom and not use it.”
Annual costs to be paid by the city total $1,294 which includes utility bills for restroom heat and electric meters, janitorial supplies and the additional insurance required by UP.
The city will issue RFPs for Phase 2 construction of the wastewater treatment plant rebuild to the remaining finalist design-build teams.
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
“It is what it is,” sighed Hays City Commissioner Lance Jones.
City officials still don’t fully understand why the Wichita firm CDM Smith “absolutely dropped the ball,” failed to meet several deadlines, and ran $3 million over the $27.6 million budget for the Phase 1 design services and development of a GMP (Guaranteed Maximum Price) to rebuild the city’s aging wastewater treatment facility.
The Hays wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) was built in 1953. The rebuild to meet stricter state and federal effluent discharge requirements is being financed by the city’s State Revolving Fund loan from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE). The work was to have been completed by July 1, 2018. KDHE has agreed to extend the deadline until August 1, 2019.
Project Manager Stan Christopher, HDR Engineering,
On the recommendation of Water Resources Director Johnny O’Conner and Project Manager Stan Christopher of HDR Engineering, city commissioners voted unanimously Thursday night to authorize a Request For Proposals (RFP) for lump sum proposals to the remaining two design-build finalists, Burns & Mac/CAS Construction and Black & Veatch/Garney, for the Phase 2 construction agreement.
“(CDM) is a world-wide company,” Mayor Shaun Musil pointed out. “What frustrates me, you guys (city staff and HDR) worked your butts off to make sure that we weren’t overpaying. You just wonder how many other cities they’re doing this to. We have no choice. We have to move forward with this.”
City Manager Toby Dougherty echoed the mayor’s frustration. “We had a very competitive short-listing process. CDM had people on site the most. Between Round 1 and Round 2 of proprietary meetings, they are the ones that continued to invest the time and the money and effort to find ways to save costs. They earned it (the contract award), and earned it in a way that made us think they would follow through,” Dougherty said.
“I think the capability was there. I think the ball was dropped on their end during the project, on the execution side, as Stan mentioned. It wasn’t a matter of capability. It was a matter of getting the job done.”
Although he thinks there was “a legitimate effort to offer the city more than you said you needed, they just lost control,” Christopher reiterated. “They lost control at the execution and didn’t know where they were and didn’t get the resources they needed to complete it.” He added that he understands “everybody in their Wichita office is gone now.” Christopher reported last week the CDM Wichita vice-president, who addressed the city commission Dec. 10, was fired four months into the Hays project.
“I do remember sitting here and them talking about being able to come in under budget and under schedule,” said Commissioner Jones. “Then when they came back at the 30% (design submittal/cost estimate) they kept adding all these things like effluent water tanks. I didn’t speak up because they came in around the budget, and thought, well, we’re getting this extra stuff.
“But we made it very clear that this was our price ($27.6 million). I was very surprised when we came back last fall and got wind of all this. I kept hoping this big of a company would come back and make it right with us….they would lose money…but I was hoping they would be able to still make the budget.”
Jones commended city staff for their efforts, and the other commissioners nodded their appreciation.
“I’m glad we pulled the reins when we did,” he declared. “It’s very upsetting but we have to move forward.”
CDM began work Jan. 2, 2016. The city terminated its contract with the company Aug. 18, 2016, after a meeting Aug. 9 in which the final Phase 1 proposal from CDM was a GMP of $30,748,102.
PRATT – Tuttle Creek State Park near Manhattan was recently chosen to receive a $2,500 BlueCHIP Award by BlueCross BlueShield of Kansas (BCBSKS) and the Kansas Recreation and Parks Association (KRPA). BlueCHIP Awards are issued through a community health improvement program created seven years ago by KRPA and BCBSKS to recognize and reward Kansas communities that encourage and support healthy lifestyles through programs, initiatives, policies and/or community-wide events.
In addition to Tuttle Creek State Park, communities recognized this year include Baldwin City, Derby, City of Lindsborg, Shawnee County – Topeka, and Wellington. Each received $2,500 to assist with continued efforts to improve the health of their communities. The awards were presented at the 2017 KRPA Annual Conference and Trade Show in Manhattan.
According to Tuttle Creek State Park manager Todd Lovin, the BlueChip award will be used to purchase additional canoes, kayaks and paddling equipment. The state park sponsors several floats on the Kansas River each year, and boats and equipment are made available to those who don’t have their own.
Tuttle Creek State Park includes four units (River Pond, Fancy Creek, Cedar Ridge and Randolph) around Tuttle Creek Reservoir. In addition to a swimming beach, boat ramps, courtesy docks and dump stations, the park offers 159 water/electric campsites, eight electric/water/sewer campsites, 24 electric-only campsites, 500 primitive campsites and 11 rental cabins. Activities offered include hiking, biking and equestrian trails; disc golf; volleyball; horseshoes; a state-of-the-art shooting range; and archery range. Learn more about Tuttle Creek State Park at www.ksoutdoors.com or call the park office at (785) 539-7941.
NC Tech President Eric Burks, Beloit, speaks to the Hays city commission flanked by longtime Board of Trustees member Dale Montgomery, Hays, and Sandy Gottschalk, dean of the Hays campus.
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
NCK Tech President Eric Burks had plenty of good news to share with Hays city commissioners last week as he presented the college’s annual report of the Big Creek Technical Training Center.
The city-owned facility, located at 101 Main, is a partnership between NCK Tech and the city of Hays. The college is responsible for maintaining the building interior and mechanical condition in exchange for free rent. NCK Tech students also perform various carpentry, electrical, plumbing, heating and air conditioning projects as requested by the city.
Burks is also president of the Kansas Association of Technical Colleges. There are seven technical colleges in Kansas. Burks recently testified in Topeka before the Higher Education Budget Committee, of which Rep. Eber Phelps (D-Hays) is the ranking minority member.
In response to a state funding question from Vice-Mayor James Meier, Burks told commissioners since Fiscal Year 2011 the two-year Kansas technical colleges “have grown 36.9%. We’ve produced 25.7% more degrees and certificates. We have placed 90% of those students into jobs, and 90% of those jobs are in the state of Kansas. So, you’re getting a heck of an investment…a little over $11 for every $1 that’s invested.”
Technical colleges have no taxing authority in Kansas.
“Our entire sector costs $21.6 million to the state,” Burks said, noting he had given the same information to the legislative committee. “But during that same time since FY 2011, they’ve decreased our funding over 11%. And now, we hearing threats of another 6.95% cut. Our problem is we keep doing more with less. That’s what education does and that’s what rural Kansas does. We find a way to do things with less because we have to. But there’s a breaking point. If we don’t find a way to get some more money, we’re going to have some problems,” he predicted.
“Community colleges do have taxing authority in the state. “They can go and raise property taxes. We can’t. We have to put it on the backs of our students,” explained Burks, “or find ways to be more efficient. We try not to put it on the backs of our students, but that’s what we’re relegated to doing.”
When technical colleges first opened in Kansas, according to Burks “students were supposed to pay 15% of their education costs and the remaining 85% was supposed to be paid by state reimbursements. It’s about 50/50 now,” he said.
Burks also reported NCK Tech was ranked seventh in the nation in 2014 among two-year public colleges, with a 70.7% graduation rate within 150% of the normal time to earn a degree. The assessment was reported in The Chronicle of Higher Education.
The seven-year Big Creek Technical Training Center partnership has so far trained 353 full-time students, with 79% of the students who’ve completed a program employed in a related field. Most of the graduates are working and living in and around Hays and Beloit, site of the original NCK Tech campus.
Carpentry students in Hays recently constructed directional signs made of cedar wood for the Parks Department. Electrical Technology students are currently assisting with the remodel of the concession stands at Stramel Ball Park. They will also be replacing worn out equipment at Seven Hills Park, Kiwanis Park and Union Pacific Railroad Park. Plumbing, Heating and Air-Conditioning students will soon be assisting with repairs at the Hays Fire Department training facility.
All pictures are of deteriorated sidewalks in commercial and residential areas of south Hays
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
With all the increasing activities in downtown Hays, Mayor Shaun Musil wants to make sure there are no tripping hazards caused by deteriorating sidewalks.
In mid-December, he asked the city commission to consider expanding the existing residential replacement rebate program to include commercial properties.
During last Thursday’s work session, Commissioner Henry Schwaller said he liked the idea but worried “you’re opening Pandora’s box here. I want to accommodate the homeowners first and limit the commercial a bit,” Schwaller said.
Musil agreed.
“I know there are a couple places downtown that I think are tripping hazards. When we have art walks I’ve noticed it. Personally, I don’t ever want to take it away from residential. But, with as many events as we have downtown any more, what’s going to happen if somebody gets hurt?” Musil wondered. “I’m a little nervous on what it’s going to open up but I think it’s something that can be tweaked.”
Assistant City Manager Jacob Wood reminded commissioners “we (the city) basically pay for the cost of the materials as determined by the Public Works Department, but not labor.” If the commission decides to include commercial properties, Wood said city staff suggests a “limited reimbursement a single property owner can request of 3,500 square feet” or approximately 750 linear feet.
“The reason we did that, we don’t want a property such as a shopping mall to ask for reimbursement of the entire section in front the mall. That would take the entire budget,” Wood explained.
Each year the Public Works Department determines the amount of reimbursement that will be allowed based on local prices. The current reimbursement rate is $1.15 per square foot for 4-inch sidewalk and $1.75 per square foot for 6-inch driving surfaces. The rate is intended to cover the full cost of the material, but not labor. The program does not cover the cost of new
sidewalk; it is only available for the replacement of existing sidewalk.
The city has budgeted $20,000 for the sidewalk replacement program for the past few years, although the entire budget is not normally expended:
Sandy Jacobs, a newly appointed commissioner, said she didn’t know the policy existed.
“I think awareness is really, really important in this,” Jacobs added. “If people start saying ‘I didn’t know it was there,’ I don’t want to limit what we can do for our residential areas to give it to commercial areas.”
“We don’t do active enforcement and that’s the reason dollars don’t get used us,” Schwaller, a longtime commissioner, pointed out. “Remember, we had Fort Hays State University Student Government come to us and want sidewalks repaired south of 8th Street. We got kind of aggressive with it then and that’s where those big (rebate) numbers came from. We don’t have time to go inspect sidewalks, but there are areas along Ash Street where the sidewalk is completely deteriorated–nothing there–and no one ever complains. Those are all rentals, by the way.
“Part of it is we don’t educate and we need to do a better job of that,” he added.
To help with the discussion planned for this week’s commission meeting, City Manager Toby Dougherty offered to have Public Works staff determine what the average largest residential corner lot sidewalk would cost to replace.
“You could maybe set the cap there and limit that cap to commercial usage. If it’s $1,500 to replace a sidewalk on a residential corner lot, maybe that’s the cap that anybody could use, or you could limit that cap to commercial” he suggested, “and assure that residential properties aren’t the ones that have to come up with extra dollars.”
There are no active enforcements of residential sidewalk construction unless a complaint has been made.
“It fits into all the other code enforcement priorities,” Dougherty noted. “We do get complaints and we do investigate. We include a copy of this program to remind the property owners we have the sidewalk replacement rebate, encouraging them to take advantage of it. Most people do.”
The issue will be discussed again during the Feb. 9 city commission meeting. See the complete agenda here.
ELLIS–Ellis City Council members will hear an update on the waterline improvement project during their meeting tonight.
Also on the agenda is consideration of bids for the street improvement project and the 2016 Safety Report.
The meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. in Ellis City Hall.
The complete Feb. 6 agenda is below.
AGENDA February 6, 2017 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 the Regular Meeting on January 16, 2017
b) Bills Ordinance #2014
c) Manual Journal Entries for August and September 2016
(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
4) UNFINISHED BUSINESS
a) Update on Waterline Improvement Project – Buck Driggs, Driggs Design Group
5) NEW BUSINESS
a) Consider Award of Contract for Street Improvement Project – Buck Driggs, Driggs Design Group
b) Consider Approval of Credit Card Resolution
c) Consider Ratification of Invoice from AeroMod for Emergency Repair
d) Consider Bids for Street Seal Material
e) Consider Bids for Polymer for Wastewater Treatment Plant
f) Discuss Hours of Operation for the Burn Site
g) Discuss City Assistance with Millings on 14th Street
6) REPORTS FROM CITY OFFICIALS
a) Administrative
1) Public Works
(1) Comparative Water Reports
(2) Consider Approval of Training Opportunities
(3) Department Update
2) Police
(1) January Activity Report
(2) February Staff Calendar
(3) Department Update
3) City Clerk
(1) Consider Purchase of Advertising Banner
(2) Draft Minutes from Committee Meetings
(3) December Health Insurance Savings Report
(4) 2016 Annual Safety Report
(5) Financial Reports for August and September 2016
(6) Department Update
4) Attorney
(1) Update on Outstanding Code Violation Cases
5) Mayor Update and Announcements
EXECUTIVE SESSIONS
7) ADJOURNMENT
