Governor Laura Kelly announced the 2020 State General Fund Grant Programs funding awards for Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Programs and Children’s Advocacy Centers.

Options: Domestic & Sexual Violence Services, which is based in Ellis County and serves northwest Kansas, was awarded $220,144.

Western Kansas Child Advocacy Center, which has a center in Hays, was awarded $49,095.

 “These services are oftentimes life-saving,” Kelly said. “From issues of domestic violence to children’s advocacy, it’s important that we provide the resources these important organizations and their staff members need to keep Kansans and our communities safe.”

 In all, more than $6.4 million in grants were awarded to communities across Kansas.

 Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Grant Awards

The Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault funds support the enhancement and expansion of sexual and domestic violence programs. The funds are used for support services, outreach and training for community-based programs located in large and small communities across Kansas. These programs provide services 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including emergency safe shelter, crisis hotline calls and crisis intervention, on-going counseling and support, and advocacy to help victims increase safety for themselves and their families. These services for victims and survivors and their families are life-saving and assist them in transforming their lives.   

The funds also are used to leverage federal funds to help expand services and improve responses across the state. Without these funds, millions of federal dollars would not be available to help these vulnerable families or to increase safety in Kansas communities.

 2020 SGF for Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Grant Awards

County	Organization Name	Grant Award
Allen	Hope Unlimited	$152,625
Barton	Family Crisis Center, Inc.	$257,210
Butler	Family Life Center	$95,625
Crawford	Safehouse Crisis Center	$253,004
Douglas	The Sexual Trauma and Abuse Care Center	$127,875
Douglas	The Willow Domestic Violence Center	$233,342
Ellis	Options:  Domestic & Sexual Violence Services	$220,144
Finney	Family Crisis Services	$127,126
Ford	Crisis Center of Dodge City	$75,157
Harvey	Harvey Co. Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Task Force	$251,271
Johnson	SAFEHOME	$276,097
Leavenworth	Alliance Against Family Violence	$88,971
Lyon	SOS	$244,783
Reno	BrightHouse	$146,276
Riley	Crisis Center	$391,604
Saline	Domestic Violence Association of Central Kansas	$381,950
Sedgwick	Catholic Charities, Harbor House	$192,661
Sedgwick	StepStone	$72,991
Sedgwick	Wichita Area Sexual Assault Center	$299,762
Sedgwick	Wichita Family Crisis Center	$214,856
Seward	Liberal Area Rape Crisis/Domestic Violence Services	$191,732
Shawnee	Kansas Coalition Against Sexual & Domestic Violence	$412,531
Shawnee	YWCA Center for Safety & Empowerment	$251,747
Wyandotte	Friends of Yates	$376,263
Wyandotte	Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault	$180,610
	TOTAL	$5,516,213

 Children’s Advocacy Centers in Kansas Grant Awards

The Children’s Advocacy Centers (CAC) are child-focused, community-oriented programs coordinating investigation and intervention services for abused children by bringing together professionals and agencies in a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary model. The CAC model of collaboration is designed to ensure children are not revictimized by the systems designed to protect them by creating cohesion among professionals representing investigation, advocacy, medical, prosecution and treatment. This team approach results in a more collaborative and efficient investigative process. The unique model is designed to protect children and bring enhanced accountability to the system, increasing the opportunity for children to begin the healing process. 

 The CAC grant program provides funding to hire and train staff to provide sexual and physical abuse victims with child-sensitive forensic interviews; advocacy services for victims and non-offending caregivers; and coordinate multi-disciplinary case review teams and efforts across systems to enhance services.

 2020 Children’s Advocacy Centers Grant Awards

County	Organization Name	Grant Award
Allen	Hope Unlimited	$50,500
Barton	Family Crisis Center	$62,938
Butler	Sunlight Child Advocacy Center	$49,083
Cloud	North Central Kansas CASA	$14,346
Crawford	Children’s Advocacy Center	$43,861
Ford	Meadowlark House Child Advocacy Center	$33,796
Harvey	Heart to Heart	$48,237
Johnson	Sunflower House	$116,238
Leavenworth	First Judicial District CASA Association	$42,976
Lyon	SOS	$50,290
Reno	Horizons Mental Health Center	$67,304
Riley	Sunflower CASA Project	$35,613
Saline	Child Advocacy and Parenting Services	$38,990
Scott	Western Kansas Child Advocacy Center	$49,095
Sedgwick	Children’s Advocacy Centers of Kansas	$60,253
Sedgwick	Child Advocacy Center of Sedgwick County	$116,023
Shawnee	LifeHouse Child Advocacy Center	$61,195
	TOTAL	$940,738

 

By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

Superintendent Ron Wilson estimated district enrollment close to 3,000 students during a report to the Hays USD 489 school board on Monday.

An official count will not be taken until September. The enrollment numbers were taken from enrollment forms that have been turned in thus far, and Wilson acknowledged the district likely has students who are attending who have not completed the forms. More students also may enter the district yet this fall.

The enrollment at the elementary schools is 1,415.

That includes:

• 375 at O’Loughlin
• 213 Lincoln
• 419 Roosevelt
• 408 Wilson

Wilson described the middle school as “busting at the seams.” Enrollment at HMS is 677 students, including:

• 244 sixth graders
• 228 seventh graders
• 205 eighth graders

Hays High School’s enrollment is 857 students, including:

• 246 freshmen
• 215 sophomores
• 218 juniors
• 178 seniors

The district’s full-time equivalent enrollment was 3,049 students in 2018-19. Enrollment has increased slightly each year since 2015-16 when enrollment was 2,807.

Enrollment is significant in that the state bases the district’s funding in part on enrollment numbers. The district’s budget is based on 3,005 students this school year.

By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

The Hays USD 489 school board approved its 2020 budget Monday night after a brief budget hearing.

The $52 million budget is up from last school year’s budget, which was $43.9 million. The budget includes an increase in state funding and a slight decrease in the mill levy, which Keith Hall, interim director of finance, attributed to an increase in the district’s assessed valuation.

The total mill levy for 2019-20 will be 42.116 mills, which is down from last year’s 42.792 mills. The capital outlay mill levy remains at 8 mills.

Hall said the district hopes to increase salaries this year and increase cash balances in some of its funds. However, the school board has yet to complete negotiations with the district’s teachers union.

“You can see the state came through with the increase funds they have been talking about in the general fund … Surprisingly with the transfers we would like to make for our cash balances in some of our funds as well as possible salary increases, the additional funds, which we are certainly delighted to have and receive, do not go as far as one would think,” Hall said.

State revenue is estimated to increase by about $3.5 million this year. The final number will be based on enrollment, which will be recorded in September. Superintendent Ron Wilson told the commission Monday night the district is estimating enrollment at about 3,000 students based on the number of enrollment forms that have been turned in to date.

Federal revenue was up by more than $3 million, but that included the $1.47 million federal grant the district received to remodel the Oak Park Complex for use by Early Childhood Connections. ECC moved into all but one of the buildings this summer, and classes started in the new facility this week.

The Recreation Commission mill levy, which is run through the school district, was reduced from what was published. Instead of 1.418 mills., the rec mill levy will be .707 mills.

Before approving the budget, the hearing was opened to any comments from the public. No comments were offered.

Storm cleanup help

Wilson and the board recognized the Hays High School football team for its help in community cleanup after the storm that hit Hays Tuesday night.

They also recognized members of the custodial crew who worked late Tuesday night and over the weekend to clean up after the storms.

Learning Center moved

The Learning Center has temporarily moved its classes to the former Washington school. The area that the center uses in the basement of Rockwell Administration Center was flooded Tuesday night and again over the weekend. Wilson said three inches of water was standing in the basement.

He said the district will be working on a tuck pointing project in attempts to keep the water out of that area. Until the district can ensure the area will stay dry, students will meet at Washington. That school was recently vacated when ECC moved to its new home at the remodeled Oak Park Complex on 13th Street.

In other business, the board:

• Heard a report on board president appointments
• Heard a presentation on a new district investment strategy from representatives of Commerce Bank. The district is now invested in ladder CDs. The district hopes to net as much as $79,713 per year through the new strategy.
• Heard a report on professional development from Marie Henderson and Kyle Carlin
• Heard a report form Chris Hipp on the special education cooperative

 

 

By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

At Monday’s meeting, the Ellis County Commission will discuss a proposal for a new building for the public works shop.

The county commission will meet at 5 p.m. at the Ellis County Administrative Center.

The current public works shop at 1195 280th Ave. was constructed in the 1960s and has not had any significant upgrades since.

During the 2018 commission retreat, commissioners identified upgraded facilities for public works as a high priority for future capital planning, according to the report in the commissioners’ agenda packet.

The county initially considered building a new metal building at the 280th Avenue location. A revised price for that project is estimated at $1.4 million. That includes converting the existing shop into cold storage.

However, the county has recently leased to purchase land adjacent to the landfill. All of the land that county plans to purchase is not needed to expand the landfill. Staff is proposing relocating the Public Works Department to 240th Avenue adjacent to the landfill. This would allow the Solid Waste and Public Works departments to work more closely.

The county could sell the existing public works property instead of subdividing the property it is purchasing adjacent to the landfill.

The county administrator is seeking the commissioners’ opinions as to whether they approve of the new direction for the public works project.

The county will also consider a transfer of funds to the Capital Equipment Reserve Fund.

By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

The Hays USD 489 school board will conduct its annual budget hearing at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the Rockwell Administration Center.

Total proposed expenditures are $52 million, which is up from last school year’s budget, which was $43.9 million. This includes capital outlay and bond debt.

The total mill levy for 2019-20 will be 42.116 mills, which will be down from last year, which was 42.792. The capital outlay mill levy remains at 8 mills.

The district’s assessed valuation is up this year at $326.7 million compared to $316.1 million last year.

The regular board meeting will be called to order following the conclusion of the budget hearing.

In other business, the board will

• Hear a report from Commerce Bank on investment strategies.
• Hear a report from Marie Henderson and Kyle Carlin on flex learning/professional development
• Vote on board appointments to standing committees
• Discuss upcoming work session topics.