By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

If the district could pass just a small bond, it would free up money in the capital outlay budget for other needs in the district, Hays USD 489 Superintendent John Thissen told the school board at its meeting Monday night.

The school board last month heard a proposal for a $29.4 million bond from its architect and construction manager. The plan included HVAC repairs at Hays High School, expansion of the cafeteria at Hays Middle School and renovation and repairs at Roosevelt Elementary School with expansion of the school to accommodate five sections of each grade.

The plan would allow the district to close Lincoln Elementary School, which is more than 90 years old and has significant infrastructure issues.

“The question is could this set the stage for some possibilities in the future?” Thissen said.

The heating and cooling systems at both Roosevelt and HHS need to be addressed very soon, Thissen said. If those projects were paid for through a bond, money dedicated to those projects in the current capital improvement plan could go to repairs that are needed at Wilson and O’Loughlin elementary schools.

“If you were able to walk away from another building, not just what has already happened with Washington and Munjor, but also walk away from Lincoln Elementary,” Thissen said, “once again you have buildings that have existing needs and you would be able to say we are not going to put money into those buildings and that money can be redirected.”

Thissen said the district could propose a bond just to make repairs, but it could end up investing hundreds of thousands of dollars into buildings the district ends up walking away from in just a few years.

“There are times when you live in a home long enough that you end up saying, ‘Is it worth the money to dump money into it or do you look for a new home?” he said.

Thissen said this plan does make repairs, but it takes the district one step forward toward the future with the expansion at Roosevelt.

Board member Paul Adams said he wanted to know what projects the district could do if it could redirect the approximately $6.7 million that had been budgeted for repairs of the HVAC system at HHS, as well as what could be done if repairs at Roosevelt were rolled into a bond.

“You are right,” Adams said to Thissen. “It is not just this work, but the work to the whole physical plant of the district. But I don’t really have a good sense of what that looks like. That comes back to some of what we have talked about — what’s our long-range planning?”

In November 2016, the board considered hiring a firm to complete a long-range facilities plan. However, the board decided not to move forward with that contract. Thissen said the board could revisit hiring a firm to do a long-range facilities plan.

However, a long-range plan would have to be altered if the district had a catastrophic failure in one of its systems, for example the HVAC at Roosevelt.

Adams said this latest proposal takes care of some of the district’s highest priority needs.

“Whether we move things around or do something with another building, we have to take care of the physical building we now call the high school. We have to get the HVAC. We need to take care of the needs at Roosevelt and repair it. The plan in place looks good, just also give me an idea of where we will realize the money we would have put to the high school. … You’re not just doing one project. That vote is actually several projects.”

Board member Mandy Fox said she would to like the same information on long-range capital improvements. She said she thought the next step is to present the project to voters to get their feedback.

Board member Lance Bickle wanted to make sure any bond proposal would keep the cost within what surveys have said voters are willing to pay per month in a tax increase. He also noted voters have indicated they want a much shorter term than the 30-year bond that was proposed in the last bond issue.

Board member Greg Schwartz said he did not support the plan. He said he did not think it fit with the concept the board had discussed seven months ago that would have reduced the number of elementary schools from four to two. He said he wanted to know more about the cost savings that could be achieved by consolidating into two elementary schools.

“I think throwing out bonds without a plan, we are going to get the same results we have always gotten,” Schwartz said.

Thissen said there are districts that do 20-year plans, but they are usually large districts that are growing. Smaller districts, such as Hays, typically complete projects as they can.

“The issue of putting together a big plan is fantastic,” he said, “but, at some particular point, some people are going to have to start.”

The board is not scheduled to discuss the bond again until late March or early April.

In other business, the board:

• Designated board members Mike Walker and Lance Bickle and Interim Director of Finance Keith Hall as agents for teacher negotiations with board member Sophia Rose Young as an alternate.

• Adopted the five-year capital outlay resolution. The levy will remain at 8 mills.

• Approved administrative contracts for building level administrators

• Reviewed the 2019-20 school calendar.

Update: 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 26

Hays Fire Department

At 3:26 p.m. Monday,  Feb. 25, the Ellis County Fire Department was dispatched to a structure fire at 2670 E. Ninth St.

Upon arrival, heavy smoke was found coming from a metal storage building.

Fire crews made entry into the building and found multiple vehicles inside the structure, with one being on fire.

Firefighters used two fire attack lines to extinguish the fire and keep the fire to the vehicle of origin.

The building and other vehicles inside suffered extensive smoke damage.

The fire was reported out at 4:03 p.m. and under control at 4:13 p.m. at which times fire crews were starting to be released from the scene.

Midwest Energy was contacted to shut off utilities to the building. Fire crews remained on scene until 6:05 p.m. to assist the Ellis County Sheriff’s office with the fire investigation.

The employees of the business did a great job to keep the building closed. Keeping the doors shut slowed fire growth and stopped fire spread to the building and other vehicles inside.

Thirty-three firefighters from the Ellis County Fire Department (Hays, Ellis, Victoria, and Munjor) responded to assist. The fire was located within the automatic aid program area and the Hays Fire Department responded with an additional seven firefighters.

The ECFD was also assisted by the Ellis County EMS, Sheriff’s deputies, and the Kansas Highway Patrol.

By CRISTINA JANNEY

Hays Post

Firefighters are on scene at a fire in a commercial building at 2670 E. Ninth St.

According to scanner reports, everyone was able to escape the building.

Crews reported at least one vehicle on fire inside the building.

Crews were starting to be dismissed from the scene as of 4:30 p.m.

Watch the Hays Post for more information as it becomes available.

 

Submitted

The Fort Hays State University Student Veterans Association in conjunction with the Hays Recreation Commission is proud to announce the kickoff of a project to give back to the community.

The SVA is starting an all-donation-based sports equipment locker to be located at the Hays Recreation Commission building. 

The purpose of the Area Youth Equipment Locker is to provide new or gently used, sports equipment to those youth in our community that may not be afforded the opportunity to purchase sports equipment otherwise.  The AYEL will not charge for the equipment that a child receives; however, we do request those participating in the program either bring in a piece of sports equipment that they are no longer using or return the equipment they take if it is still in good working condition. 

 Student Veterans Association is asking for the help of the community in providing some gently used equipment to help get us started or a monetary donation that can be dropped off at HRC marked attn: Area Youth Equipment Locker or AYEL.

The Student Veterans Association is just coming off a fundraiser that raised $2,500 for scholarships for veterans and current service members to take classes at FHSU.

The kickoff for AYEL fundraising will be a 50/50 raffle at the basketball game on Thursday when the Fort Hays State Tigers take on the Lions of Missouri Southern. A portion of the proceeds raised by the SVA will go to pay fees at the rec commission for the children whose families cannot afford to do so, the other half will go to one lucky winner at the game.

The goal of this program is to help make children’s lives a little better. 

“We will never know the full impact of the AYEL. If a child receives a pair of cleats from the AYEL, gains confidence, becomes a world-famous soccer player, and changes the lives of others it is a big win!!!  If a child receives a pair of cleats from the AYEL, and that child smiles, it is just as big of a win!!!” the SVA said in a news release.

“Please help us to start creating smiles for all those children in our community that may need it.  We are looking for sports equipment for all ages for both boys and girls alike,” the release said.

See the following list of locations that will have a drop box for equipment. Continue checking for more drop off locations as the group is hoping this list continues to grow.

Drop off Locations:

• First Care Clinic, 105 West 13^th St. Hays Ks
• Kat’s Hallmark Shop, 4320 Vine St. Hays Ks
• Hays Recreation Commission, 1105 Canterbury Drive, Hays KS

Types of equipment needed:

• Baseball/softball cleats
• Soccer cleats
• Gloves/bats/balls
• Basketballs/volleyballs/soccer balls
• Volleyball kneepads
• Soccer shin guards
• Tennis rackets/balls
• Golf clubs/balls
• Football cleats
• Football pads
• Swimming googles
• Weight lifting gloves/belts

The Student Veterans Association would love your support on this community project.  If you would like any further information, you can send an email to [email protected].

Sponsored by K-State Research & Extension

 Logan County NRCS and KSRE’s Golden Prairie District are co-hosting a prescribed burn workshop from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. March 8 at the Northwest Educational Service Center at 703 W. 2^nd St. in Oakley.

The workshop will focus on safe and effective means of burning the land that you manage. Topics include reasons for burning, regulations, weather considerations, liability, burn contractors, equipment and crew, hazards, fuels, firebreaks, fire types and behavior, ignition techniques, and burn plans.

This workshop is open to the public. There is a $25 fee for admission, which includes meals and materials. Registration is requested by calling Dana Charles at 785-672-3841 by March 1 or by visiting goldenprairie.ksu.edu.

K-State Research and Extension is a statewide network of educators sharing unbiased, research-based information and expertise on issues important to Kansas. Learn more at ksre.k-state.edu.

HaysMed

HaysMed  clinics and services are now fully operational. We experienced a non- weather related power outage at the hospital late Sunday afternoon and temporarily suspended seeing patients in several areas on Monday.

“The hospital has procedures outlined for situations such as this,” said Bryce Young, chief operating officer at HaysMed. “Once the outage occurred, we successfully implemented backup measures within minutes. At no time was patient safety compromised.”

“When these situations happen, our patients are the main concern,” added Young. “Our staff is well trained and came together seamlessly to carry out the downtime procedures.”

The hospital has resumed normal operations as of this publication.