By CRISTINA JANNEY

Hays Post

The Hays USD 489 school board voted Monday to formally accept grant funds that will allow it to renovate the Oak Park Medical Complex for use by Early Childhood Connections.

The $1.473 million federal grant can only be used for the ECC Oak Park project.

The ECC would move out of the former Washington Elementary School building on Main Street and the former Munjor school. The district has had persistent maintenance problems with the 92-year-old Washington building.

The building has plumbing and heating/cooling issues and has sewer back-up in the classrooms. The two-story building does not allow for students to be housed on the second floor due to delays in evacuating students in the case of an emergency. The building has no elevator and is not ADA compliant.

The new building would allow all of the birth through age 5-year-old students to be located in one building, eliminating the need for parents to drive their students to Munjor. The renovations will also include a new HVAC system and include a structurally designed tornado shelter.

Munjor would go back to the Catholic dioceses per contract. The board would have to decide what to do with Washington building.

Board member Greg Schwartz, who voted last week against moving forward with the building purchase, again expressed concerns with the project. He said he was concerned this would take a building off of the tax rolls.

Board member Mike Walker said Washington or the land that it was on could be sold, and that land could go back onto the tax rolls.

Schwartz noted the Washington land was in the flood plain. He also said the district had discussed in bond planning that if a new elementary school was built, one of the vacated buildings could be used for ECC.

Superintendent John Thissen said it was a matter of weighing pros and cons.

The former medical complex would come off the tax rolls, but the taxpayers would not have to see an increase in their taxes to pay for the newly acquired building or the renovations.

Schwartz was also concerned the renovations might cost more than the amount allotted in the grant.

Thissen said the scope of the renovations would be limited to what could be paid for through the grant.

The board voted to accept the grant on a vote of 5-2 with Schwartz and Lance Bickle voting against.

The next step in the building project is connected to the $2 million that would be needed in the form of a lease agreement to buy the building. The money to pay for that lease agreement will come out of the capital outlay fund — $250,000 per year for 10 years.

Because the lease agreement would be more than $100,000, there will be a 30-day window in which voters can file a protest petition. If more than 5 percent of voters would sign a petition, the question would go for a district-wide public vote.

The district is on a time crunch because the grant money must be used by the end of June. The board must publish a notice that will begin the protest period as soon as possible because it can’t start work on the project until that protest period has passed.

If a successful protest petition is mounted, the district would not be able to move forward with the project because the public vote would delay the project enough that the district could not complete the renovations by the June 30 deadline.

The district hopes to have all the information for the legal publications ready by Wednesday, and the legal notice published by the end of the week.

By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

Democrat Alan LaPolice said he his focusing his campaign for Congress on the four former pillars of the Republican Party — fair trade, fiscal responsibility, family values and defense.

LaPolice, who is a farmer, educator and veteran, made a campaign stop in Hays Thursday night at the Ellis County Democratic headquarters.

He has run previously for office as a Republican, but said he is unhappy with the direction the party is going. LaPolice is from Clyde and faces Republican incumbent Roger Marshall, Great Bend, in the Nov. 6 general election for the First Congressional District.

LaPolice expressed frustration at the Congress’ failure to pass a Farm Bill. The former Farm Bill expired on Oct. 1.

“We are in right now what could arguably be defined as the biggest ag crisis in three decades,” he said. “My district is an ag-producing district. Everyone wants to know about these tariffs and this trade war, about the collapse of the Farm Bill and how farmers are going to be able to survive.”

The Senate and House have both passed versions of the Farm Bill, but the legislation is hung up on cuts to nutrition programs and lack of conservation measures in the House version.

“Is it a family value to starve women and children in the nutrition program?” LaPolice asked. “Is it family values to take away the lunch program from school kids or homeless veterans? Is that a family values?”

He said Congress should pass the Senate Bill and “stop playing with farmers’ lives.”

LaPolice was also critical of the Republican tax cut as being fiscally irresponsible.

“In a boom economy, we have $1.2 trillion in new deficit, new debt,” he said. “In the past two years, they have laid on almost $2 trillion in new debt.”

He compared the national plan to the Brownback tax plan, which was eventually reversed by the Kansas Legislature after significant revenue shortfalls

“I applaud the Republicans’ efforts to cut taxes,” he said, “because Americans need some incentive to consuming. You can consume more if you have more money in your pockets. I agree with my Republican colleagues 100 percent.”

However, he said stipulations should have been placed on the tax breaks that required corporations to reinvest at least a portion of their savings in their employees, their benefits and/or their educations.

He also has heard much concern from voters about health care. Mercy Hospital in Fort Scott announced this week it will close by the end of the year.

Of about 80 Critical Care Hospitals in the state, 60 of those are in the First District.

“When you see communities that have this one urgent care, critical care center, people are scared that if their hospital closes, that community dies,” he said.

LaPolice said Congress needs to address the rising cost of health care by allowing Medicaid and Medicare to negotiate service and prescription prices. This would be similar to what the government already does for the Department of Defense under Tricare.

The issue of immigration has touched LaPolice’s family personally. Had the current immigration policy been in place during the 1980s, his family would not exist today. His mother-in-law brought his wife to the U.S. when she was 2 shortly after civil war broke out in El Salvador. The family sought and was granted asylum.

“To not address the human rights crisis like the one we faced on the border, like the one with Syrian refuges, like the one from any of these nations that we have intervened in and sometimes destabilized — to not address that is inhumane,” he said. …

“When you see Ronald Reagan talk about immigration, he is a kind president. He is a real president. Today to see the Republicans talk about immigration as if all these people crossing the border are MS-13, they’re impostors, they’re gang members, they’re terrorists … The incumbent calls them terrorists. That is not very Christian. That is not what I consider family values to look at a woman with a 2-year-old daughter and say, ‘Oh yeah, you’re terrorists.'”

In addition to reforms to the system for those seeking asylum, LaPolice said immigration reform needs to take into account the need for immigrant workers in agriculture.

“We have produce rotting in the field right now because we don’t have the workers,” he said, “and the reason we don’t is because politicians use immigration as a political football. They use it against their opponents, and both sides do it.”

Finally on defense, LaPolice who served as an infantry gunner during the First Gulf War, said it is time to pull troops from Afghanistan.

“Seventeen years in the Middle East and no resolution and no way out,” he said. “I fought over there, but when I fought, we had an objective. When we achieved it, we left. Now Republicans want to stay there forever. That is not defense.”

By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

That chill in the air is a reminder winter weather is right around the corner.

It is time to start thinking about winterizing your gardens.

Pam Herl, Hays Herb Club leader, spoke recently to the Hays Public Library club about getting your garden ready for colder weather.

“It is difficult for us to think about winterizing our gardens right now, but we have a small window because Kansas has been known for severe snow storms in October,” Herl said. “We have a small window to get our gardens ready for next spring, and a small window in the spring for planting.”

You can save time in the spring by preparing beds now.

To prepare a new bed, you can rototill the area and add compost in the fall. To kill weeds, lay layers of old carpet or cardboard over the ground, and then cover with mulch. Herl said she has had friends who have laid down old braided cotton rugs as ground cover, and cut holes in the rugs to place plants in the spring.

Mulch is essential for existing beds as well. It will reduce weed growth and help keep in moisture. For winter mulch, use leaves or straw. Avoid using pine or evergreen needles because they are too acidic and can harm your plants.

Once your annuals stop blooming, it is time to pull them from the garden.

After the first hard freeze, you can cut your perennials and biannuals down to the ground.

However, Herl said she prefers to leave her perennials in place.

“As that snow blows in, I want something to hold that snow in place. I don’t want it blowing across my yard and ending up in my driveway where my husband has to scoop it off,” she said.

Snow serves as a mulch, as well. It insulates and provides moisture.

Shrubs and rose bushes can be pruned to about half after a hard freeze when the leaves have died back.

“Don’t prune (shrubs) in the fall,” she said. “You know Kansas. One day we will have snow, and the next day it will be 90 degrees. Once that it gets that warm, it breaks that plant out of its dormancy and it is going to get warm, tender growth. Young, tender growth will freeze, and you don’t want that to happen.”

Marjorie Mueller, Herb Club member, offered her tip for pruning roses. She uses tongs to grab onto to clipped rose stems, so she doesn’t scratch herself on the thorns.

A hard freeze is a period of at least four consecutive hours of air temperatures that are below 25 degrees Fahrenheit. Many plants can survive a brief frost, but very few can survive a hard freeze, according to the Farmer’s Almanac.

According to the National Weather Service, Hays’ average first hard freeze date is Oct. 10.

The NWS outlook has temperatures staying at 46 degrees or above through Monday.

Before a hard freeze is a good time to give shrubs and bushes a good soaking with water. This will help preserve them if the winter turns dry.

“We do not think about watering our shrubs and our trees in the winter time,” Herl said. “We had a very dry winter last winter. We had some very cold weather, and we had some winds. That dried these shrubs out. There were a lot of people complaining that they lost a lot of shrubs or they lost part of the shrub.”

Young trees should be have their trunks wrapped. Tree warp is available from most stores that carry garden supplies.

Mulching young trees will also help protect them during the winter. Place a round tomato cage around the tree after the hard freeze. Place plastic inside the wire and fill the area with dead leaves. This method can also be used on small shrubs or rose bushes. Shrubs and bushes can also be protected with burlap.

If you mulch in this manner before the hard freeze has killed back live growth, you can get rot.

Now is the time to plant bulbs for spring, such as tulips. However, you should dig up bulbs that are not winter hardy, such as dahlias, cannas and gladiolus. Store in a cool, dark place.

If you are going to bring a potted plant inside for the winter, replant it. Get a bigger pot and fill it with wet potting soil. Herl suggested using plastic pots, because they will be lighter and easier to move.

Herl said if you are concerned about bugs on the plant, you can cover the soil with plastic and rinse the leaves with a solution of Ivory dish soap in a quart of water.

Plants moving from outdoors to indoors need to be acclimated to the indoor climate. Herl suggested bringing the plant indoors for a couple of hours per day, gradually increasing the time indoors until you have the plant is indoors all day.

The same should be done in reverse in the spring.

“If we took you and stuck you out there, what would you do?” Herl said.

Tropicals and tender perennials can be brought in, but annuals will not do well.

If you still have herbs in your garden, they can be preserved in several ways. They can be frozen green and then stored in plastic bags in the freezer.

They can be dried. Remove the leaves from the stems. Lay flat over layers of paper towels and newspaper until the leaves are crisp. Then seal in colored containers or store in a dark place to avoid the herbs being broken down by the light.

Herbs can also be frozen in broth or water. Ice cub trays are great for this purpose.

There are also a variety of recipes available for making herb-infused oils or vinegars.

The HPL Herb Club meets at 5 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of the month in the Schmidt Gallery. See the HPL calendar for a list of topics and dates. The next study, “Herbs of Harry Potter,” on Tuesday , Oct. 16 will have activities geared toward children and Harry Potter fans of all ages. The event is free and open to the public.

By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

The Hays USD 489 school board voted Tuesday night to proceed with the purchase of the Oak Park Medical Complex at 2501 E. 13th St.

The 26,000-square-foot complex will be renovated using a $1.473 million federal grant for use by the Early Childhood Connections program.

The board authorized the purchase for no more than $2 million. HaysMed owns more than half of the interest in the building and has told the district it would discount the price, but an agreement has not been made on how much of a discount that will be, Superintendent John Thissen said Wednesday.

The district would like to pay for the purchase through a lease agreement over 10 years at $250,000 per year.

Thissen said he did not think the project would hamper other projects already budgeted with capital outlay funds or future maintenance projects within the district.

He said the district could use carry over in the capital outlay budget. The district will also be paying off a lease agreement within the next six years for additions to the middle school. This also will free up money that could be directed toward the project.

The ECC would move out of the former Washington Elementary School building on Main Street and the former Munjor school. Munjor would go back to the Catholic dioceses per contract. The board would have to decide what to do with Washington building, Thissen said.

The Washington building has had significant problems with the plumbing and sewer systems. The district spent about $15,000 to patch sewer leaks in the building last year. Students also had to be dismissed early one day because of sewer issues.

Washington is not ADA compliant. It has two floors and no elevator. Children can’t be housed on the second floor per a state statute. The concern is that small children would not be able to evacuate easily down stairs in case of an emergency.

“We have great concerns that facility is just not a healthy facility, and we can do better,” he said.

The district is also in need for more space to accommodate a growing Headstart program. The federal government is going to start requiring all-day classes for Headstart. The district has no more room in the former Washington building. Without this new building, the district would have to cut slots or move classes to the Munjor building, which would mean more parents would have to drive their students to that location.

The Washington building currently houses 122 students, and the Munjor infant and toddler program has 22 children.

ECC includes Parents as Teachers, Headstart, the 4-year-old At-Risk Program and Early Childhood Special Education. These programs serve all students in Hays, even those who go on to private school or who are homeschooled.

The district only learned it received the federal grant two weeks ago, but it is on a time crunch to use the money. Any project using the funds must be completed by June.

Although the district has been meeting in executive sessions for months about the purchase, several board members were concerned about the timing of the purchase and uncertainties that remain.

Board members Greg Schwartz and Lance Bickle voted against the purchase, and Luke Oborny abstained, making the vote 6-2-1.

Bickle said he would have liked to have seen an appraisal on the land before the board approved the purchase. He also was concerned about earmarking $250,000 for 10 years from the capital outlay fund for the purchase.

“I think we have enough buildings already, and we need to take care of those. I think we need to use that money in other areas,” he said in an interview Wednesday.

Because the lease agreement would be more than $100,000, there will be a 30-day window in which voters can file a protest petition. If more than 5 percent of voters sign that petition, the question would go for a district-wide public vote.

However, Thissen noted because of the tight time frame to use the grant dollars, a successful protest petition would mean the district would not be able to complete the project in the time stipulated by the grant and would have to forfeit the money.

USD 489 has had two failed bond issues in the last three years. Thissen said this is a way to address a building need without raising taxes.

“It really will make for better programming for the Early Childhood program,” Thissen said.

By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas launched a $5 million capital campaign during its annual Fall Fest on Tuesday.

This is the first capital campaign in the organization’s 50-year history.

Jerry L. Michaud, DSNWK president and CEO, said the money will be used to make much-needed repairs and upgrades to its facilities. The organization has locations in Hays, Norton, Atwood, Hill City, Hoxie, Russell and Stockton. It serves 18 counties in Kansas.

“With a capital campaign, generally it is usually to build a building or a one thing,” he said. “In our case, we are spread over the 18 counties and the focus is to bring back and focus on some of those things that have been long-delayed — repairing roofs, fixing things that are broken, the kinds of things that are most generally people just build into their budgets. Those have been pushed off because of long-standing lags in support for the services that we do.

“We are fixing the stuff we should have fixed years ago.”

Some of the funds will also be directed at technology to comply with legal and government mandates and streamline employee communications and document access. A portion of the money will be set aside for an endowment to serve as another source of revenue for DSNWK. Michaud said this additional money will be used to support the recruitment and retention of the employees.

“Our world is about people serving people, but you have to be able to earn a living wage,” he said.

About $1 million has already been raised toward DSNWK’s goal. Michaud thanked major contributors, including the Dane G. Hansen Foundation, the Robert and Pat Schmidt Foundation, the Beach family, Bart Betzen, and Rick and Gail Kuehl.

“To create a stronger future for DSNWK, your help is needed,” Michaud told the crowd. “To grow endowed funds that will provide a stable future funding source, your help is needed. To address current needs, such as repairing aging buildings, updating technology that is outdated and other needs.”

Steve Keil, director of development for DSNWK, said intellectual and developmental disabilities do not discriminate. Anyone you know is capable of having a child with a disability. About one in six children ages 3 to 17 have a developmental disability.

Not so long ago, he said, people with developmental disabilities were hidden away or institutionalized. People did not think people who had developmental disabilities could develop intelligence, work, own their own home or business, or be active community members, he said.

“Fifty-plus years ago, that all changed through a grassroots movement of compassionate parents and volunteers. A new future with hope and opportunity began and became a reality,” Keil said. “Today people with disabilities have jobs, passions, personal growth, experience greater acceptance and dignity than ever before. Parents are realized, families thrive, families are supported.”

Keil said the community’s support is needed. DSNWK supports more than 500 people in northwest Kansas, yet 3,700 people remain on the statewide waiting list for services for people with developmental disabilities. Nonprofits like DSNWK can change the game for families caring for loved ones with disabilities, he said.

Betzen, president of the DSNWK board, had a brother, Andy, who received services from DSNWK for 28 years.

He said modern adults are living longer and so are DSNWK’s clients. As a result, the need for resources is growing to care for DSNWK clients as they age.

“We believe it is necessary to evolve with the changes in the needs for the people we serve in western Kansas,” he said.

Amy Schmierbach’s 11-year-old son, Lucas, has been diagnosed with autism and recently started receiving services through DSNWK.

“This summer was the first time he qualified for a personal assistant, and it changed our lives,” Schmierbach said. “It was the first time in probably seven years, I felt like I was able to breathe that someone was working with my son that I trusted. He made such tremendous gains this summer, it was really quite amazing.”

Schmierbach, a FHSU art professor, has received grant money for a Collaborative Art Project. DSNWK clients have been weaving. She had looms set up at the Fall Fest event Tuesday. A “Drawing to Music Workshop” will be 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 27, at DSNWK Employment Connections. Call 785-625-2018 and ask for Crystal to RSVP.

Upcoming workshops will also include collage and weaving.

Jim Blume, former president and CEO of DSNWK, also took to the podium and said seeing everyone in the crowd was like a family reunion.

Blume said the parents of DSNWK clients going back years sacrificed for their children. They loved them and worried about them moving away from home and coming home from state hospitals.

“The second way that you saw love was through the staff,” he said. “Each day the staff would take care of you, worry about you and helped in every way because they loved you.”

Blume acknowledged the DSNWK staff does not get paid what they deserve — some after as much as 30 years of service. He said it was a love for their clients that kept them with DSNWK.

“I am honored to be part of [the capital campaign], because I love each one of you,” he said to the crowd of clients, parents, guardians and staff. “I pray for you. I don’t get to see you very often, but you will always be close to me in my heart.”

Donations can be made online at www.dsnwk.org or make checks payable to DSNWK and mail them to Capital Campaign, PO Box 310, Hays, KS 67601.

By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

Tom Albers became a teacher because of the relationships he built in high school sitting around the local convenience store, drinking pops and talking with his friends

“We had 17 senior boys. We weren’t always together. When we were, that wasn’t always the best thing. It wasn’t bad, but we were ornery,” Albers laughed. “You always had someone you could hang out with. The good news is that you didn’t have video games, so you were always doing things together.”

After 16 years as an assistant principal at Hays High School, Albers took over as at Hays Middle School. He replaces longtime HMS Principal Craig Pallister, who retired in the spring.

He said he wants to bring that feeling of belonging he felt as a senior in high school to his new students at Hays Middle School.

“My reason for being a teacher was that I loved high school so much. I loved the whole part of it,” he said. “I want to be part of that. I want to be part of that experience, and I want kids to have that experience that they just love being in school. I guess the reason I did [become a teacher] is that I didn’t want to let go of that feeling or memory.”

Albers, a Fort Hays State University grad, is in his 31st year as an educator. He spent 13 years in Pratt as a high school math teacher and coach and a year at Pittsburg High School as an assistant principal, before taking the assistant principal job in Hays to be closer to family.

Albers tries to bring that feeling of togetherness to his role as an administrator.

“It is important to know that people care. If they see me right off the bat in the morning, and they see that I am excited, maybe that brings excitement to them.”

He said he tries to show his staff he cares as well.

“I try to show our staff that they are very, very important. I am a servant to them, and I care about them. Hopefully, that translates to them doing the same thing to our students. I see that. We have a very caring staff.”

HMS and HHS are very fortunate to have a quality teacher pool and that is reflected in the education and school experience the students receive, he said.

“Kids need to come to school, knowing its a place for them, regardless what they do. It’s not just athletics. There is something for every kid we want them to be part of,” Albers said. “Music is important. Art is important. For us here, robotics is important. It doesn’t matter what it is, we just want kids to [feel like they belong].

“I have told some kids, it is just that they are a part of something. They may just be watching a ballgame, but they get to be in that HMS community and have the feeling of need and the feeling of being part of something.

“We want them here and to be excited. That is what my mission is. I want kids to come to school and say, ‘Man, I love being at school.’ That is not always easy to do anymore with everything that is out there distraction wise.”

Being a part of something bigger than themselves can help protect children from some of the many dangers they face in the world today, such as drugs, alcohol and predators, Albers said. Part of the growing process from sixth to eighth grade is helping the students learn to make positive decisions for themselves.

He said seeing kids grow is still his favorite aspect of being an educator.

“I think if you would ask any educator, it would be the relationship with the kids, seeing the kids grow, seeing the ah-ha moments,” he said. “For me it is also the staff, making connection with the staff, watching them grow and how they nurture our school. We are only as good as our staff.”

The rise of social media has created new challenges for educators and parents, said Albers who has five children ranging in age from a fourth-grader to a 24-year-old. He said he is not sure the kids today are having the face-to-face interactions he did with his high school friends, because they are interacting through social media.

“I don’t see a difference in kids, but I see a difference in what they have been exposed to and what they have to bring to the table,” he said.

With children in all three levels of Hays schools, Albers is kept busy with family obligations.

“I see all three levels and how it works together,” he said.

Albers said he is still learning the HMS system after spending so many years at HHS, but he said the staff at the middle school has been very helpful.

Albers has reached out to other parents at HMS and is seeking their input on how to make improvements.

“I always want us to grow, and find ways to make us better,” he said.