Gov. Jeff Colyer and Lt. Gov. Tracey Mann focused on ag issues when they made a stop in Hays on Wednesday during their Get Out the Vote statewide tour.

Colyer and Mann made multiple stops across the state Wednesday, talking to many farmers about the state of crops and trade.

Speaking in front of the grain elevator at Midland Marketing on Ninth Street, Colyer said he is working on opportunities for Kansas farmers to market their products.

“We have passed legislation on everything from weeds to industrial hemp to be produced,” he said. “Talking to farmers about trade, a lot of people are talking about trade and prices. Very early on when some of the trade disputes happened, for example, when China imposed 179 percent tariff on Kansas sorghum, we called in the Chinese consult general, we talked with Kansas farmers and ranchers, and that is one of the things they have actually backed off on.”

The state has worked with the White House on the trade issues, he said, but it is also trying to open up new markets.

“We have been dealing with, for example, Indonesia, Japan and a number of other countries on how to expand Kansas markets there,” Colyer said. ‘They know we are a great supplier. We are more affordable than anybody else. We are the best value and certainly the best product.”

Colyer said the farmers have told him they think a $12 billion farm aid package announced by the USDA on Tuesday is a good first step in helping producers overcome damage done by the tariffs.

“They know we need to have free and open markets, but they also know that we need to know that our farm and agriculture communities are doing well,” Colyer said. “It is a tight situation. Everybody knows that.”

Colyer said the state is trying to find ways to add value to products. He used the example of milk and cheese processors that have come to the state.

“We know agriculture is the center of the Kansas economy, and we have been talking to some folks about some new agriculture opportunities.”

Travis Brunner, Midland Marketing commodity risk manager, mentioned growing and marketing white wheat in the state as an example of a value-added product.

Mann said the state has tried to make moves such as expanding grazing rights on CRP land to deal with issues of drought in other areas of the state.

Colyer said managing water resources was also essential to the success of agriculture and the future of the state. He cited a Local Enhanced Management Area, or LEMA, in Hoxie that had successfully used technology to reduce water usage while maintaining incomes.

Colyer, who grew up in Hays, said he and Mann’s goal of the tour was to listen to voters.

“It is really to get home and talk to folks about what is happening in Kansas,” he said. “We are starting to solve problems. We have upgraded our credit rating. Our credit outlook is up for the first time in years. The economy is starting to move. Our unemployment rate is 3.4 percent. Our focus is to make sure we have good schools and great education, so we have an educated workforce. But we have to have low taxes and low costs, and that is what we are doing.”

Colyer touted the school funding package that was approved by the Legislature this spring that will add $500 million in education over five years. The Supreme Court issued a decision following the Legislature’s session that said more money needs to be added to the school funding formula. The state has until next June to comply with the latest order.

“What the focus will be is getting it into the classrooms,” Colyer said of the additional education funds. “We require outcomes in this. And by stair-stepping it in, there’s no tax increase. The schools can also absorb it better, and our goal is to see that in better teachers and better pay and making sure kids have those opportunities.”

He also said the state has dedicated more money to technical education to position Kansans for higher-paying jobs.

Colyer said the Kansas economy is starting to grow, and that will help some of the state’s budget woes.

“Wages are up 3.1 percent. We have more than 20,000 new jobs in the last 12 months,” he said. “If we can keep moving with these higher quality jobs and getting more money in people’s pockets, that makes a big difference. That flows through the entire economy. Our revenues are up over estimates, but the big thing is more people are working in Kansas, and we want them working at better jobs. That is what we are going to be focusing on.”

By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

Businessman Greg Orman of suburban Kansas City is seeking to right Kansas’ economic ship in his independent run for governor.

Orman’s running mate is Sen. John Doll from Garden City.

Orman, who formally launched his campaign in January, talked to the Hays Post by phone Wednesday.

“As I travel throughout the state, it has become very clear to me people are dissatisfied with what they are getting out of Topeka, and they are definitely dissatisfied about what they are getting out of Washington,” Orman said. “Kansans have known for the last 10 years intuitively that something in Kansas has gone very wrong in the state.

“Ultimately, I believe what happens over the next five years in Kansas is going to determine the path our state is on for the next several decades. I want this to be a place where my two daughters and all our sons and daughters and grandchildren feel inspired to build their lives. I think we need to put it on a different path—one that is focused more on solving problems and less on scoring partisan points.”

Orman noted he and his running mate are not accepting contributions from PACs or lobbyists.

Orman laid out ways he thought business in Topeka needs to change to bring about a more prosperous Kansas.

He said he would begin by outlining an economic development strategy for the state.

Kansas has many strengths it can leverage to grow the economy, Orman said, including its geographic location in the center of the United States. As the economy is moving from being a bricks-and-mortar economy to a distributive economy, Kansas should be the distribution capital of America, Orman said.

Not only does Kansas have access to rail, but the state has access to low-cost inputs for manufacturing from agriculture and energy.

Orman said Kansas needs to have regulations that encourage businesses to locate here. In his discussions with entrepreneurs across the state, Orman said businesses have found getting sites approved to be cumbersome and time-consuming, which has driven some companies out of Kansas.

Orman proposes the state enter into regulatory compacts with local governments. If they agree to certain timelines for regulatory approval, the state will target highway and economic development dollars to those areas.

On taxes, Orman said he believes the Brownback tax plan resulted in tax avoidance. The repeal of tax breaks for LLCs has resulted in increases in tax revenue.

Orman said he saw ways of continuing to use state funds more efficiently. However, instead of across-the-board cuts, he said he would make targeted adjustments to the budget.

“We are engaged in a costly and expensive border war with Missouri over economic incentives,” he said. “We pay to move companies from one side of State Line Road. Missouri then pays to move our companies from the Kansas side of state line road to the Missouri side of State Line Road.”

Orman suggested working with Missouri to create a “no-fly zone” in Kansas City to avoid this costly back-and-forth poaching of businesses.

Criminal justice and marijuana
Orman also would seek to streamline the criminal justice system. He would support making the possession of small amounts of marijuana a ticketable offense. He thinks minor offenses should not include detention, especially for juveniles.

“We waste a lot of resources in Kansas arresting kids who are buying dime bags of weed,” he said.

The candidate supports the legalization of medical marijuana and growing industrial hemp. He did not go so far as saying he supported the legalization of marijuana for recreational use.

Orman said he supports a reevaluation of the Kansas criminal justice system.

“Ultimately, I think we can look at our whole criminal justice system, starting in pre-trail confinement and going all the way to the people we choose to imprison and just evaluate,” he said. “Do we really have a system that is serving the needs we are hoping to serve, which is No. 1 to keeping the public safe, No. 2 to deter negative behaviors, but No. 3 to do it in such a way that is responsible from a resource standpoint? The people who entrust us with their money deserve to have us spend their money well.”

He said he was concerned about pay for corrections officers, noting low pay may be contributing to a high turn over at the state’s prisons.

“We can’t have prison guards continuing to work 12-hour shifts, and, in some cases 16-hour shifts, and expect to keep those guards safe and expect to maintain public safety as well,” he said.

The third thing Orman said he would like to do to save Kansas money is negotiate pricing for Medicaid prescriptions. The state’s portion for medication through Medicaid is 10s of millions of dollars per year.

Schools
On school funding, Orman said although the Kansas Supreme Court in its latest ruling on school finance did not approve the state’s level of funding, it did set parameters the Legislature can work from.

Orman said the real issue is making sure students receive an equitable education throughout the state and much of that is trying to make up gaps for low-income students. He said he supported targeted solutions, such as summer reading and learning programs.

Orman’s wife was a public school teacher in Turner. He said, “My wife said to me ‘Greg, the best education policy is a growing economy, because so much of what happens to that student outside of the classroom has an impact on their educational outcomes.’ Do they have to work until 2 in the morning at a convenience store to help their family pay bills? Do they have a single parent, and the parent is working two or three jobs and can’t be involved in their education?”

Immigration
Immigration has been a hot topic in the Republic primary race for governor. Orman said he supports federal immigration reform, but he does not support ending a state policy that allows undocumented Kansas residents to pay in-state tuition. He said he did not think that move would save the state money. It would likely mean a drop in enrollment as these young people would not be able to attend college.

“At the end of the day, these kids are living here. We want them to improve their lives,” Orman said. “We want them to be put in a position where they can do higher value-added work, contribute more to the economy, contribute more to our communities. I think it really misunderstands the situation if we raise the prices and think these kids will be able to pay it.”

Health care

Orman supports the expansion of Medicaid in Kansas. He said he thinks in can be done with an attention to cost by focusing on population health and trying to keep people healthy instead of treating them when they are sick.

Orman said he thinks Kansas sends a horrible message to people who are working in Kansas and not making a lot of money.

“The message is if you get sick, quit your job,” he said. “In Kansas to qualify for KanCare, you have to make 41 percent of the federal poverty line. To qualify for subsidies under the Affordable Care Act, you have to earn 138 percent of poverty line. So if you are a single, working mother making 10 bucks an hour and you get sick, the only way to get health care is to quit your job. I think that is the absolute wrong message. We want to be building pathways for people to improve their lives and give them opportunities to contribute more.”

He said he also saw health care accessibility as a workforce development issue. If a worker can live in Colorado and make $13 an hour and receive health care or work in Kansas, earn the same amount and not receive health care, he said they are going to choose to live in a state where they can access health care. Orman said Kansas has put itself at a disadvantage compared to the states who have expanded Medicaid.

Correctd: 11:04 a.m. July 27 for time of campaign announcement.

By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

WILSON — After a fire destroyed Wilson’s historical museum, a new museum will be a featured attraction during the annual Wilson After Harvest Czech Festival on Friday and Saturday.

The former House of Memories museum in the community’s historic opera house burned on Nov. 6, 2009. Most of the artifacts in the museum collection were lost to fire or water damage.

Joyce Kraus, museum volunteer, said the fire was a great loss to the community.

“A lot of us cried,” she said. “It was like losing a member of the family when we lost that.”

An all-volunteer group has worked for almost 10 years to rebuild the museum collection and find a new home for the museum. The community of Wilson is primarily a farming community of about 800 residents.

Nine months ago, the Robinson family whose parents at one time operated the Wilson World newspaper made available the home that had been used for the World offices at low price to the Wilson Community Foundation. That home at 411 24th is now open as the Wilson Heritage Museum. The newspaper’s printing equipment is still in the basement of the house. The museum was also aided in its rebuilding efforts through a grant from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation.

The new museum features a Czech room as well as exhibits featuring the military history, and schools, churches and businesses of Wilson. New banners that depict a timeline as President Wilson worked to help Czechoslovakia become an independent democracy are expected to arrive in Wilson this week in time to be on display at the Czech Festival this weekend. This year’s Czech Festival is honoring 100 years of U.S. and Czech diplomatic relations.

Other featured museum items include Czech traditional costumes, Czech glass, needlepoint and photos and books on Czech history and geography.

Some remnants of the old museum remain. The museum has on display the remains of a money bag from one of the local banks that survived the fire. Also in the collection is a DVD that was shot in 2002 that shows the House of Memories collection before the fire.

Kraus said the museum is still in its infancy. Volunteers have worked with other museums to find cases to house artifacts. They are also applying for a K-State program that aides smaller museums by sending students to assist volunteers like the group in Wilson.

The museum is still accepting monetary donations as well as historical items for its collection. The museum is a nonprofit so all donations are tax-deductible. If an item is donated for the collection, Kraus said the museum is asking the donor to fill out a form explaining the item’s importance to the history of the area. For more information on donating, you can contact Kraus at 785-658-2328 or by mail at PO 322 Wilson, KS or contact the Wilson City Hall.

The museum will be open during the Czech Festival from noon to 8 p.m. Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday (except during the parade) and 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

The Czech Festival will have many of its standard favorites, including Czech folk dancing, polka music, kolache eating contest and sporting events. The annual toilet races have been renamed the Porcelain Throne of Games. Racers ride on toilet bowls that have been mounted to push lawn mower bases and a pusher navigates the team around an obstacle course. Those races will be at 2 p.m. Saturday.

New this year will be performances by Southeast Nebraska Bohemian Bagpipe Band and the Oklahoma Czech Folk Dancers.

For teens, there will be oversize games from 9 p.m. to midnight Saturday in Lions Club Park. This will include a night beach ball volleyball game facilitated by a lighted volleyball net.

For more information on the festival, call 785-658-2272 email [email protected] or see the festival’s Facebook page.

See the festival schedule below.

Friday, July 27

Saturday, July 28

Submitted

Apparel and home décor retailer Gordmans, a division of Stage Stores, will debut a new department store beginning with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 8:45 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 16.

Gordmans, 2918 Vine, in Big Creek Crossing, will continue the festivities throughout its Grand Opening Celebration Weekend, Aug. 16 to 19.

The public is welcome to join Gordmans associates and representatives from Stage Stores, the City of Hays, Hays Area Chamber of Commerce and Hays High School at the ribbon cutting ceremony before stepping inside the new 25,000-square-foot store to discover name brand apparel, home décor and more available at Gordmans.

Additionally, as part of Gordmans’ commitment to the community of Hays, Gordmans is partnering with Hays High School and will donate $2,500 to the school. Gordmans’ donation will directly support the school’s Pat on Your Back Activity Fund, which recognizes students and funds activities that have a positive impact on the school and the Hays community. A representative from Hays High School will attend the ribbon cutting ceremony to accept Gordmans’ donation through a check presentation.

During the celebration weekend, Aug. 16 to 19, Gordmans will offer guests deals, giveaways and other fun surprises. The first 100 guests in line each day during the celebration weekend (Thursday through Sunday) will receive a free gift (while supplies last). Additionally, throughout the weekend Gordmans guests who apply and are approved for a Gordmans credit card will receive an additional 20 percent off their first day’s purchases. (The standard first-day discount for new cardholders is 15 percent off.)

“Gordmans is excited to join the Hays community. At Gordmans we create an exciting place where terrific deals and designer name brands are at every turn,” said Michael Glazer, president and CEO of Stage Stores. “Gordmans is among the best, with trend right décor, fun accessories, and seasonal items — all at values our guests love. We are committed to bringing our guests bigger deals and smaller prices — and with fresh new deliveries arriving weekly, there will always be something new to discover. From men’s, women’s, and children’s apparel, to shoes and home, Gordmans has deals like nowhere else.”

Stage Stores Inc. sells apparel, accessories, cosmetics, footwear and home goods. As of July 24, 2018, the Company operated in 42 states through 769 BEALLS, GOODY’S, PALAIS ROYAL, PEEBLES, and STAGE specialty department stores and 59 GORDMANS off-price stores, as well as an e-commerce website at www.stage.com. For more information about Stage Stores, visit the Company’s website at corporate.stage.com.

By CRISTINA JANNEY 

Hays Post

The Hays School District will be down about 30 students for the 2018-19 school year, according to current projections.

Assistant Superintendent Shanna Dinkel gave a report on the projections at the school board meeting on Monday.

A report in the board packet estimated total K-12 enrollment at 2,912. Kindergarten through fifth-grade enrollment is estimated at 1,409. Hays Middle School enrollment is projected at 674, and Hays High enrollment is projected to be 829 students.

Both the HHS and HMS are projected to have slightly higher enrollments with enrollment across the elementary schools projected to be down slightly.

Hays enrollment was 3,047 students on its official count day on Sept. 20, 2017. Hays enrollment was 3,070 in 2016. However, Dinkel noted the Sept. 20 numbers included students in special education who receive services from USD 489, but may not attend USD 489 schools.

Enrollment numbers are important because they become part of the formula the state uses for funding.

Online enrollment for district started last week. You can access a link to enroll online on the district website at https://www.usd489.com/?p=5559

See related story: USD 489 Hays enrollment open for 2018-19 school year

Dinkel estimated about 22 percent of students have already been enrolled online, and the district hopes more parents take advantage of this option between now and Aug. 1 and 2 when in-person enrollment will take place at the HHS cafeteria.

Board member Paul Adams requested a comparison of enrollment from previous years, and board member Greg Schwartz asked Dinkel if she could present a projection for enrollment for up to five years into the future.

Special Education

New special education director Chris Hipp gave a report to the board on several aspects of the special education cooperative.

The district will use waivers and a new apprenticeship program to fill several special education spots in the district. The waiver program allows licensed teachers who are pursing their master’s degrees in special education to teach special education. The apprenticeship program allows someone with a bachelor’s degree, who has worked at least a year as a para and who enrolls in master’s program to teach special education.

To help these new special education teachers, the coop has developed a new teacher academy. Items that will be addressed will be socialized instruction, progress monitoring and writing quality individualized education programs, which are also known as IEPs. The district is applying for a grant to help pay for the academy training.

Wilson playground

The board approved the purchase of new playground equipment for Wilson Elementary School.

Wilson has received a $5,000 grant toward the purchase of playground equipment from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation. The total cost of the equipment will be about $78,000. No district funds will be used to purchase the equipment. The Wilson Home and School Association has been saving for years toward the replacement of the aging equipment and will cover the rest of the cost.

Schwartz said he was not against the purchase of the equipment, but voted against the purchase saying he did not feel there was enough time to consider the item. This was the first meeting the item appeared on the agenda.

In other business, the board:

Heard a report on board goals. A list of completed and ongoing projects that are working toward the board’s goals are available on the district website. The board will meet on Aug. 8 to review its goals and consider new goals.

Approved Kansas Association of School Boards policy recommendations

Heard a report on the annual Lewis Field agreement with Fort Hays State University. FHSU has proposed a $100 per event increase in the fee from $2,400 per use to $2,500 per use.

Submitted

CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Dollar Tree Inc.’s new store in Hays will have a soft opening on Thursday, Aug. 9th followed by a grand opening on Saturday, Aug. 11.

The grand opening from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Aug. 11 will include food, music, giveaways, and a show and shine car show.

“Dollar Tree is pleased to invite customers to experience our great value and broad assortment of merchandise all priced at $1 or less,” said a Dollar Tree spokesperson in a press release. “Our customers can discover new treasures every week ranging from seasonal decor, household products, party and craft supplies, dinnerware, food, teaching and school necessities, health and beauty essentials, toys, books and much more.”

Dollar Tree stores are open seven days a week and offer a value and convenient shopping experience. The Hays store will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The new store is 10,279 square feet and is located at 2918 Vine Street, Suite 149, at Big Creek Crossing. The store has an exterior entrance but no entrance from the interior of the mall.

A store of this size typically employs 12 to 20 associates. Interested applicants can apply online at www.DollarTree.com or in person at the store location. The company was still taking applications as of Monday for the Hays location.

“Dollar Tree continues to grow and we are proud to be part of the Hays community,” concluded the Dollar Tree spokesperson.

Dollar Tree, a Fortune 200 Company, now operates more than 15,000 stores across 48 states and five Canadian provinces. Stores operate under the brands of Dollar Tree, Family Dollar and Dollar Tree Canada. To learn more about the Company, visit www.DollarTree.com.

James Younger, Big Creek Crossing property manager, said he was eager to have a new store opening at the mall.

“We are excited about the pull the store front will have,” Younger said. “We think that the community is excited too. We are also excited Dollar Tree is creating 12 to 20 new jobs. We hope it will open the door to some growth in Hays and bring in additional tax revenue to the city. We like to be a part of bringing jobs to the community.”

Big Creek Crossing is also welcoming Gordmans to the Hays mall in August. The department store is set to open Aug. 16. It is taking the place of Stage on the north end of the mall. Both the Stage and Gordmans brands are owned by the same company.

USD 489

Dane G. Hansen Foundation has awarded Hays USD 489 a grant to purchase an audiometer and tympanometer.

The grant was for $8,266.

The equipment will be used by to screen students in grades pre-K through 12 in all USD 489 schools.

The current hearing instruments were purchased in 2004.

Nurses will be trained on the new equipment before the beginning of the school year by a Hays High School alumna. The grant was written by Corina Beam, USD 489 Foundation secretary, with the assistance of current and former USD 489 nurses.

By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

The Hays USD 489 school board will receive a report Monday on projected enrollment for the 2018-19 school year.

A report in the board packet estimated total K-12 enrollment at 2,912. Kindergarten through fifth-grade enrollment is estimated at 1,409. Hays Middle School enrollment is projected at 674, and Hays High enrollment is projected to be 829 students. Hays enrollment was 3,047 students on its official count day on Sept. 20, 2017. Hays enrollment was 3,070 in 2016.

The final enrollment figures are important because they are plugged into a state formula to determine funding.

The online enrollment is ongoing. Go to www.usd489.com to start that process. Go to https://hays.revtrak.net to pay online.

See related story: USD 489 Hays enrollment open for 2018-19 school year

Superintendent John Thissen said Wednesday he hoped as many as half of all students will be enrolled online by the time in-person enrollment starts. That will be Aug. 1 and 2 at the Hays High School cafeteria. This is the second year for one-stop enrollment. You will be able to enroll all your children at the same time at this site. The site will also have an express pay line for those who do not wish to pay enrollment fees online.

Wilson playground

The board is also set to consider the purchase of new playground equipment for Wilson Elementary School.

Wilson has received a $5,000 grant toward the purchase of playground equipment from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation. The total cost of the equipment will be about $78,000. No district funds will be used to purchase the equipment. The Wilson Home and School Association has been saving for years toward the replacement of the aging equipment and will cover the rest of the cost.

Other business, the board will

• Hear recommendations for committee appointments from board president Mandy Fox

• Vote on Kansas Association of School Boards policy recommendations

• Discuss board goals

• Hear a report from Chris Hipp, new director of special education

• Discuss the annual Lewis Field Stadium facility use agreement with Fort Hays State University

Hays CVB

Hays has won the Sister Cities International 2018 Award for Best Overall Program for a city with a population of 10,000-25,000. 

The awards competition, which is open to over 500 sister city programs nationwide, recognizes the accomplishments of outstanding individuals and community sister city programs that are promoting peace through mutual respect, understanding and cooperation.

In 2017, the Hays Sister City Committee welcomed residents from both its Sister Cities — Santa María de Fe, Misiones, Paraguay and Xinzheng, China — for Hays’ sesquicentennial celebration. A four-person delegation from Paraguay came to celebrate the occasion and the newly rekindled Sister Cities partnership. The committee worked with Fort Hays State University to include visiting students and faculty from Xinzheng, China in the festivities. 

The impact of the visits was widely visible in the Hays community, as the city officially introduced guests at many events including a formal celebration and community barbecue. 

The visit sparked many conversations with locals. Some conversations were light-hearted, and included teaching the rules of baseball at a local game, chatting about American cars at the car show, or small talk while browsing local vendors at the market and sidewalk sale. 

However, there was also much more serious interaction, as people discovered common challenges between the sister cities: fostering business, stimulating growth, and retaining young people in the community after schooling. 

“We all stand to learn from these superstar Sister City programs as they impact their communities across a broad range of sectors that include business entrepreneurship, youth leadership, and arts and culture,” said Roger-Mark De Souza, Sister Cities International’s President & CEO. 

“These individuals and local organizations inspire us to be better citizens as their work exemplifies President Eisenhower’s vision of engaged international citizen diplomats. They create beneficial connections and lasting relationships which will help their communities today and for years to come.”

Sister Cities International Annual Awards recognize excellence in overall programming and highlight key innovations in arts and culture; business and trade; humanitarian assistance; youth and education; and professional and technical exchange categories. Award winners will be recognized during SCI’s 2018 Annual Conference Aug. 2-4 in Aurora, Colorado. 

The conference will bring together hundreds of the most influential citizen diplomats and global leaders in diplomacy, foreign affairs, policy, business, and innovation to discuss, share examples, and network. This year’s theme, “Cities Leading the Way,” will focus on smart and resilient cities, leadership development, and entrepreneurship as key building blocks of President Eisenhower’s vision of creating a more peaceful world through citizen engagement and international cooperation between cities. 

Founded as a Presidential Initiative by Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956, Sister Cities International serves as the national membership organization for 500 member communities with over 2,000 partnerships in more than 140 countries on six continents. The sister city network unites tens of thousands of citizen diplomats and volunteers who work tirelessly to promote the organizations’ mission of creating world peace and understanding through programs and projects focusing on arts and culture, youth and education, business and trade, and community development.

The Hays Sister Cities Committee members are Olga Detrixhe, Melissa Dixon, Ann Leiker, Dawne Leiker, Heather Musil, Brandon Nimz, Mehran Shahidi, Brittney Squire, and Corrie Zimmerman. Past committee members that played an important part in 2017 events include Max Maximov, Carol Solko-Olliff, and Helen Ang Robson.

The Hays Sister Cities Committee currently has two open seats available. Interested applicants can submit an application at www.visithays.com/FormCenter/Committee-Application-4/Volunteer-for-a-Committee-35.

For more information about the Hays Sister Cities Committee, contact the Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau at 785-628-8202.