The Ellis County Joint Planning Commission will hold its monthly meeting on Wednesday, July 25, 2018. There will also be a Public Hearing.
The meeting and Public Hearing will be held at 7:00 P.M. at the is County Administrative Center in the Commission Chambers, 718 Main Street, Hays.
Please contact the Ellis County Zoning Office at 785-628-9449 for more information.
The complete agenda follows.
ELLIS COUNTY JOINT PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING
July 25th, 2018 at 7:00 p.m.
Ellis County Administrative Center Meeting Room
718 Main Street Lower Level, Hays, Kansas
Agenda is Subject to Change
I. Call to Order
II. Roll Call
III. Approval of May 23rd, 2018 meeting minutes
IV. Public Presentation
V. Staff Report
A. Activity Report
B. Other
VI. Old Business
A. Update on the Comprehensive Plan Proposals
B. Other
VII. New Business
A. Public Hearing for Conditional Use Permit 1810
Kinglsey, LLC (Bed and Breakfast)
B. Public Hearing for Ellis County Revisiting Proposed Change to Subdivision Regulations of eight (8) lots to six (6) lots
C. Public Hearing for Conditional Use Permit 1814
Midwest Energy (Electric Substation)
D. Other
X. Confirm next meeting date: August 22nd, 2018 at Ellis County
Administrative Center Meeting Room, 718 Main Lower Level,
Hays, Kansas at 7:00 p.m.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas insurance commissioner seeking the Republican gubernatorial nomination is trying to prevent Gov. Jeff Colyer from taking $8 million this year from a state insurance fund.
Selzer and Colyer during a Johnson County candidate debate earlier this month- photo courtesy KCTV
Ken Selzer has filed a lawsuit seeking a court order to block Colyer from transferring money from an insurance-specific fund into a general fund that pays for the state government’s overall operation. Selzer is the commissioner of the Kansas Insurance Department.
The lawsuit says “consumers will be harmed” by the $8 million transfer because the Insurance Department would have to collect additional fees on insurance companies to make up lost revenue.
Colyer’s office says Selzer agreed to the transfer during former Gov. Sam Brownback’s administration in 2016.
Selzer said Friday the lawsuit is unrelated to the gubernatorial campaign.
SEDGWICK COUNTY — One person was injured in an apartment fire Sunday in a Sedgwick County.
Approximate location of Sunday’s fire-google image
Just after 5a.m., fire crews were dispatched to report of a fire in the 9100 Block of East Harry in Wichita, according to Captain Jose Ocadiz.
A neighbor heard a smoke alarm activated and called 911. First arriving crews saw fire and smoke coming from the apartment. They found a victim inside. The man remains hospitalized at the St. Francis Burn Unit in critical condition, according to Ocadiz.
Fire crews were able to keep the fire from spreading to another apartment. Cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Evelyn Sue Pywell, 72, passed away Friday, July 20, 2018. Born November 6, 1945, the daughter of Albert (Bud) Corwin and Mary Bos. She is survived by husband Roy, McPherson; sons Mark and wife Sally of Burdett, Brad and wife Mary of Lindsborg; daughter Joy Edghill and husband Darre, Murfreesboro, TN; grandsons, Lane Pywell, Chase and Corbin Pywell, Malachi and Syre Edghill; siblings, Karen Dunn and husband Roy, Lucille Kriley and husband Ray, Rosie Hake and husband Bill, Connie Allen and husband Bob, Melva Vopat, Becky Brungardt and husband Dennis, Roger Corwin, Theresa Earles. She was preceded in death by Bud Corwin and Mary Bos.
She married her husband of 54 years, Roy Pywell, on August 11, 1963. She committed her life to serving the Lord in her church, and caring for children in her home as a Daycare Provider for over 31 years.
She cherished her family, and loved them extraordinarily. She enjoyed spending as much time as she could with them. And delighted in spoiling her grandchildren to no end.
Much of her life was spent giving of her time and resources to make sure children’s needs were met. In retirement she volunteered her time and effort to the Salida Pregnancy Resource Center. And to this end, the lives of countless children were immeasurably blessed by her loving care, and generous heart. They are the living legacy she has bequeathed to us, and the world.
We celebrate her life, one well lived, and relish the time we were blessed to share it with her.
She is immensely loved, and will be greatly missed.
Funeral Services will be held at 10:30am on Wednesday, July 25, 2018 at First Baptist Church in Plainville. Burial will follow at Pleasant View Cemetery near Palco. Visitation will be from 5:00-7:00pm with family receiving friends during that time.
The U.S. Coast Guard says the National Transportation Safety Board will take custody of the duck boat that capsized in Missouri now that it’s been raised from Table Rock Lake.
U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Scott Stoermer spoke to reporters after the boat was raised Monday morning. Seventeen people were killed Thursday when the boat sank amid a thunderstorm that generated near-hurricane strength winds.
Stoermer says it took until Monday to remove the boat from the lake because that’s how much time was needed to amass the necessary equipment.
Stoermer says the boat was photographed underwater before being brought to the surface. He said he could not discuss specifics of the boat’s condition.
Nine of the people who died belonged to one Indiana family. Others killed came from Missouri, Arkansas and Illinois.
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11 a.m.
A duck boat that sank in southern Missouri, killing 17 people aboard, has been raised.
Live broadcast footage from KYTV showed a crane that is attached to a barge pulling the Ride the Ducks boat from Table Rock Lake on Monday morning. A boat pushed it toward the shore.
The boat sank Thursday night in churning waves near the tourist town of Branson. The victims were from Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana and Missouri. The boat was submerged in 80 feet (24 meters) of water.
The National Transportation Safety Board and U.S. Coast Guard are investigating what caused the boat to sink.
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BRANSON — Ripley Entertainment, the company that acquired Ride the Ducks Branson in December of 2017, released a statement Monday about the deadly accident investigation on the company website.
“We remain deeply saddened by the tragic accident that occurred at Ride the Ducks Branson. Our focus from the start has been on the guests, families, and employees who were affected last Thursday.
Today, we continue to focus our efforts on the families. We are offering to pay for all related medical bills and funeral expenses, return all personal items from the rescue scene, and assist with any related travel or accommodations that will help the families in their time of need. An event like this deeply touches everyone and we are also providing grief counseling to our employees who have been affected by this tragic accident.
We are fully cooperating with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Highway Patrol and all federal and state authorities involved in the investigation. The investigation is being managed by the NTSB. Because we are a party to the NTSB investigation, we are not allowed to comment on any aspect of it. However, our job is to cooperate and provide information to those officials and to comfort the families of those affected by this tragic event.
Thank you for your support, and we continue to ask that your thoughts and prayers be with the families during this difficult time.”
On Thursday evening, one duck boat sank during a storm killing 17 people aboard.
Kansas company representatives share information with the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine at the USA Pavilion at the AGRO 2018 show in Kyiv, Ukraine, in June. (from left) Suzanne Ryan-Numrich, Kansas Department of Agriculture; Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch; Shirley Acedo, KDA; Alan VanNahmen, Kopper Kutter; Dee McKee, Kopper Kutter; and Mike Bergmeier, Shield Agricultural Equipment.
KDA
MANHATTAN — In June, the Kansas Department of Agriculture participated in a trade mission to Ukraine, where the team attended the AGRO 2018 Expo. AGRO is the leading exhibition for agriculture, services and related topics in Ukraine.
The team representing Kansas on the trade mission included Mike Bergmeier of Shield Agricultural Equipment; Alan VanNahmen of Kopper Kutter, LLC in Cimarron; Harley Adams and Joe Minihan of CTI John Deere; and Suzanne Ryan-Numrich and Shirley Acedo from KDA’s agriculture advocacy, marketing, and outreach team
The trade mission served to identify potential new markets for agricultural machinery which translates to new opportunities for Kansas agribusinesses. “Ukraine has comparable crop production to Kansas, so many of their farm implements are similar to what is used throughout the Midwest,” said Ryan-Numrich, “Because of this, Ukraine is a potentially huge market for Kansas agricultural equipment manufacturers and retailers.”
Over the past five years, Kansas has exported roughly $8 million in agricultural commodities to Ukraine, with the top exports being beef and pork. By exploring new opportunities, Kansas companies can expand their exports, develop new relationships, create new markets and continue to build a partnership between Kansas and Ukraine.
“Traveling to Ukraine was essential to take our business to the next level. Customers were able to see that ShieldAG products were a high-quality, made in the USA product,” said Bergmeier, who expanded his sales because of his participation in the trade mission.
The trade mission was organized by KDA and the U.S. Commercial Service. It was funded through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration using a State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) grant.
KDA strives to encourage and enhance economic growth of the agriculture industry and the Kansas economy by exploring and expanding both domestic and international marketing opportunities. The Kansas Ag Growth Project identified agriculture equipment manufacturing and sales as a key component for state growth. For information on this or other international trade missions, please contact Suzanne Ryan-Numrich at [email protected] or call 785-564-6704.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Independent candidate Greg Orman has launched a television advertising campaign in the Kansas governor’s race even before securing a spot on the November ballot.
Greg Orman -courtesy image
Orman’s campaign announced Monday that it has started airing the 30-second spot attacking the two-party system on broadcast and cable stations across the state.
The Kansas City-area businessman potentially is the most serious independent candidate for governor since the 1930s. His unsuccessful bid for the U.S. Senate in 2014 received national attention.
Orman’s campaign has until Aug. 6 to submit petitions with the signatures of 5,000 registered Kansas voters to get on the November ballot.
His ad portrays a supermarket where consumers are offered only a red and a blue alternative for each product.
Orman argues in the spot that the two-party system is broken.
The city of Hays is changing its office business hours to accommodate the needs of residents beginning Monday, August 6, 2018.
By opening 30 minutes earlier and staying open 30 minutes laterMonday through Thursday, residents will have an opportunity to conduct business before 8 a.m. or after 5 p.m.
To make the customer-service initiative budget-neutral for taxpayers, these facilities will close at 11:30 a.m. on Fridays.
MIAMI, Okla. (AP) — The legal process for a Kansas man facing charges in the 1999 disappearance of two Oklahoma girls is continuing slowly as the teenagers’ families wait for answers.
Busick -photo Harvey County
A Craig County district judge has postponed Ronnie Dean Busick’s case until September in the next step to schedule a preliminary hearing. The new court date was set after prosecutor Erin Oquin and Busick’s attorney Gretchen Mosely met for nearly two hours discussing discovery in the case.
The 66-year-old faces four counts of first-degree murder, first-degree arson and kidnapping charges for the 1999 disappearance and murders of 16-year-olds Lauria Bible and Ashley Freeman, and the murders of Ashley’s parents Danny and Kathy Freeman.
The Freemans’ trailer house in Welch was also burned to the ground where the parents’ bodies were later found. Both were determined to have died from gunshots. Lauria had been spending that night at the home with her friend Ashley.
Busick is the lone surviving suspect in the long-running case. He was jailed in Harvey County Kansas in April of 2018. Two other men suspected to be involved in the case, Warren Welch and David Pennington, died in 2007 and 2015 respectively.
A probable case statement in Busick’s arrest indicates the teenagers were both kidnapped and held for potentially days, then killed and their bodies hidden in an abandoned mine shaft. The statement says Busick was involved or knew of the crimes.
The teenagers’ bodies have still not been recovered. Busick has maintained that he doesn’t know the location of the bodies, and declined to disclose further information about the crimes.
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and Craig County Sheriff’s Office investigators continue following leads and ask anyone with further information to come forward.
GREAT BEND – A day after clinching their 10th Jayhawk League title the Hays Larks used extra innings to beat the Great Bend Batcats 5-2 Sunday.
With the game tied a two in the top of the 10th Hays’ Matt Munoz singled in the go ahead run and Nic Gaddis added a two-run double to give the Larks the 5-2 lead.
Shane Browning pitched the final three and a third innings to earn the win. He allowed one hit and struck out four.
Hays is now 33-9 overall and 25-8 in the Jayhawk League.
The Larks host Liberal Monday night for the first of a three-game series at Larks Park.
A lifelong Hays resident and former county health official said knowledge of how county government makes him uniquely qualified to serve on the Ellis County Commission.
Robert “Butch” Schlyer retired in 2016 after serving as the Ellis County Health Administrator for 23 years and said he always wanted to run for county commissioner and, now that he is retired, he is able to do that.
“The experience I have with the county is one that no other candidate has,” Schlyer said. “There’s no other candidate that has been a department head and sat on the other end of the table while the county commissioners dictate the policies and the budgets.”
Schlyer said that while he was a county employee he had to manage a department so he had employees who worked for him. He also had to hire and fire people and resolve conflicts. All traits he said will help him if elected to the commission.
“I understand the department heads when they try to run their operations, given the issues and difficulties that brings,” he said. “I also understand the community since I’ve been here forever.
“I think I can have a better understanding of that whole picture, its just not a detriment when you know both sides of that whole issue its easier to make decisions based on fair observations and judgements,” Schlyer added.
While working through the 2019 budget process department heads and county staff were forced to make a number of cuts, in an effort to avoid raising the mill levy and Schlyer thinks it could get worse.
“When we look at the outlook for Ellis County, we’re not going to see any big influx of revenues coming in,” Schlyer said. “The only thing we have is the ad valorem tax, the oil tax and it’s just not going to increase.”
Schlyer said that leaves future commissions with two options — raise taxes or cut services.
In departments where the majority of the budget goes to employee salaries, he said tough decisions might have to be made.
“At some point, you are going to either lose personnel, which could impact services, or you’re going to have to provide more money for the services,” Schlyer said. “Its just going to have to come to that. Hard decisions are to come in the future, much harder than they are now.”
The 2019 budget is the third in a row that does not include an increase in the mill levy, despite an increase in spending.
Schlyer said no one wants to see an increase in the mill levy but it may need to be done.
“You always have to look at what services are we providing, what quality of the services are we providing, do we want to compromise that or do we want to provide the money for those services,” Schlyer said. “Your conclusions are going to have to come from that.”
If elected, Schlyer said he does not have an agenda, instead he will be looking at the issues that are raised and make “good decisions based on objective judgement so the county can operate in the quality it has in the past.”
Schlyer is running against incumbent Commissioner Marcy McClelland in the Aug. 7 primary election. He said he likes McClelland and did not have anything bad to say about her.
McClelland and the county are currently involved in a lawsuit over the final plat of a residential subdivision south of Hays, the Blue Sky Acres.
Schlyer said he believes McClelland “was well within her authority” to vote against the final plat.
“I understand Marcy’s concern, because she had concerns with water, especially for those folks who are already living near that development area,” Schlyer said. “Having said that, when you have a comprehensive plan which layouts the benchmarks one needs for a development and one meets all those benchmarks, if you’re going to deny it, what good is your comprehensive plan?”
He added that he would not be in favor of the county appealing the ruling if the judge were to rule in favor of the owner of the Blue Sky Acres.
Schlyer said he knows that the commissioners have a tough job and he believes he can step right in a do the job.
“I have excellent critical thinking skills. I don’t think they’d be matched by anyone running for the commission at this point in time,” Schlyer said.
Schlyer is one of four people running for Ellis County Commission First District. Schlyer faces incumbent Marcy McClelland in the Aug. 7 primary. The winner will face Democrat Chris Rorabaugh and Independent John Walz in the November general election.
ELLIS CO.
“We remain deeply saddened by the tragic accident that occurred at Ride the Ducks Branson. Our focus from the start has been on the guests, families, and employees who were affected last Thursday.
