At 6:30 p.m. Monday at Rockwell Administration Center, 323 W. 12th, the Hays USD 489 Board of Education will host the budget hearing for fiscal year 2016.
The hearing, a required part of the budget process, will give the public an opportunity to share with the board comments or concerns about the year’s budget.
The budget sets the maximum level of expenditures and establishes the mill levy for the budget year.
The meeting is established “for the purpose of hearing and answering objections of taxpayers relating to the proposed use of all funds and the amount of tax to be levied. Detailed budget information (including budget profile) is available at Rockwell Administration Center and will be available at this hearing.”
People are not the only ones who get to take advantage of the Hays Aquatic Park as the annual dog swim is set for 11 a.m. Saturday.
“It was always successful,” said Grant Lacy, aquatics director for the Hays Recreation Commission. Lacy has continued the swim the last six years after he took over as director.
Regular chemicals in the pool water are lowered, making the pool unsafe for humans to swim in, but makes it safe for dogs.
“It’s a nice safe, controlled environment,” Lacy said, but urges caution to participants.
Only people 16 years old will be allowed in the water and only up to their thighs, for safety reasons.
Participating dogs must have current vaccinations and must be kept under control at all times.
Last year, the event brought around 100 dogs to the park, according to Lacy.
In conjunction with the swim, participants will be allowed to vote on the “Love your pet photo contest.” Photos that were submitted earlier this week will be presented at the front desk and winners will judged Saturday.
The event will run from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. with a cost of $5 per dog.
Move-in day at Fort Hays State University began Wednesday, with members of the university faculty, staff and student workers helping get everyone organized and into their home for the next nine months. View some images and video from the day below.
FHSU students won’t return to campus until mid-August, with classes scheduled to begin Aug. 22.
After weeks of contentious debate, frustration was beginning to boil over at Tuesday night’s negotiating session between Hays USD 489 Board of Education and Hays National Education Association negotiating teams.
While the teams discussed retirement insurance, sick day accrual and pay raises, the session boiled down to fixing years of budget mismanagement and uncertainty with state education funding.
School district and teachers union representatives talk Tuesday during a negotiation session.
“We were robbing Peter to pay Paul,” said board memebr Lance Bickle said, arguing the district needs to accumulate money in order to avoid future layoffs if state funding again decreases.
But the HNEA wants to see some of that accrual used to alleviate seven years of frozen pay.
“We can’t do more than what we offered” in terms of bonus and pay, said Greg Schwartz, former school board member still representing the district in the talks.
With that message coming across, the BOE team is still lobbying to increase work hours and days.
“I can’t see teachers offering to work for six more days without an increase in pay,” said Kim Schneweis, co-chairwoman of the HNEA team.
“This isn’t all about money, it’s about having the best staff,” Schwartz said. “At some point, you can’t have everything for everybody and still operate.”
While frustration continued through the bulk of the meeting, some previous points of contention were decided upon.
The board’s team agreed to look at increasing the length of the work day through a committee, but not force it this year.
And members of the insurance committee were agreed upon, pending final approval from the HNEA team.
“But you think we have an agreement?” asked Schwartz.
“Yes” Schneweis said.
Retirement options were also on the talks with vesting options for new teachers on the table.
Both groups agreed teachers vested under the old plan could not be removed, but the way new teachers would become vested will be discussed later.
“Vesting is the only change,” Schwartz said.
Initial talks about insurance turned into a full debate of money and the message insurance sends to teachers contemplating retirement.
The debate centered around insurance benefits that extend to teachers after retirement.
The HNEA team wants to keep post-retirement insurance in place for those who operated under the assumption that it would be there, but the board’s team suggests looking at cutting the program in order to use that money for current staff.
“It was a bad deal from the start,” Schwartz said.
The HNEA team felt while it could be cut, promises made should be kept.
“Teachers expect you to keep that promise,” Schneweis said. “It should be something you plan on.
“I think that’s a dirty deal,” she said.
Along with those issues that have seen progress, concessions have been made in accrual payout, but details are still being worked out.
The HNEA team believes the current plan from the BOE will increase costs, due to teachers using more sick days, if teachers cannot accumulate days for a payout at the time of their separation from the district.
“They are going to use those days,” Schneweis said, if sick days are changed into a use-it-or-lose-it situation. “We want a contract that recruits and retains people.”
The BOE team doubts increases will occur with an almost 50 percent usage rate in the district currently.
The next negotiating meeting was set for 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 20.
The annual faculty convocation at Fort Hays State University welcomed faculty and staff to the new academic year Wednesday with a clear message — the university is changing.
FHSU re-engineering began last year under the direction of President Mirta Martin, and now with many other key positions in the administration in place, and approval for most changes from the Kansas Board of Regents, this year will see new directions in many of its academic and administrative units.
FHSU Provost Graham Glynn addresses faculty and staff.
This change is necessary to stay viable according to the administration, but has made many feel uneasy at the university.
In response to that concern, FHSU Provost Graham Glynn addressed that concern directly at the convocation.
“I’m scared we’re not moving fast enough,” he said, showing new academic buildings at partner universities in China and highlighting their interest in expanding education within their country.
FHSU has had long partnerships with several Chinese homeland institutions over the years.
Despite the uneasiness from quick and major changes at FHSU, Glynn also informed the audience of some of the many achievements FHSU is expected to accomplish this year, including recorded enrollment, and a ranking of the largest comprehensive graduate school in the state.
During his talk, Glynn also highlighted the need for better communication throughout the university.
“I’m going to ask the faculty to tell me,” he said after announcing a workload task force will be created to evaluate each department’s student credit hours by department, rather than a university-wide number.
That is once piece of the university’s future as future faculty development will also be driven by department and faculty input, rather than directives from the administration.
When hiring faculty Glynn said it will be driven by current staff expectations.
“I want them to be your values and your expectations,” he said.
With new process, departments and expansion, not everything tried will work and Glynn said he expects failure to be a part of the FHSU culture, but that should not be punished.
“Don’t look for blame, look for ways to make things better,” he said.
After five years of operation, Styles Dance Centre is ready to expand, and they are set to do just that in a big way, with work currently occurring on a new studio at 1501 Main.
The building has housed many different business over the years, having been an True Value hardware and most recently a Chinese grocery. But the space – around 9,000 square feet – is an ideal space for a dance studio, said owner Alyssa Dechant. And the upgrade couldn’t come at a better time for Styles, as she has quickly outgrown her current location at 2101 E. 13th.
“We are just out of space,” Dechant said. “We have just outgrown it.”
In the last few years, the number of students in her studio has exploded, something she attributes to the popularity of dance in Hays.
“It’s huge in Hays,” she said. “For as small as (Hays) is, I think it really big. It’s a really popular thing.”
Dechant has 90 competitive students and well over 150 in her recreation program.
While the need to expand is not new – she has been looking for over a year – Dechant said waiting for the right location was more important than moving quickly.
“We weren’t going and seeking it out, but if one came along, we were definitely going to do it,” she said.
The new studio fit the criteria Dechant was looking for with adequate space, good location and a good price.
The new building was purchased for around $250,000, she said, but she believes it is money well spent as many students view the studio as “their second home.”
Remodeling is currently taking place that will convert the open area within the new building into a lobby, break room and four studios.
The 13th Street location had only two studios.
The increase in size will also allow Dechant to expand the number of students, with a plan to hire more instructors as well.
With so many variables in play, Dechant is unsure when the move to the new space will occur, but is hopeful to be moving by Christmas.
For Dechant, dance is more than just a business opportunity, it is a way of life.
“I just loved it my whole life. I’ve danced my whole life since I was 3 years old, and it’s always been a passion of mine,” Dechant said. “Not a whole lot get to live out their dreams, but I’ve been fortunate enough and blessed enough to do that.”
After being identified by the Hays Police Department Friday, Tiffany Cannaday, 25, was arrested that day in a string of burglaries in Hays.
At least one of the incidents was allegedly caught on camera in front of the former Home Party Club, in the 200 block of West 10th.
Cannaday was arrested Friday on suspicion of four alleged incidents of burglary, three alleged misdemeanor theft incidents, one alleged felony theft incident and one alleged felony criminal damage, according to Brian Dawson, HDP assistant chief of police.
While four incidents are known, Dawson said other stolen items have been recovered that have not yet been claimed and asks area resident to call the HPD if they believe they may be a victim at (785) 625-1030.
In a message released Monday, Hays USD 489 Superintendent Dean Katt offered an open message highlighting facility and technology upgrades that have been occurring over the summer.
Dean Katt, 489 Superintendent
“The Windows Surface Pro 3s and Windows Surface Pro devices are currently being set up for students and teachers at Hays High School,” Katt said. “The IT Department has been working diligently over the summer to ensure the kindergarten through 12th grade 1:1 initiative kicks off within the first several weeks after the first day of school on Aug. 13, 2015. iPads are being tagged for students and staff.”
With the new hardware comes training and USD 489 has been providing that as well over the summer.
“Numerous teachers have participated in trainings over the summer,” Katt said. “Victoria hosted an iPad Academy for area teachers this summer. Multiple USD 489 teachers took advantage of the opportunity to learn the many functions of iPads in the classroom setting. The district’s Instructional Technology Specialist has been offering trainings on Canvas, the district’s Learning Management System, as well as how to utilize technology in the classroom. Several teachers also participated in writing and reading workshops over the summer. The district is grateful for the commitment of the teachers and staff that have put extra time in over the summer.”
While the technological innovations are progressing, facilities throughout the district are receiving some much-needed care, as well.
“The maintenance and custodial staff began working feverishly doing deep cleans in all of the district facilities this summer,” Katt said. “Hays High School’s floors were completely stripped and waxed, giving new life to the building. O’Loughlin, Roosevelt and Wilson received partial stripping and waxing over the summer. Hays High School also received new seating in the little theater as well as a new surface on the running track. Washington Elementary was officially converted into the Early Childhood Connections – Washington Site (ECC-WS) over the summer, allowing most of the ECC to run out of one facility. The district would like to commend the custodial and maintenance staff for all of their hard work over the summer and every day.”
Members of the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office and Ellis Rural Fire Department were on scene at an overpass just east of Victoria for a rollover accident on I-70 at approximately 4 p.m. Friday.
A late model white sedan was in between the east and westbound lanes on its drivers side as police directed traffic heading east. A Penske moving truck was also stopped at the scene, but it is unknown if the truck had been involved in the accident.
It is also unknown at this time if any injuries were caused by the accident.
Hays Post will update as information becomes available.
Restaurateur “Pasta Jay” Elowsky – whose restaurant Pasta Jay’s will anchor a 12-storefront retail development at 43rd and Vine – is getting ready for his new location in Hays, set to occur mid-to-late spring.
Jay Elowsky, daughter Josie and son Jay Wyatt.
The restaurant will offer a wide variety of Italian fare and will be the fourth location for the small chain, with others located in Moab, Utah; Boulder, Colo.; and Lone Tree, Colo.
While the model will be the same as the other locations, it will also be tailored to Hays, Elowsky said.
“Steaks” came to mind, as he currently offers a 16-ounce New York strip and a 12-ounce baseball-cut sirloin in his Boulder location.
“I imagine those will be transferred down there,” he said.
But for Jay, his restaurants are more than a place for people to eat.
“We like to be involved in the community,” he said. “Customers and employees are like family.”
“Our best marketing tool is the food we service,” Jay said, noting his strong desire to make his restaurants “a place you can call home.”
The business is likely to create around 50 jobs and will be completely staffed locally after training by three or four people from outside locations, Elowsky said.
Developer Stephen Tebo of Tebo Properties is spearheading the development and originally reached out to Jay suggesting the Hays market would be a good fit for a new location.
For more on Pasta Jay’s, including company history and menus, click HERE.
Bartholomew J. Daley, 34, Fort Worth, Texas, was arrested by Hays police following an incident in which an anonymous male reported a local bank branch was going to be robbed. The robbery never occurred, but Daley, accused of making the call, has a history of alleged criminal activity stretching from North Dakota to Texas.
Daley
In the last few years, according to reports, Daley has been arrested, investigated and sued in various states and counties.
Those include a case in Sedgwick County where he was found guilty of felony theft, according to Georgia Cole, spokeswomen for the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s office.
Sentencing for that case is scheduled for Sept. 1.
Daley and others allegedly ran a long-term construction scam around the Wichita area, offering asphalt work at a significantly reduced price for cash up front, but rarely completed the work.
Daley has also been implicated in a civil case filed by Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt in a case stemming from complaints from Kansas consumer affairs alleging “defendants included failing to complete promised work after receiving payment in full, failing to provide consumers with a three day right to cancel the transaction as required by law, not providing consumers with refunds due and making false representations about the work that would be done. In addition, the defendants failed to respond to investigators and left the state,” according to a media release by Schmidt’s office.
The suit was filed in May in Shawnee County District Court against Daley, and others doing business as Pave All Asphalt Paving, Pave-A-Lot and Daley Contracting.
The lawsuit seeks $112,000 in civil penalties, court costs and investigative fees, and restitution for the named consumers. The attorney general alleges transactions occurred in Ellis, Gove, McPherson, Ness, Ottawa, Riley, Saline and Sedgwick counties.
Daley had been implicated in a similar scam in North Dakota in 2010, doing business as B.D. Sealcoating.
The Better Business Bureau had issued an alert for Daley this year, as well.
“This business first came to the BBB’s attention in late March 2015,” according to the BBB website. “Consumers allege that Bud Daley a/k/a Bartholomew J. Daley came to their homes and stated that he works for Pave A Lot, and wanted to do asphalt paving. Upon agreeing to the asphalt work, consumers allegedly reported that Mr. Daley persuaded them to pay funds upfront by stating that he does not have the funds to purchase needed materials since all of his additional funds are going toward the care of an ill child.”
At 9:38 a.m. July 29, the Hays Police Department received an anonymous phone call from a male informing the department that a Hays Sunflower Bank branch, 4720 Roth, was going to be robbed by two males.
Officers responded to the call to secure the bank and the area, according to HPD Chief Don Scheibler.
During the investigation, Bartholomew J. Daley, 34, Fort Worth, Texas, was arrested in the 4600 block of Roth at 10:16 a.m. July 29 for a warrant out of Greenwood County and later found to be the source of the call, according to Scheibler.
Daley was arrested on suspicion of interference with law enforcement, Scheibler said.
