FHSU University Relations

Fort Hays State University will award its first-ever honorary doctorate in May to Robert J. “Bob” Dole, a western Kansas native who earned national and international acclaim over a lifetime of public service. The doctorate will be presented during the university’s two Commencement ceremonies on May 13 and 14, where Sen. Dole will be the keynote speaker.

The Kansas Board of Regents voted unanimously on Wednesday to approve the honorary Doctor of Arts degree.

“First as a grievously wounded soldier in World War II and then throughout a lifetime of community service, Sen. Bob Dole has served Kansas and the nation as the consummate model of good citizenship,” said Dr. Mirta M. Martin, FHSU president. “Dole hails from Russell, less than 30 miles from the FHSU campus, so those of us in the Tiger family have a special appreciation for what Sen. Dole has accomplished. He is part of the Tiger family.”

Saying that it would take many pages to list all of Sen. Dole’s accomplishments, President Martin focused on just a few that are deserving of special notice: “Sen. Dole served 35 and a half years in Congress. He was elected Senate majority leader in 1984 and was our nation’s longest-serving Republican leader. He has earned national acclaim for his leadership on behalf of the disadvantaged and disabled, serving as one of the most powerful advocates for the Americans with Disabilities Act. He also has been a major spokesman on issues involving veterans, hunger and nutrition, agriculture, and men’s health. And, Sen. Dole was the 1996 Republican nominee for president.”

President Martin said that perhaps most importantly, Sen. Dole was the very definition of a statesman. “He is respected on both sides of the aisle for his views on bipartisanship, deficit reduction, economic growth and health care, and for his mastery of foreign affairs.”

The president emphasized that even with his worldwide fame, Sen. Dole – as a native son of western Kansas – holds a special place in the hearts of the FHSU family. She recalled that just a year ago, Fort Hays State was honored to have Sen. Dole speak at the dedication of a lobby on campus in memory of his two sisters. He donated $100,000 to honor his sisters – Norma Jean Steele and Gloria Nelson — who both passed away in 2012. He said it was important to recognize the value they placed on education.

“Sen. Dole has agreed to give the address at Commencement in May,” President Martin said. “It is a most fitting and appropriate tribute for Fort Hays State, with the unanimous endorsement of the Kansas Board of Regents, to bestow this honorary Doctor of Arts degree on a great Kansan.”

 

One man is in custody following a three and a half hour standoff in Hays Wednesday.

The incident began about 5:15 p.m. according to Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler, and the man was arrested in his house about 8:40 p.m.

“HPD received a call that a man was threatening his wife in the house with a rifle and he possibly had an explosive device,” Scheibler said after the suspect was arrested.

The woman was not in the home when officers from the Hays Police Department responded. The Special Situation Response Team was called in and officers from the Ellis County Sheriff’s Department and Kansas Highway Patrol also responded.

“There was no one else in the house, and there were no injuries. We consider this a success and the neighborhood is safe again,” Scheibler added.

UPDATE 8:40 p.m.: Police Chief Don Scheibler told Hays Post that entry was made into the home, and the suspect is in custody. No other details are available at this time.

Scheibler said officers will be on the scene for some time continuing their investigation and advised people to avoid the area if possible.

“The neighborhood is safe again,” he said.

UPDATE: 8:30 p.m. police have broken a window to gain entry to the home. Curtains and blankets are being cleared from the window.

 

Hays Post will have additional details on the incident as they become available.

UPDATE 8:00 p.m. Scanner traffic indicated the HPD had received a warrant for the home, and they had probable cause for an arrest. Police are still surrounding the home and traffic on Hall remained blocked.

UPDATE: 6:13 p.m. Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler has told Hays Post that HPD received a report of a man with a gun making threats late this afternoon at 528 W. 17th Street. A wide area in that location is cordoned off.

Scheibler is asking people on foot and vehicle traffic to stay out of the area. Nearby residents have been told to stay in their homes.

The local SSRT has moved into place. KHP officers are also on the scene.

UPDATE: HPD SSRT members have moved from the Eagle Media Center parking lot, 2300 Hall Street, south on Hall to the area of 17th and Elm Streets.

Members of the Hays Police Department were blocking traffic on Hall from 15th St. to 25th St. and a few blocks East of Hall around 5 p.m. Wednesday.

Traffic was being directed around the area.

Thomas More Prep-Marian school was also locked down and students were not being allowed to leave the building as of 5:10 p.m.

The situation that has caused the area to be cordoned off is unknown at this time.

FROM TMP MARIAN: 

UPDATE at 6:19 p.m. “No students are on (the TMP) campus at this time. The remaining staff will remain on lockdown until released by the HPD.”

“Late this afternoon, the Hays Police Department contacted TMP-Marian administration and recommended a precautionary lockdown based on a situation off of campus. The softball parent meeting scheduled for 6:00 p.m. will be rescheduled.

All students and staff still on campus are safe and will remain on campus until the Hays Police Department releases the lockdown. TMP-Marian administration is in contact with the Hays Police Department and will follow their direction in this matter. Thank you.”

Hays Post will continue to update as more information becomes available.

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

RUSSELL–The Russell Police Department is investigating counterfeit twenty dollar bills that have been passed in local businesses. RPD issued a news release late Wednesday morning about the investigation.

According to RPD, the $20 bills have the same serial number: M B 3 5 9 4 7 8 4 6 D. The bills are also missing the security thread and color shifting ink.

It is common for criminals to switch denominations and serial numbers of their counterfeit bills to avoid detection and other counterfeit bills with different serial numbers may be passed at Russell stores, RPD cautioned.

Russell police are encouraging business owners to share this information with their employees as well as information about detecting counterfeit money.

If you think you may have received some of these bills, report the incident including suspect description or identity, vehicle description and tag information to the Russell Police Department at (785)-483-2121.

Video courtesy USD 489 News – Watch the full Feb. 15 meeting here.

By James Bell
Hays Post

A brief discussion about commissioning a survey to judge the public’s interest in a $94 million bond issue turned sour at the Hays USD 489 Board of Education meeting Monday as the Board discussed the possibility with Gary Brinker, director the Docking Institute at Fort Hays State University.

“I’ve been working with the Board since early last year when they started talking about a bond,” Brinker said in an interview after the meeting.

“Even though the Docking Institute did a free strategic planning session for the Board completely pro-bono, I don’t understand why they have omitted us from the bond planning procedures.”

Brinker began talking during the meeting about unpopular aspects of bond elections and was interrupted by Board Member Sarah Rankin.

“This is why I worry about your bond and why I feel you definitely need to do one of these,” Brinker said. “You have a strong potential that those gyms that you have in your bond are going to cause it to fail.”

“With all due respect, sir, I don’t think we need a lecture on what we should or should not do, if we could just limit this to the presentation itself,” Rankin admonished Brinker.

After a few questions from Board members, tensions further escalated when Brinker suggested resources could be saved if the survey happened to show a sales tax petition had virtually no chance of passing.

“I don’t think it’s wasting resources when you’re trying hard to accomplish something that you feel strongly about. I don’t like the term wasting resources. That is definitely not what this Board is up here attempting to do,” interjected Josh Waddell, board member.

After informing the Board he is offering a tool that would allow them to judge bond support, Brinker abruptly left the meeting.

“If you’re not interested in doing that, I’ve lost interest in doing it, frankly,” Brinker said.

Board members then heckled Brinker as he left.

“Nice attitude,” Waddell said. “Real impressive.”

Brinker expressed his concern with the Board on Tuesday.

“They expressed no interest in doing this bond survey,” he said. “The whole purpose of the presentation was to show how the bond survey could help them pass that bond.”

Without specific knowledge of support by USD 489 voters, Brinker said, the Board has no expectation it will pass.

“They’re willing to gamble the tax payers’ money to float a bond they have absolutely no assurance will pass,” he said.

“That is the crux of my frustration.”

He also said the survey would help tailor specific marketing for areas that are less popular.

“Bonds frequently fail and I think, for a lot of them, it’s for this reason,” Brinker said. “I’m very concerned that this bond is not going to pass.

“It troubles me that they are going to spend many times what the survey would cost to run this bond election, that, in my opinion, has a less than a 50/50 percent chance of passing as is.”

Brinker also had concerns the Board wanted to use a survey as a part of a promotional tool.

“I was getting the impression that they wanted to morph (a survey) into some sort of promotional thing, which I’m adamantly against,” he said. “I don’t want it to be a tool to promote a particular bond, I want it to be a tool to measure support.”

By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

Watch the full meeting here.

After nearly a year in negotiations with Hays USD 489 teachers, the Board of Education voted Monday to file impasse papers after teachers again voted against the contract negotiated by the HNEA bargaining committee. Contract negotiations will now go to mediation.

“We put the proposal before the teachers, and they voted it down,” said Kim Schneweis, HNEA bargaining committee co-chairwoman.

While fewer teachers voted in the second vote, the majority still voted against accepting the contract, but a higher percent voted yes than last time, something Schneweis called “encouraging.”

Similar to the previous vote, vertical pay movement was a primary factor in the outcome.

“The biggest concern seemed to be vertical movement on the pay scale,” Schneweis said.

This is the eighth year no vertical movement has been offered.

“That just acknowledges with increased education and increased experience the teachers have increased value,” Schneweis said.

Board members said the desire is there — but the money is not.

A step in the vertical scale would cost the district $115,764.

Teacher salaries are determined by two scales: vertical, which corresponds with years with the district, and horizontal, which correlates with training.

The HNEA argues attrition savings should cover at least one vertical step this year, even while school funding is being cut across Kansas.

“By nature, teachers are college-educated people, and they are very tuned into what is going on in Topeka. … However, they also understand attrition and understand as our people retire that those younger people should be moving up those steps,” Schneweis said. “The money it would take to move a step of vertical movement is far less money than the attrition money created by the retirements.”

The district disagrees.

“We heard about the attrition savings from the teachers who’ve retired and hired newer teachers that are lower on the salary schedule,” said Tracy Kaiser, executive director of finance and support services.

“The money just isn’t there,” said Lance Bickle, board president.

“All of our new teachers that are coming on, a lot of them are younger, they have families, so we’re paying for family health insurance versus our older workforce, who usually pays just for themselves or their spouse,” Kaiser said in an earlier interview. “That’s a significant cost.”

Out of the $374,745 general fund savings created by attrition, $78,801 funds an increase in sick leave payout, $78,081 funds an increase in retiree health insurance, $119,563 funds an increase in health insurance for new staff, $7,200 funds an increase in 403(b), $20,000 funds professional development, and $15,000 funds mentoring costs.

Added together, Kaiser said the district only saves $56,100 in attrition, far short of the $115,764 needed to fund the vertical movement. The district also faces an additional increase of $85,152 in health insurance costs next year.

For the teachers, that is a hard pill to swallow.

“The input we’re getting from the ballot and just from conversations is vertical movement is an issue for two reasons. First of all, we have teachers that have been here over 10 years and they are still getting paid way down at the bottom of the pay scale. Secondly, when we recruit new teachers from out of town that have the equal experience as our existing teachers, they’re being hired and given credit for their years of experience and placed higher on the salary schedule higher than the people that have been here. Those two things together are something we hear about frequently,” Schneweis said.

And the board and administration agree, but without changes, money to give raises is not available, something cuts to benefits – especially for retirees – would help free up, but that money would not be even to cover the movement this year.

“The vertical move would cost $115,000, so we need to come up with $115,000 savings now, to be able to make that,” Kaiser said. “Most of the changes that we would be making would still be a couple years down the road. … I think that was the board’s goal was to try to get some immediate savings as soon as possible, so that they would be able to give those raises.”

But the cut to retiree benefits has not gone over well with teachers, and now the are asking for a slower phase-out of benefits and the vertical movement increase.

“We acknowledge that had ballooned and became very expensive,” Schneweis said. “Four years ago, we agreed to phase it out. A lot of teachers have told us they just want them to honor our agreement.”

Despite efforts to fund raises by balancing salary and benefits, the financial reality makes that impossible, at least this year, according to board members.

“It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to do the math,” Bickle said.

“We have to balance it,” said Josh Waddell, board member, noting his belief that benefits have ballooned to the point salary raises are impossible. “If something does not change, this is where we will be for a very, very long time.”

Board members also voiced frustration after a tentative contract was voted down twice, saying HNEA negotiators chose not to fully investigate the district’s financial situation.

Bickle said they had the opportunity and had been invited several times to go through the financials with administration.

“Unfortunately, they did not find it important enough,” he said.

The fiscal story

According to the administration, there are no current options to offer the vertical movement at this time.

That is partly because Kansas sets the state aid per pupil — set by a block grant this year – and funding cuts are feared to occur at a similar rate to last year.

“A general fund is established through that formula and now the block grant. That is all the spending authority we have in general fund,” Kaiser said. “So we can’t take any money and put it in general fund. That is our maximum that we can spend.”

The district reserve, which was cut in the past, is also not fully funded.

“We do have $300,000 in contingency reserve, but that’s only like 7 percent, and our auditors always recommend we have 10 to 15 percent in reserve in case we would get cut by the state,” Kiser said. “Once that money is depleted, we don’t have anything extra, that’s the only extra we have. When it’s gone, it’s gone, and then we’re in the situation that we have to lay off teachers again.”

Now that impasse papers have been signed, the matter will before a mediator chosen by state officials.

By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

Watch the full meeting here.

At Monday night’s meeting, the Hays USD 489 Board of Education decided to push forward with the bond election and now will work to pin down specifics in a timeline for an election that is currently slated for June.

“Any time you select has pro and cons,” said Zach Snethen, project manager at HTK Architects, but recommended keeping a June election goal.

The sales tax would help offset a proposed $94 million bond issues for building upgrades, reducing the amount of the total costs put on property tax bills.

The district moved back its initial timelines of April and May elections after the Hays city commissioners declined to put a sales tax question on a special election ballot. Since then, the district has worked to collect a required 10 percent of registered voters to sign a petition that would allow for the question to be presented to voters.

The goal set by the district to collect those signatures was Feb. 19, but Superintendent Dean Katt said that deadline could be stretched for a few days.

The board shared the belief that the focus on the sales tax question had taken away from the original message of the bond.

“The real issue is the bond issue,” said Paul Adams, board member. “It’s the bond issue we care about.”

Board Member Sarah Rankin agreed the sales tax question was a complication and may be taking away from the important message of the bond.

Other actions taken by the Board:

The Board approved the HRC lease agreement, an action that is simply a pass-through for the district and has no effect on USD 489.

The Board approved a $50 reduction for driver education fee, an adjustment that was made due to lower gas prices.

The Board approved bidding process policy revisions.

The Board approved a change to Physical Education requirement for Hays High students. Only one credit will be required for graduation, the same as Kansas requirements.

The Board approved board term change due to a change in the Kansas election schedule.

The Board approved a financing bid for the HVAC financing from Commerce Bank.

The Board approved the payment to the architects for the HVAC system.

The Board approved the contract for Mark Hauptman, assistant superintendent for special services.

Great Bend Post

GREAT BEND  -Despite the prepared statement by USD 428 Superintendent Brad Reed, on the alleged sexual assault of a student on a school activity bus, hundreds of students and community members were not happy what the superintendent was saying.  They organized a protest outside the District Education Center on South Patton Road in Great Bend.

Students gathered in front of the First Assembly of God church and began to walk south towards the district office. The crowd initially remained near the street holding signs demanding justice and answers from the district.

Reed even went out to greet the protesters and engaged in conversation with many members in what appeared to be an attempt to calm the waters. When an attempt to march into the district office was thwarted by law enforcement, the crowd began to yell questions Reed’s way and ask for clear answers and punishments for those that were involved in the alleged sexual assault of a freshman swimmer on February 6.

Students eventually decided to sit in front of the entrance. Upon refusal to move, Barton County Sheriff’s Officers warned the protesters to move and later arrested three female students placing them in handcuffs. USD 428 elected to not press charges and the students were later released.

Reed mentioned in his statement that based on the district’s research into the case, they do not believe criminal activity occurred…something that did not settle well with the alleged victim’s mom and the hundreds of protesters outside.

Reed also addressed reports of students being allowed to participate in the state swim meet this weekend even though they had committed serious infractions. Reed said no student in USD 428 who should receive discipline would ever be allowed to represent the school or the district.

Reed said swim coach Steve Beaumont, Principal Tim Friess and Athletic Director David Meter have been on top of the incident from the time it happened, and have handled it in an appropriate and swift manner.

Michele O’Neil, mother of the alleged victim, said her son’s backpack was thrown to the back of the school bus and when he went to retrieve the bag he was thrown down to the floor. His teammates eventually pulled his pants down and proceeded to sexually assault the victim according to O’Neil.

Since the alleged assault happened on a highway in Ellsworth County, the Ellsworth County Sheriff’s Office is handling the case. The Sheriff’s Office will file their investigation with the Ellsworth County Attorney to determine what criminal charges to seek.

 

 

By SOPHIA ROSE YOUNG
FHSU University Relations and Marketing

Scrolling through her Facebook feed, Stacy Cairns-Abdein, a Virtual College student at Fort Hays State University earning her Master of Professional Studies in social entrepreneurship, saw an opportunity to help a friend who simply asked the virtual world if anyone knew of an organization in Alabama collecting donations for Syrian refugees.

“No one did, so I decided that I would try to set up a small winter clothing drive,” said Cairns-Abdein.

Cairns-Abdein did a little research and found that Helping Hand, a non-profit in Atlanta, had a container shipping to the refugee camps in Jordan at the end of November.

“I contacted Helping Hand to work out the logistics of getting the donations from Birmingham to Atlanta,” said Cairns-Abdein. “I asked my local mosque if I could use their facilities as a drop-off center, setup a Facebook page and then printed off fliers.”

Cairns-Abdein’s small intention to help a Facebook friend donate turned into hours of physical labor.

“In only 10 days, we gathered enough winter clothing and supplies to fill over 200 large boxes and fill a U-Haul. The majority of donations were brand new, and the estimated total value was over $250,000,” said Cairns-Abdein. “We gathered an equal amount of clothing that is more appropriate for milder weather and we have those in storage to send to refugees that may relocate to the U.S.”

Items being saved for possible refugees who relocate to the U.S. include brand new business suits, household items, backpacks and children’s shoes.

Friends and strangers helped spread the word. Cairns-Abdein’s mother, sister and three daughters worked tirelessly for more than 30 hours sorting and packing.

“In addition, the Birmingham Interfaith Community were very supportive,” said Cairns-Abdein.

For the past few years, Dr. Keith Campbell, professor of sociology at FHSU, has taught several courses that Cairns-Abdein enrolled, but it was during her first M.P.S. course in the fall of 2015 with Campbell when Cairns-Abdein realized that “programs and projects to help others are just as important at the grass roots level as they are on a national or international level.”

“Dr. Campbell helped me refocus my attention to smaller, community-based projects with the realization that they can make just as much difference in the world. This realization actually helped me refocus my career aspirations and I am currently working to develop my own local social services organization in the Birmingham area,” said Cairns-Abdein.

It was Campbell and a global challenges course with Andree Brisson, instructor of interdisciplinary studies, which directly influenced Cairns-Abdein’s decision to pursue social entrepreneurship.

Cairns-Abdein received her bachelor’s in general studies with a concentration in human services from FHSU along with certificates in community development and cultural anthropology and globalization. Cairns-Abdein currently works as a freelance grant proposal writer and substitute elementary school teacher. She is actively looking for full-time work in the non-profit sector.

Eagle Radio of Hays and HaysPost.com is giving away “Fast Passes” this week, giving winners early access to the World Series Trophy Tour.

The World Series trophy will make a stop in Hays on Monday, Feb. 22, at Gross Memorial Coliseum.

Fast Pass winners also will get a photo with the trophy.

Ten winners will be named Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. To enter, email [email protected][email protected] with your name and daytime phone number. Please enter TROPHY in the subject line.

           Videos by Cooper Slough – For a full version of the song click here.

By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

For residents who have been in western Kansas over the last decade and are fans of live music, chances are the name of Victoria native Blaine Younger is already familiar. Now a contest sponsored by Country Music Television and the Nashville Songwriters Association International could help that name become known nationwide as Youngers’ song, “PatiOasis,” is a finalist in a contest that started with about 2,400 entries.

“The contest is kinda a crazy deal,” Younger said.

This is the first time being on the top 10 list.

He said he was ecstatic to be named as a finalist and began talking about the ranking this month.

The contest is open to public vote, and the winner will be named from the entry that receives the most votes.

He joined the NSAI a few years ago, after taking a break from music and refocusing on songwriting and is happy to be a part of the organization.

“They teach you more about in-depth songwriting,” he said, including better ways to get music published.

National exposure may be new to the Victoria native, but playing music is familiar ground for the former Victoria resident.

“I started playing piano as little as 5 years old,” he said, but it wasn’t until high school he began learning guitar and writing songs.

He used that talent to become a well-known area musician after a few years around Hays.

After graduating from K-State and spending a year in Nashville, Younger returned to the Hays area and was the front-runner of the Blaine Younger Band for about five years.

After the regional successes with the Younger Band, he moved to the Kansas City area and started back up about three years ago as a singer-songwriter.

“I like that setting, so that’s where I’m focused,” he said.

Out of that effort came “PatiOasis,” a song Younger said is drawn from his experiences living in western Kansas.

“It’s all about Hays, Kansas, if you ask me,” he said. “It’s about making a Patio Oasis in your backyard, with your family and friends.”

To view and vote in the NSAI/CMT contest click here and for more about Younger visit his facebook page.

       PatiOasis – Blaine Younger

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

The renovation of the Hays wastewater treatment plant, built in 1953, will use the process of a 5-stage oxidation ditch with final clarifiers and denitrification filters. City commissioners voted 4-0 Thursday night to accept the recommendation by Project Manager Stan Christopher of HDR Engineering, and city staff.

City commissioner Shaun Musil was absent from the meeting.

Three processes were reviewed over the past two months and each includes biological nutrient removal to meet treatment requirements.

The selection of the oxidation ditch with denitrification filters (Option 2) was made based on factors including ease of operation, lowest present value, and its ability to meet current and anticipated future effluent federal limits. The option will also improve effluent
quality for continued irrigation and indirect recharge reuse.

CDM Smith (CDM Constructors, Inc.) has the contract for Phase 1, 90% Design and GMP Development, for the rebuilding of the WWTP. Christopher told commissioners that CDM believes they may be able to change the 5-stage operation process to 3-stages, which would save about $500,000 in capital costs.

“They offered up some innovative ideas which may result in this being converted to a 3-stage process,” Christopher said. “If that proves out to be the case and allows us to meet today’s (effluent) limits and those in the future, it would bring the capital cost of the biological process down about $500,000.”

“This was a very involved process,” said Hays City Manager Toby Dougherty.

“We had the kickoff meeting in early January and the first task was to identify the (treatment) process. CDM, with HDR, has been busy. At that first meeting we had at least four process engineers there, structural engineers, electrical engineers, people representing the construction side. There were a lot of opinions thrown around, a lot of heated discussion, but that’s how we get to a good decision.

“I feel we reached a good recommendation for you commissioners. We’re very happy with the way this process is working,” Dougherty concluded.

This is the city’s most expensive project to date–estimated at $30 million–and the first major work to use the Owner-Representative/Design-Build process.

The renovation must be completed by 2018 to adhere to stricter federal and state effluent requirements.

The city was fined $18,000 last year by the Environmental Protection Agency for excessive ammonia levels in 2012.