By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Caleb Hudson moved to Hays 18 years ago to begin his career in retail.

He first worked for the former Midwest Drugs at the south end of The Mall and then moved on to several other retail businesses in town to gain management experience.

Hudson is now the store manager of the new Gordmans, which officially opened Thursday morning in Big Creek Crossing, 2918 Vine Street,  following a ribbon cutting by the Hays Area Chamber of Commerce and a welcome by Hays vice-mayor Henry Schwaller.

Hudson says Gordmans, with offerings ranging from clothing and home goods, to pet supplies and electronics, is “truly a store for everyone.”

“We are a growing a community. We all know that. We are getting some exciting new businesses in the mall especially with Dollar Tree down the way. We now have a Gordmans to call our own. Before you’d drive to Wichita or Lawrence. So now people will be driving to Hays to go to Gordmans, which is always great,” Hudson said with a smile.

Gordmans is located in the north end of the shopping center, where Stage was. A handful of the Stage employees were hired by Gordmans which employs a total of 23 people.

“They’ve been doing a great job the last month and half, setting up the store. When a lot of them showed up, it was bare floors in here and they have built it into this wonderful store we have now.”

During the ribbon cutting ceremony, Hudson also presented a $2,500 dollar donation to Hays High School on behalf of the department store.

“The money is basically going to the good of the school, wherever that falls” said Shyann Schumacher, vice president of HHS StuCo.

Gordmans will continue the festivities during its grand opening weekend through Sunday and will be open longer, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

• The first 100 guests in line each day during the celebration weekend (Thursday through Sunday) will receive a free gift (while supplies last).
• 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.

Normal operating hours begin Mon., August 20. Those are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays.

FHSU University Relations and Marketing

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Local veterans are hoping to create a veterans memorial in the Hays Veterans Memorial Park, 13th and Canterbury.

Project Director Vance Chartier of the Veteran Alliance will make a presentation about the project during tonight’s Hays city commission work session.

According to Chartier, the group will ask the commissioners for permission to build the “General [Alexander] Hays Veterans Memorial” in the city park and will not ask the city for any money to support the project. The project would proceed only after all funds are privately raised and secured.

The Veteran Alliance is composed of The Society of 40 Men and Eight Horses, Voiture 1543 and Patriot Outreach with the support of American Legion Post 173, Marine Corps League 970 and the Hays Veteran Business Coalition.

Another Hays park, Seven Hills at 33rd and Hillcrest, may also get an addition spearheaded by a non-profit group which will also appear at the meeting.

The Hays Accessible Recreation Complex would be constructed as a fully accessible area with a playground, baseball field, and splash pad.

The project is presented as a joint effort by Sarah Meitner, a local special needs parent, Kathy McAdoo, executive director of The Arc of the Central Plains, and Brent Kaiser, activities director at The Arc who oversees local Special Olympics teams.

The group is not requesting city funding but will seek permission to build in Seven Hills Park and then turn maintenance of the complex over to the City Parks Department.

Other agenda items include a review of the Unified Development Code (UDC) Fence Height and Accessory Structure Height Regulations.

City staff is recommending a modification to the UDC dealing with fence heights and accessory structure height regulations.  Currently, the UDC restricts fence heights on a side yard. However, the unintended consequence of the regulation restricts fence height on side yards for corner lots. It’s been the standard practice to allow 72-inch fences on corner lots. City staff believes the regulation is unnecessarily restrictive. The Hays Planning Commission has already endorsed the modification.

The complete Aug. 16 agenda is available here. The work session starts at 6:30 p.m. in Hays City Hall, 1507 Main.

By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

ELLIS — Volunteers, including Thomas More Prep-Marian faculty, worked Tuesday to help make repairs to St. Mary’s Catholic School after a portion of the roof was ripped from the school on July 25.

See related story: UPDATE: St. Mary’s school, church in Ellis suffer damage from Wednesday storm

School Principal April Pfeifer said many volunteers have helped with the work at the school, including putting in new surfacing on the school’s playground, which was not part of the storm damage.

The school still anticipates it will be open for classes on Sept. 10. However, the gym, which lost a substantial portion of its roof and had a portion of its rear wall collapse, will not be open to students until at least January, Pfeifer said.

“It is taking a lot of hours, but luckily with all the volunteers we have, it’s going very well. We have spent quite a few hours painting and pounding in staples in the floor,” Pfeifer said.

The preschool kindergarten, third, fourth, fifth and sixth-grade classrooms as well as the office all received damage during the storm.

Carol Brull, current TMP teacher, used to teach in the very room she was helping paint on Tuesday. She said she jumped at the chance to aid St. Mary’s rebuild.

“People in the parish really work hard to keep this school going,” she said.

The school is still in need of volunteers to help ready the school for classes. People interested in volunteering can call the school or the rectory to work out scheduling.

The diocese still does not know how much of the damage will be covered by insurance. It is still taking donations to cover the cost materials that were damaged in the storm.

Monetary donations can be sent to Equity Bank, Attn: St. Mary’s, PO Box 255, Ellis, KS 67637.

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

School starts Wednesday for Hays USD 489 students with a half-day of classes. TMP-Marian students return to the classroom Friday, Aug. 17 and the fall semester starts Monday, Aug. 20 at Fort Hays State University.

More vehicles will be on the streets, and traffic will be congested at times. There will also be more pedestrians and bicycles around schools.

The Hays Police Department is urging drivers to be vigilant as schedules change.

“Slow down and give yourself extra time to get to where you need to go,” advises Lt. Brandon Wright.

HPD practices proactive patrolling in school zones.

Speeds are reduced in marked areas, usually from 30 mph to 20 mph. If exceeded, drivers can be fined $80 plus $100 in court costs, or more.

“Children are unpredictable. Watch for them at street and alley crossings, or they may pop out between cars without notice,” he warned.

State law requires drivers in both directions to stop for a stopped school bus with its red lights flashing. Drivers cannot proceed until the lights are deactivated and the stop arm is pulled in, or the bus resumes motion.

The Kansas Legislature approved an increase in fines for passing stopped school buses effective July 1 in the 2018 Standard Traffic Ordinance for Kansas Cities. The city of Hays adopted the changed ordinance Aug. 9.

The first offense is $315 plus court costs. A second offense within five years is $750 plus court costs. A third offense in five years is $1,000 plus court costs.

“Watch the buses. Our children are our most precious asset so you need to be careful,” Wright cautioned.

Another area of traffic congestion is pick-up and drop-off of students around schools:

• Don’t double park or use no parking zones
• Don’t block driveways
• Don’t stop in street
• Don’t make children cross lanes of traffic
• Use school parking area or curbside drop-off
• Use crosswalks

If your children are walking or biking to school:

• Practice route
• Don’t change route
• Teach traffic safety
• Watch driveway and alley accesses

Talk to your children about interaction with unfamiliar persons:

• Don’t talk to strangers
• Don’t ride with unknown people without permission
• Report strangers offering ride or treat
• Walk/bike with friends, family
• Have after school check-in plan

School security is also important, Wright added.

“You should only enter through the main doors of the building and check in with the office if you’re visiting the school,” he said.

USD 489 Superintendent John Thissen said Tuesday afternoon the new buzz-in security system is in effect at all schools, although the audio component is incomplete in some locations, requiring school personnel to come to the door. The audio systems should all be installed within the next four weeks, according to Thissen.

All Hays USD 489 schools utilize an electronic ID system for visitors.

“We all have very busy lives, and often we have with lots of things on our minds while driving,” said Wright.

“Stay off your cellphone. It’s a $50 fine plus court costs for writing, sending or reading a written communication while you’re driving, but any use of your phone should be avoided when you’re near a school.

“With the increased activity and excited children all around, tragedy can occur in an instant,” he reminded drivers. “So give yourself plenty of time, and don’t rush if you’re running late.”

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

It’s one of last celebrations at the Hays Aquatic Park as the swimming season comes to an end.

The third annual Community Night Out sponsored by the Hays Police Department featured free swimming and free food.

The aroma of grilled hamburgers and hot dogs drew the crowd to the food line on the south side of the pool, where they could also enjoy chips, pop and cookies. Those earliest in line also received free t-shirts.

Hamburgers were the most requested menu item, nearly two to one according to one of the two grill chefs, Ron Rounkles. He and another retired officer, Bill Lovewell, estimated more than 400 burgers were consumed along with at least 250 hot dogs.

“It was a beautiful evening and a great turnout,” said Chief Don Scheibler.

The event also is an opportunity for residents to meet police officers, who are not in uniform, in a fun-filled environment, said Brian Dawson, assistant police chief.

“It’s just kind of our way of thanking the community for their support throughout the year,” Dawson explained. “We really enjoy doing this.”

Dawson gave most of the credit to Sgt. Chris Hancock, who he said was again “instrumental” in spearheading the party. “He’s been a rock through this so we really appreciate all his efforts.”

Sponsors for this year’s Community Night Out included Phaze 2, Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #48, Crawford Supply, Pepsi, Walmart, and the Hays Recreation Commission.

Scheibler also thanked the lifeguard staff. “They’ve put in a long day already and we really appreciated them staying during our evening event.”

 

By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

Rooks County is in process of purchasing the Rooks County Golf Course, but not all local residents are pleased with the purchase.

The 70-acre-golf course, which is 5 miles north of Plainville, is owned privately by a family that lives out of state. Recently, the family has been unable to care for the course.

The course has fallen into disrepair, and membership renewals and statements for cart shed rentals were not sent out this year.

“Because of the maintenance issues, people didn’t have to join,” said Roger Hrabe, director of Rooks County Economic Development. “They could just go out and golf. People were keeping their sheds out there and their carts, and no one was being paid.”

The Hambright family, which owned the course, was seeking to sell the nine-hole course, the only grass-green course in the county.

Hrabe said economic development agreed to put up the $130,000 for the purchase of the course with the county retaining ownership and providing management of the course. The county agreed to buy the course with economic development funds on a split vote with Commission Chairman John Ruder and Commissioner Larry Poore voting for the purchase and Commissioner Corky Hagan voting against. A verbal agreement has been made with the owners, and the county is waiting for the contract to be signed.

Hrabe said saving the course is a quality of life issue for the county.

“If you start looking at the percentage of people who golf out of your total county population,” Hrabe said, “it’s not high, but it is a quality of life issue that a lot of people want and a lot of people would use whether they are residents or not. If you are going to attract people, whether you are attracting younger people coming in or keeping the retired people here, it is something that is important.”

The course is currently being run by volunteers. The county’s hope is that the course will be able to regain enough paying members that the course will be self-sustaining. The county has estimated an annual operating budget of $30,000. The county has a group of five volunteers who have agreed to serve as a board for the course, Ruder said, but the county is waiting on the sale to go through to formally organize that group.

Ruder admitted the county did not have a formal business plan for the golf course, saying he thought that “was putting the cart before the horse.”

The lack of a clear business plan and questions about maintenance and operating expenses at the course drew concerns from community residents.

Shayn Balthazor, Rooks County resident and business owner, started a petition requesting that certain questions be answered about the course before the sale went through. The petition also requested the sale go to a public vote.

“I started the petition because I didn’t feel that the commissioners had done enough research or analysis into costs, overhead, condition of property and equipment or potential income,” Balthazor said.

Balthazor attended two county commission meetings to speak on the issue.

“I stated that if any other business owner or prospective business owner asked for help from economic development (where the money to purchase the golf course is coming from), they would be required to have a business plan before economic development would consider helping financially,” he said.

Balthazor raised concerns about the septic system, which had allegedly seeped in the area of the clubhouse in the past.

Ruder said the county is hoping the septic tank just needs cleaned out.

Hrabe said maintenance does need to be done at the course, specifically work on the cart sheds. Ruder said it was the county’s hope that once the county gained ownership of the course and started collecting fees again, money could be set aside for these upgrades.

Hrabe said none of the maintenance issues, including the septic system, appeared to be serious. Ruder said the course is in working order at this time. It will be staffed strictly by volunteers until further notice, Ruder said.

Balthazor also expressed concern about the property tax implications and objected to the economic development money being used for the purchase of the golf course. As county property, the golf course would be tax exempt.

“The money is coming from economic development, which receives its revenue from a mill levy,” he said. “The money is taxpayer paid money, and taxpayers pay mils on their property tax. I’d like to see this money put toward bringing new business to the county or help a private owner purchase the golf course without footing the whole purchase. I’m not sure how the county purchasing the golf course will help develop the economy in our county.”

Hrabe said if private owners could eventually be found to purchase and operate the course again, the county would support that.

Because no fees were being collected by the current owner, the number of members or potential members is in question.

Ruder said as few as 40 to 50 paid members could mean the golf course could be self-sustaining. Hrabe was optimistic, saying the course had the potential for as many as 200 members. He said the numbers are a matter of conjecture, but the county is basing membership goals on what they once were.

Balthazor said there were too many unknowns.

“I oppose the purchase. If they had done a proper business plan, knew costs, overheads and true income potential, and could know with little shadow of doubt that it would be successful, I might be (swayed) for the purchase of the golf course,” he said. “Ultimately, we the petitioners just wanted the commissioners to do their homework and then give the voters the opportunity to vote on the subject. We wanted to be informed and then decide if it would be a good investment for the county as a whole.”

Balthazor, who is a former member of the golf course, said the petition received more than 250 signatures and was presented to the county clerk within 14 days of the legal notice of sale appearing in the local newspaper. However, this was after the commission had already voted to purchase the property on June 29. Poore said the petition was not considered for this reason.

“We were not asking much,” Balthazor said, “just a say in how our tax dollars are going to be spent on a subject that isn’t a necessity to the business of running the county.”

Despite the petition, Ruder and Hrabe both said most of the feedback they had received on the purchase of the golf course has been positive.

“The folks that are talking to me are happy that the county got involved,” Ruder said. ” Our goal is to save the golf course.”

Commissioner Corky Hagan was out of state and unable to speak to the Hays Post before publication.

 

By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

Whether it was grieving with a group of singers after the suicide of a fellow student or helping a young woman find confidence, Johnny Matlock has spent 30 years doing more than teaching students how to read music.

He has taught them how to be successful human beings, something he hopes to continue in his new job.

After more than 30 years in music education, Johnny Matlock, choir director at Hays High School, is taking on a new role.

Matlock will be the new Jobs for America’s Graduates-Kansas instructor at HHS. The program, which is also known as JAG-K, was approved by the school board in March and will ramp up for its first year starting next week.

The program helps students graduate high school, work on career planning, enhances leadership skills and develop job skills. Students will visit workplaces and colleges, participate in a career club and perform 10 hours of community service.

“I have been very fortunate for all my life, really, to do something I am passionate about and that I love doing, and music has been that avenue for me,” Matlock said of his career in music education.

“It is still very, very important to me. I knew if I was every going to make a change, it was going to have to be something I was equally passionate about, so when this opportunity came along with this job with Jobs for America’s Graduates, I think it is a program that I believe in. I think it is going to offer students a lot. It is something I can be passionate about, and it just seemed the right time in our lives to do it. Change is a good thing,” he said.

Matlock spent 10 years teaching music in the Bonner Springs school district, before moving to Hays, where he has spent the last 20 years. Matlock taught choir at both HHS and HMS, as well as directed school musicals for many years.

Matlock said he had many wonderful moments teaching choir, and he fell in love with whatever piece of music or musical he was working on at the time.

Matlock said music brings much to a child’s education.

“They tell us that students who are involved in extra curricular activities do better in school—do better in academics,” he said. “Music has a lot to back that up just in terms of brain development and thinking skills. Music has a big connection with math. … I think their confidence, and I believe music has an ability to touch us in very special ways—in ways that other things do not.”

Matlock came from a musical family. He grew up taking private piano lessons, but his school in rural Arkansas had no music program.

“I went to college and was going to be a piano and composition major. That is what I wanted to do,” he said. “[I] heard the choirs rehearsing in the halls, and thought, ‘Wow, I want to be part of that.’ That was a life-change moment. I changed directions.”

The music he picked for his students allowed him to discuss delicate topics with them. The students performed a large piece by Dan Forrest called “A Requiem for the Living.” He said the piece allowed the students to talk about the legacy they leave, the way they influence people and the importance of life.

“Just about being human beings. … I think it deepened their thoughts about those things,” he said. “Music challenges us in that way.”

A student at Hays High School committed suicide during the last school year. She was a choir member.

“It was during that time, we were doing a song from ‘Dear Evan Hansen,’ a musical, called ‘You Will Be Found,’ ” he said. “I remember coming back into the classroom on the morning that we found out about it, and I had Chamber Singers that day. We really didn’t need to talk about anything, but that is the song they wanted to sing.

“It talks about people who have just reached the bottom. There is no way out, and it was a piece that gave them hope and our responsibility to reach out to others. It was a very neat moment.”

One of Matlock’s former students Rachelle Lumpkins said Matlock encouraged her when she most needed it. She joined the musical her freshman year, but people were making fun of her size. Matlock read a self-effacing comment she had made about herself in her email signature line. 

He mailed back a list of Lumpkins’ positive attributes ending with, “And you are beautiful!! God made you in HIS image!  Music is the universal language transcending bias and what is bad in our  world … the world needs your voice. You make a difference!”

Lumpkins kept that email as a positive reminder of her teacher’s encouragement. Matlock continued to encourage Lumpkins to follow her dream of becoming a music educator.

“He really encouraged me when I didn’t even expect him to read my signature,” she said. “I knew from that day on that he was a genuine guy who cared deeply for his students.”

Matlock started the Full Chord Press, an all boys musical group about seven years ago. The group started with about seven boys and ended with 40 to 50 boys in sixth through 12th grades.

“I am very proud of that program because of what it does for those young men,” he said, “not just musically, but the mentoring of them and helping them to become leaders and seeing them grow.”

Another of Matlock’s goals was to elevate the concert choir to the level of the Chamber Signers.

“I think over the last couple of years through the scores they were receiving at contest, I think we accomplished that,” he said. “That group at state large group even got a standing ovation from the people in the audience.”

Matlock takes his Chamber Singers on a trip every other year. This summer, the students went to New York and sang at the United Nations for his last performance with them.

The HHS group of 27 performed a selection of a cappella pieces in the entryway to the UN. The pieces were themed around music’s effects on people’s lives. One of the songs, “Even When He Is Silent,” is based on an anonymous poem that was found on a concentration camp wall.

“We were singing about a piece of hope and how love can make a difference,” he said. “It was very meaningful singing that in the UN and making the connection, at least I thought it was, with the world. You know that we are all human beings.”

Although that last trip was bittersweet for Matlock and his students, he said he has confident his students will continue to be successful.

“I have no doubt with the new person coming in—Alex Underwood. He is just awesome—that they are going to pick up right where we left off, and they are going to be the bearers of the tradition and they are going to make sure that the bar stays high,” Matlock said.

Matlock will not be stepping completely away from music. He will still be the Chancel Choir director at the First United Methodist Church. He also will be opening a piano and voice studio at 809 Main St. in Hays. He and his wife are living above the studio.

Matlock will be teaching group piano lessons with up to six students in a class.

“My goal is to teach them piano skills, sure I want to teach them to read music, but I want them to want to go home and sit down at the piano and play,” he said.

Matlock’s studio Facebook page is still in the works, but you will be able to find him online at matlockmusicworks.com.

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

With no public comments, the public hearing for the 2019 draft budget for the city of Hays was closed and the budget then approved unanimously Thursday night by Hays city commissioners.

A short review of the highlights was presented by Assistant City Manager Jacob Wood who noted the $39,504,844 budget is balanced with no mill levy increase and includes a new pay plan for city employees.

“The assessed valuation is expected to decrease by a half percent,” Wood pointed out. “The value of one mill in 2019 is expected to be at $234,000, about $10,000 down from the previous year. But we will remain stable at 25 mills.”

“We’ve been at or below 25 mills for 12 of the last 13 years Hays is still the sixth lowest in Kansas and we are the lowest outside of Johnson County. We will continue with that trend,” said Wood. “This is a sustainable budget and we will continue to pay cash for most large projects.”

“I’d also like to point out the city’s finances is really relying on 18 mills of that 25 mills and that 6.7 mills goes to the Hays Public Library and the library employees fund,” Commissioner Ron Mellick added at the end of the meeting. “So that when somebody says the city is running on 25 mills, that is correct, but technically the city funds are received only from the 18 mills.”

Included in the budget is a $2 rate increase for solid waste customers. The last rate increase was 12 years ago in 2006, when the city moved to automated collection. Commissioners will address the rate increase in an upcoming agenda this year.

“We can discuss where that increase actually needs to be but for the purposes of budgeting two dollars is where we set it,” explained Wood.

 

Judi Pape was the grand prize winner of the 2017 Nissan Versa in the Big Brothers Big Sisters Duck Derby Wednesday night at Hays Aquatic Center.

Pape was not at the aquatic center to claim her prize but will be contacted about her prize.

The Duck Derby is the major fundraiser for BBBS and supports youth matches with adult mentors in the community.

“Tonight was a great success,” said Jenny Bates, BBBS of Ellis County executive director, “We had over 5,000 ducks race around the river and over 1,000 ducks in the kids Duck Dash race and we had 15 boats race entries. It was a ton of fun. There were lots of people out here to watch and enjoying the night.”

Fifteen cardboard boats competed in the Western Well Regatta. Teams of two rowers raced in the large lap pool at the aquatic center.

Auto World was the winner of the Regatta, taking the third heat in the fastest overall time of 36.5 seconds.

High Plains Baptist Church placed second in a time of 39.45, and APAC placed third with a time of 49.5 seconds.

The Glassman team won  Best in Show. Hobby Shop took home the Spirit Award, and Great Clips won the Titanic award after sinking at the starting line.

By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

Norman and Sandy Keller have embarked on a new adventure.

They purchased Regeena’s Flowers as of June 1 and recently opened at a new location at 1013 Main St.

Norman Keller has more than 30 years of floral experience. He is one of 21 people in the state who is a member of the American Institute of Floral Designers.

Norman studied art at Fort Hays State University. He started at his first floral shop as a delivery driver, but was soon moved to the design floor to help during holidays.

Norman said he will continue to deliver top-quality arrangements as he and Sandy move from being employees to owners.

Norman said it is hard to put a finger on his style.

“Everybody I talk to even at the hospital, they are like, ‘When we see flowers come in, we know that one had to be from Regeena’s.’ For some reason, I don’t know what we do different,” he said. “Something we do has a definite visual stamp of our own that we have created. I don’t know if it’s my combination of attention to the detail and texture and color or combinations of types of flowers. It was a God-given thing. I just kind of do what I love.”

Norman said his favorite aspect of floral arranging is giving back.

“My favorite part is probably the fact that no matter what I am doing the end result is that it is going to brighten or make a difference in someone’s day whether it be a simple birthday bouquet or a just because or to brighten your day. I love my brides. There is nothing like seeing their faces when you walk in the room and bring their bouquets to them. Sometimes I make them cry … but it is a good cry.”

“Even the sympathy part of it—the words that I have coming from clients after the funeral. We have lots of people come in and they are like, ‘The flowers were beautiful, and it was so comforting. What you created was perfect.’ It spoke to them, and it said exactly in flowers who that person was.”

Norman said he also enjoys working with a quality product. The store orders flowers from all over the world, including Holland, Ecuador and Kansas.

Sandy and Norman said they were excited to be downtown with more space to showcase their wares. Sandy said they have had a warm welcome to The Bricks. They were open during the recent Bazaar on The Bricks and look forward to participating in more downtown events.

The business has added a flower cooler, so customers can pick up last-minute, pre-made floral arrangements for special occasions, such as birthdays, anniversaries, or get well gifts. Norman said the arrangements cover different price ranges.

The business also takes orders for special events including weddings and funerals.

“Basically anybody who needs anything floral-related, we can make it,” Sandy said. “If they have a picture or some idea of what they want, somehow we will make a way to make it.”

Flower crowns for senior pictures and baby and pregnancy photo shoots are a new trend the business has been taking orders for.

Regeena’s also offers faux flower arrangements, and Norman said faux flowers for funerals is another trend.

The family can have something they can take home and have with them as long as they like, he said.

Regeena’s also carries other gift items, such as candles, fragrances and home decor.

“We want it to be ever-evolving, ever-changing as far as that part of the business goes, so people always have to come in to see ‘What the heck do they have in now,’ in addition to the flowers,” Norman said. “We think that is a necessary part of retail and always wanting your customers to come back to see what we are offering.”

Customers may also be greeted by the store’s mascots. The Kellers sometimes bring their Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Sophie and Jackson to the store.

Regeena’s is open 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays or by special appointment for weddings and funerals.

 

By CRISTINA JANNEY

Hays Post

The Hays USD 489 school board approved its 2018-19 $48.7 million budget for publication Monday night with a mill levy decrease.

The .767-mill levy decrease was the result of the end of a special mill levy of 0.646 mills for declining enrollment and an increase in assessed valuation.

The total mill levy for the school district will be 42.799 mills. The district’s local option budget will increase from 29 percent to 30 percent. The local option budget is taxes approved by a local school board and levied locally for the benefit of the local school district.

The capital outlay mill levy, which is used for maintenance, technology, vehicles and other large purchases, will stay at 8 mills.

The school board members said little about the budget at the meeting Monday.

The public hearing on the budget was set for 6:30 p.m. Aug. 20 at the Rockwell Administration Center, 323 W. 12th St. Members of the public can speak at the budget hearing. Once the budget is published, the district can spend less than it has budgeted, but can’t spend more without republishing a new budget.

The school district also levies taxes for the Hays Recreation Commission. The rec commission’s general mill levy will stay at 3 mills, but its employee benefits and special liability levy will increase from 1.141 mills to 1.391 mills.

The school district has no control over the rec commission levy.

Assessed valuation for the district increased by almost $1.3 million to more than $316 million. The districts bonded indebtedness also dropped by more than $1.3 million.

The State of Kansas passed a school funding plan that will increase school funding by more than $500 million statewide over the next five years.

Hays’ total state funding increase will be about $2.1 million. The district also is forecasting it will see a federal funding increase  of $156,040. However, once the loss of the declining enrollment levy, which was a temporary program, is figured into the budget, the district will gain less than $1 million in additional revenue for the coming school year.

Tracy Kaiser, director of finance, noted most of the additional funds will go toward, instruction, student support services and instructional support services.

Although the district’s total budget is $48.7 million for publication, the district will likely will not spend all of that money, as it will have carry over in funds such as capital outlay and nutrition services. The district had about $2.7 million in capital outlay carry over as of July 1.

The general fund budget is set at $18.9 million.

“The budget looks strong this year,” Kaiser said. “I feel really good about it.”

Enrollment

The school board also heard a report from assistant superintendent Shanna Dinkel on enrollment. She estimated about 89 percent of the district’s students were enrolled as of central enrollment last week. More than 1,300 of the district’s almost 3,000 projected students enrolled online prior to in-person enrollment.

Further information on enrollment numbers will be released at a later date.

The district also approved an agreement with Fort Hays State University on the use of Lewis Field.

By KIRBY ROSS
Phillips County Review

LOGAN — Remember the good old days when health care was affordable? When medical providers made house calls, and when getting a few stitches in a cut cost about the same amount as filling your car with gas?

Well, actually you probably don’t remember those days, but you heard about them. Or have seen them on TV.

Nowadays, the cost of simple medical procedures can bring lower income patients to their knees financially, even if they have health insurance. And forget it, if they don’t have insurance–time to cue up the bankruptcy attorney. Even higher income families with insurance might have to empty their bank accounts for some procedures.

Consider the story of a local individual who recently had an ugly cut on his hand. It was $500 just to walk through the door of the emergency room. $500!

Then add another $250 on top of that to have a doctor spend five minutes applying the medical glue that is available for the type of cut that a few stitches might once have closed.

Total tab for the visit–$750. And with co-pays, and deductibles, ch-ching, time to pull out your checkbook and start writing.

Now try to envision cutting your hand the same way, and going to a medical clinic that provides Direct Primary Care, and getting that same procedure done at no cost.

No cost. As in zero dollars.

In today’s era of high-dollar-break-the-bank medical care, there’s now a growing movement within the medical community called Direct Primary Care that is edging healthcare in this very different direction.

And, in partnership with the Dane G. Hansen Foundation and the City of Logan, the Logan Medical Clinic is one such healthcare facility that has just embraced it. The Logan Clinic, which originally began operating many years ago, began its new business model under the supervision of Dr. Daniel J. Sanchez, M.D., just last month.

Of course, in life there are no free lunches, nor is there free medical care. But the Direct Primary Care program that Logan has adopted comes as close to it as is possible in today’s world, by moving it in the direction of being very, very affordable.

Individuals can access medical care at the Logan Medical Clinic by becoming members at these monthly rates:
$10 — 0-18 years
$50 — 19-44 years
$60 — 45-64 years
$70 — 65+ years

The Clinic does not accept insurance, with the tradeoff being that once a person is a member, here is what the Clinic charges for various types of medical care:

House calls–free. You read that right–house calls. Something that hasn’t been seen in America since Howdy Doody ruled the airwaves.

And those Logan Clinic house calls–they’re free.
Office visits–free.
School physicals–free.
Nursing home visits by clinic staff–free.
After hours and weekend coverage–free.
Simple laceration repair–free.
Fracture repair and casting–free.
Testing for pap smears and other testing–discounted pricing.

“The program is designed to treat patients like they used to be treated,” says Logan Mayor Max Lowry. “We’re setting this up to be as cost effective of a delivery as you can get. Our overhead is two staff members. We’re not paying CEOs, CFOs, accountants, consultants and all the other personnel that increase medical costs so high.”

Keeping those Logan Clinic overhead costs down makes a big difference, especially when compared to the costs of paying nonmedical staff administrators, which hovers at close to a million dollars annually for some area healthcare facilities.

Another minor overhead cost for the Logan Clinic is for medical software. The Clinic pays $300 per month for it. That compares to a total upfront cost of $3.2 million paid by one area hospital, and $500,000 by another. Those same hospitals then also pay tens of thousands of dollars in yearly maintenance fees for the software on top of that.

With that lower overhead for the Logan Clinic comes less need to process patients through on an assembly line volume basis in order to maximize revenue.

“We want to treat patients as patients,” says Logan Clinic Physician’s Assistant Nancy Kisner. “With memberships we don’t have to cycle people in and out to pay for overhead.”

Kisner says, “Membership entitles you to all the services the clinic provides. Right now we are accepting members from throughout the region. The way we are setting this up, people who have never really had access to healthcare now can have it. And our ability to make house calls and treat individuals in their homes will be of real benefit to some people.”

In addition to individual memberships, Kisner says the Clinic is working on establishing family plans, and plans for small business owners.

Kisner also says “the beauty of this is, as we go along the Clinic can add more benefits. We’re looking at possibly maybe a fitness center, or physical therapy and massage therapy. If we find there is a need for footcare, maybe we can have a footcare clinic once a month. And down the road we’d like to provide mammograms and bone density tests.”

In summarizing the low-cost, readily-available healthcare the Logan Clinic is offering to the region, Kisner provides an analogy to the bygone era of country doctors and the personal care they once provided in northwest Kansas–“I like to look at us as being like Doc from Gunsmoke, or Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman. Right now, working at the Logan Clinic I am treating four generations of one family. Four generations! It’s so fulfilling. Practicing this type of medicine without having to focus on volumes of patients and being able to know the people in the community so well helps me to better determine the needs of the patient, and to see somebody who might be slipping through the cracks.”

With Logan being geographically located near the intersection point of the four-counties region, Phillips, Rooks, Graham and Norton county residents would seem to be a natural constituency for the Clinic.

The Clinic currently covers general healthcare needs, and not more serious health matters. Costs of treatment after referrals to outside providers and specialists, or transfers to hospitals, have to be covered by the patient.

But the way the program works, and with the Affordable Care Act teetering on the brink of insolvency, one possible option for individuals might be to join the Clinic to have their ordinary healthcare needs seen to, and then buy a catastrophic health insurance policy for more serious needs. A consultation with a health insurance provider would help clarify these issues.

For more information, the Logan Medical Clinic can be reached at 785-689-7464. or [email protected].