By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

There was just one question asked during last Thursday’s public hearing regarding a proposed update of the Hays Neighborhood Revitalization District Program (NRP) which would considerably increase the area of the NRP.

“It’s very clear the benefits of this. What are the negatives?,” asked John Thissen, a Hays resident and USD 489 Superintendent. Not much, he discovered.

“The down side is if improvements take place without the program they are subject to increased property taxes because presumably the value of the property will go up,” explained longtime city commissioner Henry Schwaller.

The commission voted 4-1 to approve the change which features a 65 percent rebate of increased taxes (based on assessed value after improvements) paid in the first year after completion of construction paid each year for 10 years. Commissioner Lance Jones voted against the measure, preferring a larger rebate of 95 percent.

The current NRP, 209 acres in the downtown area, was created in 2002 and according to Schwaller, it actually spurred development  in areas that probably would not have seen rehabilitation. More than 45 properties have benefited from the current NRP. The January 1, 2016 value of those properties was about $4 million.

“We were able to take buildings that were being used for storage and convert them to higher use, thus actually raising the value of them permanently and generating more (property tax) revenue,” Schwaller said.”

The new NRP would cover 1,628 acres, encompassing most of the commercial and residential buildings in Hays more than 50 years old.

“We hope to see that happen here as well,” Schwaller continued, “because it takes neighborhoods that might otherwise be likely not to grow and actually spurs development in them–infill.

“Our concern is that as neighborhoods age, we tend to see them convert to uses that we don’t find desirable. Single family homes become 5-plexes. And the problem is that the other people in the neighborhood decide they don’t want to live next to a duplex and then we have flight from that neighborhood.

“We really do want to keep single-family home neighborhoods intact,” Schwaller stressed, “because the cost of creating new housing developments north and west of town is so incredibly high. Rehabbing an infill is much more desirable.”

“While we lose that incremental gain in valuation, we still receive the original property tax amount and we capture taxes in other ways.”

Another key change to the NRP is to increase and standardize minimum investment from $5,000 for a residential project and $15,000 for a commercial project to $25,000 and $50,000 respectively.

Both the Ellis County Commission and the USD 489 school board must also support resolutions to amend the NRP before it would become effective.

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Although the city terminated their contract, a lot of the effort done by the Wichita firm CDM Smith in the first design phase of rebuilding the Hays wastewater treatment plant can be used.

Stan Christopher of HDR Engineering, the city’s Owner’s Representative for the $28.4 million project, reviewed the improvements that will be made in reconstructing the 54-year-old facility during last Thursday’s Hays city commission meeting.

Commissioners awarded the Phase 2 construction contract to Burns and McDonnell/CAS Constructors during the same April 27 meeting.

Click HERE for a tour of the current facility with just-retired Wastewater Superintendent Roger Moerke.

Hays must meet new stricter mandates in wastewater treatment and discharge required by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE).

Thomas More Prep-Marian High School has announced candidates for royalty for the 2017 prom, which is scheduled for May 6.

Pictured, from left:

1) JW Staples, son of Wes and Diane Staples
Gabrielle Chittenden, daughter of John and Michelle Chittenden

2) Patrick Mugisha, son of Nkurikiye Thomas and Muiza Antoinette
Madyson Koerner, daughter of Joey and Jessica Koerner

3) Josh Plante, son of Norbert and Joyce Plante
Lori Leiker, daughter of Larry and Rhonda Leiker

4) Nick Meis, son of Tom and Janette Meis
Alison Helget, daughter of James and Firma Helget

5) Bryan Weber, son of Mitch and Julie Weber
Raegan Billinger, daughter of Michael Billinger and Lindsay Billinger

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

The construction contract to rebuild the 54-year-old wastewater treatment facility was approved unanimously by Hays City Commissioners Thursday night.

The $28.4 million dollar bid from Burns and McDonnell/CAS Constructors is $800,000 more than the $27.6 million dollars budgeted for the project, but is not expected to increase customers’ rates, according to City Manage Toby Dougherty.

Stan Christopher with HDR Engineering, the city’s Owner’s Representative for the project, told commissioners the design should meet the anticipated stricter requirements in permits from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment for 20 years.

”We’ve been told they’re going to have lower ammonia limits. The performance of this plant from the outset will meet those limits. There are things in this plant that we have incorporated that will help you meet the next level of nutrients, should they be applied.”

The city was fined $18,000 in 2012 by the EPA for excessive levels of phosphorous and nitrate.

The deadline for the rebuilt plant to be fully operational is Sept. 1, 2019.

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Two of the three Hays city commissioners whose positions will be open in Nov. announced Thursday night they will seek re-election.

Sandy Jacobs and Shaun Musil made their intentions known publicly at the end of the commission meeting. Lance Jones, the third commissioner in an open seat, announced last week he would not run again due to time constraints with his job.

Jacobs was appointed three months ago by the other commissioners from among a number of candidates to the seat vacated by Eber Phelps who won the 111th Dist. seat in the Kansas House of Representatives.

“I did file for election for city commission for one of the three seats that are coming open,” Jacobs told the commission. “I’ve only been on here a short while and I’ve loved every minute of it. I think there’s a lot of work to be done in the future and I’d like to be involved in it. I really have a desire to continue serving this community.”

Musil, who is in his first term and currently serves as mayor, said his decision to run again was a family agreement.

“I got my kids together at the table. They thought they were in trouble,” Musil chuckled. “I asked them if they thought dad should run again for city commission. They’ve met so many people, commissioners, governors, so many other people. They said ‘Yeah, Dad. We want you to run again.’ So I’m gonna try.

“I think we’re gonna have some stiff competition. As Commissioner Jones said last week, hopefully people will get out and run. There’s a lot of good people out there.”

Musil described his commission tenure as “awesome.”

The filing deadline is Thu., June 1 at noon for the November 7 municipal and school board elections in Kansas.

By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

The 48th Annual Smoky Hill Art Exhibition will kick off the 2017 Spring Art Walk Friday.

The free event will be 6:30-9:30 p.m. with art, music and performances at 21 downtown locations. An additional six locations outside of the downtown district will have early or extended hours.

See the Art Walk schedule here: art-walk-schedule

The Smoky Hill Art Exhibit is the longest running jurored art exhibit in the state. This year’s juror was Stephen Gleissner. It will run from Friday to June 3. It includes paintings, prints, drawings, photographs, sculpture, fiber and ceramics.

The exhibit and the Spring Art Walk are dedicated to the memory of arts patron and children’s art advocate Patricia Schmidt.

Brenda Meder, Hays Arts Council executive director, said this year’s art walk exhibition has a diverse selection from children’s art to professionals.

The event will take place rain or shine, and Meder encouraged participants to come out early. Although the art center will not be open to the public until 6:30 p.m., the Sternberg Museum, Styles Dance Studio, My Masterpiece, Catholic Charities, Indigo by Jasmine and Moss Thorns Gallery will all open early.

The event is a come-and-go evening.

“There is no order,” she said. “It is an art buffet. You can go to whatever you want whenever you want and stay as long as you want.”

Music lovers can extend their evening by visiting Gella’s Dinner from 9 to 11 p.m. to listen to The Andy T. Band, which is making a special stop in Hays on their way to a concert in Denver.

Students who have been taking an iron sculpture class at the arts council also will do an iron pour downtown Friday night.

The students prepared clay sculptures and then sand molds, and they will use the sand molds to pour the final pieces this weekend.

 

By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

The Hays USD 489 Community Vision Team worked Tuesday to refine a bond issue in the constraints of what community members say they are willing to pay in taxes

The team focused on elementary school improvements at its meeting Tuesday.

The group heard the results of a phone survey conducted Friday, which asked questions about bond options.

Forty-eight percent of those surveyed said elementary schools improvements should be the district’s priority. Sixty percent of respondents said they would prefer to have smaller, more frequent bond issues.

The survey also asked how much of a tax increase voters would support for school facilities. Eighty-three percent said they would support a tax increase of $10 or less on a $150,000 home.

The team had discussed two options previously. One was to build a new high school, renovate the high school into a middle school, renovate the middle school into an elementary, renovate Wilson and Roosevelt elementary schools, and close O’Loughlin and Lincoln elementary schools.

The second was to build a new elementary school, renovate Wilson and Roosevelt elementary schools, close O’Loughlin and Lincoln elementary schools, and renovate the middle school and high school.

The team Tuesday focused on variations of option two as the members expressed concerns the new high school option would cost more than voters would be willing to support. In June, USD 489 voters soundly rejected a proposed $94 million bond issue for improvements throughout the district.

Many different options were discussed at Tuesday’s meeting with varying price tags. No decisions were made as to scope of a possible bond project, and dollar amounts have not been set, said Troy Wade, bond consensus expert, DLR Group, the district’s architectural firm.

The team discussed both including the high school and middle school renovations in this bond and an option only including construction and renovation of the elementary schools.

Wade noted if the district would come back for a second bond for the middle school and high school in another 10 years, cost would likely increase.

One goal at the elementary schools includes building new gyms that could be used for storm shelters. This would free up the current gym/cafeterias to be used for dining and other activities.

Valerie Wente, a parent of a fifth- and seventh-grader, said gyms at both the elementaries and the middle school were inadequate.

Students at O’Laughlin have to use the 12th Street Auditorium, which is run down, because the gym is not large enough for concerts and programs.

Gyms are not just for sports, she said, they are used for classes and presentations. The middle school gym is booked solid between 5:30 a.m. and 7 p.m.

“You can’t get all kids and activities in the gym,” she said. “Events have to be moved to the (Hays Recreation Commission) and other facilities. The school gym does not having seating for parents. It is an overused space.”

Other goals include increasing security, creating classrooms that are the best size for current and future needs, expanding the schools to handle four sections of each grade, and meeting accessibility requirements.

The middle school is the only building in the district that has a storm shelter up to current code.

Superintendent John Thissen expressed concerns at the school board meeting Monday night the layout of the elementary schools does not allow staff to monitor school visitors adequately.

Team members also suggested not building a new school, but renovating all the existing schools.

Chris Nichol, team member, balked at this idea, saying the cost of renovating Lincoln would be greater than building a new school.

Wade concurred, “Do you really think the voters would go for putting $10 million into a 100-year-old-building?”

Justin Dempsey, member of the public, expressed concern about the elimination of neighborhood schools.

Wade said an earlier analysis of student demographics indicated students were already crisscrossing the city to attend schools.

The Vision Team will discuss possible options for renovations at the high school and middle school at its next meeting, which will be May 16.

For more information on the bond planning process, follow the district on Facebook at Hays Unified School District 489, on Twitter @USD489 or go to the district’s website at www.usd489.com.

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

The Hays city commission is expected during Thursday’s commission meeting to approve a contract for Phase 2 design and construction to rebuild the 54-year-old wastewater treatment facility.

In February, requests were issued for lump sum design-build proposals to the two remaining design-build teams. The Black and Veatch/Garney team declined to submit a proposal.

The sole bid came from the Burns and McDonnell/CAS Constructors team for $28,402,200. Burns and McDonnell has worked on a number of projects for the city.

Stan Christopher with HDR Engineering, the city’s Owner’s Representative for the project, reviewed the bid for the commission during their April 20 work session. The B&M/CAS bid includes new filters to replace the current filters which are corroded.

“It’s a different and more modern technology using what we call a disk or cloth,” Christopher explained. “The filters are primarily there to further clean up the wastewater as clean and clarified as possible and then it will be used to irrigate the Fort Hays Municipal Golf Course and the ball diamonds.”

The filters remove solids, which are filled with phosphorous.

“With the city’s current phosphorous limit (mandated by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment), the clarifiers normally will be able to handle that. But the filters are there for the days there might be a problem at the plant,” Christopher explained.

The city was fined $18,000 in 2012 by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for excessive levels of phosphorous and nitrate. The current wastewater treatment facility, 1498 E. Highway 40 Bypass, was built in 1953. The plant must be upgraded to meet stricter state permit requirements of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and EPA.

Hays initially had a Jan. 1, 2018, deadline to have the new wastewater treatment plant operating. However, problems with CDM Smith, the Wichita firm hired for Phase 1 Design services and development of a GMP (Guaranteed Maximum Price) to rebuild the aging plant, caused a delay in the process. The city terminated the arrangement Aug. 18, 2016, after the Phase 1/Design portion of the contract was completed.

KDHE has agreed to extend the deadline to Sept. 1, 2019, according to Christopher.

“We budgeted $27.6 million for this,” said Hays City Manager Toby Dougherty. “The B&M/CAS bid is $2 million less than the GMP offer we had from the previous design/builder (CDM Smith).

“The $28.4 million bid for Phase 2 is something we can afford,” he reassured commissioners. “It’s not going to impact customer rates. We’ll be able to absorb the overages with the rates we’ve been collecting.”

“I’m glad we’re finally getting this going,” said Hays Mayor Shaun Musil.

In August 2015, the Hays city commission approved tripling the sewer rate over a six-year period to help pay for the plant upgrade. The city has a $30.26 million loan agreement through the KDHE  Kansas Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund (SRF) Loan to pay for the project.

By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

People laughed and talked as they passed plates of hot dogs over the bar at Breathe Coffeehouse Sunday night.

The new Community Meals program, an outreach of Dialogue Ministries, offers a free community meal from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on the second and fourth Sundays of the month at the coffeehouse, 703 B Main St.

Patrick McGinnis, Breathe owner, said the program would like to feed anyone who is hungry, struggling to meet their food budgets, would like to socialize or connect with the community. The program started with Brandon Nimz, and meals were being served at the Hadley Center, but it was determined Breathe, which has a licensed kitchen, would be better suited for the program.

Isaiah Maxi, Breathe intern, said he thought there was a need for food assistance in the community.

“It may look like everyone is doing fine here in Hays, but there are kids that need meals,” he said. “There are families that need meals. Some people are too proud or comfortable to reach out.

“We are trying to make this more welcoming and open so those families, those kids, those people that need those meals don’t feel like this a charity. This is a family environment, and we are here to help anyone who needs a meal.”

No reservations or sign-in is required. There are no religious requirements; people of all belief systems are welcome.

Andy Siduangchay, who is a restaurant worker, moved to Hays four years ago and said making friends has been difficult.

“To be social is my main goal,” he said. “It is not just to feed the poor. If someone has had a bad day, they can get a free meal and mingle.”

A committee, including Jessica Johnson, Marcia Dinkel and Anne Erbert, coordinate volunteers and food donations through a signup system available through email. All the labor and food for the program in donated.

Sunday was only the second night for the meal at the Breathe location. Johnson said the program is averaging about six volunteers and between 30 and 50 diners per night.

“We would like to get the word out to anyone to come and have some conversation and a meal,” Johnson said. “They could be retired or a widow or a widower. They could have a family with children. On the weekend, there are no meals at school.”

The program has about 55 volunteers on its email list, but is in need of more. No training is required. Volunteers set up and prepare the meal and clean up afterwards. They work about two hours per night.

Sara Stroup, instructor at Fort Hays State University, was volunteering Sunday for the first time.

“I think we have absolutely amazing blessings in the community,” she said. “We have beautiful surroundings, see new faces and share our blessings with others.”

To be added to the volunteer list, email [email protected], [email protected] or call Breathe at 785- 650-3904.

Johnson said she hopes to recruit church and civic groups to volunteer to provide dinners.

McGinnis hopes to expand the program to additional nights if enough people are interested.

 

By MARK GARDINER
GARDINER ANGUS RANCH

ASHLAND–Monday, March 6, 2017, is forever etched in the hearts of those affected by the historic Starbuck Wildfire that raged across the prairie rangelands in Kansas, the Panhandles of Texas and Oklahoma and eastern Colorado.

More than 1.3 million acres were burned, 30 homes were lost, nearly 10,000 head of livestock were killed and thousands of miles of fences were lost. Six people died, including an Oklahoma semi-truck driver in Clark County.

More than 85 percent of Clark and Comanche counties in Kansas were burned.

Searching for a way to express their gratitude to the many people who helped in the battle against the wildfires and now with relief efforts, the residents of Ashland in Clark County turned to the internet. They created a ‘thank you’ video that will also serve as documentation of the biggest wildfire in Kansas.

“We wanted to make this video, quite frankly, to just say thank you,” Ashland resident Mark Gardiner said. The 33-minute video featuring “friends and neighbors who are now family,” is hosted on his ranch’s YouTube channel, Gardiner Angus Ranch.

“Saying thank you seems so inadequate after the outpouring of help, support, precious resources, concern, and love from virtually every state and from many countries around the world,” said Gardiner.

“This fire has restored my faith in mankind realizing people are good, people do care.”

Clark County residents in the video say the road to recovery will be long and rebuilding has begun.

“The support through donations of hay, fencing supplies, food, clothing, cattle and money from across America is a debt we can never repay,” Gardiner acknowledged.

“We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”

Contributions to the wildfire relief efforts can be made to the Ashland Community Foundation at AshlandCF.com or the Kansas Livestock Association at KLA.org.

All proceeds will be distributed to those directly affected by the fires.

By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

Children at Lincoln Elementary School laughed and squealed with delight as they ran between story boards Thursday morning.

The outdoor Story Walk program is a coordinated by Ellis County Extension. It originated with a librarian in Vermont.

“So what we are trying to do is get kids interested in literacy and reading and enjoying physical activity at the same time,” Linda Beech, Extension agent, said.

Lincoln Principal Elaine Rohleder said the Story Walk is another way to engage students in reading.

“This provides them with another activity to do whether at recess or classroom to show them just how fun reading can be,” she said. “You don’t just have to read in the classroom. You can read on the playground. You can read anywhere you want to. We just hope kids will get excited about this book.”

The school hopes to make the Story Walk a monthly activity next school year.

Thursday’s book was “We’re Making Breakfast for Mother.” The children walk or run between 17 different storyboards reading the pages of the book.

Ellis County Extension has 12 books, which it shares with three other Extension agents who serve seven counties.

The Story Walk books are not only available to schools, but use in the public. A Story Walk was recently used in Hays for a Walk Kansas event, and Beech will be using the same story for another in two weeks at the Ellis Recreation Center as part of its “Be a Book Cook” program. Community groups and schools can request the use of the books through the Extension office.

“Kids love stories,” Beech said. “I love stories. I love to read stories to the kids. I love to talk to them about the stories, and we can spin off and talk about other things.”

Several of the books have nutritional themes. “Breakfast with Mother” has a QR code on the last board that allows families to download healthy recipes.

Other book themes include germs and building self-esteem, and a new book that Extension will be seeking includes money concepts.

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

First-term Hays City Commissioner Lance Jones will not run for a second term.

Jones made the public announcement at the end of Thursday night’s commission work session. Jones did not give any reason for his decision. He noted the June 1 filing deadline for municipal office candidates and encouraged residents to “get out there and file.”

“We had a lot of applications put in for Eber Phelps’ open seat and I’d like to see voters have the amount (of candidates) to select from that we had to pick Commissioner Sandy Jacobs,” Jones said.

Three seats will be open on the Hays City Commission. Those are Jones, Jacobs and Shaun Musil.

As Assistant City Manager Jacob Wood explains, the Kansas legislature passed a bill in 2015 that moved local elections to Nov. Local elections were previously held in April.

“In order to account for the move to Nov. elections, the city extended the terms of current commissioners that were scheduled to expire in April 2017. There are three commission seats that are up for election in Nov. The three candidates who receive the most votes in the Nov. 7 general election will take office in Jan. 2018,” Wood said.

All candidates for municipal office are required to file with County Election Officer Donna Maskus. There are two ways to file for election.

Candidates must submit a declaration of intent to become a candidate, accompanied by a $20 fee, or submit a nomination petition signed by 50 qualified electors, or one percent of the qualified electors of the city of Hays, whichever is less.

The primary election is Aug. 1. There must be more than three times the number of candidates as there are open positions to hold a primary. In this case, 10 candidates would trigger a primary.

Hays Post

WAKEENEY — A man serving five consecutive life sentences for the first-degree murders of five people in northwest Kansas is scheduled to have a parole hearing this summer.

According to the office of the Trego County Attorney, Francis Donald Nemechek’s parole hearing will be held in the month of July.

Nemechek was sentenced in March 1977 for the crimes, which included three separate incidents.

According to court documents, Sheryl Lynn Young, 21, Colorado Springs, Colo.; Diane Lynn Lovette, 19, Fort Madison, Iowa; and Guy William Young, 3, Colorado Springs, were picked up by defendant on Interstate 70 near Ogallah on Dec. 13, 1974, after experiencing car trouble. The two women were taken to an abandoned farmhouse in Graham County where the two women were shotgunned to death and Guy, a 3-year-old boy, was left to freeze. The bodies were found on Jan. 13, 1975.

Carla Baker, a college student, was abducted on the evening of June 30, 1976, as she rode her bicycle near the west edge of Hays. Her remains were recovered Sept. 21, 1976, in a deserted area at Cedar Bluff Reservoir in Trego County after Nemechek told police where to look for her body.

Paula Fabrizius, 16, WaKeeney, worked as a park ranger at Cedar Bluff State Park during the summer months. On Aug. 21, 1976, she was abducted from her duty post. After an extensive search, her body was found the next day near Castle Rock in Gove County.

Nemechek was arrested on Aug. 24, 1976. He is now 66 years old and has been an inmate of Lansing Correctional Facility since his sentencing, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

“The state introduced extensive evidence connecting defendant to the crimes, with the most damning evidence being defendant’s confession to the five crimes,” court documents stated.

Prior to the July parole hearing there will be three opportunities for friends and families of victims to appear in person and testify:

• 10 a.m. to noon June 14 at Derby Police and Courts
• 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. June 23 at Municipal Court House in Topeka
• 10 a.m. to noon June 26 at City Hall in Kansas City, Kan.

Anyone unable to attend the public input sessions can send a letter by May 19 to Kansas Department of Corrections, Prisoner Review Board, 714 SW Jackson, Ste. 300, Topeka, KS 66603.