Luke Oborny was the first to file for re-election to the Hays USD 489 school board on Friday.
Oborny, 39, a customer sales supervisor for Next-Tech, is in his first term as a school board member.
“When I look back at everything that has happened the past four years, I am amazed but I just don’t feel like like the job is done yet,” Oborny said via email. “I had thought about it for a long time and received feedback from many encouraging me to rerun so I decided to take action and make it official.”
Oborny said his goals for his second term really are not that different than when he sought election the first time.
“I would like to work on board unity and see us come together more. Perhaps our long-term plan would help and then we could all rally behind our goals and steps to accomplish that.
“I also would like to see progress and/or a plan for facility improvement. We all know and seem to agree our schools have needs and are aging. I would like to see us start to make some progress toward those improvements.
“Our staff has done a great job making improvements where we could, including lighting and some new HVAC systems, but some of our needs are too large for the capital outlay budget. I feel we have done a good job with the budget and saving where we could, but new buildings will require a bond. I would like to see us begin that process even if that means one school at a time.”
The school board is scheduled to discuss more on a possible bond and capital improvements at tonight’s meeting.
Kristy Oborny, Luke’s wife, is a fourth-grade teacher and librarian at O’Loughlin Elementary School.
Also up for re-election are board president Mandy Fox, and members Greg Schwartz and Paul Adams.
School board members are elected for four-year terms. The filing deadline is June 3. There will be a primary in August if enough people file, which is twice the number of seats available plus one. Ellis County Clerk Donna Maskus said all city and school board candidates must file with the County Clerk’s Office. The filling fee is $20.
Improvement district leadership as well as extension directors will also be on the the ballot this fall, Maskus said.
The General Election will be Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Also up for election in November will be the Hays City Commission seats now held by James Meier, current mayor Henry Schwaller IV and Ron Mellick.
Ellis USD 383 will have four seats up for election. Those seats are currently held by Mike Keller, Glenn Fondoble, Rob Soneson and Melanie Fischer.
Victoria will elect a mayor and two city council positions. The current Victoria mayor is John Schulte. The council seats are held by Erica Dinges and Dustin Schumacher.
The City of Ellis has a separate charter. It elects three council seats per year and the mayor and treasurer every other year. This year the three council seats held by Holly Aschenbrenner, Robert Redger and Bret Andries are up for election. The mayor and treasurer positions will also be on the ballot. David McDaniel is the current mayor, and Faith Scheck is the current treasurer.
Fort Hays State shot just over 51 percent from the field on Saturday and defeated Northwest Missouri State 91-63 to finish the week 2-0 after they defeated Missouri Western State 67-50 on Thursday. Sophomore Whitney Randall had back-to-back 14 points games last week and shot 65 percent off 17 attempts from the field in the two games combined. The Tiger women currently have a one-game lead over Washburn in conference play and are off until Saturday when they travel to Kearney to take on the Lopers.
The Tiger men went 1-1 last week with a thrilling win over Missouri Western State on Thursday and an 81-69 loss to No. 2 Northwest Missouri State on Saturday. The MIAA on the men’s side is in a tight race for second place. Three teams (including the Tigers) are 7-3 and chasing down Washburn who is in second at 7-2. The Tigers travel to Kearney on Saturday.
TMP-Marian girls improve to 9-4 with win over 4A Abilene
The TMP-Marian girls got an impressive win on Friday over a 10-1 Abilene team, which was ranked No. 5 in class 4A. The Monarchs were down 15-13 at halftime before going on a 15-0 run over six minutes to take a 28-16 lead in the third quarter. The Monarchs would lead by as many as 18 points before finishing the game with a 44-35 victory. Emily Schippers and Hannah Willey lead the way with 16 points each for the Monarchs. You can listen to the highlights and interviews here.
The TMP-Marian boys fell to Abilene 62-45 Friday night. The Monarchs are now 8-5 on the year.
Both TMP-Marian teams take on Smith Center tonight in a make-up game.
Hays High girls win fifth game in a row
The Lady Indians trailed Salina Central on Friday 39-26 at halftime but came out in the third quarter on a 20-2 run to take their first lead of the game. Hays lead 68-62 before making five of their final six free throws to secure a 73-65 victory. Savannah Schneider scored a career high 26. Jaycee Dale has now scored in double figures in five-straight contests after scoring 15. Hays improves to 8-3 and has won five in a row and seven of eight games. You can listen to the highlights and interviews here.
The Hays High boys fell to No. 7 Salina Central 52-39 on Friday night. The Indians fall to 6-5 on the year.
Both Hays High teams are in action Tuesday as they travel to take on Salina South.
OVERTIME
Power outage puts Area Game of the Week in the dark
The Area Game of the Week on KKQY Friday featuring the Quinter Bulldogs and Hoxie Indians in Hoxie started an hour later than planned. During the fourth quarter of the boys JV game (the game before girls varsity), the lights and power went out in the gym leaving a packed Hoxie High School gym full of parents and students reaching for the flashlights on their phones.
A dark Hoxie basketball gym was illuminated with cell phones on Friday night
According to a social media post by the Sheridan County Sheriff’s Department, Hoxie and places north of Hoxie were without power.
After about 45 minutes, the power came back on and both varsity games continued without any problems. Special thanks to Midwest Energy lineman who were out fixing the power.
Have highlights you want to share for next week’s Hoops Highlights? Email them to C.D. DeSalvo. Photos are encouraged!
The Hays USD 489 school board will review work the board has done thus far on a potential bond election at its meeting at 6:30 tonight at the Rockwell Administrative Center.
The district has had two failed bond elections in the last three years. A $78.5 million bond failed in November 2017, and a $94 million bond vote failed in June 2016.
The school board discussed moving forward with a third bond issue in 2018, but on a split vote in June decided to delay any more discussion on the bond until January.
Board member Greg Schwartz has advocated for hiring a firm to help the district develop a long-range plan for capital improvements.
Prior to bond discussions being suspended in June, the board had focused on the need for improvements at the elementary schools. They had discussed the possibility of eliminating at least one elementary school through new construction or renovation.
HaysMed donation
The school district recently purchased the former Oak Park Medical Complex, which it plans to renovate for use by Early Childhood Connections.
HaysMed had a majority interest in the complex and will be donating $500,000 of the $2 million purchase price back to the school district to be used for renovations. That check will be presented by HaysMed at the school board meeting tonight.
The district has also received a $1.47 million federal grant for renovations.
Superintendent search
Gary Sechrist, field specialist for the Kansas Association of School Boards, will provide the superintendent applicant information to the board during an executive session. Current Superintendent John Thissen has resigned. He will serve out his contract, which ends June 30.
The board also will review the administrative contracts for Shanna Dinkel, assistant superintendent, and Chris Hipp, director of special education, for the 2019-2020 school year.
Board appreciation
There will be a Board Member Appreciation Social at 5:30 p.m. in the Toepfer Board Room to celebrate School Board Member Appreciation Month. Food and refreshments will be served. All are welcome to attend.
This past week saw mostly bill introductions and the beginning of committee work. The Higher Education Budget committee met for the first time and received an overview of education in Kansas and setting the course for the session work. It will be another couple of weeks before we are presented with the baseline numbers and begin hearing from our higher education institutions.
In this report I wanted to share some of the things going on in other committees:
Mental Health Issues in Schools – On Thursday, the Kansas State Board of Education Report on Mental Health Issues in Schools and similar information on children’s mental health were presented to the House Education Committee. The board’s report identifies that 20% of children and youth have an identified need for mental health services, but only one-third of those children have received services. In addition, for those children who did receive services, more than 70% received services from their school. The presentation also stressed the need to prevent suicide, and the board’s prime recommendation included suicide awareness and prevention training. Specifically, the board recommended required staff training on signs of abuse, neglect, and sexual abuse, and would also like to see school districts revisit or revise policies related to mandating reporting of signs of abuse.
Essential Federal Employees in Kansas – On Friday, Representative Adam Smith from Weskan introduced a bill in the Rural Revitalization Committee to address concerns of Federal employees furloughed in Kansas due to the government shutdown. Some employees are working without pay and are not allowed to collect unemployment. Friday marked the second pay period these employees have been going to work without a paycheck. Under Representative Smith’s proposal, these employees would be able to collect unemployment and then be required to pay it back once an employee receives backpay from the Federal government. While this problem stems from D.C., we believe it is important for Kansans to take care of our own in the meantime.
Itemized Deduction Briefing – Also on Thursday, the tax committee heard from The Department of Revenue, the Kansas Society of CPAs, and the Kansas Realtors Association. Due to recent changes in federal law, Kansas taxpayers must take the standard deduction on their state income tax return if they take the standard deduction on federal return. In the same token, Kansans cannot itemize on their state returns if they do not itemize on their federal return. The federal standard deduction was nearly doubled, increasing from: 1) Federal Standard Deduction 2) Tax Year 2017: $6,350 for single filers, $12,700 married filing jointly 3) Tax Year 2018: $12,000 for single filers, $24,000 married filing jointly. 4) Kansas Standard Deduction and 5) $3,000 for single filers, $7,500 or married filing jointly. This eliminates the opportunity for Kansans with itemized deductions below the federal standard deduction, to itemize on their state return. Amending the state tax code, or decoupling from the federal tax code, will allow taxpayers the freedom to itemize or take the standard deduction on their state returns regardless of which route they take when filing their federal return.
Tax Foundation Testifies about Kansas Tax Climate – Nicole Keading, Director of Federal and Special Projects for the Tax Foundation, presented to the House Taxation Committee. She gave an overview of Kansas tax rates, state business tax climate index, the Wayfair decision, and conformity. She noted that literature shows that some taxes burden economic growth more than others. Those are gross receipts taxes, corporate income taxes, and individual income taxes. In speaking about state tax policy, she divided her discussion into four large categories: tax rates; tax collections; tax burdens; and tax structure.
In looking at tax rates, Kansas is in the middle of rankings on individual income tax rate for 2018 with a 5.7% rate. Individual income tax rates for neighboring states are: Colorado (4.63%), Nebraska (6.84%), Missouri (5.9%), and Oklahoma (5.0%). Kansas ranks higher than other states on the corporate tax rate at 7.0%. Neighboring states: CO (4.63%), NE (7.81%), MO (6.25%), and OK (6.0%). On sales tax, Kansas has the 8th highest combined sales tax rate (state/local), with 8.68%. Neighboring state rates are: CO (7.52%), NE (6.89%, no tax on food), MO (8.08%), and OK (8.93%). The Tax Foundation also calculates the tax burden for states. Tax burden reflects the portion of income that goes to taxes. The Tax Foundation found that Kansas’ burden is 9.5, which is the 23rd highest tax burden in the nation.
This past week there were several folks from the district in Topeka: Phillips County Commissioner Max Dibble; Phillipsburg City Council Chair Mike James; Norton County Commissioner Bud Posson; Stockton Mayor Kim Thomas; Ellis Mayor Dave McDaniel; Phillips County Register of Deeds Robert Keessee and several folks from our community hospitals, but due to the weather we were not able to catch up. I had a great time Sunday night at the Hill City Area Chamber of Commerce Banquet, Diana Crouch and crew always put on a great event. Congratulations to the award winners.
If you come to Topeka during the session, my office is in Room: 149-S. My phone number is 785-296-7463 and email is: [email protected] and you can always try my cell number is 785-302-8416.
I look forward to seeing you around the 110th District. It is my honor to by your representative.
Rep. Ken Rahjes (R-Agra), is the 110th state representative and chairman of the Higher Education Budget Committee. House District 110
includes Norton and Phillips counties as well as portions of Ellis, Graham, and Rooks counties.
ELLIS – It’s never too soon to start thinking about summer and swimming.
The Ellis City Council voted last week to pursue a grant for swimming pools from special round of Community Development Block Grant funding from the Kansas Department of Commerce. Justine Benoit, grant administrator with Northwest Kansas Planning & Development Commission, told the council grant funds may be used for construction of a new pool, diving boards, equipment, lifeguard stands, and concession areas. There is a required 60/40 match with the local body providing 40% of the cost.
A swimming pool committee will be developed to facilitate the project.
In other business, Public Works Director Alan Scheuerman presented the 2019 Street Seal project for consideration. The streets included in the project were last sealed in 2013. A $11,925 bid from the Crafco state contract for street seal material was unanimously approved.
Bids for 750 ton of rock, seal oil, and 750 ton of ½” chips from other vendors were also approved.
The complete meeting minutes follow.
ELLIS CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING
Minutes
January 21, 2019
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor David McDaniel called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. Present were Council members Bret Andries, Holly Aschenbrenner, Steve Ferland, Martin LaBarge, Jolene Niernberger, and Bob Redger. Also present were Public Works Director Alan Scheuerman, City Clerk Amy Burton, Police Chief Taft Yates, Fire Chief Dustin Vine, and City Attorney Olavee Raub.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
AMENDMENTS TO AGENDA
None
PUBLIC PRESENT
Justine Benoit, Verda Flinn, Glen Keller, Barbara Perkins, Heather French, and Nickole Byers (arrived at 8:37 p.m.)
CONSENT AGENDA
Council member Jolene Niernberger moved to approve the consent agenda containing the Minutes from the Regular Meeting on January 7, 2019, Minutes from the Regular Meeting on January 14, 2019, and Bills Ordinance #2061. Council member Bret Andries seconded the motion. The Council approved the consent agenda 6-0.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
None
PRESENTATIONS OF AWARDS, PROCLAMATIONS, REQUESTS & PETITIONS (HEARINGS)
None
SPECIAL ORDER
Fire: Report
Fire Chief Dustin Vine presented his monthly report. The Department recently trained on ice rescues on Big Creek. Chief Vine stressed that residents and animals should stay off of Big Creek as the ice is unstable and not safe.
Swimming Pool: Special Project
Justine Benoit, Grant Administrator with Northwest Kansas Planning & Development Commission, presented information regarding a special round of Community Development Block Grant funding for swimming pools from the Kansas Department of Commerce. The application deadline is May 15th with grant awards announced July 1st. The maximum grant request is $1,000,000 and the required match is 60/40 (60% grant funds and 40% local funds). Grant funds may be used for construction of a new pool, diving boards, equipment, lifeguard stands, and concession areas, but funds could not be used for “extras” such as a lazy river, splash pad, or slides. It was the consensus of Council to move forward with the grant application. Council developed a swimming pool committee to help facilitate the project.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
General Government: Policy
Council reviewed the current document providing for aesthetic standards for small cells and proposed several revisions to simplify the standards. City Attorney Olavee Raub will present a revised draft at the next Council meeting for consideration.
Streets: Repair/Maintenance
Public Works Director Alan Scheuerman presented the 2019 Street Seal project for consideration. The streets included in the project were last sealed in 2013. Council member Holly Aschenbrenner moved to accept the bid from the Crafco State Contract for street seal material in the amount of $11,925, with funds to come from the Capital Improvement – Streets fund. Council member Jolene Niernberger seconded the motion. The motion carried 6-0.
Council member Holly Aschenbrenner moved and Council member Martin LaBarge seconded a motion to approve the bid from Flatlander Dirt Works to haul 750 ton of rock to Ellis in the amount of $11,250, with funds to come from the Capital Improvement – Street fund. The motion carried 6-0.
Council member Bret Andries moved to approve the bid from Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions, Inc. for seal oil for the project in the amount of $48,000 with funds to come from the Capital Improvement – Streets fund. Council member Holly Aschenbrenner seconded the motion. The motion carried 6-0.
Council member Bret Andries then moved to approve the purchase of 750 ton of ½” chips from APAC-Kansas in the amount of $22,162.50 with funds to come from the Capital Improvement – Streets fund. Council member Jolene Niernberger seconded the motion. The motion carried 6-0, with Council member Steve Ferland abstaining due to perceived conflict of interest.
NEW BUSINESS
Sewer: Repair/Maintenance
Mr. Scheuerman would like to replace the single phase pump at the Cedar Lane lift station with a three-phase pump. The City already has a Loveless pump which would need to be rebuilt, and Midwest Energy would need to add a pole and transformer to accommodate the three-phase electricity. Right-of-ways would need to be acquired from the two residences where the lift station is located. Council requested that Mr. Scheuerman provide quotes for the project at the next meeting. Council member Bret Andries moved to direct City Attorney Olavee Raub to investigate the easement rights for the properties affected. Council member Bob Redger seconded the motion. The motion carried 6-0.
Tourism: Committee
Council member Holly Aschenbrenner moved to approve the appointment of Joleen Fisher to the Tourism Committee. Council member Bob Redger seconded the motion. The motion carried 6-0.
General Government: Committee
Mayor David McDaniel requested affirmation of the City’s support of the Kansas PRIDE program by adopting a resolution. Council member Holly Aschenbrenner moved to approve Resolution No. 553 pledging support of the City’s participation in the Kansas PRIDE Program. Council member Steve Ferland seconded the motion. The motion carried 6-0.
Swimming Pool: Repair/Maintenance
Public Works Director Alan Scheuerman requested approval to contract out the replacement of the roof at the swimming pool. The Department is unable to perform the work due to time constraints and other projects. The City has already purchased the materials. Council instructed Mr. Scheuerman to solicit bids for the project.
Water: Acquisition
Mr. Scheuerman requested the purchase of 65 electronic-read meters. The City has already installed close to 50 of the meters and they have been helpful in pinpointing residential water leaks faster. The meters are also used in locations the meter readers aren’t able to access easily due to location of the meter or pets in the area. Eventually, the City would like to convert all 950 traditional meters to the electronic-read meters. Council member Holly Aschenbrenner moved to approve the purchase of 65 electronic-read meters from Metron-Farnier, LLC in the amount of $24,068 with funds to come from the Water Depreciation Reserve fund. Council member Bret Andries seconded the motion. Upon a call for discussion, City Clerk Amy Burton noted there were funds still available from 2018 earmarked for the purchase of electronic-read meters, if Council chose to increase the purchase. Upon a call for the vote, the motion failed 1-5, with Council member Martin LaBarge voting in favor of the motion, and Council members Bret Andries, Holly Aschenbrenner, Steve Ferland, Jolene Niernberger, and Bob Redger voting opposed. Mr. Scheuerman will bring a revised quote to the next Council meeting.
General Government: Policy
Council reviewed updates to the City’s Safety Guideline Manual. The last revision was done in October 2013. Council member Holly Aschenbrenner moved to approve the Safety Guideline Manual as revised. Council member Jolene Niernberger seconded the motion. The motion carried 6-0.
REPORTS FROM CITY OFFICIALS
Public Works
Public Works Director Alan Scheuerman presented the Comparative Water Report for the period November 10th – December 10th. The percentage of water accounted for remains slightly lower than the industry average.
Mr. Scheuerman stated the new 2015 Ford F-250 will become the Water Department truck and the bed from the old truck will be installed on the new truck. The second pickup to be purchased will replace the current Parks truck.
Concrete work needs to be performed at the intersection of 10th Street and Monroe Street. Traffic will need to be re-routed for the project. Council directed Mr. Scheuerman to contact the County since portions of that area would be under their direction.
Police
Police Chief Taft Yates reported Officer Kolas began employment January 7th. There has not been a date set for him to attend the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center. Officer Kolas has qualified on the Department’s firearms and the Taser.
City Clerk
City Clerk Amy Burton discussed possible dates to hold Council orientation. The training session reviews the Governing Body’s role in local government and the City’s policies and procedures. The orientation session will be held January 31st at 6:00 p.m.
Attorney
City Attorney Olavee Raub reported the real estate closing on the water exploration sites will be next week.
Mayor Update and Announcements
Mayor David McDaniel reminded Council of the Town Hall meeting to discuss the Ellis County Comprehensive Plan on January 31st at 8:00 a.m.
Mayor McDaniel and Nickole Byers announced that Monica Befort, local artist, is interested in working with the City to re-paint the mural on the south side of City Hall.
ADJOURNMENT
Council member Steve Ferland moved and Council member Bob Redger seconded a motion to adjourn the meeting. The motion carried 6-0. The meeting adjourned at 9:19 p.m.
Before this year’s session started I agreed to sponsor a bill, SB 9, which would make a postponed KPERS payment from 2016 that the legislature had promised to pay with interest in 2018. In 2018, the legislature opted to postpone the payment, to see what future revenues produced. Kansas’s revenues ended FY18 with $317 million more than expected. This left the approved ending balance at $905 million. Eighteen Republican senators, including myself, have signed on to sponsor SB 9. Some Democratic senators want to stall this payment. We made a promise to make this payment with interest and believe we should not build our ending balances by breaking promises.
Last Tuesday, the Senate Ways & Means Committee heard testimony on SB 9, which would transfer $115 million from the state general fund to the KPERS system. One hundred percent of the payment would be applied to the public-school group, a group that carries the largest unfunded liability. Ways & Means heard from Executive Director of KPERS, Alan Conroy, who explained to the committee that not making the payment would cause an increase of $630,000 to the unfunded liability/interest expense monthly. Making the payment would result in meeting the actuarial required payment for the first time in 25 years.
Thank you for those hundreds of people who gathered at the Statehouse, Tuesday, January 22, in freezing rain to participate in the annual Kansas March for Life. In particular I would like to thank people from the 40th Senate District who braved bad roads to attend this rally, including people as far away as St. Francis, KS. Many gathered due to the anticipated ruling by the Kansas Supreme Court that would say the constitution provides a right to an abortion. The march and rally took place on the 46th anniversary of the Roe vs Wade decision. In light of the New York Legislature adopting the Reproductive Health Act, allowing abortions up until the point of birth, it is more important than ever that we continue to fight for the unborn.
Hard Facts: Aviation in Kansas has a $20.6 billion economic impact and is responsible for 91,300 jobs. According to the Kansas Department of Labor, Kansas’ December unemployment rate was 3.3% compared to the 3.9% national rate.
Middle School and High School students (12 years of age or older) are invited to come to our Kansas State Capitol, in order to be my sponsored Senate Page for a day. The dates available are February 11th, 18th, 25th and March 11th. Please contact my office, if you know a student who may have an interest in being a Senate Page.
I am honored and grateful to represent the 40th Senate District in Kansas. Please do not hesitate to contact or call me with your questions and concerns, my office number is 785 296-7399 or my cell is 785 899-4700. If you are in Topeka stop by my office at 236-E.
Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, is the Kansas state senator for the 40th District, which includes Cheyenne, Decatur, Ellis, Gove, Graham, Logan, Norton, Rawlins, Sheridan, Sherman, Thomas, Trego and Wallace counties as well as portions of Phillips county.
Dr. Roger Marshall, R-Great Bend, is the First District Kansas Congressman.
Friends,
Friday a short-term funding agreement was made to reopen the government and pay federal employees. The president announced that he would reopen the government for three weeks, with hopes that by February 15th we will pass a border security agreement that includes funding for the wall. I find myself both relieved but also increasingly frustrated with this Congress and its dysfunction. I feel for those who have been struggling during this time, and I worry that once this temporary deal expires in three weeks, they will be faced with the same uncertainty if Democrats are not willing to negotiate.
I remain firm in my belief that we must secure our southern border and put an end to this decades-old crisis once and for all. It is unfathomable that some of my colleagues continue to ignore the reality of the lives lost due to criminals and drugs flowing into the United States.
There is absolutely a solution out there where both parties would receive clear victories. It is time for everyone in Washington – Republican and Democrats alike –to quit with the partisan games, provide the funds needed to secure our southern border adequately.
Continuing My Work On The House Agriculture Committee
I am proud to say that I will be again serving the Big First and our Ag industry on the House Agriculture committee. In the 115th Congress, the House Ag team was able to achieve many monumental accomplishments like passing a five-year Farm Bill, that will provide certainty to so many people across Kansas. I am eager to be back with this great team and represent our farmers and ranchers as well as agribusinesses and so many other vital parts of our Ag industry. We have a great deal of work to do for farm country, including advocating for new trade deals, protecting and implementing the 2018 Farm Bill and expanding rural broadband access and reducing the regulatory burden on our farmers. I will also be staying on the Science Space and Technology committee.
President Trump will Veto Anti-Life Legislation
I will always serve to protect the most vulnerable and guard the innocent, unborn children. Life begins at conception, and as a physician for 25 years that delivered 10,000 babies, I will always choose life.
I signed a letter to the president, with 168 of my colleagues, requesting that he commit to vetoing any legislation that weakens the protections for the unborn. I am proud that he answered our call to action and subsequently sent a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) promising to veto any legislation that House Democrats might pass that would violate the sanctity of life and change or weaken the protections for human life.
I commend our president for his steadfast position on this critical issue and his quit action to defend of the most vulnerable.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Last week the nation celebrated the life of a Civil Rights icon, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We took a moment to reflect on the progress we have made as a country and all the work the Reverend did to unify a nation that was broken.
Lately, I have been thinking about what Dr. King would say if he were alive today to see the diverse partisanship in Congress. His message would be clear – we must unify to make change. We must keep working together on civilly finding common ground. We must look even beyond the rules of civility. We must begin accepting when two or more minds work together with different opinions because there is always a common goal to be found.
Dr. Roger Marshall, R-Great Bend, is the First District Kansas Congressman.
Staff from Fort Hays State University’s Kansas Academy of Mathematics and Science will host six free information sessions across the state for interested students and their families in February, March and April.
The Academy offers high school juniors and seniors an opportunity to live and learn at Fort Hays State University and get a head start on their college educations.
Students and guests can learn about KAMS and visit with representatives from the Academy at these sessions. Please visit the registration website at https://www.fhsu.edu/kams/Info-session-registration/ to find a session in your area.
The information sessions are listed chronologically.
February 18
Salina, 6 p.m.
Salina Public Library, Prescott Meeting Room
301 W. Elm St.
February 20
Topeka, 6 p.m.
Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library, Marvin Auditorium
1515 SW 10th Ave.
March 6
Wichita, 6 p.m.
Advanced Learning Library, Conference Room C
711 W. Second St. North
March 7
Shawnee, 6 p.m.
Johnson County Library – Monticello Branch, Community Meeting Room
22435 W. 66th St.
April 2 Hays, 6 p.m. FHSU Memorial Union, Pioneer Room 700 Park St.
April 10
Junction City, 6 p.m.
Dorothy Bramlage Library, Meeting Room
230 W. Seventh St.
All information sessions are free and open to the public. For more information, contact Abby Anderson, coordinator for marketing and recruitment, at 785-628-4719 or [email protected]. Visit www.fhsu.edu/kams for more information regarding the program.
About KAMS:
KAMS is an early college program that focuses on advanced mathematics and science coursework. While studying at KAMS, students live on the FHSU campus in a select residence hall with other Academy students from around the world. Over the course of two years, students complete over 60 hours of college credit and complete their high school diploma. These college classes are taken alongside traditional college undergraduates and taught by college professors while simultaneously contributing to their high school graduation requirements.
$11 Million in Community Development Block Grants awarded for community improvement projects
TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of Commerce has announced that 23 communities will receive federal grants for a variety of community improvement projects, including sewer and water projects, housing rehabilitation and community facilities improvements. These communities will share a total of $11,019,485 in federal grants.
Through the Community Development Block Grant program, 12 Kansas communities will share a total of $6,806,637 in federal grants for water and sewer projects, two Kansas communities will share $600,000 for housing rehabilitation and nine communities will share $3,612,828 for community facility projects.
“Vital public services including water, sewer and community facilities are essential to all communities in Kansas,” said Secretary David Toland. “The CDBG grants will help provide the funding needed by these 23 communities to ensure improved quality of life for their residents.”
The CDBG program, administered by the Kansas Department of Commerce, provides federal funds to local governments for the development of viable communities by addressing their housing, public facilities and economic development needs. To be awarded funds, local government units must meet at least one of three program objectives:
• The grant will benefit low and moderate-income persons • The grant will prevent or eliminate slums and blight • The grant will resolve an urgent need where local resources are not available to do so
The CDBG funds are one of the Department of Commerce’s primary tools in supporting the state’s small, predominantly rural communities.
The following northwest Kansas communities have been awarded CDBG grants:
he City of Bird City will receive $200,50 in CDBG grant funds to complete a street project throughout the city. The city will contribute $200,507 city funds towards this project.
The City of Brewster will receive $409,980 in CDBG funds to make water distribution improvements throughout the city. The city will provide $409,980 in matching funds it secured through the Kansas Department of Health & Environment.
The City of Downs will receive $600,000 in CDBG funds to make water treatment plant improvement for the city. The city will provide $1,580,532 matching funds it secured from the Kansas Department of Health & Environment. The city is also contributing $900 of their local funds.
The City of Oberlin will receive $600,000 in CDBG funds to make improvements to its water distribution system. The city will provide all matching funds themselves in the amount of $475,045.
The City of Phillipsburg will receive $462,837 in CDBG funds to make improvements to its water distribution system throughout the city. The city will provide $460,738 in matching funds they have secured through the Kansas Department of Health & Environment. The city is also contributing $2,100 of their local funds.
The City of Russell is being awarded $600,000 in CDBG funds to make water distribution improvements throughout the city. The city will provide all matching funds themselves in the amount of $893,300.
LINDSBORG — Nearly 240 Bethany College students have earned semester honors for their academic performance during the fall 2018 semester and have been named to the Dean’s List.
To qualify for the academic honor, students must be enrolled full-time and earn a semester grade point average of 3.5.
The following area students received the honor:
Hoxie
Lisa M. Stone, Pre-Profession Art Thera
Luray
Rudolph J. Haberer, General Studies
Norton
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Tariff wars, low commodity prices, weather and isolation all take their toll on farmers and rural residents who depend on the agriculture economy.
Those stresses are starting to show in some alarming statistics in northwest Kansas.
Between 2014 and 2017, the suicide rate in the 20 northwest counties served by High Plains Mental Health increased by 64 percent. In addition, a Centers for Disease Control study released in July 2016 reported farmers, fisherman and forestry workers as a group had the highest suicide rate of any occupation in the U.S.
High Plains Mental Health is trying to reach out to this affected population through new printed materials, telemedicine services and Mental Health First Aid training.
The suicide rates are not just getting attention from community mental health professionals.
Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., championed the Farmers First Act, part of the most recent Farm Bill. The act establishes helplines and suicide prevention training for farm advocates, and re-establishes the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network through state departments of agriculture, state Extension services and nonprofits.
“We don’t know completely,” David Anderson, High Plains director of clinical services, said when asked why he thought the number of suicides had jumped. “I think we believe certainly the farm economy plays a role in that. It may be that they are being more accurately counted. There was certainly a time, because of the stigma around suicide, that corners, particularly in small communities, there was some desire to not attach a suicide to a what might have been called an accidental death.”
Brenda Seaman, High Plains assistant clinical director, comes from a farm family. She says she sees farmers facing many circumstances that are out of their control.
“What other profession do you have where you certainly don’t know what the commodity price will be for the product that you are making every year?” she said. “It could be $15 soybeans. It could be $6 soybeans. You don’t know when you plant them.”
If the price is good, that usually means other growers have had catastrophic crop loss due to weather. Regardless of the price of the commodity, the input prices go up every year.
“The weather is out of your control,” Seaman continued. “The overall political environment is out of your control, so now there is tariffs and trade wars. These are not predictable.”
Seaman said communities and loved ones should also remember those families whose livings depend on agriculture, because when the ag economy is down, they suffer too.
Farming is not an easy profession to walk away from when you are one of multiple generations who have lived on and worked a piece of land, Anderson said. There is an emotional attachment to the land.
“It is not just the economy of ‘Can you make this work?'” he said,” but it is the pressure of generations. This has been in the family for a long period of time. You don’t want to be the person who ends up losing that land or the farm.”
Technology is requiring fewer people to operate farms and farms are consolidating.
“My wife’s family farm is out near Collyer,” Anderson said. “Thirty years ago, there used to be several family farms in that area. Now there aren’t.
“More of the land is rented. Instead of a community of families in the area who relied on each other and helped each other, there may be more isolation. We know that across populations that is one of the factors that increases depression, anxiety and the risk for suicide.”
Population loss in rural Kansas counties is only projected to increase, further worsening isolation and leading to the lose of vital services for rural families, including local schools, hospitals and grocery stores.
Stigma is a serious impediment for farmers to receive help in a mental health crisis, Anderson said. They consider themselves independent, resilient and self-reliant, and it can be difficult for them to admit they need help.
Although rates are on the rise in Kansas for women, suicides in Kansas were highest among white men, age 25 to 64. During the farm crisis in the 1980s, Anderson said mental health workers were encouraged to try reach out to farm wives to reach men in farming communities that may be at risk.
High Plains is implementing a similar strategy today by putting information and resources in the hands of people who interact with farmers and their families the most.
A new brochure titled “Hope in the Heartland” is being made available to extension agents, rural bankers and grain elevators.
Kaley Connor, High Plains marketing director, said local county governments have reached out to the agency for Mental Health First Aid training courses for their employees. The 8-hour course helps to prepare people to help individuals who are experiencing a mental health crisis.
“A lot of what we are doing with the pamphlet and Mental Health First Aid is trying to raise awareness and break down the stigma surrounding mental health services — that it is OK to reach out for help if you are struggling, that mental illness is a real illness and it needs to be taken seriously. It is not a sign of weakness if you need to reach out to somebody.”
Farmers’ and ranchers’ schedules are also often not conducive for out-patient therapy visits. However, telemedicine, satellite clinics, and partnerships with rural hospitals and clinics are making mental health care increasingly accessible for rural residents.
The vast majority of clients are seen in the community on an outpatient basis, Anderson said. If a person who is suffering from depression or suicidal thoughts can ensure their safety, they will likely not be admitted to a hospital. Even those who do receive in-patient treatment for depression usually have very short stays.
If you or someone you know is at immediate risk of suicide, call 911. Call High Plains at 1-800-432-0333 to get started with a mental health screening or to access crisis services, which are available 24/7 with a qualified mental health professional.
High Plains also offers a sliding-fee scale for services based on income.
