By TONY GUERRERO and JAMES BELL Hays Post

Despite recent rains in Ellis County, the county and large areas of the state remain in exceptional drought.

Hays is expected to receive 3.46 inches of rain by the end of June, according to the K-State Agriculture Research Center, but has received .43 inches so far this month.

The city is supposed to have a cumulative participation average of 11.27 inches by the end of June. However, Hays has only received 6.64 inches since Jan. 1

Local communities are already facing tough decisions in the wake of the ongoing drought.

At the intersection of water conservation and economic impacts, the city of Ellis has faced concerns over water use during the ongoing drought at the Ellis Golf Club, 1301 Spruce.&nbsp;

At the city council meeting on May 15, city council members heard from Police Chief Avery Smith about a series of water violations at the club. After giving a courtesy warning they were using water in violation of city and Kansas Department of Health and Environment ordinances, they were noted to continue using water during restricted times.&nbsp;

“We need to address it, especially if we’re going to be as far behind as we are in moisture,” Smith said.&nbsp;

It was also noted sprinkler systems were running while rain was recently falling on the course.&nbsp;

City Attorney Olavee Raub said warnings are not to be given and the person responsible could immediately face criminal charges. Smith said ongoing violations could even result in a sentence that includes serving time in jail.&nbsp;

As the course generally uses effluent, rather than treated water from the city, the city is bound to KDHE regulations.&nbsp;

Smith suggested updating city ordinances.&nbsp;

“As far as the violation of the KDHE permit, we may be put in a position where if they are not going to comply with the provisions, we have no other recourse than to terminate their usage of effluent water,” Raub. “Otherwise, we are in violation of the KDHE permit, which falls back on us.”&nbsp;

After the club was made aware of the council’s observations, representatives spoke at the next city council meeting on June 5 as the council considered options that would allow water use to keep the course’s greens alive through the summer.&nbsp;

“In the drought times, the heat on the green, the grass is so small it will kill it,” said Rick Gaschler, member of the Ellis Golf Club board.&nbsp;

Raub told the council as the greens are a necessary part of the business, an exception could be carved out for the club.&nbsp;

The council will consider an updated ordinance at its next meeting on June 19.&nbsp;

Jeff Crispin, Hays director of water resources, explains the impact of the drought on Hays and what the following months will look like.

“From a drought perspective it put us into D4 exceptional drought and with any drought, that causes us to watch our water situation a lot closer,” Crispin said. 

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/e2fcc739-0eba-4196-84c8-8e33b56b1443">Water restrictions began on June 1, which restricts the public from using water outdoors between noon and 7 p.m.&nbsp;</a>

Despite the rain received in the last week, Crispin said it’ll take a lot more rainfall before Ellis County can move out of the exceptional drought but assured residents the county won’t see any more restrictions this summer.&nbsp;

“I think we’ll continue with our normal water restriction time period that we do every year. I don’t see us adding a different or separate water restriction,” Crispin said.&nbsp;

Crispin pointed out the availability of <a href="https://www.haysusa.com/566/WaterSmart-Landscaping">WaterSmart.hays.com</a>, which offers a rebate program to help lower water consumption as well as a variety of water sensors.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686234171526.png" alt="Kansas Drought Monitor as released June 8, 2023. Courtesy image." />
 <figcaption>Kansas Drought Monitor as released June 8, 2023. Courtesy image.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO and JAMES BELL Hays PostDespite recent rains in Ellis County, the county and large areas of the state remain in exceptional drought.Hays is expected to receive 3.46 inches of rain by the end of June, according to the K-State Agriculture Research Center, but has received .43 inches so far this month.The city is supposed to have a cumulative participation average of 11.27 inches by the end of June. However, Hays has only received 6.64 inches since Jan. 1Local communities are already facing tough decisions in the wake of the ongoing drought.At the intersection of water conservation and economic impacts, the city of Ellis has faced concerns over water use during the ongoing drought at the Ellis Golf Club, 1301 Spruce.&nbsp;At the city council meeting on May 15, city council members heard from Police Chief Avery Smith about a series of water violations at the club. After giving a courtesy warning they were using water in violation of city and Kansas Department of Health and Environment ordinances, they were noted to continue using water during restricted times.&nbsp;“We need to address it, especially if we’re going to be as far behind as we are in moisture,” Smith said.&nbsp;It was also noted sprinkler systems were running while rain was recently falling on the course.&nbsp;City Attorney Olavee Raub said warnings are not to be given and the person responsible could immediately face criminal charges. Smith said ongoing violations could even result in a sentence that includes serving time in jail.&nbsp;As the course generally uses effluent, rather than treated water from the city, the city is bound to KDHE regulations.&nbsp;Smith suggested updating city ordinances.&nbsp;“As far as the violation of the KDHE permit, we may be put in a position where if they are not going to comply with the provisions, we have no other recourse than to terminate their usage of effluent water,” Raub. “Otherwise, we are in violation of the KDHE permit, which falls back on us.”&nbsp;After the club was made aware of the council’s observations, representatives spoke at the next city council meeting on June 5 as the council considered options that would allow water use to keep the course’s greens alive through the summer.&nbsp;“In the drought times, the heat on the green, the grass is so small it will kill it,” said Rick Gaschler, member of the Ellis Golf Club board.&nbsp;Raub told the council as the greens are a necessary part of the business, an exception could be carved out for the club.&nbsp;The council will consider an updated ordinance at its next meeting on June 19.&nbsp;Jeff Crispin, Hays director of water resources, explains the impact of the drought on Hays and what the following months will look like.“From a drought perspective it put us into D4 exceptional drought and with any drought, that causes us to watch our water situation a lot closer,” Crispin said. <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/e2fcc739-0eba-4196-84c8-8e33b56b1443">Water restrictions began on June 1, which restricts the public from using water outdoors between noon and 7 p.m.&nbsp;</a>Despite the rain received in the last week, Crispin said it’ll take a lot more rainfall before Ellis County can move out of the exceptional drought but assured residents the county won’t see any more restrictions this summer.&nbsp;“I think we’ll continue with our normal water restriction time period that we do every year. I don’t see us adding a different or separate water restriction,” Crispin said.&nbsp;Crispin pointed out the availability of <a href="https://www.haysusa.com/566/WaterSmart-Landscaping">WaterSmart.hays.com</a>, which offers a rebate program to help lower water consumption as well as a variety of water sensors.

Exceptional drought leads to problems with Ellis Golf Club

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Far above the streets of Ellis, a giant mural depicting Ellis High School athletes is taking shape.

Dennis Schiel of Hays is working on his largest and what may be his last mural.

The Ellis mural, which is 35 by 65 feet, is on the side of a grain elevator that faces Washington Street in downtown Ellis.

Schiel, who has lived in Hays for 16 years, has painted murals across the area. He coordinated the downtown Hays Brush the Bricks mural project and personally painted four of the murals for that project.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/c249f967-7e8d-4a80-897e-25bccb78992e">• The three amigos mural on the S&amp;W building</a> <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/274e05fe-f437-4c8a-95f7-2d33bdfb4c44">• The Arc mural on the Arc Thrift Store building</a> <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/d8987c98-30c5-4304-8b88-cabf4ef0efb4">• The Hays postcard mural on the side of the Golden Q building</a> •&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/1fc07702-44b6-4f24-a80c-bb9aa092c12f">The farmer and team mural on the side of the&nbsp;Midland Marketing building.</a>

He also painted the mural on the north side of the <a href="https://archive.hayspost.com/2016/09/23/community-connection-dennis-schiel/">Fox Theatre in Hays</a> and the mural on the north side of the <a href="https://archive.hayspost.com/2017/08/18/%f0%9f%8e%a5-150-years-of-service-mural-nearing-completion/">Hays VFW</a>.

A mural&nbsp;Schiel painted depicting famous people and places in the state hangs in the Kansas capitol.

Schiel said he hopes he has left an artistic legacy in the community.

Schiel's grandchildren attended Ellis High School, which sparked the idea for his latest mural. EHS wrote grants, and the Ellis Foundation raised funds to support the mural.

Although&nbsp;Schiel said he has tried to keep most of the athletes generic, one of the softball players is loosely based on his granddaughter. The mural also depicts a train crashing out of the grain elevator. EHS' mascot is the Railroaders.

Schiel has been working on the mural for about a month. He is in the process of moving to Colorado to be closer to family and may not be able to finish the mural until mid-summer.

Schiel, 65, said he would likely continue to paint smaller works, but the mural in Ellis may be his last mural. He said it is becoming harder to stand on ladders and scaffolding for long periods of time to paint large outdoor paintings.&nbsp;

"It's bittersweet," he said. "It's good that it's a fun one because it's a lot of whatever I want to paint.

Schiel said he thought the community is enjoying seeing the mural take shape.&nbsp;

Schiel said he is looking forward to spending time with his grandchildren in Colorado. A former Colorado resident and Rockies fan, he hopes to attend some baseball games when he moves back.&nbsp;He did some artwork for the Rockies earlier in his career.

"Kansas, I've liked Kansas. I hate to lose Kansas, to leave here. Some things have to be," he said.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/43961af5-98c5-41fe-980d-1b731a33083c">Ellis Railroad Museum improvements almost complete; murals finished</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/96983f5b-a3e7-4109-9922-07963f8c5889">Cut, Shave and a beer: Blue Moon Lounge set to open Monday in Hays</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/069474fd-90fb-49e4-a971-0d7ea5d2f88c">Dolce Vita event venue opens in Ellis, seats up to 800</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684947969740.jpeg" alt="Hays artist Dennis Schiel paints the side of a grain elevator in downtown Ellis Schiel, who has painted murals across the region, said this may be his last mural. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Hays artist Dennis Schiel paints the side of a grain elevator in downtown Ellis Schiel, who has painted murals across the region, said this may be his last mural. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostFar above the streets of Ellis, a giant mural depicting Ellis High School athletes is taking shape.Dennis Schiel of Hays is working on his largest and what may be his last mural.The Ellis mural, which is 35 by 65 feet, is on the side of a grain elevator that faces Washington Street in downtown Ellis.Schiel, who has lived in Hays for 16 years, has painted murals across the area. He coordinated the downtown Hays Brush the Bricks mural project and personally painted four of the murals for that project.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/c249f967-7e8d-4a80-897e-25bccb78992e">• The three amigos mural on the S&amp;W building</a> <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/274e05fe-f437-4c8a-95f7-2d33bdfb4c44">• The Arc mural on the Arc Thrift Store building</a> <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/d8987c98-30c5-4304-8b88-cabf4ef0efb4">• The Hays postcard mural on the side of the Golden Q building</a> •&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/1fc07702-44b6-4f24-a80c-bb9aa092c12f">The farmer and team mural on the side of the&nbsp;Midland Marketing building.</a>He also painted the mural on the north side of the <a href="https://archive.hayspost.com/2016/09/23/community-connection-dennis-schiel/">Fox Theatre in Hays</a> and the mural on the north side of the <a href="https://archive.hayspost.com/2017/08/18/%f0%9f%8e%a5-150-years-of-service-mural-nearing-completion/">Hays VFW</a>.A mural&nbsp;Schiel painted depicting famous people and places in the state hangs in the Kansas capitol.Schiel said he hopes he has left an artistic legacy in the community.Schiel's grandchildren attended Ellis High School, which sparked the idea for his latest mural. EHS wrote grants, and the Ellis Foundation raised funds to support the mural.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684948132093.jpeg" alt="A closer view of the Ellis High School athletic mural, which is on the side of a grain elevator in downtown Ellis. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A closer view of the Ellis High School athletic mural, which is on the side of a grain elevator in downtown Ellis. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Although&nbsp;Schiel said he has tried to keep most of the athletes generic, one of the softball players is loosely based on his granddaughter. The mural also depicts a train crashing out of the grain elevator. EHS' mascot is the Railroaders.Schiel has been working on the mural for about a month. He is in the process of moving to Colorado to be closer to family and may not be able to finish the mural until mid-summer.Schiel, 65, said he would likely continue to paint smaller works, but the mural in Ellis may be his last mural. He said it is becoming harder to stand on ladders and scaffolding for long periods of time to paint large outdoor paintings.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684948271189.jpeg" alt="Artist Dennis Schiel paints a mural depicting Ellis High School athletes on the side of a grain elevator in downtown Ellis. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Artist Dennis Schiel paints a mural depicting Ellis High School athletes on the side of a grain elevator in downtown Ellis. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>"It's bittersweet," he said. "It's good that it's a fun one because it's a lot of whatever I want to paint."It's the end of a career," he added.Schiel said he thought the community is enjoying seeing the mural take shape.&nbsp;Schiel said he is looking forward to spending time with his grandchildren in Colorado. A former Colorado resident and Rockies fan, he hopes to attend some baseball games when he moves back.&nbsp;He did some artwork for the Rockies earlier in his career.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669059521628.jpeg" alt="Schiel's mural on the side of the Midland Marketing building in Hays. This mural was part of the Brush the Bricks project. Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Schiel's mural on the side of the Midland Marketing building in Hays. This mural was part of the Brush the Bricks project. Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>"Kansas, I've liked Kansas. I hate to lose Kansas, to leave here. Some things have to be," he said.He added, "Thank you, Hays and Kansas."<h2>Other Schiel projects</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684948670823.jpeg" alt="Ellis Railroad Museum exterior murals by Dennis Schiel. Photo by James Bell/Hays Post " />
 <figcaption>Ellis Railroad Museum exterior murals by Dennis Schiel. Photo by James Bell/Hays Post </figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/43961af5-98c5-41fe-980d-1b731a33083c">Ellis Railroad Museum improvements almost complete; murals finished</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/96983f5b-a3e7-4109-9922-07963f8c5889">Cut, Shave and a beer: Blue Moon Lounge set to open Monday in Hays</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684948760505.jpeg" alt="The west room in the newly opened Dolce Vita event center in Ellis is graced with a mural of the Ellis depot. A portion of the mural was existing, but Schiel rehabilitated the mural and expanded it. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The west room in the newly opened Dolce Vita event center in Ellis is graced with a mural of the Ellis depot. A portion of the mural was existing, but Schiel rehabilitated the mural and expanded it. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/069474fd-90fb-49e4-a971-0d7ea5d2f88c">Dolce Vita event venue opens in Ellis, seats up to 800</a>

Ellis High School mural may be last for prolific Hays artist

ELLIS&nbsp;—&nbsp;The Ellis USD 388 Board of Education on Wednesday was offered a taste
of what is to come as they discussed the impact of declining enrollment in the
district.

While enrollment in the district has been slowly declining
for years, a graduating class of 49 students — nearly double a typical class
size — two years ago has dealt a significant blow to overall student numbers.

And fewer students means less money for next year’s budget and the potential for staffing and program cuts.

To begin board discussions addressing the
issue, during the meeting, the board was presented with the question: “With budget cuts occurring, does the Vocational
Agriculture program need to stay full-time, go to a part-time or eliminate?”

“Obviously, nobody wants
to cut anything,” Superintendent Janice Wilson said. “And so, this is just a
discussion, and we're throwing ideas out on the table for what are some things
we can look at.”

Earlier in the meeting, she
shared enrollment figures from the last decade.

During the 2012-13 school
year, the district had 410 enrolled. During the 2020–21 year, enrollment was recorded
at 375. 

Next year that number has
been projected at 324.

With state funding tied
directly to enrollment in two-year increments, next year’s enrollment will create a
significant drop in aid. 

Currently, Wilson said the
base aid per pupil is set at $4,486.

To open the discussion, she
told the board that Future Farmers of America currently has 21 members and
shared an overview of the welding and agriculture courses offered in the
district.

“The numbers in the classes have been decreasing,” Wilson
said.

She said only five students were enrolled in the welding course,
10 in ag science and half of the eighth-grade class.

And next year, even fewer students are expected in those
programs.

While the Vocational Agricultural program was under the
microscope during the meeting, Wilson frequently reminded the board and the
assembled audience that came in support of the program that it is only the
first part of the conversation as the district administration and board are
forced to address declining funding that comes with lower enrollment.

“This is just to
throw ideas out there,” she said. “We need to talk about it, we need to discuss
it and figure out what is going to be the best thing for our families.

“We know that we are rural America, we know that ag is
extremely important. But when our class sizes get down to certain numbers, we
have to be concerned about some of that.”

Board member Marty Hollern asked if the students are aware lower
program involvement may lead to a program being cut.

“I don't think so I don't think they're aware of that,” said
Ellis High School Principal Donna Schmidt.

Many in the audience spoke in favor of the programs, along
with board member and Ellis High Vocational Agriculture program alum Dean
Gottschalk.

“Not every kid is able to go to college, so they go choose a
Vo-Tech school,” Gottschalk said. “I chose a Vo-Tech school because of my
instructor. And I feel I've done very well.”

“Two of my sons that went through this class. One that just
graduated last year, has already graduated from welding class school in Wichita
as a certified welder thanks to this program. I don't want to see any of this
cut out of this program, me personally, because we are ag and oil field
supported.”

He said losing the program would be “bad” for studentUSD s.

Hollern said it’s important to recruit incoming students to
the program.

Audience members spoke to the same effort, including an
emotional plea from the current Ellis High School FFA president, suggesting
there could be many more potential students in the program if an effort was made.

“I don't disagree with that at all, that I think every
program that we're looking at, with low involvement, could be said the same, unfortunately,” said board member Latisha Haag.

Some noted if the program was eliminated, the district would
lose students to neighboring Hays and WaKeeney districts. 

“You have to look at the emotional side of things, but you
also need to look at the numbers side of things,” Hollern said. “I've got text
messages, I've got emails of people saying, ‘We live close enough on the county
line that we could probably go to a different district if our children want to
pursue the Vo-Ag side of things' and stuff like that. So, there's a cost of us
not having them available.”

He suggested having a fuller picture of the impact on
enrollment if a program is cut should be a part of the discussion, and all
options should be considered.

“We can't leave any stone unturned,” Hollern said. “How can
we be creative? How can we try and save some of these programs and stuff as
well? So, if we can come up with what, potentially with that part-time, savings
would look like for us as a district, would I kind of like see what those
numbers are.”

But as other rural districts face similar decisions, Wilson
said there have been discussions of sharing staff across districts to cut costs
and save programs.

And as the board mulled cuts to the program, other low-participation
programs were noted.

“Is the declining enrollment correlation to the overall
declining enrollment, is that why there's not interest?” Haag said. “I'm
looking at one teacher who, outside of the junior high rotation, has 17
students. Is that because of declining enrollment across the high school, or are
there other reasons that are factoring into that declining enrollment in those
courses?”

While many on the board shared the desire to have a more
complete picture of the district classes, programs and student participation,
the need to include district staff and the community was noted as crucial.

“I would like to get input from the community and just have
a brainstorm session because we're going to have to be creative,” said board
member Cindy Hertel. 

Ideally, any cut that would affect a teacher should be made
prior to May 1.

“The sooner, the better, just because if we have people who
need to look for a position, this is their livelihood, and we can't wait for
too long out of respect for them,” Wilson said. “I believe that the final day
is around May 17. But I would hope that we could do that a lot sooner.”

Board member Brian Shannon suggested a committee be formed
to collect input and generate ideas for the board.

“I think we need to get more input, more involvement,” he
said.

Haag echoed the desire to move as quickly as possible and to
involve more people in the fact-finding and recommendation process. She said that
by having that involvement, staff may better understand the district’s position.

“I think that some staff feel that the board has been very
much against them this year with decisions,” she said. “And that's not the
case. We're doing our best to make decisions that are best for the students in
the district. And with the budget that we're facing. There are some tough
decisions coming, but I still want to hear some of their suggestions.

“We have got to get on the same page because we are tearing
our district apart. And we need to be a better district than that. We've got to
start having conversations, tough conversations, that result in productive
solutions, rather than talking behind everyone's back and going to the people
that you think are going to solve your problem the way you want it solved.
We've got to remedy that situation.”

“I get the impression from some staff that there is
definitely some animosity there,” said Board President Randy Honas. “I don't
really want to speculate on where that may come from or where it started from,
but that's only going to get worse when we have to make these types of
decisions.

“Everybody’s going to have to go into it with an open mind,
understanding that it's pretty factual. You are not going to get what you want or all of what you want. You might get something. You are going to have to
compromise. There's going to be some give and take.”

“They are subject to change, they can get worse, they could
get slightly better. But if they get worse, these conversations are going to be
a lot tougher, and it's not anybody's fault. … As a board, I think we need to
listen to other ideas, other possibilities, and other suggestions, knowing that
many of those are going to be great ideas but may or may not.

Haag said she hopes as more voices are added to the discussions,
generating ideas come to the forefront.

“I'm tired of the griping, I'm tired of the complaining, I
want people to come with solutions, rather than just throwing out there how unhappy
they are,” she said. “Because that's what I'm getting more of. And when I ask, ‘What's
the solution?’ I'm not getting answers to that."

“We need to make sure that our programs, our staff, our
school board, our administration, and the kids themselves have to buy into this
as well,” Hollern said. “This is your school, and let's see what we can do to
make this thing better.

“Those are tough decisions that we have to make. And that's
why they voted us to be board members. Now we have to do what our
responsibility is. Unfortunately, this is not the fun time.”

As the conversation continued, board member Stephanie Johnson
questioned the overall goal of this first of many conversations that will
happen in coming weeks and months.

“This is a sample of what’s to come,” Wilson said. “It’s not
easy.”

The Board unanimously voted to enter into the Hays West
Central Special Education Cooperative Agreement with USD 489 Hays, USD 432
Victoria, USD 395 La Crosse and USD 407 Russell. The agreement will go into
effect on July 1, 2024. 

The coop was established by Hays to make special education
services available to students in the participating districts.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/6159f5db-0739-4af2-bb57-68e8cc563051">The Hays
Board of Education approved the addition of Russell to the group last year under
a three-year rollout plan.</a>

The search has begun for a new Ellis High School principal.

Current principal Donna Schmidt’s resignation was unanimously
approved by the board during the meeting. She is set to serve the remainder of
this year’s contract.

Applications are currently being accepted.

Glassman Construction was selected as the contractor for the HVAC
system replacement. <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/27984c56-7fed-4153-931e-320c33ca5a32">The
system upgrade was approved as part of a bond issue passed by voters last year.</a>

The board also approved the purchase of 85 new Lenovo
laptops for student use. The purchase was paid through a grant.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681503652298.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>ELLIS&nbsp;—&nbsp;The Ellis USD 388 Board of Education on Wednesday was offered a taste
of what is to come as they discussed the impact of declining enrollment in the
district.While enrollment in the district has been slowly declining
for years, a graduating class of 49 students — nearly double a typical class
size — two years ago has dealt a significant blow to overall student numbers.And fewer students means less money for next year’s budget and the potential for staffing and program cuts.To begin board discussions addressing the
issue, during the meeting, the board was presented with the question: “With budget cuts occurring, does the Vocational
Agriculture program need to stay full-time, go to a part-time or eliminate?”<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/y9q0b3AdtYE" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>“Obviously, nobody wants
to cut anything,” Superintendent Janice Wilson said. “And so, this is just a
discussion, and we're throwing ideas out on the table for what are some things
we can look at.”Earlier in the meeting, she
shared enrollment figures from the last decade.During the 2012-13 school
year, the district had 410 enrolled. During the 2020–21 year, enrollment was recorded
at 375. Next year that number has
been projected at 324.With state funding tied
directly to enrollment in two-year increments, next year’s enrollment will create a
significant drop in aid. Currently, Wilson said the
base aid per pupil is set at $4,486.To open the discussion, she
told the board that Future Farmers of America currently has 21 members and
shared an overview of the welding and agriculture courses offered in the
district.“The numbers in the classes have been decreasing,” Wilson
said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681503711957.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>She said only five students were enrolled in the welding course,
10 in ag science and half of the eighth-grade class.And next year, even fewer students are expected in those
programs.While the Vocational Agricultural program was under the
microscope during the meeting, Wilson frequently reminded the board and the
assembled audience that came in support of the program that it is only the
first part of the conversation as the district administration and board are
forced to address declining funding that comes with lower enrollment.“This is just to
throw ideas out there,” she said. “We need to talk about it, we need to discuss
it and figure out what is going to be the best thing for our families.“We know that we are rural America, we know that ag is
extremely important. But when our class sizes get down to certain numbers, we
have to be concerned about some of that.”Board member Marty Hollern asked if the students are aware lower
program involvement may lead to a program being cut.“I don't think so I don't think they're aware of that,” said
Ellis High School Principal Donna Schmidt.Many in the audience spoke in favor of the programs, along
with board member and Ellis High Vocational Agriculture program alum Dean
Gottschalk.“Not every kid is able to go to college, so they go choose a
Vo-Tech school,” Gottschalk said. “I chose a Vo-Tech school because of my
instructor. And I feel I've done very well.”“Two of my sons that went through this class. One that just
graduated last year, has already graduated from welding class school in Wichita
as a certified welder thanks to this program. I don't want to see any of this
cut out of this program, me personally, because we are ag and oil field
supported.”He said losing the program would be “bad” for studentUSD s.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681503758312.jpeg" alt="USD 388 Board of Education Member Dean Gottschalk&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>USD 388 Board of Education Member Dean Gottschalk&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Hollern said it’s important to recruit incoming students to
the program.Audience members spoke to the same effort, including an
emotional plea from the current Ellis High School FFA president, suggesting
there could be many more potential students in the program if an effort was made.“I don't disagree with that at all, that I think every
program that we're looking at, with low involvement, could be said the same, unfortunately,” said board member Latisha Haag.Some noted if the program was eliminated, the district would
lose students to neighboring Hays and WaKeeney districts. “You have to look at the emotional side of things, but you
also need to look at the numbers side of things,” Hollern said. “I've got text
messages, I've got emails of people saying, ‘We live close enough on the county
line that we could probably go to a different district if our children want to
pursue the Vo-Ag side of things' and stuff like that. So, there's a cost of us
not having them available.”He suggested having a fuller picture of the impact on
enrollment if a program is cut should be a part of the discussion, and all
options should be considered.“We can't leave any stone unturned,” Hollern said. “How can
we be creative? How can we try and save some of these programs and stuff as
well? So, if we can come up with what, potentially with that part-time, savings
would look like for us as a district, would I kind of like see what those
numbers are.”But as other rural districts face similar decisions, Wilson
said there have been discussions of sharing staff across districts to cut costs
and save programs.And as the board mulled cuts to the program, other low-participation
programs were noted.“Is the declining enrollment correlation to the overall
declining enrollment, is that why there's not interest?” Haag said. “I'm
looking at one teacher who, outside of the junior high rotation, has 17
students. Is that because of declining enrollment across the high school, or are
there other reasons that are factoring into that declining enrollment in those
courses?”While many on the board shared the desire to have a more
complete picture of the district classes, programs and student participation,
the need to include district staff and the community was noted as crucial.“I would like to get input from the community and just have
a brainstorm session because we're going to have to be creative,” said board
member Cindy Hertel. But time is short.Ideally, any cut that would affect a teacher should be made
prior to May 1.“The sooner, the better, just because if we have people who
need to look for a position, this is their livelihood, and we can't wait for
too long out of respect for them,” Wilson said. “I believe that the final day
is around May 17. But I would hope that we could do that a lot sooner.”Board member Brian Shannon suggested a committee be formed
to collect input and generate ideas for the board.“I think we need to get more input, more involvement,” he
said.Haag echoed the desire to move as quickly as possible and to
involve more people in the fact-finding and recommendation process. She said that
by having that involvement, staff may better understand the district’s position.“I think that some staff feel that the board has been very
much against them this year with decisions,” she said. “And that's not the
case. We're doing our best to make decisions that are best for the students in
the district. And with the budget that we're facing. There are some tough
decisions coming, but I still want to hear some of their suggestions.“We have got to get on the same page because we are tearing
our district apart. And we need to be a better district than that. We've got to
start having conversations, tough conversations, that result in productive
solutions, rather than talking behind everyone's back and going to the people
that you think are going to solve your problem the way you want it solved.
We've got to remedy that situation.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681503814253.jpeg" alt="USD 388 Board of Education President Randy Honas" />
 <figcaption>USD 388 Board of Education President Randy Honas</figcaption>
 </figure>“I get the impression from some staff that there is
definitely some animosity there,” said Board President Randy Honas. “I don't
really want to speculate on where that may come from or where it started from,
but that's only going to get worse when we have to make these types of
decisions.“Everybody’s going to have to go into it with an open mind,
understanding that it's pretty factual. You are not going to get what you want or all of what you want. You might get something. You are going to have to
compromise. There's going to be some give and take.”But he said the numbers do not lie.“They are subject to change, they can get worse, they could
get slightly better. But if they get worse, these conversations are going to be
a lot tougher, and it's not anybody's fault. … As a board, I think we need to
listen to other ideas, other possibilities, and other suggestions, knowing that
many of those are going to be great ideas but may or may not.Haag said she hopes as more voices are added to the discussions,
generating ideas come to the forefront.“I'm tired of the griping, I'm tired of the complaining, I
want people to come with solutions, rather than just throwing out there how unhappy
they are,” she said. “Because that's what I'm getting more of. And when I ask, ‘What's
the solution?’ I'm not getting answers to that."“We need to make sure that our programs, our staff, our
school board, our administration, and the kids themselves have to buy into this
as well,” Hollern said. “This is your school, and let's see what we can do to
make this thing better.“Those are tough decisions that we have to make. And that's
why they voted us to be board members. Now we have to do what our
responsibility is. Unfortunately, this is not the fun time.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681503977326.jpeg" alt="USD 388 Board of Education members Stephanie Johnson and Marty Hollern" />
 <figcaption>USD 388 Board of Education members Stephanie Johnson and Marty Hollern</figcaption>
 </figure>As the conversation continued, board member Stephanie Johnson
questioned the overall goal of this first of many conversations that will
happen in coming weeks and months.“This is a sample of what’s to come,” Wilson said. “It’s not
easy.”<h2>In other USD
388 board news</h2>The Board unanimously voted to enter into the Hays West
Central Special Education Cooperative Agreement with USD 489 Hays, USD 432
Victoria, USD 395 La Crosse and USD 407 Russell. The agreement will go into
effect on July 1, 2024. The coop was established by Hays to make special education
services available to students in the participating districts.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/6159f5db-0739-4af2-bb57-68e8cc563051">The Hays
Board of Education approved the addition of Russell to the group last year under
a three-year rollout plan.</a>The search has begun for a new Ellis High School principal.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681503869710.jpeg" alt="USD 388&nbsp; Ellis High School Principal Donna Schmidt" />
 <figcaption>USD 388&nbsp; Ellis High School Principal Donna Schmidt</figcaption>
 </figure>Current principal Donna Schmidt’s resignation was unanimously
approved by the board during the meeting. She is set to serve the remainder of
this year’s contract.Applications are currently being accepted.Glassman Construction was selected as the contractor for the HVAC
system replacement. <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/27984c56-7fed-4153-931e-320c33ca5a32">The
system upgrade was approved as part of a bond issue passed by voters last year.</a>The board also approved the purchase of 85 new Lenovo
laptops for student use. The purchase was paid through a grant.

Declining enrollment leads to difficult decisions at Ellis schools

ELLIS — Ellis became a bit bigger Monday night after the city council unanimously
voted to annex land on West Second Street into the city.

The four acres now officially part of the city are located between
Dorrance and Tayor streets on the north side of Second.

The vote came after a public forum that sparked conversation about the development
of the area near Interstate 70, which has seen other growth in recent years, including
the addition of an A&amp;W restaurant brought to Ellis by developer S.J. Singh.

Singh owns the annexed land, along with another empty lot next to the restaurant and spoke about his desire to continue working
to bring further economic development to the city.

&nbsp;“We need to create employment in
the city,” Singh said. He said when buying the property from the previous owner, they
desired to see the land put to use.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/ucA3AP3Za1E?feature=share">WATCH: View the entire Feb. 6 Ellis City Council meeting by clicking here.</a>

He told the council that he wants to continue developing businesses in
Ellis but has no specific plans currently underway.

“Nothing is finalized,” Singh said. “I always build what the community
needs. I go for that first.”

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/72690a0c-15d2-464b-8b3a-c4c07d53b2ef">While
usage has not been determined, he had previously noted a desire to open a car
or truck wash in Ellis,</a> a point of contention for Swede Holmgren, who owns
land adjacent to the annexed land and spoke at the meeting.

“Western Kansas is dying,” Holmgren said. “If you doubt that,
go look at the Ogallala Aquifer.”

He said that as towns search for a replacement for water being
depleted from the aquifer, he has concerns about water use in Ellis and development
that does not factor into consideration additional water use.

“I would ask you to get an estimate from whoever is going to
do with whatever they're going to do that ground up there to get — not a
conservative estimate — but a real-world estimate of water usage with showers
and toiletries and a swimming pool, if that's someplace up there.

“We all understand that the car wash is in the mill, and it will
use recycled water for whatever that’s worth, but recycled water in an
apartment complex is going to be real iffy.”

Holmgren also shared concerns about unforeseen adverse
effects development would bring to the area along with the water concerns.

“I really have a deep-seated concern about who is going to
police that area up there when that fence starts looking like Walmart, and all
that crap is blowing from that apartment complex,” Holmgren said. “I get trash
right now from the hamburger stand, A&amp;W, and I get trash from the travel plaza.
I also get animals from the travel plaza. It's not a fun time. An apartment
complex is only going to make that worse.”

Council member Jolene Niernberger said water use is something to be considered as
development occurs, but with no plan in the works for the land, any discussion of
use should come later, as the planning and development commission considers
zoning and project applications.

Ellis Development
Corporation President Travis Kohlrus also spoke to the council and said development
in the city is essential, and as any potential development comes to fruition, specific
usage concerns could be addressed.

“We just want to be a
proponent of development and the process and the due process of what it takes,
and this step is the annexation, and then next steps going to be zoning,”
Kohlrus said. “And at each one of those steps along the way, your plans get a
little bit firmer.”

During the process, specific
concerns could be addressed as each group completes its due diligence.

“And so, from that part
of the process, we just want to see Ellis be a great place to live, work, play,
grow a family and be a great place.”

Holmgren agreed as he said
he understands for western Kansas towns, “if you don’t grow, you die,” but the
council should work to ensure that growth makes sense for the community.

Singh said while he was
unsure what the land would be used for, his top priority is fostering city
development. 

“I have no idea what I
am going to do over there,” he said. “Whenever I do, I can guarantee you it’s
in favor of the city and not against it.”

He said for 25 years his company has pursued development that helps the local area and has been a
champion for Ellis, even though many, including members of his family, saw
better opportunities in other locations.

After finishing his
remarks, Holmgren asked Singh if he was planning to build a car or truck wash.
Singh again confirmed nothing was currently in the works, but he was exploring
both options.

After closing public
comments and working through some procedural details, Holmgren asked to speak
again, but the request was denied, and he was told the comment period had closed.

“There’s going to be a
fight. You can take that to the bank,” he said anyway.

The measure was moved to
vote after the public meeting was concluded by Council member John Walz, with a
second from Niernberger, and passed unanimously.

Disclosure: Travis Kohlrus serves on the Eagle Communications Inc. board of directors. Eagle is the parent company of Hays Post.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675796822891.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostELLIS — Ellis became a bit bigger Monday night after the city council unanimously
voted to annex land on West Second Street into the city.The four acres now officially part of the city are located between
Dorrance and Tayor streets on the north side of Second.The vote came after a public forum that sparked conversation about the development
of the area near Interstate 70, which has seen other growth in recent years, including
the addition of an A&amp;W restaurant brought to Ellis by developer S.J. Singh.Singh owns the annexed land, along with another empty lot next to the restaurant and spoke about his desire to continue working
to bring further economic development to the city.&nbsp;“We need to create employment in
the city,” Singh said. He said when buying the property from the previous owner, they
desired to see the land put to use.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/ucA3AP3Za1E?feature=share">WATCH: View the entire Feb. 6 Ellis City Council meeting by clicking here.</a>He told the council that he wants to continue developing businesses in
Ellis but has no specific plans currently underway.“Nothing is finalized,” Singh said. “I always build what the community
needs. I go for that first.”<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/72690a0c-15d2-464b-8b3a-c4c07d53b2ef">While
usage has not been determined, he had previously noted a desire to open a car
or truck wash in Ellis,</a> a point of contention for Swede Holmgren, who owns
land adjacent to the annexed land and spoke at the meeting.“Western Kansas is dying,” Holmgren said. “If you doubt that,
go look at the Ogallala Aquifer.”He said that as towns search for a replacement for water being
depleted from the aquifer, he has concerns about water use in Ellis and development
that does not factor into consideration additional water use.“I would ask you to get an estimate from whoever is going to
do with whatever they're going to do that ground up there to get — not a
conservative estimate — but a real-world estimate of water usage with showers
and toiletries and a swimming pool, if that's someplace up there.“We all understand that the car wash is in the mill, and it will
use recycled water for whatever that’s worth, but recycled water in an
apartment complex is going to be real iffy.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675796780277.jpeg" alt="Screen capture of Google Maps image of land recently annexed by the City of Ellis" />
 <figcaption>Screen capture of Google Maps image of land recently annexed by the City of Ellis</figcaption>
 </figure>Holmgren also shared concerns about unforeseen adverse
effects development would bring to the area along with the water concerns.“I really have a deep-seated concern about who is going to
police that area up there when that fence starts looking like Walmart, and all
that crap is blowing from that apartment complex,” Holmgren said. “I get trash
right now from the hamburger stand, A&amp;W, and I get trash from the travel plaza.
I also get animals from the travel plaza. It's not a fun time. An apartment
complex is only going to make that worse.”Council member Jolene Niernberger said water use is something to be considered as
development occurs, but with no plan in the works for the land, any discussion of
use should come later, as the planning and development commission considers
zoning and project applications.Ellis Development
Corporation President Travis Kohlrus also spoke to the council and said development
in the city is essential, and as any potential development comes to fruition, specific
usage concerns could be addressed.“We just want to be a
proponent of development and the process and the due process of what it takes,
and this step is the annexation, and then next steps going to be zoning,”
Kohlrus said. “And at each one of those steps along the way, your plans get a
little bit firmer.”During the process, specific
concerns could be addressed as each group completes its due diligence.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675796908313.jpeg" alt="Boundry survey showing the location of property annexed by the City of Ellis this week. Courtesy City of Ellis" />
 <figcaption>Boundry survey showing the location of property annexed by the City of Ellis this week. Courtesy City of Ellis</figcaption>
 </figure>“And so, from that part
of the process, we just want to see Ellis be a great place to live, work, play,
grow a family and be a great place.”Holmgren agreed as he said
he understands for western Kansas towns, “if you don’t grow, you die,” but the
council should work to ensure that growth makes sense for the community.Singh said while he was
unsure what the land would be used for, his top priority is fostering city
development. “I have no idea what I
am going to do over there,” he said. “Whenever I do, I can guarantee you it’s
in favor of the city and not against it.”He said for 25 years his company has pursued development that helps the local area and has been a
champion for Ellis, even though many, including members of his family, saw
better opportunities in other locations.After finishing his
remarks, Holmgren asked Singh if he was planning to build a car or truck wash.
Singh again confirmed nothing was currently in the works, but he was exploring
both options.After closing public
comments and working through some procedural details, Holmgren asked to speak
again, but the request was denied, and he was told the comment period had closed.“There’s going to be a
fight. You can take that to the bank,” he said anyway.The measure was moved to
vote after the public meeting was concluded by Council member John Walz, with a
second from Niernberger, and passed unanimously.Disclosure: Travis Kohlrus serves on the Eagle Communications Inc. board of directors. Eagle is the parent company of Hays Post.

Ellis City Council votes to annex land eyed for future development

Ellis Police Department Press Release

On Jan. 15 at 7:05 p.m., Ellis Police Department Officers were alerted to a possible erratic driver that was reported to be driving at high rates of speed through residential areas. 

Officers located the vehicle in question, a 1999 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, driving northbound in the 1500 block of Monroe Street. 

EPD officers attempted to initiate a traffic stop on the vehicle, but the driver, later identified as Clinton Evans, 40, of Ellis failed to yield to law enforcement and a pursuit ensued. 

Clinton led officers on a brief pursuit that lasted approximately 8 minutes. 

An Ellis County Sheriff’s Deputy was successful in deploying a tire deflation device that deflated all four tires on the suspect vehicle, ultimately bringing it to a stop in the 900 block of Old Highway 40.

A felony stop was initiated where officers attempted to take Clinton into custody. 

Clinton further failed to comply with lawful orders from Law Enforcement and a standoff occurred.

 Law Enforcement attempted to negotiate a peaceful resolution but negotiations failed. 

Making use of an armored vehicle as cover, officers were able to force entry into the suspect vehicle and deploy a chemical agent to attempt to gain compliance. 

When that failed, Law Enforcement formed an arrest team that was successful in taking Clinton into custody without further incident.

Clinton is being held in the Ellis County Jail on requested charges of Felony Fleeing or Attempting to Elude, Felony Interference with Law Enforcement, Criminal Carrying of a Weapon, and numerous traffic offenses. Clinton is innocent until proven guilty by a court of law. 

No further information about this incident will be released at this time.

I’d like to thank the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office, Kansas Highway Patrol, Kansas Bureau of Investigation, and Hays Communications Center for their assistance with this case.

Avery A. Smith Chief of Police

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673878386830.png" alt="Evans has previous convictions that include burglary, theft, aggravated assault, battery against city/county Corrections officer/employee and for drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Evans has previous convictions that include burglary, theft, aggravated assault, battery against city/county Corrections officer/employee and for drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>Ellis Police Department Press ReleaseOn Jan. 15 at 7:05 p.m., Ellis Police Department Officers were alerted to a possible erratic driver that was reported to be driving at high rates of speed through residential areas. Officers located the vehicle in question, a 1999 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, driving northbound in the 1500 block of Monroe Street. EPD officers attempted to initiate a traffic stop on the vehicle, but the driver, later identified as Clinton Evans, 40, of Ellis failed to yield to law enforcement and a pursuit ensued. Clinton led officers on a brief pursuit that lasted approximately 8 minutes. An Ellis County Sheriff’s Deputy was successful in deploying a tire deflation device that deflated all four tires on the suspect vehicle, ultimately bringing it to a stop in the 900 block of Old Highway 40.A felony stop was initiated where officers attempted to take Clinton into custody. Clinton further failed to comply with lawful orders from Law Enforcement and a standoff occurred. Law Enforcement attempted to negotiate a peaceful resolution but negotiations failed. Making use of an armored vehicle as cover, officers were able to force entry into the suspect vehicle and deploy a chemical agent to attempt to gain compliance. When that failed, Law Enforcement formed an arrest team that was successful in taking Clinton into custody without further incident.Clinton is being held in the Ellis County Jail on requested charges of Felony Fleeing or Attempting to Elude, Felony Interference with Law Enforcement, Criminal Carrying of a Weapon, and numerous traffic offenses. Clinton is innocent until proven guilty by a court of law. No further information about this incident will be released at this time.I’d like to thank the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office, Kansas Highway Patrol, Kansas Bureau of Investigation, and Hays Communications Center for their assistance with this case.Avery A. Smith Chief of Police

Sunday night chase in Ellis leads to arrest

ELLIS — The Ellis USD 388 Board of Education welcomed its newest
member Monday evening.

Stephanie Johnson was selected for the role following the
opening of the monthly board meeting.

Johnson was the sole applicant for the position vacated by Jared Schiel, who moved out
of the district. She will serve the remainder of his term, which expires in January
2024.

Prior to the board voting to approve Johnson for the position,
she shared her background and qualifications.

She said she has lived in Ellis since 2002 after moving
from Dodge City, where she served as the director of the Child Care Center at St.
Mary’s. After her move to Ellis, she worked at Fort Hays State University.

“I worked at Fort Hays for 13 years with a variety of
departments,” Johnson said.

She is currently a sixth-grade science teacher in the Hays USD
489 district, she said.

Board president Randy Honas opened the interview session
with the first question.

“I’m just curious to know your comments on if you see any
negatives with our district or are aware of things that may be corrected or worked
on,” Honas said.

“I think just the small town,” Johnson said. “Everybody
knows everybody’s business. That’s the only thing in the area that is always a
problem.”

Despite that concern, she said, “There are no issues. It’s definitely
a small-town atmosphere, which is not a negative at all.”

Coming from a much larger city, she said she enjoyed the
community and its school involvement and had no significant concerns with the board
or the district.

But she said her time at FHSU gave her insight into
technological development in education and she wants to use the experience to
ensure the district’s use of technology in Ellis schools is on par with other
districts, including Hays and other larger districts. 

Board member Cindy Hertel then asked Johnson what skills she
would bring to the board.

“Just being an outsider,” she said. “Just bringing another
look at things.”

She said her years at FHSU, including working on various committees,
gave her the experience of learning to work together to accomplish goals.

Board Member Marty Hollern asked Johnson for specific highlights
and challenges from serving on those committees.

Sharing a few examples, she said, “I enjoy being part of a
solution. Everyone can talk about the problems and state their opinions but
being able to be a part of the solution was the joy of those committees.”

Superintendent Janice Wilson followed up, asking Johnson why
she desired the position.

“We have school officials on here, we have people that have
been in the school district or in the town a lot longer than me,” Johnson said.
“So, just being another voice, another person that can give another option, another
thought.”

Wilson then asked what items the board needed to address.

Johnson said she would support technological development and
help grow the district and the town through creative means.

“There are definitely a lot of positives,” she said. “And I
think Ellis does stay right alongside the bigger schools. We just have our own small-town
uniqueness.”

After telling the board that, with only one applicant, the board
could vote on Johnson or wait and reopen the call for applicants, Hollern
called for a vote.

Hertel offered a second, and Johnson was appointed unanimously.

Immediately following the vote, Johnson took the oath of office
and was seated with her fellow board members, and the board moved into regular business.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673460308186.jpeg" alt="Ellis USD 388 Board of Education member Stephanie Johnson (right)&nbsp; is sworn in by&nbsp; District Clerk&nbsp;Connie Waldschmidt (center)." />
 <figcaption>Ellis USD 388 Board of Education member Stephanie Johnson (right)&nbsp; is sworn in by&nbsp; District Clerk&nbsp;Connie Waldschmidt (center).</figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostELLIS — The Ellis USD 388 Board of Education welcomed its newest
member Monday evening.Stephanie Johnson was selected for the role following the
opening of the monthly board meeting.Johnson was the sole applicant for the position vacated by Jared Schiel, who moved out
of the district. She will serve the remainder of his term, which expires in January
2024.Prior to the board voting to approve Johnson for the position,
she shared her background and qualifications.She said she has lived in Ellis since 2002 after moving
from Dodge City, where she served as the director of the Child Care Center at St.
Mary’s. After her move to Ellis, she worked at Fort Hays State University.“I worked at Fort Hays for 13 years with a variety of
departments,” Johnson said.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Z7JmUiQ37-8" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>She is currently a sixth-grade science teacher in the Hays USD
489 district, she said.Board president Randy Honas opened the interview session
with the first question.“I’m just curious to know your comments on if you see any
negatives with our district or are aware of things that may be corrected or worked
on,” Honas said.“I think just the small town,” Johnson said. “Everybody
knows everybody’s business. That’s the only thing in the area that is always a
problem.”Despite that concern, she said, “There are no issues. It’s definitely
a small-town atmosphere, which is not a negative at all.”Coming from a much larger city, she said she enjoyed the
community and its school involvement and had no significant concerns with the board
or the district.But she said her time at FHSU gave her insight into
technological development in education and she wants to use the experience to
ensure the district’s use of technology in Ellis schools is on par with other
districts, including Hays and other larger districts. Board member Cindy Hertel then asked Johnson what skills she
would bring to the board.“Just being an outsider,” she said. “Just bringing another
look at things.”She said her years at FHSU, including working on various committees,
gave her the experience of learning to work together to accomplish goals.Board Member Marty Hollern asked Johnson for specific highlights
and challenges from serving on those committees.Sharing a few examples, she said, “I enjoy being part of a
solution. Everyone can talk about the problems and state their opinions but
being able to be a part of the solution was the joy of those committees.”Superintendent Janice Wilson followed up, asking Johnson why
she desired the position.“We have school officials on here, we have people that have
been in the school district or in the town a lot longer than me,” Johnson said.
“So, just being another voice, another person that can give another option, another
thought.”Wilson then asked what items the board needed to address.Johnson said she would support technological development and
help grow the district and the town through creative means.“There are definitely a lot of positives,” she said. “And I
think Ellis does stay right alongside the bigger schools. We just have our own small-town
uniqueness.”After telling the board that, with only one applicant, the board
could vote on Johnson or wait and reopen the call for applicants, Hollern
called for a vote.Hertel offered a second, and Johnson was appointed unanimously.Immediately following the vote, Johnson took the oath of office
and was seated with her fellow board members, and the board moved into regular business.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673460274649.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Hays Middle School teacher joins Ellis Board of Education

Submitted by AVERY A. SMITH Ellis Chief of Police

ELLIS — At 6:58 p.m. Thursday, officers from the Ellis Police Department were dispatched to Love’s Travel Stop for a reported disturbance involving a firearm. 

Officers arrived on scene and interviewed all parties involved in the disturbance.

After speaking with witnesses, the suspect — identified as Marvin Gaines, 46, Boynton Beach, Fla. — was placed under arrest. 

Officers later recovered a handgun that was used in the disturbance, along with suspected marijuana. 

This disturbance stemmed from a disagreement over fuel lines at the commercial diesel pumps.

Gaines was transported to the Ellis County jail, where he is being held on requested charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, criminal threat and possession of marijuana. 

Gaines is considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

The Ellis County Sheriff’s Office, Kansas Highway Patrol and the Hays Communications Center assisted in the incident.&nbsp;

Submitted by AVERY A. SMITH Ellis Chief of PoliceELLIS — At 6:58 p.m. Thursday, officers from the Ellis Police Department were dispatched to Love’s Travel Stop for a reported disturbance involving a firearm. Officers arrived on scene and interviewed all parties involved in the disturbance.After speaking with witnesses, the suspect — identified as Marvin Gaines, 46, Boynton Beach, Fla. — was placed under arrest. Officers later recovered a handgun that was used in the disturbance, along with suspected marijuana. This disturbance stemmed from a disagreement over fuel lines at the commercial diesel pumps.Gaines was transported to the Ellis County jail, where he is being held on requested charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, criminal threat and possession of marijuana. Gaines is considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.The Ellis County Sheriff’s Office, Kansas Highway Patrol and the Hays Communications Center assisted in the incident.&nbsp;

Disturbance with firearm leads to arrest at Ellis truck stop

ELLIS — The annual Ellis Polar Express will roll back into this weekend.

The three-day event begins at 6 p.m. Friday with the running of the holiday miniature
train until 9 p.m. around the Ellis Railroad Museum miniature train tracks, 911
Washington.

“This is
a lighted Christmas train ride," said Dena Patee, Ellis Polar Express committee member. “We put up Christmas lights all around the little miniature train tracks
and different lighted displays. And then we just send people out in the dark
and cold. And it's magical.”

“It's
also a way for the community to kick off the holiday season,” said Dan
Pyle, Ellis Polar Express Committee president and Ellis Recreation director.

Saturday’s activities include train rides, live music by an Ellis community
band and cookies with Santa at the Ellis Public Library from 6 to 9 p.m.

 On
Sunday, the train will run again from 6 to 8 p.m., but activities begin at 5:30
p.m. with the Ellis Recreation Free Candy Cane Hunt.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669836892112.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostELLIS — The annual Ellis Polar Express will roll back into this weekend.The three-day event begins at 6 p.m. Friday with the running of the holiday miniature
train until 9 p.m. around the Ellis Railroad Museum miniature train tracks, 911
Washington.“This is
a lighted Christmas train ride," said Dena Patee, Ellis Polar Express committee member. “We put up Christmas lights all around the little miniature train tracks
and different lighted displays. And then we just send people out in the dark
and cold. And it's magical.”“It's
also a way for the community to kick off the holiday season,” said Dan
Pyle, Ellis Polar Express Committee president and Ellis Recreation director.Saturday’s activities include train rides, live music by an Ellis community
band and cookies with Santa at the Ellis Public Library from 6 to 9 p.m. On
Sunday, the train will run again from 6 to 8 p.m., but activities begin at 5:30
p.m. with the Ellis Recreation Free Candy Cane Hunt.A $5 freewill donation is suggested for entry, with proceeds going to future
community events.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669836876412.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>This year will mark the first time
the event can take full advantage of the recently revamped park and miniature train
depot.“Just
getting to use all of our spaces again, it's really, really nice,” Patee said. “Having
Santa back in his own little workshop, that makes it nice because the kids get
their time with Santa, and the parents get that chance to get their pictures.”In 2019 and 2020, the event was
drive-through only, due to the COVID pandemic. Last year, the depot was not yet available
for use. “This is
our first year that we're going to be able to go back, line up through the depot,
load the train correctly, and be back to normal,” said&nbsp;Cheryl Kinderknecht, Polar Express committee
member. &nbsp;Along with using the park for the first time in years, new displays have
also been added to the route.“We’ve got at least six new displays for 2022,” Pyle said. “My crew and I
have been checking bulbs, cords and displays for about a month, and we think
we are ready to go.”In previous years, the Ellis Polar Express has had over 800 riders in one
night. This year, the Ellis Polar Express plans a total of 2,000 riders for the
three nights. While
all three days are expected to bring hundreds of people downtown, Pyle said
Saturday would likely be the busiest night, as Santa plans to visit with children in the library’s Community
Room.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669836863106.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>This year marks the 13th anniversary of the event, and in that
time has evolved and grown over the years. “The Polar
Express movie was really big at the time. And it's like, why can't we do a for Polar
Express thing,” Kinderknecht said. "And then it just kind of has grown from there because we went from live vignettes
to more of the blowups to the actual live displays. So, it’s definitely grown
since its very meager beginnings.”The event has grown thanks
to community involvement, Patee said.“We do get
quite a bit of support through grants and other donations,” she said. “Without
that kind of funding, we would not be able to do this. And we greatly
appreciate everybody's assistance this year.”“Those
donors really do help us get those new displays,” Pyle said.And Patee
said they appreciate the many volunteers that help run the event.“That is
the one fun little piece that no one really understands about how this works,
is how many people are working behind the scenes that you don't see,” Patee
said. “The people that are watching the crossings, for the patrons to walk in
front of the train, making sure that the people that are taking money, and
making sure people get on the train and off the train and around the family,
and the characters, and people making sure that the displays are still lit, and
something hasn't gone drastically wrong. … There's a ton of things to do, so
anybody that wants to volunteer, we can put them to work.”Correction: The story was updated to reflect the Candy Cane Hunt's timing on Sunday, not Saturday. Hays Post apologizes for the error.