By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

People in rural Kansas have talked about the "brain drain" for years.

Data released recently by the U.S. Census Bureau showed the statistics behind the loss of young adults from northwest Kansas.

Hays is retaining only about 50 percent of young adults between 28 and 36.

Doug Williams,  Grow Hays executive director, said losing so many young adults is not sustainable unless those individuals can be replaced with other people.

The drain of young people is often associated with with job opportunities elsewhere and quality of life issues, Williams said.

The study done in cooperation with researchers from Harvard, looked at nationwide statistics divided into commuting areas.

More rural areas in northwest Kansas fared worse than Hays.

Percent of young adults retained • 30 percent Oberlin • 33 percent Norton • 36 percent Goodland • 37 percent Phillipsburg • 42 percent Colby • 47 percent Great Bend.

The youth migration statistics mirrored overall migration patterns in Kansas that were released in 2021. Young people are migrating from rural areas of the state to metro areas.

Wichita and the Kansas City metro areas saw much higher young adult retention rates of 68 percent and 73 percent respectively. 

Just over 8 percent of the young adults who moved from Hays went to Kansas City, 3.8 percent moved to Wichita, and 2.3 percent went to Denver — a total loss of more than 14 percent.

Another 7.1 percent of Hays' young adults went to other larger communities in Kansas, including Manhattan, Salina and Topeka.

"I think that is pretty reflective of what has been happening in rural America, whether it be Hays or smaller communities," Williams said."There is the loss of younger people for a variety of reasons.

"Sometimes it's better job opportunities elsewhere. Sometimes it's just kids wanting to get to the big city."

The average young adult who grew up in Hays moved to an area about 183 miles away for their job. That is 2 miles above the national average (181 miles).

Nationally, about 80 percent of young adults stay within 100 miles of where they were raised. Kansas' large geographic area and rural nature bucks that trend.

What the statistics don't show is Hays has a fair number of young people come back when they decide to settle down and start families, Williams said. 

There are jobs in Ellis County, Williams said. Ellis County had a 2.1 percent unemployment rate in June.

"Certainly on the job side, I would contend a young person that is a professional whether that is a teacher or a health care provider or even a skilled laborer, there is more than ample opportunity here to make a good living," he said.

He said he thought Hays has a good quality of life to offer residents.

"I focus more on what can we recruit," Williams said. ... "Many experts are saying we are talking about the migration away from urban areas because of the cost, because of crime, because of traffic, because of all the hassle and hustle and bustle because of life in the city.

 "People are looking to migrate into more rural areas, and I think that is a great opportunity for us, particularly with the remote working capability that can occur now."

Remote work allows some to stay, come home

Prepandemic, one in 67 job postings on LinkedIn were for remote workers. Today, it's one in seven.

Brent Kaiser, development and sports coordinator for Special Olympics Kansas, said he accepted his job with Special Olympics about a year ago because it included remote work and allowed him to stay in Hays.

Kaiser directs Special Olympics sports for all of western Kansas and fundraises in an area that stretches to Kansas City.

He said he and his wife, who grew up in Gorham, said they appreciate the quality of life in Hays and wanted to raise their three children, now ages 7, 12 and 17, in Hays.

Kaiser, 38, who grew up in Hays, moved in and out of Hays several times before finally deciding to settle in Hays permanently. 

"I probably would not have taken the job had it not been remote," he said. "It wouldn't have been an option for me. The Hays community is important to me. Giving back to the Hays community and allowing my kids to grow up here is an important piece for me."

Sara Bloom, 38, recently took a job as a community development specialist with the Kansas Department of Commerce. Remote work is allowing her and her family to stay in Hays. Sara and her husband have lived in Hays for 16 years.

"My family and I are rooted in Hays, and we love this community. The fact that I get to serve our entire state in my new position while still making an impact on Hays, is invaluable," she said.

"I feel my location also played a role in my hiring. I get to serve the entire state and that means getting into a lot of communities. Hays is central enough, I can get just about anywhere in four hours or less. That makes traveling easy, and it means I’m home at night for dinner with my family."

"We love the restaurants, the parks, the events and of course all things downtown," she said. "Our kids are happy in their schools and recognize that there are opportunities for them here. 

"We feel connected here in ways that we just didn’t when we lived in more populated areas. Is there room to be better, always, but I want to be a part of that process too, and I can be."

Gabe Warrick, 26, is moving back to Hays with his wife from Lexington, Ky. Warrick works for BlueFrame Technologies, and his company has agreed to let him work remotely.

Both Warrick and his wife are Fort Hays State University graduates and were raised in Larned. The couple wanted to be closer to family in the area.

"I like the people in Hays. We've got some college friends that stuck around Hays and some high school friends as well," he said. ...

"I think I'm looking forward to getting back to Hays with more of the community feel where you can be a little bit more involved."

Williams questioned if the census statistics are really telling the community's whole story.

The number of on-campus students at FHSU has decreased in the last several years, but the number of apartment vacancies is still near to zero, he said.

"We've had an influx of people," he said. "I know we have. I think a lot of it is this remote work and people choosing to move here. It's just hard to validate it from any data."

Challenges remain for Hays, other rural communities

Hays needs to tell its story outside of the community to continue to recruit, Williams said.

"A doctor, they can go anywhere they want. They can live and work anywhere they want," he said.

"We just want to make sure they look at our community and understand the benefits that we have to offer versus maybe Denver were they have to drive an hour to work and get stuck in traffic and housing is crazy expensive."

Housing is more affordable in Hays compared to a metro like Denver, but Hays still has a long way to go to provide enough affordable housing, Williams said.

"We've got to do a better job and speed up the pace," he said of building housing stock, "if we're going to take advantage of this great opportunity of this migration from urban areas to rural areas."

Williams said Hays has a great story to tell. Passage of a school bond issue in May further added to the story of quality of life in the community.

More rural communities in northwest Kansas have gaps, and that not only effects rural Kansas, but Hays as well. Rural areas may not have high-speed broadband access and might lack other amenities that mid-size cities like Hays can offer, Williams said.

Hays relies heavily on drawing retail customers from the larger rural area. As the surrounding rural population dwindles, Hays is going to need to grow to sustain its economy, Williams said.

Hays grew 1.7 percent between 2010 and 2020, but Hays' trade area shrunk by about 5 percent.

"That's an unsustainable situation," Williams said. "We have to keep pace. If that is going to continue, we have to grow at a much faster rate than we have been growing to think we would have the same retail activity. ...

"We don't want to see migration out of this area at all."

While the number of young people leaving Hays is alarming, Williams said he thought Hays is doing the right things to keep more young people in Hays and recruit new individuals and families to the community.

"We're never going to retain as many people as Kansas City, Kan.," he said. "It's just not in the cards, but we can do better than 50 percent."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660062186637.png" alt="Young adult migration map. Other shaded areas show to where Hays young adults are migrating. Image courtesy of U.S. Census Bureau " />
 <figcaption>Young adult migration map. Other shaded areas show to where Hays young adults are migrating. Image courtesy of U.S. Census Bureau </figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostPeople in rural Kansas have talked about the "brain drain" for years.Data released recently by the U.S. Census Bureau showed the statistics behind the loss of young adults from northwest Kansas.Hays is retaining only about 50 percent of young adults between 28 and 36.Doug Williams, Grow Hays executive director, said losing so many young adults is not sustainable unless those individuals can be replaced with other people.The drain of young people is often associated with with job opportunities elsewhere and quality of life issues, Williams said. The study done in cooperation with researchers from Harvard, looked at nationwide statistics divided into commuting areas.<h2>Rural Kansas losing more young adults</h2>More rural areas in northwest Kansas fared worse than Hays.Percent of young adults retained • 30 percent Oberlin • 33 percent Norton • 36 percent Goodland • 37 percent Phillipsburg • 42 percent Colby • 47 percent Great Bend.The youth migration statistics mirrored overall migration patterns in Kansas that were released in 2021. Young people are migrating from rural areas of the state to metro areas.Wichita and the Kansas City metro areas saw much higher young adult retention rates of 68 percent and 73 percent respectively. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660062875884.png" alt="Number of young adults retained in Hays and communities to which they are migrating. Image courtesy of U.S. Census Bureau" />
 <figcaption>Number of young adults retained in Hays and communities to which they are migrating. Image courtesy of U.S. Census Bureau</figcaption>
 </figure>Just over 8 percent of the young adults who moved from Hays went to Kansas City, 3.8 percent moved to Wichita, and 2.3 percent went to Denver — a total loss of more than 14 percent.Another 7.1 percent of Hays' young adults went to other larger communities in Kansas, including Manhattan, Salina and Topeka."I think that is pretty reflective of what has been happening in rural America, whether it be Hays or smaller communities," Williams said."There is the loss of younger people for a variety of reasons."Sometimes it's better job opportunities elsewhere. Sometimes it's just kids wanting to get to the big city."The average young adult who grew up in Hays moved to an area about 183 miles away for their job. That is 2 miles above the national average (181 miles).Nationally, about 80 percent of young adults stay within 100 miles of where they were raised. Kansas' large geographic area and rural nature bucks that trend. What the statistics don't show is Hays has a fair number of young people come back when they decide to settle down and start families, Williams said. There are jobs in Ellis County, Williams said. Ellis County had a 2.1 percent unemployment rate in June. "Certainly on the job side, I would contend a young person that is a professional whether that is a teacher or a health care provider or even a skilled laborer, there is more than ample opportunity here to make a good living," he said.He said he thought Hays has a good quality of life to offer residents."I focus more on what can we recruit," Williams said. ... "Many experts are saying we are talking about the migration away from urban areas because of the cost, because of crime, because of traffic, because of all the hassle and hustle and bustle because of life in the city. "People are looking to migrate into more rural areas, and I think that is a great opportunity for us, particularly with the remote working capability that can occur now."<h2>Remote work allows some to stay, come home </h2>Prepandemic, one in 67 job postings on LinkedIn were for remote workers. Today, it's one in seven.Brent Kaiser, development and sports coordinator for Special Olympics Kansas, said he accepted his job with Special Olympics about a year ago because it included remote work and allowed him to stay in Hays.Kaiser directs Special Olympics sports for all of western Kansas and fundraises in an area that stretches to Kansas City.He said he and his wife, who grew up in Gorham, said they appreciate the quality of life in Hays and wanted to raise their three children, now ages 7, 12 and 17, in Hays.Kaiser, 38, who grew up in Hays, moved in and out of Hays several times before finally deciding to settle in Hays permanently. "I probably would not have taken the job had it not been remote," he said. "It wouldn't have been an option for me. The Hays community is important to me. Giving back to the Hays community and allowing my kids to grow up here is an important piece for me." Sara Bloom, 38, recently took a job as a community development specialist with the Kansas Department of Commerce. Remote work is allowing her and her family to stay in Hays. Sara and her husband have lived in Hays for 16 years."My family and I are rooted in Hays, and we love this community. The fact that I get to serve our entire state in my new position while still making an impact on Hays, is invaluable," she said."I feel my location also played a role in my hiring. I get to serve the entire state and that means getting into a lot of communities. Hays is central enough, I can get just about anywhere in four hours or less. That makes traveling easy, and it means I’m home at night for dinner with my family."Bloom said Hays is home. "We love the restaurants, the parks, the events and of course all things downtown," she said. "Our kids are happy in their schools and recognize that there are opportunities for them here. "We feel connected here in ways that we just didn’t when we lived in more populated areas. Is there room to be better, always, but I want to be a part of that process too, and I can be."Gabe Warrick, 26, is moving back to Hays with his wife from Lexington, Ky. Warrick works for BlueFrame Technologies, and his company has agreed to let him work remotely.Both Warrick and his wife are Fort Hays State University graduates and were raised in Larned. The couple wanted to be closer to family in the area."I like the people in Hays. We've got some college friends that stuck around Hays and some high school friends as well," he said. ... "I think I'm looking forward to getting back to Hays with more of the community feel where you can be a little bit more involved." Williams questioned if the census statistics are really telling the community's whole story. The number of on-campus students at FHSU has decreased in the last several years, but the number of apartment vacancies is still near to zero, he said. "We've had an influx of people," he said. "I know we have. I think a lot of it is this remote work and people choosing to move here. It's just hard to validate it from any data."<h2>Challenges remain for Hays, other rural communities</h2>Hays needs to tell its story outside of the community to continue to recruit, Williams said."A doctor, they can go anywhere they want. They can live and work anywhere they want," he said."We just want to make sure they look at our community and understand the benefits that we have to offer versus maybe Denver were they have to drive an hour to work and get stuck in traffic and housing is crazy expensive."Housing is more affordable in Hays compared to a metro like Denver, but Hays still has a long way to go to provide enough affordable housing, Williams said. "We've got to do a better job and speed up the pace," he said of building housing stock, "if we're going to take advantage of this great opportunity of this migration from urban areas to rural areas." Williams said Hays has a great story to tell. Passage of a school bond issue in May further added to the story of quality of life in the community. More rural communities in northwest Kansas have gaps, and that not only effects rural Kansas, but Hays as well. Rural areas may not have high-speed broadband access and might lack other amenities that mid-size cities like Hays can offer, Williams said.Hays relies heavily on drawing retail customers from the larger rural area. As the surrounding rural population dwindles, Hays is going to need to grow to sustain its economy, Williams said.Hays grew 1.7 percent between 2010 and 2020, but Hays' trade area shrunk by about 5 percent."That's an unsustainable situation," Williams said. "We have to keep pace. If that is going to continue, we have to grow at a much faster rate than we have been growing to think we would have the same retail activity. ..."We don't want to see migration out of this area at all."While the number of young people leaving Hays is alarming, Williams said he thought Hays is doing the right things to keep more young people in Hays and recruit new individuals and families to the community."We're never going to retain as many people as Kansas City, Kan.," he said. "It's just not in the cards, but we can do better than 50 percent." &nbsp;

Hays sees young adult migration to metros, but remote work may bring some back

Following an extensive search, Fort Hays State University selected Terrance "Terry" Pierce as its next chief of police. Pierce succeeds Edward Howell, who retired from the force in June of this year after a career in law enforcement that spanned 40 years.&nbsp;

Chief Pierce comes to FHSU from Pittsburg State University, where he served as a police sergeant for the last 11 years. A veteran of 26 years of service, Pierce brings a wealth of experience in law enforcement in a university setting.&nbsp;

Hays Police Department Chief Don Scheibler served on the search committee that selected Chief Pierce.&nbsp;

“I was impressed by the qualifications and the professionalism of all the applicants, but Chief Terry Pierce quickly rose to the top as the best candidate to lead the Fort Hays State University Police Department,” said Scheibler. “Chief Pierce’s vast knowledge and law enforcement experience will be instrumental in helping us to keep our community safe.”

Pierce received a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice Administration from Missouri Southern State University in 2007, where he studied as a non-traditional student, taking mostly online courses.&nbsp; In 2015, he earned a Master of Science degree in Human Resource Development from Pittsburg State University. He also holds a Specialist in Education degree in Workforce Development and Education in 2020 from Pittsburg State University.

While at Pittsburg State, Pierce was responsible for supervising police officers and communications officers, enforcing state and local laws, and providing law enforcement services to a campus community of approximately 7,000 employees and students.&nbsp;

He also served on several university committees, including&nbsp;the university’s critical incident and crisis response teams, the budget and finance working group, and the legislative coordinating council. He participated in the support staff senate, where he also served as president.

Prior to his service at Pittsburg State, Pierce served as a city councilman and police officer in Butler, Missouri.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660311573695.png" alt="Pierce" />
 <figcaption>Pierce</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU University CommunicationsFollowing an extensive search, Fort Hays State University selected Terrance "Terry" Pierce as its next chief of police. Pierce succeeds Edward Howell, who retired from the force in June of this year after a career in law enforcement that spanned 40 years.&nbsp;Chief Pierce comes to FHSU from Pittsburg State University, where he served as a police sergeant for the last 11 years. A veteran of 26 years of service, Pierce brings a wealth of experience in law enforcement in a university setting.&nbsp;Hays Police Department Chief Don Scheibler served on the search committee that selected Chief Pierce.&nbsp;<div><iframe title="FHSU selects next Chief of Police" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=86g49-12986ef-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=3267a3&size=300" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>“I was impressed by the qualifications and the professionalism of all the applicants, but Chief Terry Pierce quickly rose to the top as the best candidate to lead the Fort Hays State University Police Department,” said Scheibler. “Chief Pierce’s vast knowledge and law enforcement experience will be instrumental in helping us to keep our community safe.”Pierce received a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice Administration from Missouri Southern State University in 2007, where he studied as a non-traditional student, taking mostly online courses.&nbsp; In 2015, he earned a Master of Science degree in Human Resource Development from Pittsburg State University. He also holds a Specialist in Education degree in Workforce Development and Education in 2020 from Pittsburg State University.While at Pittsburg State, Pierce was responsible for supervising police officers and communications officers, enforcing state and local laws, and providing law enforcement services to a campus community of approximately 7,000 employees and students.&nbsp;He also served on several university committees, including&nbsp;the university’s critical incident and crisis response teams, the budget and finance working group, and the legislative coordinating council. He participated in the support staff senate, where he also served as president.Prior to his service at Pittsburg State, Pierce served as a city councilman and police officer in Butler, Missouri.

🎙 Fort Hays State University welcomes new chief of police

NWK Economic Innovation Center Inc. Program Director Lucas Goddard announced this week that planning is underway for a Rural &amp; Remote Summit: Connected
Communities. This free event is open to anyone interested in how remote working is impacting
rural communities in the northwest region of Kansas. The summit will be in Hays on
Sept. 22 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.


“This is an opportunity to find out more about our program, to interact with our team and other
local supporters of remote work, and to hear how local communities are becoming 'remote work
friendly,' " said Gretchin Staples, program coordinator.


Rural &amp; Remote is an initiative of the NorthWestKansas Economic Innovation Center Inc. and
was started in the spring of 2019. For over three years, Rural &amp; Remote has helped train and
connect northwest Kansas residents to remote job opportunities with customized skills training
and job placement support. They have established themselves as a local authority on remote
work and how communities can be prepared and welcoming to remote workers.


Brittany Pennington of Hays attended the 2021 Summit and was encouraged by what she
heard. She had recently been accepted into the Rural &amp; Remote program and completed her
Remote Skills Certification, and was now ready to find her ideal remote job. Listening to the
success stories that day really made an impact, especially Stuart Schmidt. 

“I knew that I was
looking for something very specific, but the interview with Stuart, a fellow Smith Center Redman,
caught my eye and made me think it was possible,” she said. 

Pennington used the job placement support
from the team and ultimately found online employment that fit around her busy schedule. As
for her experience with Rural &amp; Remote, Pennington could not be happier. 

“Rural &amp; Remote was
an incredible experience," she said. 

You can read more of Pennington's story at <a href="https://nwkeici.org/blog/">https://nwkeici.org/blog/</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660235628445.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>News releaseNWK Economic Innovation Center Inc. Program Director Lucas Goddard announced this week that planning is underway for a Rural &amp; Remote Summit: Connected
Communities. This free event is open to anyone interested in how remote working is impacting
rural communities in the northwest region of Kansas. The summit will be in Hays on
Sept. 22 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
“This is an opportunity to find out more about our program, to interact with our team and other
local supporters of remote work, and to hear how local communities are becoming 'remote work
friendly,' " said Gretchin Staples, program coordinator.
Rural &amp; Remote is an initiative of the NorthWestKansas Economic Innovation Center Inc. and
was started in the spring of 2019. For over three years, Rural &amp; Remote has helped train and
connect northwest Kansas residents to remote job opportunities with customized skills training
and job placement support. They have established themselves as a local authority on remote
work and how communities can be prepared and welcoming to remote workers.
Brittany Pennington of Hays attended the 2021 Summit and was encouraged by what she
heard. She had recently been accepted into the Rural &amp; Remote program and completed her
Remote Skills Certification, and was now ready to find her ideal remote job. Listening to the
success stories that day really made an impact, especially Stuart Schmidt. “I knew that I was
looking for something very specific, but the interview with Stuart, a fellow Smith Center Redman,
caught my eye and made me think it was possible,” she said. Pennington used the job placement support
from the team and ultimately found online employment that fit around her busy schedule. As
for her experience with Rural &amp; Remote, Pennington could not be happier. “Rural &amp; Remote was
an incredible experience," she said. You can read more of Pennington's story at <a href="https://nwkeici.org/blog/">https://nwkeici.org/blog/</a>.

Rural & Remote fall summit scheduled next month in Hays

In July, Hays residents saw 24 days of 90+ degree weather. Those numbers are concerning when it comes to the potential for illnesses such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke, according to Dr. Jeff Curtis, medical director of FHSU’s Health and Wellness Services.&nbsp;

Symptoms of heat exhaustion, which can lead to heat stroke, include weakness, dizziness, upset stomach, and heavy perspiration.

“Heat exhaustion is generally not fatal and generally treatable as long those around the individual recognize the illness,” Curtis said. However, on rare occasions, heat stroke can follow. Heat stroke symptoms include extreme skin redness, core temperature from 104 to 105, and mental confusion.

“It’s said to be more than 50-50 fatal if heat stroke develops,” Curtis said. “Most heat stroke is preceded by heat exhaustion. I think it’s really important to educate people about the seriousness if it progresses to heat stroke.”

Specific subsets of individuals, such as the elderly, people with chronic illness, or people taking certain medications, are more susceptible to heat stroke. He said that many individuals on the FHSU campus likely fall into one or more categories.&nbsp;

According to Curtis, as sports practices begin on campus, student-athletes should be aware of the potential for heat-related illness. He recently consulted with athletic trainers regarding cardiac emergencies in general.&nbsp;

Updates to the FHSU Sports Medicine Heat Illness Policy are currently under review by Dr. Wally Walstrom, Athletics Health Care Administrator. Modifications have been made regarding preventing, monitoring, and treating heat-related illnesses/injuries. Kota Wakasa, Assistant Athletic Trainer, said that the new policy sets a “clear line for activity termination,” among other details.&nbsp;

Procedures for preventing exertional heat illness for student-athletes begin with an annual pre-participation physical examination to identify possible pre-existing conditions which place the student at risk of heat-related illness. Environmental monitoring is required when temperatures are expected to exceed 80 degrees during scheduled practice times. Further heat-illness prevention procedures include acclimatization and hydration.

For the general population, knowing when to seek medical attention for a heat-related illness is critical.

“First sign of heat stroke is you stop sweating, you are red as a beet, burning up, and most commonly, the individual isn’t making sense,” Curtis said. “Altered mental state, confused or obtunded. That is really serious. Those people need to call 911.”

Prevention and common sense are keys to beating heat-related illnesses. Curtis stressed the importance of pre-hydration or drinking plenty of fluids before feeling thirsty.

“If you know it’s going to be a hot day, plan your day,” Curtis said. “If you can, divide your tasks into small segments. Work for 15 minutes, then go inside. Cool off, get a drink. It’s going to take a lot longer, but your body will reapportion itself.”

As climate changes potentially bring about shifting seasons, higher temperatures, and drier conditions for the central U.S., Curtis said it is important to be aware that summer temperatures can continue into what we once considered fall.&nbsp;

“What we traditionally think of as summer may not be summer,” Curtis said. “We may just be starting summer. It may not end on Sept. 21 but may go on until Nov. 1. We need to be aware that the fifth football game of the season might be played in 95-degree temperatures.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660228013074.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU University CommunicationsIn July, Hays residents saw 24 days of 90+ degree weather. Those numbers are concerning when it comes to the potential for illnesses such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke, according to Dr. Jeff Curtis, medical director of FHSU’s Health and Wellness Services.&nbsp;Symptoms of heat exhaustion, which can lead to heat stroke, include weakness, dizziness, upset stomach, and heavy perspiration.“Heat exhaustion is generally not fatal and generally treatable as long those around the individual recognize the illness,” Curtis said. However, on rare occasions, heat stroke can follow. Heat stroke symptoms include extreme skin redness, core temperature from 104 to 105, and mental confusion.“It’s said to be more than 50-50 fatal if heat stroke develops,” Curtis said. “Most heat stroke is preceded by heat exhaustion. I think it’s really important to educate people about the seriousness if it progresses to heat stroke.”Specific subsets of individuals, such as the elderly, people with chronic illness, or people taking certain medications, are more susceptible to heat stroke. He said that many individuals on the FHSU campus likely fall into one or more categories.&nbsp;According to Curtis, as sports practices begin on campus, student-athletes should be aware of the potential for heat-related illness. He recently consulted with athletic trainers regarding cardiac emergencies in general.&nbsp;Updates to the FHSU Sports Medicine Heat Illness Policy are currently under review by Dr. Wally Walstrom, Athletics Health Care Administrator. Modifications have been made regarding preventing, monitoring, and treating heat-related illnesses/injuries. Kota Wakasa, Assistant Athletic Trainer, said that the new policy sets a “clear line for activity termination,” among other details.&nbsp;Procedures for preventing exertional heat illness for student-athletes begin with an annual pre-participation physical examination to identify possible pre-existing conditions which place the student at risk of heat-related illness. Environmental monitoring is required when temperatures are expected to exceed 80 degrees during scheduled practice times. Further heat-illness prevention procedures include acclimatization and hydration.For the general population, knowing when to seek medical attention for a heat-related illness is critical.“First sign of heat stroke is you stop sweating, you are red as a beet, burning up, and most commonly, the individual isn’t making sense,” Curtis said. “Altered mental state, confused or obtunded. That is really serious. Those people need to call 911.”Prevention and common sense are keys to beating heat-related illnesses. Curtis stressed the importance of pre-hydration or drinking plenty of fluids before feeling thirsty.“If you know it’s going to be a hot day, plan your day,” Curtis said. “If you can, divide your tasks into small segments. Work for 15 minutes, then go inside. Cool off, get a drink. It’s going to take a lot longer, but your body will reapportion itself.”As climate changes potentially bring about shifting seasons, higher temperatures, and drier conditions for the central U.S., Curtis said it is important to be aware that summer temperatures can continue into what we once considered fall.&nbsp;“What we traditionally think of as summer may not be summer,” Curtis said. “We may just be starting summer. It may not end on Sept. 21 but may go on until Nov. 1. We need to be aware that the fifth football game of the season might be played in 95-degree temperatures.”

Prevention key to avoiding heat-related illness

<a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather forecast click here.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660328752223.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather forecast click here.</a>

Three-day weather outlook

By MIKE COURSON Great Bend Post

From the 
sidelines of Great Bend High School to the dugout in Minnesota's Target 
Field, recent Great Bend High grad Molly Kaiser is making the most of 
her time at Kansas State University. This summer, she is winding down 
her journalism degree with an internship with the Minnesota Twins. 

"I
 started in high school with yearbook," Kaiser said. "That's kind of 
where my passion for sports photography grew. I had a passion for 
photography since a pretty young age, but through yearbook, I got 
introduced to the profession of sports photography, and just made it my 
goal to make it."

After graduating from GBHS in 2019, Kaiser 
headed to Manhattan to study journalism and mass communications with a 
minor in sports marketing. She did not shoot photos during her freshman 
year at K-State, but after COVID hit, she applied and was accepted for 
an internship with K-State Athletics. That turned into a paid position, 
and Kaiser has shot every sport at the school. Last year, she traveled 
with the women's basketball team as a full-time photographer.

"It was cool to experience the NCAA Tournament," she said. "I'm 
really excited for this year because we're going to the U.S. Virgin 
Islands for one of our tournaments. I think the coolest place I went 
last year was South Carolina."

All along, Kaiser is able to keep 
up with her school work. She gives credit to her advisor, who helps her 
with online classes and meeting with professors ahead of each semester.

"It
 is very challenging, and I definitely have to have my priorities 
straight on making sure school is still my top priority throughout all 
this," she said.

Approximately 10 Major League Baseball teams offer internships to 
photographers, and Kaiser applied for the position in four of the 
markets. She advanced in the process with Cleveland and Minnesota, 
eventually accepting a paid job with the Twins.

"I decided that 
the Twins were right for me," Kaiser said. "The sports photographer they
 have on staff has been a huge mentor for me, even before this 
internship. It's just super cool to be learning from him."

Kaiser 
uses her own equipment while shooting for K-State, but gets to borrow 
some additional items in Minneapolis. She uses two cameras during games,
 but with another photographer in the other dugout, does not have to 
operate by remote.

"All the guys are so nice on the Twins," she 
said. "I don't think I've had a bad interaction with any of the guys. 
It's just so awesome to be within arm's reach of some of the best 
athletes. Our setup for the stadium is super nice. We have positions 
right by our dugout and the visiting dugout. We are very spoiled."

Kaiser's
 boss in Minnesota is also an affiliate for USA Today and Getty Images, 
which sends photos to media outlets worldwide. He put Kaiser in touch 
with freelancers at USA Today, and for that publication, she will be 
working the upcoming Major League Soccer All-Star Game in neighboring 
St. Paul this weekend. Kaiser recently worked a concert by country 
artist Cole Swindell.

"It was a very cool experience," she said. "It was the first of its 
kind. I got to shoot directly for Cole Swindell. I got to really get to 
know him before the concert and was able to capture the experience of 
the first-ever after-game concert series."

Kaiser is preparing for her senior year at K-State. After that, the future remains wide open but will probably involve a camera.

"I
 would love to stay with a pro team," she said. "I'm leaning toward MLB 
just because I like the schedule; I like all the games in a row. It's 
what I like to do. I know there will be some college opportunities if 
I'm unable to get an MLB position right off the bat."

Molly is the daughter of Leonard and Brenda Kaiser of Great Bend.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660315603436.jpeg" alt="Molly Kaiser, a 2019 Great Bend High School graduate, is completing an internship with the Minnesota Twins." />
 <figcaption>Molly Kaiser, a 2019 Great Bend High School graduate, is completing an internship with the Minnesota Twins.</figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE COURSON Great Bend PostFrom the 
sidelines of Great Bend High School to the dugout in Minnesota's Target 
Field, recent Great Bend High grad Molly Kaiser is making the most of 
her time at Kansas State University. This summer, she is winding down 
her journalism degree with an internship with the Minnesota Twins. "I
 started in high school with yearbook," Kaiser said. "That's kind of 
where my passion for sports photography grew. I had a passion for 
photography since a pretty young age, but through yearbook, I got 
introduced to the profession of sports photography, and just made it my 
goal to make it."After graduating from GBHS in 2019, Kaiser 
headed to Manhattan to study journalism and mass communications with a 
minor in sports marketing. She did not shoot photos during her freshman 
year at K-State, but after COVID hit, she applied and was accepted for 
an internship with K-State Athletics. That turned into a paid position, 
and Kaiser has shot every sport at the school. Last year, she traveled 
with the women's basketball team as a full-time photographer.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660316378655.jpeg" alt="Photo by Molly Kaiser" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Molly Kaiser</figcaption>
 </figure>"It was cool to experience the NCAA Tournament," she said. "I'm 
really excited for this year because we're going to the U.S. Virgin 
Islands for one of our tournaments. I think the coolest place I went 
last year was South Carolina."All along, Kaiser is able to keep 
up with her school work. She gives credit to her advisor, who helps her 
with online classes and meeting with professors ahead of each semester."It
 is very challenging, and I definitely have to have my priorities 
straight on making sure school is still my top priority throughout all 
this," she said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660317379170.jpeg" alt="Photo by Molly Kaiser" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Molly Kaiser</figcaption>
 </figure>Approximately 10 Major League Baseball teams offer internships to 
photographers, and Kaiser applied for the position in four of the 
markets. She advanced in the process with Cleveland and Minnesota, 
eventually accepting a paid job with the Twins."I decided that 
the Twins were right for me," Kaiser said. "The sports photographer they
 have on staff has been a huge mentor for me, even before this 
internship. It's just super cool to be learning from him."Kaiser 
uses her own equipment while shooting for K-State, but gets to borrow 
some additional items in Minneapolis. She uses two cameras during games,
 but with another photographer in the other dugout, does not have to 
operate by remote."All the guys are so nice on the Twins," she 
said. "I don't think I've had a bad interaction with any of the guys. 
It's just so awesome to be within arm's reach of some of the best 
athletes. Our setup for the stadium is super nice. We have positions 
right by our dugout and the visiting dugout. We are very spoiled."Kaiser's
 boss in Minnesota is also an affiliate for USA Today and Getty Images, 
which sends photos to media outlets worldwide. He put Kaiser in touch 
with freelancers at USA Today, and for that publication, she will be 
working the upcoming Major League Soccer All-Star Game in neighboring 
St. Paul this weekend. Kaiser recently worked a concert by country 
artist Cole Swindell."It was a very cool experience," she said. "It was the first of its 
kind. I got to shoot directly for Cole Swindell. I got to really get to 
know him before the concert and was able to capture the experience of 
the first-ever after-game concert series."Kaiser is preparing for her senior year at K-State. After that, the future remains wide open but will probably involve a camera."I
 would love to stay with a pro team," she said. "I'm leaning toward MLB 
just because I like the schedule; I like all the games in a row. It's 
what I like to do. I know there will be some college opportunities if 
I'm unable to get an MLB position right off the bat."Molly is the daughter of Leonard and Brenda Kaiser of Great Bend.&nbsp;

Recent Great Bend grad shooting photos for Minnesota Twins

The National Weather Service is calling for high temperatures of 100 to 106 degrees across western Kansas into next week.

In the Hays area, a high of 100 is expected on Saturday, with a high of up to 104 on Sunday. A high of 102 degrees is expected Monday.

Relief is on the way as a cooler front moves into the area Monday evening. There is a 20 percent to 40 percent chance of rain or thunderstorms after midnight Monday and through Tuesday night.

The temperature is expected to remain mild through next week, with highs of 82 to 88 degrees Tuesday through Friday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660338539978.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The National Weather Service is calling for high temperatures of 100 to 106 degrees across western Kansas into next week.In the Hays area, a high of 100 is expected on Saturday, with a high of up to 104 on Sunday. A high of 102 degrees is expected Monday.Relief is on the way as a cooler front moves into the area Monday evening. There is a 20 percent to 40 percent chance of rain or thunderstorms after midnight Monday and through Tuesday night.The temperature is expected to remain mild through next week, with highs of 82 to 88 degrees Tuesday through Friday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Afternoon temperatures will continue to climb a few degrees each day, with the heat peaking Sunday and Monday, when triple digits will be common. A cold front is still expected to deliver relief from the heat Tuesday and Wednesday. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kswx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kswx</a> <a href="https://t.co/aLLBsNOKp7">pic.twitter.com/aLLBsNOKp7</a>&mdash; NWS Dodge City (@NWSDodgeCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSDodgeCity/status/1558050223242428416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> </div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">After several very hot days Saturday through Monday, a cold front is expected to arrive on Tuesday. Afternoon temperatures in the 80s Wednesday will be several degrees below normal for mid August. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kswx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kswx</a> <a href="https://t.co/hwT37pcudP">pic.twitter.com/hwT37pcudP</a>&mdash; NWS Dodge City (@NWSDodgeCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSDodgeCity/status/1558150138270343168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> </div>

NWS: Brutal, dangerous heat this weekend in NW. Kan.

The Hays school board voted 6-1 Friday morning to reverse its prohibition on Satanism in the schools' dress code.

The school board met in executive session for 45 minutes in consultation with its attorney and an attorney from the Kansas Association of School Boards.

About two dozen community members were present at the meeting, but there was no public comment session during the special meeting.

The revised policy unifies all the school dress code policies in the district to match board and KASB policy. It says ...

"Students must dress in a manner that is not obscene, offensive or substantially or materially disruptive to the learning environment. Apparel that is sexually suggestive or that promotes violence, illegal activities, drugs, alcohol or tobacco or that is determined to be gang related is prohibited."

Board member Tammy Wellbrock said the changes allows for consistency across the district. Board member Meagan Zampieri-Lillpopp said the consistency will help families.

The former policy in the elementary and middle school handbooks specially prohibited apparel that promoted satanism. <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/e153a0fc-fe06-4de4-b5c7-d6f0d57fa59b">At the board's July meeting, a parent, who said she was a longtime member of the Satanic Temple, opposed the policy because she said it infringed on her children's expression of their religion.</a>

The handbooks were brought back to the board with the word satanism removed from the elementary and middle school handbooks. The high school handbook never specifically addressed satanism.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/232ef2ef-ffa2-4666-9afa-3fe0993b01bb">The board Aug. 5 on a vote of 5-2 added a prohibition to satanic apparel to all of the schools' handbooks. </a>

The board's attorney at that Aug. 5 meeting told members they might be opening the district to a lawsuit based on that action.

The board Friday did not specifically address if the district had been threatened with a lawsuit. However, Hays Post received a copy of an open records request that had been submitted to the district on materials related to the satanism issue filed by Adam Steinbaugh, a First Amendment attorney.

Board member Curt Vajnar, who had initially made the motion on Aug. 5 to add the prohibition of satanic apparel to all school handbooks, referenced the threat of lawsuits prior to his vote to support the removal of the reference to satanism in the handbooks on Friday.

"I will vote yes for this," Vajnar said. "I don't like it. The liability of teachers and administrators does concern me. If we are going to lose millions of dollars in a lawsuit, and we have no way to win, we're caught."

Board Member Allen Park, who also initially voted for the prohibition of satanic apparel, also backpedaled Friday.

"I appreciate all the interests and concerns of our citizens," Park said. "I think we need to have that information. I think we can all agree there is a reason there is a separation of church and state in there, and this is what we have been practicing for almost a decade."

Board President Craig Pallister also reversed his stance on the issue.

"It has been hard on all the people who have been in this discussion," Pallister said, "because you have your heart. You have your head, and you have your position on the school board. I have had to really look at my heart, my head and my position on the school board and, as Curt said, the legal liability."

Pallister, who is a former district middle school principal, said the change will allow administrators to quell any disruption to the school day.

Board Ken Brooks was the lone board member who voted to oppose the removal of satanism as a prohibited part of the dress code.

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe Hays school board voted 6-1 Friday morning to reverse its prohibition on Satanism in the schools' dress code.The school board met in executive session for 45 minutes in consultation with its attorney and an attorney from the Kansas Association of School Boards.About two dozen community members were present at the meeting, but there was no public comment session during the special meeting.The revised policy unifies all the school dress code policies in the district to match board and KASB policy. It says ..."Students must dress in a manner that is not obscene, offensive or substantially or materially disruptive to the learning environment. Apparel that is sexually suggestive or that promotes violence, illegal activities, drugs, alcohol or tobacco or that is determined to be gang related is prohibited."Board member Tammy Wellbrock said the changes allows for consistency across the district. Board member Meagan Zampieri-Lillpopp said the consistency will help families. The former policy in the elementary and middle school handbooks specially prohibited apparel that promoted satanism. <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/e153a0fc-fe06-4de4-b5c7-d6f0d57fa59b">At the board's July meeting, a parent, who said she was a longtime member of the Satanic Temple, opposed the policy because she said it infringed on her children's expression of their religion.</a>The handbooks were brought back to the board with the word satanism removed from the elementary and middle school handbooks. The high school handbook never specifically addressed satanism.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/232ef2ef-ffa2-4666-9afa-3fe0993b01bb">The board Aug. 5 on a vote of 5-2 added a prohibition to satanic apparel to all of the schools' handbooks. </a>The board's attorney at that Aug. 5 meeting told members they might be opening the district to a lawsuit based on that action.The board Friday did not specifically address if the district had been threatened with a lawsuit. However, Hays Post received a copy of an open records request that had been submitted to the district on materials related to the satanism issue filed by Adam Steinbaugh, a First Amendment attorney.Board member Curt Vajnar, who had initially made the motion on Aug. 5 to add the prohibition of satanic apparel to all school handbooks, referenced the threat of lawsuits prior to his vote to support the removal of the reference to satanism in the handbooks on Friday."I will vote yes for this," Vajnar said. "I don't like it. The liability of teachers and administrators does concern me. If we are going to lose millions of dollars in a lawsuit, and we have no way to win, we're caught." Board Member Allen Park, who also initially voted for the prohibition of satanic apparel, also backpedaled Friday."I appreciate all the interests and concerns of our citizens," Park said. "I think we need to have that information. I think we can all agree there is a reason there is a separation of church and state in there, and this is what we have been practicing for almost a decade."Board President Craig Pallister also reversed his stance on the issue."It has been hard on all the people who have been in this discussion," Pallister said, "because you have your heart. You have your head, and you have your position on the school board. I have had to really look at my heart, my head and my position on the school board and, as Curt said, the legal liability."Pallister, who is a former district middle school principal, said the change will allow administrators to quell any disruption to the school day. Board Ken Brooks was the lone board member who voted to oppose the removal of satanism as a prohibited part of the dress code.

Hays BOE reverses position; satanic apparel no longer prohibited

On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times host Gary Shorman speaks with&nbsp;Center for Life Experiences Executive Director Darian Schlegel.

<div><iframe width="300" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/169ftoH__iw" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times host Gary Shorman speaks with&nbsp;Center for Life Experiences Executive Director Darian Schlegel.

🎤Forward Ever: Darian Schlegel, Center for Life Experiences

By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/08/12/kansas-foster-care-provider-suing-former-leaders-for-alleged-financial-misconduct/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The former CEO, chief 
counsel and IT director for Saint Francis Ministries used their 
positions to enrich themselves and their friends as the charity neared 
financial insolvency, according to allegations made in state and federal
 lawsuits.

The Salina-based foster care provider in court documents accused the 
trinity of overbilling for IT and legal services and misusing company 
funds to support a lavish lifestyle. <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/08/11/fbi-seizing-bank-deposits-in-alleged-10-million-fraud-of-kansas-foster-care-provider-saint-francis-ministries/">Federal authorities identified $10.73 million in fraudulent billing</a> for IT services and moved to seize bank accounts.

Meanwhile, the former CEO filed a counterclaim against Saint Francis 
officials for alleged defamation based on quotes and documented evidence
 reported by Kansas Reflector.

The legal fallout raises questions about the level of care the 
organization provides to foster children, as well as renewed interest in
 examining whether taxpayer funds should be repaid to state agencies in 
Kansas and Nebraska.

Teresa Woody, litigation director for Kansas Appleseed, said it was 
appalling that millions of dollars meant to provide foster care went out
 the door and were not accounted for. Kansas Appleseed <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/08/20/judge-orders-kansas-to-pay-nearly-2-3-million-in-legal-fees-and-expenses-in-child-welfare-lawsuit/">settled a lawsuit last year</a> to require improvements in the foster care system, which is administered by the Kansas Department for Children and Families.

“I think DCF should look at all this and take a very hard look at 
whether they’re an appropriate entity to be trying to help foster 
children in Kansas,” Woody said.

Saint Francis Ministries quietly filed a civil lawsuit in January in 
Saline County District Court against its former CEO, Robert “Father 
Bobby” Smith, IT director William Whymark, chief counsel David Schaffer,
 and the law firm where Schaffer worked in Chicago. The lawsuit 
identifies Schaffer as Smith’s friend and Whymark’s brother. Saint 
Francis is seeking repayment for legal malpractice and breach of 
fiduciary duties.

The former Saint Francis leadership resigned in November 2020 after a
 newly hired financial officer alerted the board to alleged financial 
misconduct.

They worked together to place their own financial interests above the
 nonprofit, failed to disclose conflicts of interest, misappropriated 
resources, overbilled for services, and concealed material facts, Saint 
Francis claimed in an amended complaint filed Aug. 5.

Accusations made in state and federal court documents are consistent with an internal investigation, <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/12/20/kansas-foster-care-leader-charged-469k-to-credit-cards-hid-financial-losses/">first reported by Kansas Reflector in December 2020</a>, and <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/12/23/audit-of-kansas-foster-care-provider-scrutinizes-financial-controls-it-costs-ceo-travel-ppp-loan/">an audit released by DCF</a> in December 2021.

Smith, an Episcopal priest, began working as CEO for Saint Francis in
 July 2014. Smith hired Schaffer as chief counsel in October 2014. 
Schaffer, according to the lawsuit filed in Saline County, urged Saint 
Francis to hire his brother to provide IT services, even though Schaffer
 knew Whymark wasn’t qualified for the job.

Smith charged $442,276.17 to Saint Francis credit cards between 2017 
and 2020, mostly funding “lavish meals, entertainment, travel and gifts 
for him and his family,” the lawsuit said. He also spent $57,125.42 in 
Saint Francis funds to pay for travel, “the majority of which had no 
legitimate business purpose or was grossly excessive.”

The lawsuit reveals previously undisclosed allegations against Schaffer.

The attorney billed Saint Francis for more than $1 million in legal 
fees between June 2015 and June 2019 through his law firm. He billed 
Saint Francis for an additional $500,000 between February 2018 and 
October 2020 that was paid to him personally. There were at least eight 
months in which Schaffer billed Saint Francis both through his law firm 
and as an individual.

According to the lawsuit, the legal fees were “grossly excessive for 
the services they allegedly performed, but Schaffer knew the invoices 
would be approved and paid by his friend.” The state audit last year 
said Smith approved expenses within minutes of receiving them.

Schaffer allegedly outsourced hundreds of thousands of dollars in 
legal work to friends and lawyers at other firms that should have been 
performed by him.

Schaffer allegedly billed Saint Francis for legal fees on matters 
unrelated to his job as general counsel. When Schaffer gave a deposition
 in May 2019 in a case brought against his former law firm by its former
 landlord, he directed his attorneys to bill Saint Francis for $6,000. 
Schaffer then approved the payment in his capacity as general counsel 
for Saint Francis.

Schaffer allegedly billed Saint Francis nearly $4,000 for moving and 
storage expenses for office furniture in his Chicago law practice.

Between June 2019 and October 2020, Schaffer allegedly charged about 
$60,000 on a Saint Francis company credit card. Many of the charges, 
Saint Francis said in its lawsuit, served no legitimate business 
purpose.

Saint Francis employed Schaffer’s brother, Whymark, as its chief 
information officer and paid Whymark’s company, WMK Research, more than 
$11 million between January 2018 and February 2021.

“WMK’s services were grossly deficient and overpriced,” Saint Francis said in its lawsuit.

Saint Francis paid WMK more than $6 million to build a software 
system that failed to function. Whymark outsourced most of the work 
without telling Saint Francis, according to federal and state court 
documents, while inflating the cost of actual services. When the IT 
system crashed in the fall of 2019, Whymark wiped the hard drives on the
 crashed server, claiming it was necessary to reuse the server. At the 
time, Saint Francis was in the middle of a financial audit.

“The crash halted the audit for months and delayed the discovery of 
defendants’ self-dealing,” Saint Francis said in its lawsuit.

Saint Francis estimated it overpaid in excess of $7 million to WMK, 
and the cost to repair WMK’s work was estimated at $3.2 million.

Federal authorities, in a court filing Aug. 1, moved to seize more 
than $700,000 in cash held in three bank accounts controlled by Whymark.
 The action was based on an FBI investigation that found probable cause 
to believe Whymark, of Mount Kisco, New York, ripped off Saint Francis 
for $10.73 million.

An interim financial officer warned Smith and Schaffer in January 
2020 that Saint Francis was in dire financial condition and could be 
completely out of cash by March 2020.

The Saint Francis lawsuit said Smith and Schaffer never disclosed the financial condition to their board of directors.

The organization avoided financial collapse because it received the 
maximum $10 million loan through the federal Paycheck Protection 
Program. A state auditor later discovered the organization wasn’t 
eligible for the loan, although it was forgiven anyway by the Small 
Business Administration.

The lawsuit said Smith and Schaffer were advised to reserve funds 
from the PPP loan to gain liquidity. Instead, Schaffer allegedly said 
the obligations to his brother’s company would be taken care of first.

The organization’s financial hardships were complicated by winning <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/01/25/kansas-foster-care-provider-asks-nebraska-for-immediate-funding-boost-to-maintain-services/">a severely underbid contract</a> in 2019 to provide foster care services in the Omaha, Nebraska, area. The state of Nebraska <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/12/14/kansas-foster-care-provider-agrees-to-leave-nebraska-after-months-of-scrutiny/">severed ties with Saint Francis</a> earlier this year because of extensive performance problems.

Nebraska Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh, who <a target="_blank" href="https://www.noiseomaha.com/news-now/2021/3/24/investigative-committee-approved-to-review-foster-care-management-group-and-involved-nebraska-state-government-departmentsnbspnbspnbsp?rq=cavanaugh">spearheaded an investigation</a> into her state’s dealings with Saint Francis, said the revelations in court filings were upsetting.

“I think you can draw a correlation between defrauding the 
organization and the outcomes that are coming out,” Cavanaugh said. “I 
mean, any organization is only as good as its weakest link, as people 
say, and if you have this toxic, corrupt mentality at the very top of 
the organization, then you’re not going to be a high-performing, 
high-quality organization. It doesn’t matter how many wonderful people 
you hire underneath that person. That’s where you’re starting from. 
That’s the cornerstone of the organization, and that toxicity and that 
lack of integrity in the work that you’re doing will trickle down.”

Cavanaugh said Saint Francis was short staffed in Nebraska and had a 
high turnover rate. Employees didn’t receive adequate training. As a 
result, children ended up in the system longer than they should have, 
and there were concerns about the accuracy of caseworker reports.

Cavanaugh also said it was time to “revisit the conversation” about 
whether Nebraska should recoup money the state invested in Saint 
Francis.

“We clearly were defrauded, and I think the children of Nebraska 
deserve us to advocate on their behalf,” Cavanaugh said. “By not going 
after the money, not going after the people that ultimately hurt these 
children, I think it’s us just continuing to fail these children.”

In March of this year, Smith filed a counterclaim for defamation by 
current Saint Francis leadership for “numerous false and defamatory 
statements” made about Smith and his wife in reports published by Kansas
 Reflector.

Smith said his former employer “knowingly and/or recklessly provided”
 an internal investigation report to Kansas Reflector, which published 
articles based on “unsubstantiated, false and defamatory statements” 
made within the investigation report.

“Smith has been suffered economic, reputational damages, personal 
humiliation, mental anguish, and loss of consortium damages,” the 
counterclaim said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660312960289.png" alt="The Salina-based Saint Francis Ministries, which provides foster care services, sued its former leadership in January for alleged legal malpractice and breach of fiduciary duties. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>The Salina-based Saint Francis Ministries, which provides foster care services, sued its former leadership in January for alleged legal malpractice and breach of fiduciary duties. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/08/12/kansas-foster-care-provider-suing-former-leaders-for-alleged-financial-misconduct/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The former CEO, chief 
counsel and IT director for Saint Francis Ministries used their 
positions to enrich themselves and their friends as the charity neared 
financial insolvency, according to allegations made in state and federal
 lawsuits.The Salina-based foster care provider in court documents accused the 
trinity of overbilling for IT and legal services and misusing company 
funds to support a lavish lifestyle. <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/08/11/fbi-seizing-bank-deposits-in-alleged-10-million-fraud-of-kansas-foster-care-provider-saint-francis-ministries/">Federal authorities identified $10.73 million in fraudulent billing</a> for IT services and moved to seize bank accounts.Meanwhile, the former CEO filed a counterclaim against Saint Francis 
officials for alleged defamation based on quotes and documented evidence
 reported by Kansas Reflector.The legal fallout raises questions about the level of care the 
organization provides to foster children, as well as renewed interest in
 examining whether taxpayer funds should be repaid to state agencies in 
Kansas and Nebraska.Teresa Woody, litigation director for Kansas Appleseed, said it was 
appalling that millions of dollars meant to provide foster care went out
 the door and were not accounted for. Kansas Appleseed <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/08/20/judge-orders-kansas-to-pay-nearly-2-3-million-in-legal-fees-and-expenses-in-child-welfare-lawsuit/">settled a lawsuit last year</a> to require improvements in the foster care system, which is administered by the Kansas Department for Children and Families.“I think DCF should look at all this and take a very hard look at 
whether they’re an appropriate entity to be trying to help foster 
children in Kansas,” Woody said.Saint Francis Ministries quietly filed a civil lawsuit in January in 
Saline County District Court against its former CEO, Robert “Father 
Bobby” Smith, IT director William Whymark, chief counsel David Schaffer,
 and the law firm where Schaffer worked in Chicago. The lawsuit 
identifies Schaffer as Smith’s friend and Whymark’s brother. Saint 
Francis is seeking repayment for legal malpractice and breach of 
fiduciary duties.<h2>The accusations</h2>The former Saint Francis leadership resigned in November 2020 after a
 newly hired financial officer alerted the board to alleged financial 
misconduct.They worked together to place their own financial interests above the
 nonprofit, failed to disclose conflicts of interest, misappropriated 
resources, overbilled for services, and concealed material facts, Saint 
Francis claimed in an amended complaint filed Aug. 5.Accusations made in state and federal court documents are consistent with an internal investigation, <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/12/20/kansas-foster-care-leader-charged-469k-to-credit-cards-hid-financial-losses/">first reported by Kansas Reflector in December 2020</a>, and <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/12/23/audit-of-kansas-foster-care-provider-scrutinizes-financial-controls-it-costs-ceo-travel-ppp-loan/">an audit released by DCF</a> in December 2021.Smith, an Episcopal priest, began working as CEO for Saint Francis in
 July 2014. Smith hired Schaffer as chief counsel in October 2014. 
Schaffer, according to the lawsuit filed in Saline County, urged Saint 
Francis to hire his brother to provide IT services, even though Schaffer
 knew Whymark wasn’t qualified for the job.Smith charged $442,276.17 to Saint Francis credit cards between 2017 
and 2020, mostly funding “lavish meals, entertainment, travel and gifts 
for him and his family,” the lawsuit said. He also spent $57,125.42 in 
Saint Francis funds to pay for travel, “the majority of which had no 
legitimate business purpose or was grossly excessive.”The lawsuit reveals previously undisclosed allegations against Schaffer.The attorney billed Saint Francis for more than $1 million in legal 
fees between June 2015 and June 2019 through his law firm. He billed 
Saint Francis for an additional $500,000 between February 2018 and 
October 2020 that was paid to him personally. There were at least eight 
months in which Schaffer billed Saint Francis both through his law firm 
and as an individual.According to the lawsuit, the legal fees were “grossly excessive for 
the services they allegedly performed, but Schaffer knew the invoices 
would be approved and paid by his friend.” The state audit last year 
said Smith approved expenses within minutes of receiving them.Schaffer allegedly outsourced hundreds of thousands of dollars in 
legal work to friends and lawyers at other firms that should have been 
performed by him.Schaffer allegedly billed Saint Francis for legal fees on matters 
unrelated to his job as general counsel. When Schaffer gave a deposition
 in May 2019 in a case brought against his former law firm by its former
 landlord, he directed his attorneys to bill Saint Francis for $6,000. 
Schaffer then approved the payment in his capacity as general counsel 
for Saint Francis.Schaffer allegedly billed Saint Francis nearly $4,000 for moving and 
storage expenses for office furniture in his Chicago law practice.Between June 2019 and October 2020, Schaffer allegedly charged about 
$60,000 on a Saint Francis company credit card. Many of the charges, 
Saint Francis said in its lawsuit, served no legitimate business 
purpose.<h2>IT problems</h2>Saint Francis employed Schaffer’s brother, Whymark, as its chief 
information officer and paid Whymark’s company, WMK Research, more than 
$11 million between January 2018 and February 2021.“WMK’s services were grossly deficient and overpriced,” Saint Francis said in its lawsuit.Saint Francis paid WMK more than $6 million to build a software 
system that failed to function. Whymark outsourced most of the work 
without telling Saint Francis, according to federal and state court 
documents, while inflating the cost of actual services. When the IT 
system crashed in the fall of 2019, Whymark wiped the hard drives on the
 crashed server, claiming it was necessary to reuse the server. At the 
time, Saint Francis was in the middle of a financial audit.“The crash halted the audit for months and delayed the discovery of 
defendants’ self-dealing,” Saint Francis said in its lawsuit.Saint Francis estimated it overpaid in excess of $7 million to WMK, 
and the cost to repair WMK’s work was estimated at $3.2 million.Federal authorities, in a court filing Aug. 1, moved to seize more 
than $700,000 in cash held in three bank accounts controlled by Whymark.
 The action was based on an FBI investigation that found probable cause 
to believe Whymark, of Mount Kisco, New York, ripped off Saint Francis 
for $10.73 million.<h2>Financial ruin</h2>An interim financial officer warned Smith and Schaffer in January 
2020 that Saint Francis was in dire financial condition and could be 
completely out of cash by March 2020.The Saint Francis lawsuit said Smith and Schaffer never disclosed the financial condition to their board of directors.The organization avoided financial collapse because it received the 
maximum $10 million loan through the federal Paycheck Protection 
Program. A state auditor later discovered the organization wasn’t 
eligible for the loan, although it was forgiven anyway by the Small 
Business Administration.The lawsuit said Smith and Schaffer were advised to reserve funds 
from the PPP loan to gain liquidity. Instead, Schaffer allegedly said 
the obligations to his brother’s company would be taken care of first.The organization’s financial hardships were complicated by winning <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/01/25/kansas-foster-care-provider-asks-nebraska-for-immediate-funding-boost-to-maintain-services/">a severely underbid contract</a> in 2019 to provide foster care services in the Omaha, Nebraska, area. The state of Nebraska <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/12/14/kansas-foster-care-provider-agrees-to-leave-nebraska-after-months-of-scrutiny/">severed ties with Saint Francis</a> earlier this year because of extensive performance problems.<h2>Nebraska impact</h2>Nebraska Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh, who <a target="_blank" href="https://www.noiseomaha.com/news-now/2021/3/24/investigative-committee-approved-to-review-foster-care-management-group-and-involved-nebraska-state-government-departmentsnbspnbspnbsp?rq=cavanaugh">spearheaded an investigation</a> into her state’s dealings with Saint Francis, said the revelations in court filings were upsetting.“I think you can draw a correlation between defrauding the 
organization and the outcomes that are coming out,” Cavanaugh said. “I 
mean, any organization is only as good as its weakest link, as people 
say, and if you have this toxic, corrupt mentality at the very top of 
the organization, then you’re not going to be a high-performing, 
high-quality organization. It doesn’t matter how many wonderful people 
you hire underneath that person. That’s where you’re starting from. 
That’s the cornerstone of the organization, and that toxicity and that 
lack of integrity in the work that you’re doing will trickle down.”Cavanaugh said Saint Francis was short staffed in Nebraska and had a 
high turnover rate. Employees didn’t receive adequate training. As a 
result, children ended up in the system longer than they should have, 
and there were concerns about the accuracy of caseworker reports.Cavanaugh also said it was time to “revisit the conversation” about 
whether Nebraska should recoup money the state invested in Saint 
Francis.“We clearly were defrauded, and I think the children of Nebraska 
deserve us to advocate on their behalf,” Cavanaugh said. “By not going 
after the money, not going after the people that ultimately hurt these 
children, I think it’s us just continuing to fail these children.”<h2>Counterclaim</h2>In March of this year, Smith filed a counterclaim for defamation by 
current Saint Francis leadership for “numerous false and defamatory 
statements” made about Smith and his wife in reports published by Kansas
 Reflector.Smith said his former employer “knowingly and/or recklessly provided”
 an internal investigation report to Kansas Reflector, which published 
articles based on “unsubstantiated, false and defamatory statements” 
made within the investigation report.“Smith has been suffered economic, reputational damages, personal 
humiliation, mental anguish, and loss of consortium damages,” the 
counterclaim said.

Saint Francis Ministries suit alleges financial mismanagement

Taxpayers
in Ellis County will begin receiving letters in the mail this week regarding
the revenue neutral rate for each taxing entities in their community. 

Nearly 37,000
letters will be sent out by the Ellis County Clerk’s office notifying residents
of property taxes and values and the date, time and location of a public
hearing notifying the public they plan to exceed the revenue neutral rate. 

Under state law, local governments must hold hearings if they plan to bring in more revenue than
the year before. 

Ellis County, USD
489, the city of Hays and the Hays Recreation Commission will hold hearings
later this year.

Bobbi Dreiling,
Ellis County Clerk, said the notice is not a bill and instead is a, “ notice of
whether your subdivisions plan to exceed the revenue neutral rate (RNR) for the
upcoming budget.”

Ellis County Administrator
Darin Myers said even though the notices are coming from the county clerk’s
office, any questions that taxpayers have should be directed to the taxing entity
in question.

If you are a taxpayer in Ellis County, you will be receiving a Revenue
Neutral Rate notice from the county clerk’s office in August. In March 2021,
the Kansas Legislature passed K.S.A. 79-2988, which requires Kansas County
Clerks to send taxpayers notification of the revenue neutral rate compared to the proposed rate for each taxing subdivisions. Taxing subdivisions
are prohibited from levying an ad valorem property tax that exceeds the RNR
without first holding a public hearing and passing a resolution.

• Information on specific property values and taxes

• Dates, times, and locations for upcoming public hearings for taxing
subdivisions that plan to exceed the RNR

THIS NOTICE IS NOT A BILL
and does not include information on special assessments that may be charged. It is solely a notice of whether your
subdivisions plan to exceed the revenue neutral rate (RNR) for the upcoming
budget.

Revenue neutral
is when a taxing jurisdiction budgets the exact same amount of property tax revenue,
in dollars, for the upcoming budget year as they did for the current year. 

If a taxing
jurisdiction plans to use more property tax revenue in the next
budget year compared to the current year, even $1 more, they would exceed
revenue neutral and need to hold a public hearing.

Why are we
letting you know about the taxpayer notification form and RNR?

The revenue neutral rate is the mill levy rate
that would generate the exact same amount of property tax revenue as the year
before, using the current tax year's total assessed valuation.

Why would taxing entities/jurisdictions want to increase revenue?

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593005347050.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Hays PostTaxpayers
in Ellis County will begin receiving letters in the mail this week regarding
the revenue neutral rate for each taxing entities in their community. Nearly 37,000
letters will be sent out by the Ellis County Clerk’s office notifying residents
of property taxes and values and the date, time and location of a public
hearing notifying the public they plan to exceed the revenue neutral rate. Under state law, local governments must hold hearings if they plan to bring in more revenue than
the year before. Ellis County, USD
489, the city of Hays and the Hays Recreation Commission will hold hearings
later this year.Bobbi Dreiling,
Ellis County Clerk, said the notice is not a bill and instead is a, “ notice of
whether your subdivisions plan to exceed the revenue neutral rate (RNR) for the
upcoming budget.”Ellis County Administrator
Darin Myers said even though the notices are coming from the county clerk’s
office, any questions that taxpayers have should be directed to the taxing entity
in question.If you are a taxpayer in Ellis County, you will be receiving a Revenue
Neutral Rate notice from the county clerk’s office in August. In March 2021,
the Kansas Legislature passed K.S.A. 79-2988, which requires Kansas County
Clerks to send taxpayers notification of the revenue neutral rate compared to the proposed rate for each taxing subdivisions. Taxing subdivisions
are prohibited from levying an ad valorem property tax that exceeds the RNR
without first holding a public hearing and passing a resolution.-------------The notice will include: • Information on specific property values and taxes• Dates, times, and locations for upcoming public hearings for taxing
subdivisions that plan to exceed the RNR--------------THIS NOTICE IS NOT A BILL
and does not include information on special assessments that may be charged. It is solely a notice of whether your
subdivisions plan to exceed the revenue neutral rate (RNR) for the upcoming
budget.What is
Revenue Neutral?Revenue neutral
is when a taxing jurisdiction budgets the exact same amount of property tax revenue,
in dollars, for the upcoming budget year as they did for the current year. If a taxing
jurisdiction plans to use more property tax revenue in the next
budget year compared to the current year, even $1 more, they would exceed
revenue neutral and need to hold a public hearing.Why are we
letting you know about the taxpayer notification form and RNR?To help promote
transparency.What is the Revenue Neutral Rate?The revenue neutral rate is the mill levy rate
that would generate the exact same amount of property tax revenue as the year
before, using the current tax year's total assessed valuation.Why would taxing entities/jurisdictions want to increase revenue?A jurisdiction does
not only increase revenue to provide new services; they often need to increase
property tax revenue to provide the same level of service as the year before.While this new
revenue neutral law (Senate Bill 13) is an important step for budget
transparency, it does not take inflation into account. As property
values are rising, so are the cost of goods and services. To provide residents
with the same (or better) level of service, it costs more. Taxing
entities often "exceed revenue neutral" and use a modest increase in
revenue to help pay for things like the increased cost of goods and/or services
- like asphalt for streets, mowing services, and other community priorities. If an entity were
to stay revenue neutral every year, they would have to provide this year's
services, with this year's prices, on last year's budget. Will my
property taxes increase as much as my appraised value increased?Property values
significantly increased this past year due to the market, but your taxes would
not increase by that same amount, as most entities lower the mill levy to help
re-balance the "appraised value to collected property revenue" scale.
If an entity does need to increase the property revenues for the upcoming year,
it should be by a modest amount compared to the increase in appraised property
values.What are
taxing entities doing to offset the increase in Appraised Property Values?The mill levy rate
is the only influence that each taxing jurisdiction has on your tax bill; to
help offset the increase in property values, these entities work to lower the
mill levy rate. This way, there is not a 1:1 increase in your tax bill when
property values experience an increase.What exactly
will be on the taxpayer notification form?(A) The revenue neutral rate of each taxing
subdivision relevant to the taxpayer’s property.(B) The proposed property tax revenue needed
to fund the proposed budget of the taxing subdivision - if the taxing
subdivision notified the county clerk of its proposed intent to exceed its
revenue neutral rate.(C) The proposed tax rate based upon the
proposed budget and the current year’s total assessed valuation of the taxing subdivision
- if the taxing subdivision notified the County Clerk of its proposed intent to
exceed its revenue neutral rate.(D) The tax rate and property tax of each
taxing subdivision on the taxpayer’s property from the previous year’s tax
statement.(E) The appraised value and assessed value of
the taxpayer’s property for the current year.(F) The estimates of the tax for the current
tax year on the taxpayer’s property based on the revenue neutral rate of each
taxing subdivision and any proposed tax rates that exceed the revenue neutral
rates.(G) The difference between the estimates of
tax based on the proposed tax rate and the revenue neutral rate on the
taxpayer’s property described in subparagraph (F) for any taxing subdivision
that has a proposed tax rate that exceeds its revenue neutral rate; and(H) The date, time, and location of the
public hearing of the taxing subdivision, if the taxing subdivision notified
the county clerk of its proposed intent to exceed its revenue neutral rate.

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