VICTORIA — Originally a small part of a much larger project,
a proposed multi-use Greenway Trail that would snake through the city of
Victoria — connecting the community’s parks, schools and landmarks — continues to
gain steam.

During the last city council meeting, Victoria Recreation
Commission board member Sean Rodger and the owner of the former Victoria rest
home, Jeff Pfeifer, shared the latest with the council and asked for its support
to continue pursuing the idea as they look to move forward, including sourcing potential grant funds for the project.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/20265d70-4cca-400e-9a7e-69323db9d166">The original trail idea
formed as Pfeifer looked to the community for ideas for the former rest home, a
building he purchased late last year.</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/b080d808-43af-444a-8095-942d3b344de1">One of
the most supported ideas was using at least part of the facility for a
community center through the rec commission.</a>

But as the plans and proposals were brought to Victoria
residents, the pathway plan took on a life of its own.

And with potential state
funding available for the city to begin the pathway project in the near future, Rodger and Pfeifer
asked the council to submit a Kansas Department of Transportation Transportation
Alternatives grant proposal that potential fund the bulk of the project, while
conversations about a community center and the rest home continue.

“With talking this through with members of the community,
this kind of picked up a little bit more steam,” Rodger said. “And with the
community center being slower moving, I feel like this could be something that
would be beneficial to the community.”

He said he was a fan of the idea after initially hearing it, as a part
of the proposals for the former rest home, but realized it could come to fruition
much sooner than other potential parts of either project.

“When Jeff pitched the idea, like four years down the road,
it's actually kind of comes more to the forefront of something that could be
seen sooner rather than later,” Rodger said.

"There has been
growing excitement, expressing the need for a multi-use pathway that would loop
around and through the town," Pfeifer said. "This loop would connect all the amenities Victoria
has to offer, such as Victoria's elementary school, junior and senior high
school, the St. Fidelis Basilica, two existing playgrounds, municipal pool,
outdoor recreational practice facilities, and central business district."

The rec commission voted in the fall of last year to propose the trail, and outlined their reasoning in the grant application.

"The intent was to substantially improve the ability of students to walk and bike to school using an exclusive multi-use bicycle and pedestrian trail separated from roadways," the application said. "Placing the trail in open space would eliminate many conflicts with vehicles, driveways, curbs, etc., providing a much safer route. In addition to student use, the pathways would be open to the general public, adding recreational, fitness, entertainment, relaxation and wellness opportunities."

The proposal also explains the reasoning behind aligning the trail project with the KDOT Safe Routes to Schools program.

"The decision to utilize open space for Safe
Routes to School was for several reasons, including:  1) much of the open space
in town is already in public ownership (City or USD 432), 2) it provides safe
separation from vehicle traffic, and 3) it encourages the exposure to
and interaction with nature and the outdoors," the application said.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

In an effort to push the trail plan forward, Rodger asked the
council to approve the submission of the grant proposal.

With the rec commission’s status as a nonprofit, he told the
council the application would need to be submitted by the city, but would
require no effort by the city government as the commission would complete all required work.

“They're just looking for proposals,” Rodger said. “At that
point, they approve it. They would give information and their feedback back to
us for an actual proposal. (Then) we'd have to get an engineer involved
to kind of go through layouts and all that stuff. But no money upfront, just a
plan.”

Prior to the city meeting, he said the school board had
already voted to support the measure.

Pfeifer said that through two community meetings about the
future of the rest home, and other planning meetings he has heard firsthand that
Victoria residents are “pretty excited” about the trail.

“This is something new,” he said. “This is like the
playground, the swimming pool, the school playground, the park playground. It's
bringing something new to town, something that is not even just single
generational.”

While the long-term planning remains flexible for the trail,
he said, to be considered for the Transportation Alternatives grant, the basic plan and
descriptions were needed to begin the grant application process.

If awarded to the city, the grant would cover 80 percent of the cost, with the community matching 20 percent.

And he said he feels like the grant has a good chance at
being awarded.

“They're pretty eager to do a project in western Kansas for
smaller communities under 5,000,” Pfeifer said, and he had confirmed the
project was eligible for receiving the funds according to KDOT.

While the application would open the potential for
funding for the project, it would also not lock the city into moving forward.

With two years before the next round of Transportation Alternatives grant applications
will begin, and no commitment required at the present time, the council agreed and the proposal was submitted.

Pfeifer said the city has yet
to hear back from KDOT, but if accepted the full Transportation Alternatives
grant application would be due on May 14.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647372909275.jpeg" alt="Jeff Pfeifer and Sean Rodger present the latest in the Greenway Trail plan to the Victoria City Council during their regular meeting in February." />
 <figcaption>Jeff Pfeifer and Sean Rodger present the latest in the Greenway Trail plan to the Victoria City Council during their regular meeting in February.</figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostVICTORIA — Originally a small part of a much larger project,
a proposed multi-use Greenway Trail that would snake through the city of
Victoria — connecting the community’s parks, schools and landmarks — continues to
gain steam.During the last city council meeting, Victoria Recreation
Commission board member Sean Rodger and the owner of the former Victoria rest
home, Jeff Pfeifer, shared the latest with the council and asked for its support
to continue pursuing the idea as they look to move forward, including sourcing potential grant funds for the project.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/20265d70-4cca-400e-9a7e-69323db9d166">The original trail idea
formed as Pfeifer looked to the community for ideas for the former rest home, a
building he purchased late last year.</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/b080d808-43af-444a-8095-942d3b344de1">One of
the most supported ideas was using at least part of the facility for a
community center through the rec commission.</a>But as the plans and proposals were brought to Victoria
residents, the pathway plan took on a life of its own.And with potential state
funding available for the city to begin the pathway project in the near future, Rodger and Pfeifer
asked the council to submit a Kansas Department of Transportation Transportation
Alternatives grant proposal that potential fund the bulk of the project, while
conversations about a community center and the rest home continue.“With talking this through with members of the community,
this kind of picked up a little bit more steam,” Rodger said. “And with the
community center being slower moving, I feel like this could be something that
would be beneficial to the community.”He said he was a fan of the idea after initially hearing it, as a part
of the proposals for the former rest home, but realized it could come to fruition
much sooner than other potential parts of either project.“When Jeff pitched the idea, like four years down the road,
it's actually kind of comes more to the forefront of something that could be
seen sooner rather than later,” Rodger said."There has been
growing excitement, expressing the need for a multi-use pathway that would loop
around and through the town," Pfeifer said. "This loop would connect all the amenities Victoria
has to offer, such as Victoria's elementary school, junior and senior high
school, the St. Fidelis Basilica, two existing playgrounds, municipal pool,
outdoor recreational practice facilities, and central business district."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647369011526.jpeg" alt="A map of the proposed Greenway Trail in Victoria shows how the project could be split into four sections, allowing for grant applications to be tailored to each piece of the trail's primary use. (Photo courtesy Jeff Pfeifer)" />
 <figcaption>A map of the proposed Greenway Trail in Victoria shows how the project could be split into four sections, allowing for grant applications to be tailored to each piece of the trail's primary use. (Photo courtesy Jeff Pfeifer)</figcaption>
 </figure>The rec commission voted in the fall of last year to propose the trail, and outlined their reasoning in the grant application."The intent was to substantially improve the ability of students to walk and bike to school using an exclusive multi-use bicycle and pedestrian trail separated from roadways," the application said. "Placing the trail in open space would eliminate many conflicts with vehicles, driveways, curbs, etc., providing a much safer route. In addition to student use, the pathways would be open to the general public, adding recreational, fitness, entertainment, relaxation and wellness opportunities."The proposal also explains the reasoning behind aligning the trail project with the KDOT Safe Routes to Schools program."The decision to utilize open space for Safe
Routes to School was for several reasons, including: 1) much of the open space
in town is already in public ownership (City or USD 432), 2) it provides safe
separation from vehicle traffic, and 3) it encourages the exposure to
and interaction with nature and the outdoors," the application said.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;In an effort to push the trail plan forward, Rodger asked the
council to approve the submission of the grant proposal.With the rec commission’s status as a nonprofit, he told the
council the application would need to be submitted by the city, but would
require no effort by the city government as the commission would complete all required work.“They're just looking for proposals,” Rodger said. “At that
point, they approve it. They would give information and their feedback back to
us for an actual proposal. (Then) we'd have to get an engineer involved
to kind of go through layouts and all that stuff. But no money upfront, just a
plan.”Prior to the city meeting, he said the school board had
already voted to support the measure.Pfeifer said that through two community meetings about the
future of the rest home, and other planning meetings he has heard firsthand that
Victoria residents are “pretty excited” about the trail.“This is something new,” he said. “This is like the
playground, the swimming pool, the school playground, the park playground. It's
bringing something new to town, something that is not even just single
generational.”While the long-term planning remains flexible for the trail,
he said, to be considered for the Transportation Alternatives grant, the basic plan and
descriptions were needed to begin the grant application process.If awarded to the city, the grant would cover 80 percent of the cost, with the community matching 20 percent.And he said he feels like the grant has a good chance at
being awarded.“They're pretty eager to do a project in western Kansas for
smaller communities under 5,000,” Pfeifer said, and he had confirmed the
project was eligible for receiving the funds according to KDOT.While the application would open the potential for
funding for the project, it would also not lock the city into moving forward.With two years before the next round of Transportation Alternatives grant applications
will begin, and no commitment required at the present time, the council agreed and the proposal was submitted.Pfeifer said the city has yet
to hear back from KDOT, but if accepted the full Transportation Alternatives
grant application would be due on May 14.

Victoria Greenway Trail proposal gains momentum

Recently,&nbsp;<a href="https://imagineelliscounty.org/">Imagine Ellis County&nbsp;</a>hosted representatives of various organizations from Ellis County&nbsp;as well as a Hays town hall meeting,&nbsp;to identify community needs&nbsp;that needed to be met for long-term growth and success of our&nbsp;county and region.&nbsp;

On March 24, the organization will host a Victoria town hall and facilitate small- and large-group discussions&nbsp;to learn more from community members. It is&nbsp;from&nbsp;5:30 to 8 p.m. at the&nbsp;Victoria VFW.&nbsp;Dinner&nbsp;will be provided by Fork That Bakery&nbsp;for those who attend.

While&nbsp;walk-ins are welcome, RSVPs are requested via the group's Facebook page&nbsp;or use a&nbsp;sign-up&nbsp;form&nbsp;at &nbsp;<a href="https://forms.gle/QfJgHZak8dFcrXQeA">https://forms.gle/QfJgHZak8dFcrXQeA</a>.&nbsp;See the&nbsp;<a href="https://fb.me/e/4y9Jp7sxP">Facebook&nbsp;event&nbsp;page</a>&nbsp;for&nbsp;more information.&nbsp;

Imagine Ellis County is a committee comprised of over 30 community members from Ellis County. The committee exists to serve the long-term interests of Ellis County. We have representatives from Catharine, Ellis, Hays, and Victoria on our committee. Committee members include people who serve as local elected officials, local government employees, employees from various community businesses, and those who are involved with non-profits and charitable organizations.If you would like more information, contact&nbsp;Grow Hays Inc.&nbsp;at 785.628.3102 or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:IEC@GrowHays.com">IEC@GrowHays.com</a>. Imagine Ellis County is a&nbsp;collaborative strategic vision for our community and region.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642178166769.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>News releaseRecently,&nbsp;<a href="https://imagineelliscounty.org/">Imagine Ellis County&nbsp;</a>hosted representatives of various organizations from Ellis County&nbsp;as well as a Hays town hall meeting,&nbsp;to identify community needs&nbsp;that needed to be met for long-term growth and success of our&nbsp;county and region.&nbsp;On March 24, the organization will host a Victoria town hall and facilitate small- and large-group discussions&nbsp;to learn more from community members. It is&nbsp;from&nbsp;5:30 to 8 p.m. at the&nbsp;Victoria VFW.&nbsp;Dinner&nbsp;will be provided by Fork That Bakery&nbsp;for those who attend.While&nbsp;walk-ins are welcome, RSVPs are requested via the group's Facebook page&nbsp;or use a&nbsp;sign-up&nbsp;form&nbsp;at &nbsp;<a href="https://forms.gle/QfJgHZak8dFcrXQeA">https://forms.gle/QfJgHZak8dFcrXQeA</a>.&nbsp;See the&nbsp;<a href="https://fb.me/e/4y9Jp7sxP">Facebook&nbsp;event&nbsp;page</a>&nbsp;for&nbsp;more information.&nbsp;Imagine Ellis County is a committee comprised of over 30 community members from Ellis County. The committee exists to serve the long-term interests of Ellis County. We have representatives from Catharine, Ellis, Hays, and Victoria on our committee. Committee members include people who serve as local elected officials, local government employees, employees from various community businesses, and those who are involved with non-profits and charitable organizations.If you would like more information, contact&nbsp;Grow Hays Inc.&nbsp;at 785.628.3102 or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:IEC@GrowHays.com">IEC@GrowHays.com</a>. Imagine Ellis County is a&nbsp;collaborative strategic vision for our community and region.

Imagine Ellis County town hall scheduled in Victoria

By JAMES BELL 
Hays Post

Following criminal mediation, a Victoria resident was found
guilty Friday of charges including rape, stemming from an incident in a Hays
park in December 2019.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5e010d1c57544d3fe90e82e3">Cody
Schultz was first arrested on December 20, following the report of a sexual assault
of a 14-year-old victim in Massey Park in Hays on Dec. 16.</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/c0219c5e-6af1-4e74-a558-edac30586e8f">That arrest
would then lead Hays police to identify him as a suspect in an earlier sexual assault
case, dating to March 2014, involving a different 14-year-old.</a>

Now Schultz faces life in prison after being found guilty
during a bench trial that began immediately after the conclusion of criminal
mediation.

Bruce Gatterman, 24th Judicial District judge in Pawnee
County, served as mediator.

“Through that process, we reached a mediated agreement,”
said Ellis County Attorney Robert Anderson. “The essentials of that
agreement were that we would proceed on both cases, that day, to a bench trial
on stipulated facts.”

During a bench trial, facts are presented directly to a
judge, who then issues a ruling.

Chief Judge of the 23rd Judicial District Glen Braun presided
over the trial, finding Schultz guilty on all charges, including rape, aggravated
indecent liberties with a child and electronic solicitation of a child.

Going through the mediation process and bench trial created a
quicker — and less painful — outcome, Anderson said.

“From my perspective, it was a chance to clear those cases
in an efficient manner without needing to put the victims through the stress and
time of two jury trials,” he said. “It also avoids the time and costs that
would have come with trying these two cases, which puts a substantial burden on
the court and on the citizens called for jury duty. “

But the deal also limited sentencing options, Anderson said.

“In essence, the defendant agreed to waive his right to a
jury trial and waive his ability to challenge the evidence,” he said. “In
consideration for this, I am now bound at sentencing to request that the
sentences for non-primary offenses run concurrent to the primary offense.”

But even with the concurrent sentencing, Schultz could serve the
rest of his life behind bars.

“The primary offense has a statutory punishment of (a) life
sentence without the possibility of parole for 25 years,” Anderson said. “So,
in other words, I’ve given up the ability to ask for years tacked on to the
back end of a life sentence.”

Sentencing is expected to be scheduled within the next 60
days.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1577132104050.png" alt="Cody Schultz" />
 <figcaption>Cody Schultz</figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL 
Hays PostFollowing criminal mediation, a Victoria resident was found
guilty Friday of charges including rape, stemming from an incident in a Hays
park in December 2019.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5e010d1c57544d3fe90e82e3">Cody
Schultz was first arrested on December 20, following the report of a sexual assault
of a 14-year-old victim in Massey Park in Hays on Dec. 16.</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/c0219c5e-6af1-4e74-a558-edac30586e8f">That arrest
would then lead Hays police to identify him as a suspect in an earlier sexual assault
case, dating to March 2014, involving a different 14-year-old.</a>Now Schultz faces life in prison after being found guilty
during a bench trial that began immediately after the conclusion of criminal
mediation.Bruce Gatterman, 24th Judicial District judge in Pawnee
County, served as mediator.“Through that process, we reached a mediated agreement,”
said Ellis County Attorney Robert Anderson. “The essentials of that
agreement were that we would proceed on both cases, that day, to a bench trial
on stipulated facts.”During a bench trial, facts are presented directly to a
judge, who then issues a ruling.Chief Judge of the 23rd Judicial District Glen Braun presided
over the trial, finding Schultz guilty on all charges, including rape, aggravated
indecent liberties with a child and electronic solicitation of a child.Going through the mediation process and bench trial created a
quicker — and less painful — outcome, Anderson said.“From my perspective, it was a chance to clear those cases
in an efficient manner without needing to put the victims through the stress and
time of two jury trials,” he said. “It also avoids the time and costs that
would have come with trying these two cases, which puts a substantial burden on
the court and on the citizens called for jury duty. “But the deal also limited sentencing options, Anderson said.“In essence, the defendant agreed to waive his right to a
jury trial and waive his ability to challenge the evidence,” he said. “In
consideration for this, I am now bound at sentencing to request that the
sentences for non-primary offenses run concurrent to the primary offense.”But even with the concurrent sentencing, Schultz could serve the
rest of his life behind bars.“The primary offense has a statutory punishment of (a) life
sentence without the possibility of parole for 25 years,” Anderson said. “So,
in other words, I’ve given up the ability to ask for years tacked on to the
back end of a life sentence.”Sentencing is expected to be scheduled within the next 60
days.

Victoria man faces life in prison after child rape convictions