By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
The Hays City Commission will conduct public hearings during its April 9 meeting for incentives for a planned travel plaza north of Interstate 70 at Exit 157.
The developer is requesting Tax Increment Financing (TIF) and a Community Improvement District (CID) for the project.
Commissioners unanimously approved the resolutions during their meeting on Thursday.
"I'm excited," said Alaina Cunningham, vice-mayor, who joined the meeting via Zoom. "I think it's a much-needed addition to that area."
Triplett, Inc., Salina, plans to construct a 9,000-square-foot full-service 24/7 Travel Plaza and convenience store, including gas and diesel fuel pumps, EV charging stations, a restaurant, a dog park and RV campsites. The total project cost will be $11 million.
The financing district would capture all incremental property tax revenues within the TIF District, but no sales taxes, in line with the city’s economic development policy. No bonds would be issued.
It's estimated the TIF would generate $4.5 million during its 20-year life for TIF-eligible expenses on a pay-as-you-go basis.
Within the improvement district, a 2% CID sales tax would be imposed in addition to the city's current 2.25% sales tax.
The CID sales tax revenues would be used to reimburse the developer on a pay-as-you-go basis for CID-eligible expenses, primarily for the private construction costs of the Travel Store, gas pumps and related improvements.
The developer estimates the CID sales tax would generate about $2 million to fund CID-eligible expenses during its 22-year life.
Rezoning requests
Commissioners approved two rezoning requests on East 27th Street.
The first request was to rezone property at 2460 E. 27th St. from an agricultural district to a light industrial district.
The property is owned by L&A Enterprises. The owner wants the zoning change in order to expand services.
The second rezoning request was for the adjacent property at 2470 E. 27th St., owned by Josh Ziegler, to change the designation from general commercial district to light industrial district.
Ziegler owns and operates T.S.B. Storage on the property.
Both requests have already been approved by the Hays Area Planning Commission.
Fort Hays Tech North Central annual report
Eric Burks, president of Fort Hays Tech North Central, presented the annual report for the Big Creek Technical Training Center.
The college has a lease agreement to use the city-owned building at 101 Main as a south campus for several of its study programs.
With the recent opening of the new Hansen Construction Career Center on the main campus at 2205 Wheatland Ave., and relocation of related programs to the 30,000-square-foot facility, Burks said plans are to move the programs of business management, business technology, culinary arts and telecommunications into the Big Creek campus.
The changes will require some remodeling of the building, which students will complete.
Culinary arts students will still conduct most of their cooking lessons at the Lb. Event Center, 121 E. 11th.
Fort Hays Tech North Central has a $31 million annual economic impact on the community, Burks said, serving about 1,300 students each year on the campuses in Hays and Beloit.
"During our 16-year partnership with the city, we've trained 741 full-time students in carpentry, electrical, plumbing, and heating and air conditioning," Burks said.
During that time, students built a range house at the Hays Police Department training facility and, with the assistance of Fort Hays State University students, also built the Hays Fire Department's regional fire training center.
Water Conservation Program
Holly Dickman, water conservation specialist, presented a review of the city's 2025 water conservation programs. She said the number of rebates for purchase and installation of low-flow toilets and washing machines, turf conversions and shower heads remained steady from the previous year.
Dickman said, "Hays is not in a drought right now, but the seasonal outlook through May is showing the western half of the state in drought," according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Prior to the start of the meeting, Mayor Ruder signed a proclamation declaring the third week of March as "Fix a Leak Week" in Hays.
Watch the full Feb. 26 Hays City Commission meeting below.