By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
The sanitary sewer lift station just off Highway 40 west of the Hays Regional Airport needs to be replaced, says Jeff Crispin, director of water resources.
It's 40 years old, built in the 100-year flood plain and flooded as recently as 2018-19 during unusually wet years in Hays. The facility is underground and it leaks, he told city commissioners at their Thursday work session.
"Also, water running underground that you can't see is actually coming into the lift station," Crispin said, "[unnecessarily] adding to the run hours."
The station will also be used more once the new Hays High School and Hays Middle Schools open in a little more than a year. More new housing being built and planned in east Hays will also be an impact.
APAC, Hays submitted a low bid of $754,916 to replace the lift station. The new, expanded station will be above ground and raised out of the flood plain.
Hays has four sanitary sewer lift stations, plus a small one serving the airport.
Crispin said there would be no downtime of the sewer system as the new lift station is installed.
Commissioners will vote on the bid at their Dec. 26 meeting.
The commission will also vote on a bid recommendation for phase 1 of the redevelopment of the downtown building at 1108 N. Main into a new luxury short-term rental Airbnb called Chestnut Suites.
Hays developer Adam Pray plans the renovation to create 24-26 rentable hotel-style rooms for both short-term and 30-day or more renters.
Pray asked the city of Hays to apply for $300,000 in Community Development Block Grant funding from the Kansas Department of Commerce, which was awarded in August.
A single bid was made for the project's first phase, including exterior concrete and masonry work, roofing accessories, window work, and plumbing. The bid was from Robben Construction, Hays, for $484,500.
The developer would be responsible for the cost gap between the grant and the bid award. No city funds will be expended.
The estimated total project cost is $3.2 million.