By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
The Hays USD 489 school board approved two capital purchases linked to the bond projects Monday night.
The board approved the purchase of furniture for Hays Middle School from Circadia for $181,236 and a bid to remove playground equipment from the now-closed Lincoln Elementary School from Aspire 2 Play for $32,832.
Board members Allen Park and Derek Yarmer voted against the expenditures.
Yarmer said he wanted large purchases brought to the board during the meeting before it is set to be approved.
Superintendent Ron Wilson said the items needed to be purchased promptly so the school could be opened to students on time.
He added the price is not going to change if the board waits to vote on the purchase.
Park asked why the wooden cabinets had not been repurposed from Lincoln Elementary School.
Board member Jayme Goetz said the cabinets from Lincoln were custom-built for that space and would not fit in the Hays Middle School.
Park also asked why the lunch tables were not reused.
HMS Principal Tom Albers said the tables were old, required repairs and the school district couldn't get parts for them anymore. He said they also were not ideal for the larger middle school students.
Park asked if the furniture was bid. Chris Hipp, assistant superintendent for business services, said the furniture was being purchased through the state bid program.
Yarmer said he thought the purchase should be made from bond funds and not capital outlay. Wilson said the purchase has been part of the capital outlay plan for at least three years.
Yarmer said he thought the district was spending too much to remove the playground equipment from the former Lincoln school. The equipment will be stored and then installed at the former middle school, which will open as Felten Elementary School next fall.
Park wanted to know why the district staff were not removing and storing the equipment.
Wilson said the district staff does not have time to move the equipment. The school district also does not have a certified playground inspector on staff. The district's inspector retired, and a new staff member is being trained.
Park said, "I think we are being frivolous with our money."
He asked if the job was bid.
Hipp said the district approached two local businesses, but both of them were too busy to take the job.
The board also approved the purchase of 37 Dell desktop computers for support staff for $37,684.
Enrollment
The board also heard a report on the enrollment.
The Hays USD 489 enrollment remains flat for the 2025-26 school year.
The enrollment numbers as of the Sept. 20 count date were a full-time equivalent of 3,150 students. Last school year, the audited enrollment was 3,159 students. Enrollment has fluctuated little during the last three years, with an enrollment of 3,144 students in fiscal year 2023.
Hipp said, "We have had more ups than downs, which has been very favorable compared to much of the state."
Wilson said the district has seen an increase in the number of students receiving free and reduced-price lunches. The district receives additional funding to support these at-risk students.