By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
Pickleball is growing in popularity across the country and in Hays.
At the request of some local enthusiasts, Hays city commissioners will use funds next year in the city budget for the restriping of one tennis court in Municipal Park into two temporary pickleball courts.
The adjustment to the proposed 2024 budget will use $8,000 in the special parks and recreation fund.
Other budget changes made during last week's work session were less fun, involving the Convention and Visitors Bureau budget and decreased transient guest tax collection.
"The revenues for 2022 were really great over 2021 after COVID, and so we budgeted 2023 with an optimistic outlook that 2023 would also see a good year," said Collin Bielser, deputy city manager.
"It appears that based on our revenue receipts so far through 2023, that's flatlined.
"So we've had to draw back the revenue for CVB, which obviously impacts outside agency funding."
The transient guest tax receipts for 2023 are now estimated to be about $95,000 less than what was budgeted for this year.
The nonprofit, quality-of-life groups funded through the Convention and Visitors Bureau are Sister Cities, Wild West Festival, Hays Arts Council, Downtown Hays Development Corporation and the Ellis County Historical Society.
To fulfill all the requests would require the elimination of a $13,000 transfer to the bureau's reserve fund, along with a $7,000 cut elsewhere in their budget.
The historical society had requested double its allotment from $21,116 this year to $42,232 for 2024.
Although she continued to voice support for the positive direction and improvements the historical society is now going, Vice-Mayor Sandy Jacobs suggested the organization be given the same amount again next year.
Most of the commissioners verbally agreed to the following outside agency funding that falls within the Convention and Visitors Bureau budget:
Ellis Co. Historical Society $21,116
Hays Arts Council Society $16,500
Wild West Festival $12,000
DHDC $54,000
Sister Cities $ 5,050
Jacobs also asked the commission in a future meeting discuss possibly raising the 7 percent transient guest tax paid by overnight visitors.
Two percent of the transient guest tax is dedicated to paying the debt service for the North Vine Street Corridor improvements, leaving 5 percent for the visitors bureau operating budget.
"The reason it was raised from 5 percent to 7 percent was because the city commission felt North Vine represented a barrier to visitors and economic growth up there," said Toby Dougherty, city manager. "This provided a better way to facilitate those visitors and an environment that more leant itself to development of things visitors would like to partake in, which would bring more people."
"It's a tax that isn't directly on our citizens," Jacobs said. "It's the people that come through and stay in the hotels. It's a way to help continue fund CVB in the way I truly believe they need to be funded because they do an outstanding job marketing our community with what they have available to them."
Prior to the commission's discussion, Hays resident Ken Kennedy urged commissioners to lower the city mill levy. The 2024 draft budget is at 25 mills for the 14th consecutive year. Kennedy spoke from a letter he also sent to the Ellis County Commission and Hays USD 489 board members asking for similar reductions.
The budget review will continue at the Aug. 17 work session. The public hearing is scheduled for Sept. 14 during the regular meeting.
Commissioners also heard from Leland Olive, owner of Couture for Men, who expressed his opposition to designating an alcohol consumption zone in downtown Hays. The commission has yet to schedule a vote on such an ordinance.
In other business, John Braun, R9 Project Manager, discussed a $28,375 services agreement with 4D Acquisition and Consulting, LLC, of Michigan to provide pre-acquisition services related to the construction of a water transmission pipeline from the city’s R9 wellfield in Edwards County to the city’s Smoky Hill River wellfield near Schoenchen.
Jesse Rohr, public works director, also reviewed the final plat for the Doonan Addition north of Interstate 70 at the west 157 exit. The proposed plat includes four lots ranging in size from 4.3 acres to 9.7 acres.
The platted lots south of 55th Street are zoned general commercial and the lot north of 55th Street is zoned agriculture.
The properties are owned by BBJ, LLC and have remained natural grassland except for the Doonan Peterbilt dealership that was built in 2014.