By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
With all five Hays city commissioners present at Thursday night’s work session, they were able to reach a consensus regarding city funding next year for the Downtown Hays Development Corp.
Shaun Musil, who was absent from the last meeting, agreed with Mayor Sandy Jacobs and Vice-Mayor Mason Ruder that $54,000 should be allotted to the nonprofit group as requested in the 2022 budget.
“There’ve been multiple businesses talk to me [saying] it’s not fair that we give downtown money and we don’t do something up there [near the interstate]. Well, if they do something that brings more people to town, it’s more bang for the buck for us," Musil said. "So why not support them, if we can? You're bringing people to Hays. It's a win-win for Hays.”
Musil owns the Paisley Pear and Wine Bistro in downtown Hays, but noted his business does not receive any funding from DHDC.
"When we've researched the people who actually come to downtown Hays, not only from northwest Kansas, but all across the country, it's just amazing to see the amount of people ...," said Ruder. "I don't see how this money doesn't come back to us."
The city's general fund is primarily sourced from the city sales tax.
Commissioner Ron Mellick remained opposed to funding DHDC.
“It still needs to be funded by the DHDC," Mellick insisted.
He's also heard from other local business owners.
"Don’t be surprised if in the future you have other businesses that band together and come to you and say we’d like to have $10,000 to promote our businesses and fill our empty spaces," Mellick said.
Michael Berges was also opposed to the request because DHDC did not follow the city's budget process, he said.
"We rounded up their 2021 request to $54,000. ... We were able to do that by cutting another outside agency that wanted funding, with the guidance to come with a five percent cut this year. ... In my sense of it, you're requesting an increase," Berges said.
"It's not about defunding or getting rid of DHDC," he said. "The guidance wasn't followed."
Jacobs noted DHDC funding from private sources has steadily increased the past five years, on track to be more than $40,000 this year.
While discussing other changes to the draft budget, Musil asked for full funding of the $15,000 request from the Hays Arts Council, up from $12,000 in 2021. The other commissioners agreed.
The total amount of city funding requested by outside agencies for 2022 is $482,899, an increase of $36,399 from 2021.
About 15 DHDC supporters, including board members and downtown merchants, were in the commission chambers but no one asked to speak.
Commissioners will review the draft budget one more time before the Sept. 9 public hearing.
In other business, Jeff Crispin, water resources director, presented plans for the 2021 manhole rehabilitation project.
With the low bid from Mayer Specialty Services, Wichita, being considerably lower than anticipated, Crispin suggested adding more manholes to the project.
Prior to the start of the work session, Mayor Jacobs read a proclamation marking the 10th anniversary of the downing of Extortion 17 on Aug. 6, 2011.
The Chinook military helicopter, piloted by former Hays residents Brian Nichols and Dave Carter, was shot down in Afghanistan by the Taliban.
All 38 people on board and a military K-9 were killed.
It was the deadliest day in the history of naval special warfare in the U.S. war in Afghanistan.