By CRISTINA JANNEYHays Post
At its meeting Monday night, the Hays USD 489 school board decided to set a special meeting to further discuss the potential sale of land north of Felten Elementary School.
The board's next scheduled work session is set for August, but the board members said they are interested in setting a special meeting sooner.
The board voted on March 9 to reject four bids for the land because they were all well below the appraised value of $630,000.
However, after hearing more about the appraisal and proposals from the four bidders, the board decided to reconsider the sale.
The bidders said they hoped to build single-family homes, multi-family housing or some combination of the two if they purchase the land.
SEE RELATED STORY: Hays USD 489 board sees plans on potential housing developments
All of the bidders said they would not be able to build homes on the property if the sale price was $630,000.
Board member Derek Yarmer said he wanted to know how the proposed housing projects would affect the school distrct's tax revenue.
Bond update
Superintendent Ron Wilson said the O'Louglin Elementary School additions are getting closer to completion. Work, including sewer replacement inside the existing addition, will be completed this summer.
Board member Jayme Goetz asked when the O'Loughlin traffic will be rerouted. Wilson said that will happen in August at the beginning of the next school year.
Legislative update
Wilson also gave a legislative update.
He said the Kansas Legislature increased special education funding, but not to the statute-mandated level. Wilson said state is still not keeping up with the funding that the district needs.
Funding for the district's mental health program was cut. Wilsons said the district will have to determine how to fund that important program.
Legislation at both the state and federal levels have allowed people who donate to private and public school scholraship funds to receive tax credits.
"This is a movement to hurt public schools and help private schools," Wilson said. ...
"People who say this won't hurt public schools need to understand that tax credits mean money is not going into state coffers, and that limits the funds for everyone," he said.
To graduate high school, students will now need to pass a 20-question test based on the U.S. citizenship test.
Wilson said Hays Middle School students used to take the same test. He said he did not think there would be an issue with Hays High students passing the test.
The state also passed a bill requiring schools to offer 30 minutes of recess per day at the elementary level. Wilson said the district already does.
Hays already limits cell phone activity at the high school and middle school. Wilson said the schools might have to make some changes to their policies to meet the requirements of the language of the new state law.