By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
The city of Hays has been awarded a technical assistance grant from the Federal Emergency Management Association, which will increase its likelihood of receiving federal financial assistance for the R9 long-term water project for Hays and Russell.
John Braun, R9 project manager, told Hays city commissioners Thursday that the technical assistance grant will help the city prepare its Building Resilient Infrastructure Communities grant application.
"This non-finance assistance program provides wide-ranging technical assistance to communities to undertake hazard mitigation solutions, which in the case of the cities of Hays and Russell is drought mitigation through the development of the R9 wellfield and pipeline project," Braun said.
Hays was the only city in Kansas to receive the FEMA technical grant.
A memorandum of understanding for the technical grant will be signed at the Sept. 12 city commission meeting.
Collin Bielser, deputy city manager, reviewed an ordinance establishing a Reinvestment Housing Incentive District for The Grove development north of HaysMed.
The developer, Grow Hays, has asked the city to finance and construct infrastructure related to the project.
The city would use incentive district revenues to offset its estimated $8.2 million costs. The incentive district would generate about $8.452 million during its maximum 25-year term.
A public hearing on the establishment of an incentive district will be during next Thursday's meeting.
Bielser also reviewed the development plan.
The Grove will be retiree-focused housing comprised of about 12 six-plex structures, eight duplexes, 50 single-family homes, along with infrastructure to serve the project.
Also on the site will be a new multi-generational 14,000-square-foot facility, The Bob and Pat Schmidt Community Center, to include a senior/ child care/community center.
Commissioner Reese Barrick said he had heard from a constituent who was critical of the focus on retiree housing and believed it would hinder new business growth in the city.
Barrick disagreed.
"People are not only living longer but are healthier for a lot longer," Barrick said.
"I think we need this type of housing to help out our population and the type of population that is going to be moving to Hays. This is really a crucial piece for the growth and stability of Hays."
Commissioner Alaina Cunningham said, "You need every generation to make a community work."
The Grove development will also extend the city’s multiuse path network by constructing a one-mile connector from 22nd Street and the existing HaysMed path north to the Sternberg Museum of Natural History.
Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler presented three changes to the 2024 Uniform Public Offense Code and Standard Traffic Ordinance for Kansas cities. Changes in state statute prompted all three changes.
Changes to the Uniform Public Offense Code:
Disorderly Conduct — The portion that made engaging in noisy conduct tending reasonably to arouse alarm, anger or resentment in others a violation of the law has been removed. The Kansas Supreme Court recently ruled this portion of the section was unconstitutional.
Possession of Marijuana, Drug Paraphernalia, Controlled Substances — Amended to give people immunity from prosecution for simple possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia when rendering aid to an overdose victim.
Changes to the Standard Traffic Ordinance:
Failure to Comply with Traffic Citation — Changes are designed to reduce suspensions of driving privileges and allow people to have a restricted license. The new law also limits license reinstatement surcharge to a single fee of $100 and increases the number of non-driving violations for which a license may be suspended or restricted.
The updates will be voted on next week.
Mayor Shaun Musil was absent from the work session.