By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
The Hays USD 489 school board approved the sale of property adjacent to the current middle school at 201 W. 29th St. at its meeting Monday night.
The board approved the sale of 7.23 acres of land north of the Hays Middle School football field through a sealed-bid process.
The district will retain the right to refuse any bid.
A contract, including bid deadlines, as well as a plan to advertise the sale, will be brought back to the board at its January meeting.
Board member Ruth Ruder expressed concern that someone might purchase the land for a tax deduction, only to leave it vacant.
She urged the district to require the buyer to specify the property's intended use in their bid proposal.
Comparable lots have sold for between $1.72 and $2.41 per square foot. One of these lots of similar size sold for $577,500 in 2020.
Board member Allen Park made a motion to table the item for the next board meeting.
"We're not in a rush," he said.
The motion to table failed on a vote of 4-2. Board Meagan Zampieri-Lillpopp was absent.
The motion to approve the bid process passed on a vote of 5-1, with Park voting against.
Bond update
Superintendent Ron Wilson gave the board an update on bond projects.
The last day for students at the current Hays Middle School will be Wednesday. The students will have two extra days off before Christmas and return one day later than the rest of the district to allow for staff to move to the new middle school building on 13th Street.
Students' first day of classes in the renovated former high school building will be Jan. 7. There will be an open house for students and parents on Jan. 6.
Wilson said the two new additions at O'Loughlin Elementary School are almost completely enclosed now. This will allow work to continue through the winter. Interior framing has begun in both new additions.
The cafeteria service will be temporarily moved to the gym, as the current cafeteria is being renovated into office space.
SEE RELATED STORY: Hays Middle School, O'Loughlin Elementary projects on schedule
Concessions
Fall concessions earned about $7,000, which was divided among four HHS extracurricular groups, Wilson said.
This is the first year Hays High football concessions have benefited Hays High groups. When the school played on the Fort Hays State University field, the college ran the concession and kept the revenue.
In addition, the district is saving $15,000 per year because it has a home field at the new school and no longer has to rent FHSU's Lewis Field.
Other business
The board also heard and approved an audit report, heard a first reading on recommended Kansas Association of School Boards policy changes, and approved the 2026-27 and 2027-28 school calendars.