By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
Sandy Jacobs, Hays city commissioner, and the other commissioners are concerned about the proliferation of electric scooters and e-bikes being ridden recklessly and without helmets — mostly by children — on local streets and sidewalks.
"It's out of control. Somebody is going to get killed," she said.
Commissioners talked about the problem during add-on comments at the end of their meeting Thursday.
Jacobs, who said she doesn't want to take scooters away from kids, also said "it's a parenting issue as much as anything. But if parents aren't going to do anything, we're going to have to figure something out."
She pleaded with parents to educate their children about the rules of the road and riding safely, noting two incidents she witnessed earlier that day.
"One was a little boy on a scooter coming down Hall Street. He couldn't have been more than 6 or 7. He had a 2- or 3-year-old sister sitting in front of him, and they were just barreling down Hall Street," Jacobs said.
"And even on the side streets, these kids come flying down those two or three blocks. Anybody could be pulling out of the driveway.
"I have gone out and stopped them myself in front of my house," she said. "They don't like me very much."
Don Scheibler, police chief, was in the audience, and said his department continues to have discussions about it.
"Like most criminal or unsafe activity, it doesn't happen in front of us. I agree it is a parenting issue ... but if we see those things happen, we try to address those," Scheibler said.
Shaun Musil, commissioner, said he's getting contacted two or three times a week by drivers who say, "'I'm scared I'm going to run into some kid and kill them, and it's going to be on my conscience.'"
Scheibler said some adults are also driving their scooters recklessly.
"They are concerning, but like other other types of devices, I'm not sure we can police our way out of this," he said.
Just like bicycles, motorized scooters and bikes are not permitted on the sidewalks in downtown Hays.
The city has recently posted riding rules on its social media site, "but I'm just afraid they fall on deaf ears," Scheibler said.
ACCESS Public Transportation
Also during the add-on comments, Musil talked about last week's presentation by Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas, asking for an increase in 2027 city funding for operation of ACCESS Public Transportation due to cutbacks in state grant dollars.
"From what I can see, we don't have money now to give them. I don't see us having the money next year to give them," Musil said.
"They want [$108,031 more]. The only way we could come up with that is to raise the mill levy or cut some services," he said.
"I guess I'm asking the public, what do you want? ... It's concerning if we don't have public transportation, because, for some people, that's their only way of getting around, especially handicapped people," Musil said.
ACCESS has also asked Ellis County for more money in 2027.
DSNWK is creating a public task force to address its funding shortage. Musil, Vice Mayor Alaina Cunningham and City Manager Toby Dougherty will serve as city representatives.
Planned shopping center in Hays
Cunningham referenced a recent story on Hays Post and a Grow Hays podcast (also available on Hays Post) about retail development in the city and a planned new shopping center north of Home Depot.
"Based on the comments, I feel like there's still some misunderstanding by the public about what is desired in retail. ... This isn't something that was looked at overnight. It's been a long, multiple-year process to get to where we're at even today," Cunningham said, "which is not building the retail yet."
She also referenced the city's high pull factor for bringing in outside residents to shop in Hays.
Retail sales were up for 6.6% in May as compared to last year, reported Kim Rupp, finance director.
The city's general fund is primarily financed by the local sales tax.
New police station/municipal court furnishings
The sole agenda item Thursday was a request to purchase furnishings, fixtures and equipment for the new police station/municipal court not to exceed $850,000 to be paid from general obligation bonds proceeds.
Collin Bielser, deputy city manager, said the renovation project at 11th and Fort, the former site of Astra Bank, is about 60% complete, with a planned opening this fall.
Included in the request is IT infrastructure, with fiber optic network connectivity and a variety of security measures, training room equipment and office furniture.
The existing police department’s available space is 11,000 square feet. The new police station is twice that size and will provide room for the force's growth.
Executive session
Dougherty requested a 20-minute executive session including commissioners excluding Musil, city manager, deputy and assistant city managers and city attorney, regarding matters pertaining to attorney-client privilege.
Jarrod Kuckelman, assistant city manager, said Musil's exclusion had nothing to do with his performance as a commissioner.
No action was taken following the session.
Watch the entire June 11, 2026 Hays City Commission meeting below, courtesy of Nex-Tech.