By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
Discussion about a potential common alcohol consumption area in downtown Hays continued during Thursday's city commission work session.
Commissioners first talked about the idea at their June 6 work session.
Proposed boundary areas are Seventh Street to 13th Street and Fort to Oak, or further to Walnut to Oak, which is favored by Commissioner Alaina Cunningham.
Ordinances for both areas will be drawn up by the city attorney after the R9 Ranch water transfer public hearing concludes in Wichita and then put on an agenda for further consideration and possible vote sometime in August.
To implement a common consumption area, the city commission must pass an ordinance designating the area boundaries, with dates and time of operation included in the ordinance. Commissioners are considering 6 a.m. to 2 a.m., 365 days a year.
Cost of the signage is estimated at $10,000 to $15,000.
Vice-Mayor Sandy Jacobs said she had many people tell her they were in favor of the idea; one downtown merchant was opposed. Several businesses Commissioner Reese Barrick spoke to were against the proposal.
One of the downtown business owners in favor of the common consumption area is Dustin Roths, owner of the Fox, the Strand, and Diamond R Jewelry.
Roths told the commission it's something that would make Hays "look like a forward-thinking city and that we understand the economic power of this."
The city would seek the common consumption area permit from the state. Businesses within or immediately adjacent to the district already licensed to sell alcoholic beverages must apply to the state to participate.
State law previously required roads within a common consumption area to be blocked to vehicle traffic.
The requirement was modified on July 1, and now areas need only to be posted with signage designating the boundaries and hours of operation.
In other business, the commission asked to add an expenditure in the proposed 2024 budget for more Municipal Park pickleball courts.
The budget, which maintains a 25.000 mill levy, will be reviewed during two more work sessions before the public hearing on Sept. 14.
Commissioners also heard from Ellis County Commissioner Michael Berges, a former city commissioner, about the county's Rural Opportunity Zone.
The state program is a tool for communities to incentivize citizens to move to counties with populations of fewer than 40,000 residents.
Berges encouraged the city to also participate by dedicating monies for a student loan repayment program. The state kicks in a five-year income tax credit.
The city commission previously talked about the rural opportunity zone program in 2021 when Ellis County became eligible but took no action.
Commissioner Mason Ruder was absent from the work session.