By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
Hays city commissioners agree with the operators of ACCESS Public Transportation that a task force should to be formed immediately to address its funding concerns.
The organization, operated by Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas, (DSNWK) recently announced it will end Sunday rides beginning July 1 due to budget limitations.
Jerry Michaud, DSNWK executive director, represented one of the outside organizations requesting funding from the city in 2027 which appeared before the commission during Thursday's work session.
Michaud said there is an approximate $112,000 budget shortfall for the current year. He said the gap is projected to grow due to funding cutbacks from the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) and rising costs for fuel, insurance, maintenance and vehicles.
Funds from the Federal Transit Administration are funneled through KDOT, which requires local matching dollars to offset the ACCESS operation costs.
KDOT, City of Hays and Ellis County each contribute funding to ACCESS, along with the patrons who pay a fee for each ride they take within Ellis County.
ACCESS has asked for $190,531 from the city, up $108,031 from the $82,500 they received in 2026. Michaud said they plan to request the same amount from Ellis County.
He noted that although ACCESS serves the smaller communities of Ellis and Victoria, those towns have not been asked to contribute funds.
Wade Kruse, ACCESS transportation director, said increasing rider fees tends to "backfire," with fewer people using the service at that point.
David Vilaysing, commissioner, suggested at the end of the work session that Grow Hays, the economic development arm of the city, could consider using some of its own funding to help finance ACCESS.
SEE RELATED STORY: ACCESS Public Transportation faces 2026 budget shortfall
Other budget presentations came from Fort Hays State University, Grow Hays, and The Bricks in downtown Hays, which each requested the same amounts as they were granted in 2026.
The CARE Council request of $92,000 was $5,500 less than it received last year.
Hali Bielser, CARE Council chair, outlined the specific programs that would benefit from the city funds including First Call for Help, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of the High Plains, Western Kansas Child Advocacy Center, Cancer Council of Ellis County, Hays Senior Center, Options Domestic & Sexual Violence Services and Western Kansas Association for the Concerns of the Disabled.
Furnishings for new police station/municipal court
Construction of the new police station, in the former Astra Bank at 11th and Fort, is 55% complete with a planned opening in the late fall.
Collin Bielser, deputy city manager, presented a request to begin acquiring fixtures, furnishings and equipment for the facility, not to exceed a cost of $850,000.
Included in the request is IT infrastructure, with fiber optic network connectivity and a variety of security measures, training room equipment and office furniture.
Bielser pointed out that the existing police department’s available space is 11,000 square feet. The new police station is double that size and will provide room for growth of the force.
Proceeds for the already-issued bonds will finance the purchases.
Commissioners will vote on the request at their June 11 meeting.
Commissioner add-on comments
Vilaysing requested the commission look at changing its meeting times to 5:30 p.m. instead of 4 p.m. "I know a lot of people who want to attend these and that's a more convenient time for them," he said.
Sandy Jacobs, commissioner, said "I've been a commissioner a long time and we have had them later in the day. I can tell you, people still don't attend." She said she thought more people were present at the meetings after the start time was moved up to 4 p.m.
Executive session
Toby Dougherty, city manager, requested an executive session not to exceed 30 minutes, for the purpose of discussing data relating to financial affairs or trade secrets for corporations, partnerships, trusts and individual proprietorships.
Included in the executive session were the commissioners, Dougherty, Bielser, the assistant city manager and representatives from Grow Hays.
No action was taken after the executive session.