[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6142532,"mediaKeyId","5557049-e700c12937600bd5cbc51a5dbfa01a16","parentId",5557049,"title","City staff report: street repairs, lift-station work, park maintenance and upcoming events","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",4340000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5557049-e700c12937600bd5cbc51a5dbfa01a16&start=4340&end=4340","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5557049-e700c12937600bd5cbc51a5dbfa01a16/thumbnail_4340000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6142532/Hays-City/Ellis-County/Kansas/City-staff-report-street-repairs-lift-station-work-park-maintenance-and-upcoming-events","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6142532-d646471dd0cad65dd35b44ab8070b3ef/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448553&Signature=Jhw0As2sNHawwZyI1rdv0RFZFlZ9hn3Ae2IYjcUHQELiDGa63WdBl2kygw7EQSA7gZZdRVPUTBBauQoAxoTQV9SppgDYyzO0J4~zSlOuBUVrZuWYvodHFJjrzNbR3VlKUIwjHhuoNsX4SUN979QNDiQWtsWsEnt0xa1Y5PSicWYHJ2Bg4pwqmGmPz79szbRCpoIrUxPn51N5wSENhQXoXPMydOYlL4C1qxDuYWZogjts47DJQlNTjP78lr6oNQmd0svLPfdWPXIoQPo~0C8xUr-gh1FZNwDykMSK0W3SfF91rCSBEYTiknVV7xxcwvGPsae0sAUcTrA34KvKUh0lIg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Council of Hays, KS","date","2025-07-25T11:17:07Z","article","Colin Belzer, deputy city manager, and Melissa Dixon, director of the Convention and Visitors Bureau, provided updates on city operations, public-works projects and upcoming community events.

Belzer reported that the service division repaired the intersection at 20 Second and MacArthur and addressed water-leak repairs at 18th and 20th; staff repaired curb, gutter and ADA ramps at 17th and Millner. He said the chip-and-seal maintenance program is largely complete, with pavement marking to follow and that 30 Third Street reconstruction finished roughly three months ahead of schedule. Equipment for the East H Street lift station replacement has started to arrive; the work was described as mobilizing this week with a potential completion window to the end of the year but possibly sooner.

Parks staff treated hundreds of trees for bagworms, repaired playground equipment and made parking-lot repairs at the golf course ahead of chip-and-seal work. Airport staff placed rock along the terminal parking lot fence line to reduce erosion and wildlife hazards.

Melissa Dixon outlined a schedule of public events and tourism activity: the Sternberg Museum summer exhibit (animal armor) runs through September; an interactive \"A Place to Call Home\" exhibit is on loan at the Ellis County Historical Society Museum; downtown markets and the Hays Fresh Produce Market run on Saturdays; the annual Duck Derby (Big Brothers Big Sisters) will be at the Aquatic Park on August 6; concerts at the Fox Theater and Fort Hays State University events were previewed; and the Convention and Visitors Bureau launched a redesigned visithays.com site to improve user experience.

Commissioners thanked staff for the street and project work and praised CVB efforts on events and visitor services.

Ending: Staff will continue scheduled construction, maintenance and event-support activities; no formal actions were taken on these informational items.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Hays Commission Meeting- July 24, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","City staff reported recent and ongoing public-works projects — including the 30th Street maintenance program, 13th Street and 30 Third reconstructions, East H Street lift station mobilization — and parks/airport maintenance. Melissa Dixon, CVB director, also previewed major August events and new visithays.com updates.","taxTitle","Hays City, Ellis County, Kansas","taxId",52149,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6142538,"Public hearing on CDBG grant for 1012 Main Street reopened to correct notice, closed with no comment",84,426000,510000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5557049-e700c12937600bd5cbc51a5dbfa01a16&start=426&end=510","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5557049-e700c12937600bd5cbc51a5dbfa01a16/thumbnail_426000.jpg","/articles/6142538/Hays-City/Ellis-County/Kansas/Public-hearing-on-CDBG-grant-for-1012-Main-Street-reopened-to-correct-notice-closed-with-no-comment","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6142538-0971a4bbad8d4c31b80aac633fb8b116/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448553&Signature=H4AeJd8-TQjdF15FR4mW26zT7hX3-hVawiPV63laq3Vxxn7m2spCDGmZ1ewOL4hTwtLHrzxOpCBT6at~IyZcJLSibLD64IRDIWZjjTMbSy5konyEqn9cOv7q7WzeQddBCLG53shtoBVhuFKJlGbLw5ckgFloEebwKnvtqmoAA3HfnyiRT-sFfwisOg914-B7hsEj62R9pOoBsrAv-GRtHSUc3Zf0fCrprqCJhYF49XcsE3sNKEqsvgkb5bnZz90wkafpixdWx31D6lp0MUoY11eQBZBvSyG8WRzviU-wLEvTw7M7waZlHvFvZktsQPP~JVNqwcTXG1k~MiNpnYvPrw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Jared Kirkleman, assistant city manager, told the City Commission that a required public-notification step for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) hearing had been missed and the item needed to be re-heard to meet CDBG deadlines.

Kirkleman apologized and asked to redo the public hearing to satisfy CDBG's strict notification requirements. The commission opened the hearing for 1012 Main Street, received no public comments, and a motion to close the public hearing was made by Commissioner Barrack and seconded by Commissioner Reuter. The commission voted \"aye,\" and the hearing was closed.

Kirkleman characterized the action as a procedural redo to meet federal program requirements; no testimony was offered during the reopened hearing and the commission did not take further action on the grant at the meeting.

Ending: The hearing record was closed with no public comment; staff will proceed with the CDBG process according to program requirements.","Assistant City Manager Jared Kirkleman told the commission the city had missed a required notice for a Community Development Block Grant public hearing for 1012 Main Street; the commission reopened the hearing to satisfy CDBG rules and then closed it with no public comment.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_46":92,"_48":93,"_50":94,"_52":95,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":96,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":97,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6142543,"City Commission hears RDG housing-study update; officials cite lot shortage and funding barriers for affordable housing",2380,534000,2914000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5557049-e700c12937600bd5cbc51a5dbfa01a16&start=534&end=2914","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5557049-e700c12937600bd5cbc51a5dbfa01a16/thumbnail_534000.jpg","/articles/6142543/Hays-City/Ellis-County/Kansas/City-Commission-hears-RDG-housing-study-update-officials-cite-lot-shortage-and-funding-barriers-for-affordable-housing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6142543-947cfcb8e7a8bd30c7a3f3cbd8a6676f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448553&Signature=jerSIxPB60E6EE8HYY5eNogGSl6GOORPFikQmzMAhFTcJTE2YSQpHVgCwcoUM-Vo8WIUM~zstnpdz0bv~5u5qfQzWGCpSrP6y1Wv2a~XHgyiw8BeKNKf8fbxlePsFR65qg6F7igbwNXEy0ntGKtbqtQ0wfLWSBWMoLbsY0lhfPTjk39l0wUx5w-eZ1njw9ldDVmRR53pfGdhfW-TRvcJYCpZf0389hIZx11pyE6mphMcdVED6QM2nCppJAZuygiM4XF4~YfdEAOc6OBhYppOsP4~W5HDGcDytE3TumCXf~Zc4inQKa77nQnqFRvACrjifE-VZyIeRFUeM1u9lyfumA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Colin Belzer, deputy city manager, presented an updated market analysis from RDG that compares the 2022 housing study to a 2025 market update and outlines the city’s housing supply, lot inventory and affordability gaps.

Belzer told commissioners the city contracted RDG in 2022 to produce a housing study, and state statute requires a housing study if a community intends to implement reinvestment housing incentive districts (RHIDs). He said RDG was asked to update only the market analysis portion of the prior study. The updated presentation showed that, to meet a 1% annual growth target, Hays would need to average about 87 housing units per year; RDG’s prior 2022 projection called for about 93 per year by 2030 under similar assumptions.

Belzer said the city currently has roughly 49 unbuilt residential lots scattered across Hays plus about 52 lots in The Grove (for a combined total of about 101 lots \"ready to be built on\" in theory), but many of those unbuilt lots are owned by builders and are not listed for sale. Doug Williams, executive director of GrowHays, told the commission that many lots are \"unbuilt on\" rather than actually available for purchase and estimated average lot prices in the community in rough ranges: about $25,000–$35,000 on average, with some newer subdivisions selling lots in the $47,000–$50,000 range.

Commission discussion and staff comments highlighted several constraints to producing more affordable housing: limited lot inventory that a builder can acquire and develop for sale to individual buyers; the local construction market’s limited capacity, especially for denser affordable multifamily products; and the loss of a state matching component for low-income housing tax credits that reduced the state’s ability to supplement federal credits. Belzer and multiple commissioners said private incentive tools the city uses — RHID, industrial revenue bonds (IRB), community improvement district (CID), tax-increment financing (TIF), and neighborhood revitalization programs — are already being used and that additional progress would likely require significant cash subsidy or other large investments.

Belzer and Williams referenced past projects that used incentives: the Tallgrass addition, where initial lots were made cheaper through a nonprofit partnership and an RHID, and Washington School, a project that used low-income housing tax credits. Belzer said one reason Tallgrass succeeded was the ability to offset infrastructure costs and provide low-cost lots; he noted the first 36 lots there were sold for about $10,000 each under that arrangement.

Commissioners raised questions about the study’s methodology and the limits of applying national survey-derived statistics to local conditions, particularly in a college town with student population churn. Belzer and Williams urged the commission to use the study as a guideline and to continue three-year updates per city policy. Williams committed to returning with an economic-impact presentation on RHID later in August.

Ending: Commissioners asked staff to continue work on incentives, lot development and partnerships; no formal vote or policy change was taken at the meeting.","Deputy City Manager Colin Belzer and GrowHays Executive Director Doug Williams summarized an RDG market update that finds Hays needs roughly 87 housing units annually to meet a 1% growth target; officials said lot inventory, construction capacity and limited subsidy programs are constraining affordable-housing development.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_46":104,"_48":105,"_50":106,"_52":107,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":108,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":109,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6142548,"Commission approves June financial report showing modest revenue dip, sales-tax gain",303,114000,417000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5557049-e700c12937600bd5cbc51a5dbfa01a16&start=114&end=417","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5557049-e700c12937600bd5cbc51a5dbfa01a16/thumbnail_114000.jpg","/articles/6142548/Hays-City/Ellis-County/Kansas/Commission-approves-June-financial-report-showing-modest-revenue-dip-sales-tax-gain","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6142548-8f358aa32e9100a85c324d6f6141053e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448553&Signature=P6sLsnHlrzmXNx6jkDstq8GNo2cEXyMdU74hTJbOW4P810fZ1EUX68QVpIXcBoW~s-ODpBoTonTp3tTLlIZXxF57BYsKDYMTvRvhUpiFfR9MB4rJSimqhD7R4uCKfmkVi1vIKCmqZRG8RmXfLg5Gt2gDaeYzCMIDpGcnwLoyyhHc4VzyaIQ4MxbgesF9dywa4NxunizljCGffacWbKqcMNlLpGjs3SpbfQJD36Zp4dRl4LSW~naGK-w9quaGTab1T1KZVxWwDldSLYBXWUi0rVc8crG-44HxiWpyTcKMuP3fGhhPa4CqJhfPVe~iyWo82KSYfnn-jYORL9e-0EXN1Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Kim Rupp, director of finance, presented the City of Hays financial summary for the month ended June 30, 2025, and the City Commission approved the report in a 5-0 vote.

Rupp said revenues in June totaled $10,000,002.34 and were down about $664,000 compared with the same period last year. She told commissioners that a $103,000 depreciation entry related to two hail claims was recorded to miscellaneous capital-project revenue and that midyear transfers — largely into the general and employee benefits funds — were lower year over year. Rupp also noted the airport improvement fund was off about $904,000 because CARES Act funding was reflected in the prior year.

The nut of the monthly performance, Rupp said, was that expenditures in June totaled roughly $8,000,001.51 and were up roughly $605,000. \"As mentioned, hail repairs are continuing. Therefore, capital projects increased $829,000,\" Rupp said, adding that insurance and intergovernmental costs rose because of the timing of a property liability payment.

Rupp highlighted sales-tax figures that the commission focused on: \"Month to date, general fund sales tax collections were at $816,000, which was an increase of $51,000 or 6.7% compared to last year,\" she said. Year-to-date general fund sales tax was reported as trending up 2.7%.

Commissioner Musil moved to approve the June finance report; Commissioner Cunningham seconded the motion. After brief informal discussion among commissioners, the motion passed 5-0.

The report included a portfolio snapshot: U.S. Treasury par value for June was listed at $11,717,000 with a weighted average yield to maturity of 4.2%, and total certificates of deposit par value at June 30 was reported at $58,400,000 with a weighted average rate of about 4.5%. Rupp said money market balances and overall investment yields were modestly down from a year earlier.

The commission did not request further action on the report beyond approval.

Ending: Commissioners moved on to other agenda items after the vote; the finance report will be part of the official record and included in the minutes.","The City Commission voted 5-0 to approve the June finance report after a presentation by Kim Rupp, director of finance, who reported a year-over-year revenue decline driven mainly by reduced midyear transfers and lower airport grant receipts; month-to-date sales tax rose 6.7%.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

City staff report: street repairs, lift-station work, park maintenance and upcoming events

Public hearing on CDBG grant for 1012 Main Street reopened to correct notice, closed with no comment

City Commission hears RDG housing-study update; officials cite lot shortage and funding barriers for affordable housing

Commission approves June financial report showing modest revenue dip, sales-tax gain