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Committee forwards Hays WIFIA application with stipulation to avoid duplicative federal awards
Summary
The committee approved forwarding the City of Hays’ WIFIA loan application for a regional wellfield and 69‑mile pipeline but added a condition that prevents the city from receiving duplicative BRIC funding for the same project.
The Build Kansas steering committee on an administrative vote forwarded the City of Hays’ WIFIA application for BKF matching consideration with a recorded stipulation intended to prevent duplicate federal funding for a single project scope.
Jason Fizel, interim executive director of the Kansas Infrastructure Hub, described the Hays submission as a large‑scale water infrastructure project that would develop a nine‑well field, a 500,000‑gallon storage tank, pump station and 69 miles of 24‑inch transmission pipeline from Edwards County north to a connection south of Hays. The hub’s packet notes strong local interest in sustaining long‑term water supplies and an earlier BRIC application tied to the same R9 project had been rescinded by FEMA. The hub previously recommended $15.8 million in BRIC funding for this project before the rescindment, staff said.
Committee members asked whether the city could seek both a new WIFIA award and a reopened BRIC award for the same project. Committee chair and members discussed federal program timing and court proceedings related to water rights associated with the R9 Ranch; Jason Fizel said he was aware of a court matter but not its details.
To resolve the potential duplication, the chair made a formal motion and Representative Francis seconded it: if BKF funds are awarded for the Hays WIFIA submission, the city may not simultaneously accept BRIC funding for that same project. The committee passed the motion by voice vote. The hub will mark the BKF application and condition its further BKF processing on confirmation of the federal award source before disbursing state matching funds.
Jason Fizel told the committee the hub’s intent is to prevent double‑dipping of state and federal match across distinct grant streams: "It is one or the other. It cannot be the Water Infrastructure Finance Innovation program and BRIC. It’s got to be one of the other," he said. The committee recorded the stipulation to guard against overlapping federal awards and asked staff to document the condition in the applicant’s file and the BKF submission packet.
The committee did not record a BKF dollar request for the WIFIA packet in the meeting minutes; staff advised applicants and members that final award and disbursement would depend on federal determinations and the hub’s confirmation that the federal award source meets BKF criteria.
The committee forwarded the Hays packet with that condition; staff will follow up to ensure the condition is reflected in the BKF submission and that the city is advised of the restriction prior to any BKF obligation.
