By ALICIA FEYERHERM
Tiger Media Network
Hays City Commission met Thursday and discussed the Larks Park lease agreement, facility agreements with Hays Recreation Commission (HRC) and awarded a bid for Sanitary Sewer Point Repairs.
Since 2006, the Larks Park lease between the City of Hays and Fort Hays State University has automatically renewed. The new lease agreement changes a few sections.
Section 2 included changes stating the City will pay for 50% of maintenance expenses up to $10,000. Section 3 requires the Hays Larks to pay $2,500 to the City annually and describes how turf will be funded in the future. Section 8 removes language requiring FHSU to use advertising sign revenue for turf. Section 10 clarifies that effluent water must be used for irrigation. This is the current practice, but this adds it specifically to the lease agreement.
“I think it’s a good thing to move forward with,” Director of Parks Jeff Boyle said.
The agreement passed 5-0.
With the HRC, the City has three separate agreements. Like the Larks Park agreement, these agreements have been set to automatically renew.
“We just wanted to go through the agreements and clean them up a little bit,” Boyle said.
The first agreement is for the Bickle Schmidt Sports Complex. Section 6 adds language as far as the City’s responsibility for the new artificial turf infields as well as describes rules for HRC’s advertising. Section 7 changed the budget request deadline to February 1 instead of April 1. Section 8 changed the deadline to submit revenue/expense reports from December 1 to November 1. Section 9 added non-discrimination language that is present in all other City contracts.
“Not that that’s an issue at Hays Rec,” Boyle said. “It’s just nice to have it in there.”
The commission also discussed Pool Services agreements for the Hays Aquatic Park and Wilson Pool. Section B raised the City’s responsibility from $500 to $1,000. Section L changed the budget deadline to February 1 instead of April 1. Section M allows the HRC to spend up to $1,000 for repairs without City approval. The old contract only authorized up to $500. Section N removed the requirement for the HRC to provide and pay for telephone service.
Finally, Boyle reviewed the Recreational Facilities Agreement. Section 1 removed the list of park names and added language to simply include all park and recreation locations. Section 5 removed the requirement for HRC to provide and pay for telephone service. Section 8 changed the budget deadline to February 1. Section 9 added the non-discrimination policy. Section 11 removed the HRC requirement to submit revenue/expense reports.
“We quit doing that a long time ago,” Boyle said. “It’s not necessary. They actually pay us every year to assist with maintenance.”
The agreements passed 5-0.
Director of Water Resources Jeff Crispin presented bids for Sanitary Sewer Point repairs. Eleven contractors were solicited for the project with one submitting a bid.
CC Steel, LLC has completed sewer line cleaning for the City before and was approved for a bid to clean the sewer line for this upcoming year. The bid of $299,697.50 came in under the budget of $350,000 and the Staff Estimate of $361,000.
The next City Commission meeting will be at 4:00 p.m. on July 25 at City Hall.