Hays local news summary
Week of August 30 2025
City Approves $19 Million Bond
Report: Tallgrass Housing Development Yields $24.5 Million Economic Impact
City Leaders Voice Frustration Over Decade-Long R9 Water Project Delays
Rezoning Approved for Lincoln School Apartment Conversion
The Grove Development Progresses; Community Center Opens
Airport Parking Expansion Authorized Amid Record Passenger Numbers
Discussion Highlights Challenges of Affordable Housing Construction
1. City Approves $19 Million Bond
HAYS - The Hays City Commission unanimously authorized the issuance of over $19 million in general obligation bonds and temporary notes to finance several key infrastructure and development projects. Backed by an “AA” bond rating from S&P, the city secured favorable interest rates. The Series 2025-A bonds, totaling $14.14 million, will fund the new police facility, the Automated Metering Infrastructure (AMI) project, and The Grove housing development. Temporary notes totaling $4.075 million will finance infrastructure at the I-70 Exit 161 interchange. Officials clarified that the AMI and Grove projects will be repaid through water revenues and RHID revenues, respectively. While the police facility will require a tax levy, Finance Director Kim Rupp noted the new debt aligns with other obligations rolling off the city’s books.
2. Report: Tallgrass Housing Development Yields $24.5 Million Economic Impact
HAYS - Doug Williams, Executive Director of Grow Hays, presented an analysis detailing the significant economic benefits of the recently completed 66-lot Tallgrass addition. According to the report, the $19.38 million invested in the development generated an estimated $24.5 million in local economic impact and sustained approximately 260 local jobs during construction. Williams emphasized that the RHID incentive was crucial for the project’s viability, noting the property generated only $127 in annual property taxes before development, despite being platted since 2001. He also credited the non-profit developer, Heart of America, for undertaking extensive infrastructure improvements, including the costly rebuilding of Wheatland Drive, which saved the city an estimated $500,000–$600,000 in future repairs.
3. City Leaders Voice Frustration Over Decade-Long R9 Water Project Delays
HAYS - Following a joint meeting with the City of Russell, Hays City Commissioners expressed significant frustration regarding ongoing regulatory and legal delays stalling the R9 long-term water supply project. Commissioner Mason Ruder emphasized that the application has now been delayed for 10 years since its submission in June 2015, despite Hays and Russell winning every substantive legal challenge to date. Commissioners argued that continuous appeals and lengthy judicial timing are obstructing a critical sustainability project. Ruder noted the community’s strong record of conservation, stating Hays should be the “poster child” for water sustainability in Kansas.
4. Rezoning Approved for Lincoln School Apartment Conversion
HAYS - The former Lincoln School property at 1906 Ash Street is slated for redevelopment following the City Commission’s unanimous approval to rezone the property from Public & Institutional (PI) to Residential Multifamily (R-M). Developer Michael Graham plans to convert the historic school building into 26–28 apartments and construct several new duplex or fourplex units on the east side of the property. Commissioners praised the project as valuable infill that repurposes a historic structure while using existing city infrastructure, requiring no new streets or utilities.
5. The Grove Development Progresses; Community Center Opens
HAYS - Infrastructure work is complete at The Grove, a 108-unit, retiree-focused development adjacent to HaysMed’s Center for Health Improvement on Canterbury Drive. Grow Hays Director Doug Williams announced that construction on the first 7–10 homes is expected to begin within the next 30–45 days. The announcement coincided with the ribbon-cutting for the development’s Bob & Pat Schmidt Community Center, which houses the Bright Minds Academy childcare center and senior-center components. City officials lauded the project as a major accomplishment addressing critical needs for both senior housing and childcare.
6. Airport Parking Expansion Authorized Amid Record Passenger Numbers
HAYS - To address overcrowding from rising traffic, the City Commission approved a $248,019 contract with Morgan Brothers Construction to expand the Hays Regional Airport parking lot. Airport Director Jamie Salter reported that enplanements have more than doubled over the past decade, with 2025 projected at ~17,000. The expansion increases paved passenger parking capacity to 164 spaces as travelers have been using gravel areas for overflow.
7. Discussion Highlights Challenges of Affordable Housing Construction
HAYS - A citizen request for the city to donate land to facilitate the construction of $150,000 homes sparked a broader discussion on the realities of affordable housing. Commissioners and the citizen, Aaron Dreer, ultimately agreed that building a house at that price point is nearly impossible in the current market, even with free land, due to high material and labor costs. The discussion emphasized that affordability relies heavily on the “trickle effect”—where new developments open up older, more affordable housing stock as residents move up—and on balancing overall supply and demand.
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