By N.N. Wyant
The Haysville Times
The Haysville Junior Baseball League will not be using the city facilities this year. This comes after a series of e-mail debates between Kevin Groom and city personnel. The council passed the okay of HJBL’s use of the baseball diamonds upon one condition. The council unanimously wanted the league to use the facilities, but noted that Groom would have to comply with the contract, which basically stipulates that the city wanted to see the operating expenses and meet with the board of the HJBL.
Groom eventually showed up to the meeting, talking on a cell phone as he entered the meeting. “I see it as a micromanagement by the city. We have nothing going on this year that we need the complex.”
Monday’s city council meeting was standing room only by the time the mayor called things to order at 7:00. The crowd was not there to complain to the council. Instead they were there for recognition. Cindy Taylor from the Senor Center spoke before the council in appreciation of the more than 50 volunteers that help at the Center.
Some additional recognition was also due. Dave Harper, Waste Water Supervisor for the city, received the Hatfield award in recognition of his superior work for the city.
The Mayor read the city’s proclamation of Volunteer Week in Haysville, mentioning the numerous people who volunteer in Haysville and help keep the community what it is.
The Senior Center volunteers were not the only special guests Monday, County Commissioner Tim Norton gave the council an update of the many projects Sedgwick County has planned that will affect Haysville. Two miles of 87th street will be “cold mixed.” This is a process of re-surfacing that will save the county $450,000 per mile when compared to other methods of surfacing. Additionally, Norton told the council that a lot of progress has been made on the cleaning of Cowskin Creek, noting that at one farm 1,200 tires were removed to aid in drainage.
Remember the railroad project? It won first place in the Kansas public works competition. The project will now compete at the national level.
After all the “feel good” city discussion, the council got down to business, taking a serious look at pornography. An ordinance strictly limiting the operations of pornography shops was passed 6-0 by the council. Among other things, the ordinance would ban such shops from operating within 1000 feet of a residential area, church, school, government building, park, or other such business. The old ordinance stipulated 500 feet.
On a sad note, Carla Mann is resigning from her duties as the Administrative Secretary. Several members of the council noted that her presence will be missed.
The city is finishing up their solicitation for bids for trash removal from the city. The current proposal would allow for recycling as well as large item collection on specified days, and recycling on a volunteer basis.
The Latchkey program is experiencing a $2 increase from previous years to ward off the expected rise in snacks for children, due to the rising cost of fuel. The program has not had an increase in cost since 2003 and operates at a much cheaper rate than other programs in the surrounding area.
Haysville has been recognized as a tree city for the 6th straight year. To keep up with the tradition, there will be a tree planting at Plagans Carpenter park on May 3rd at 4:00 p.m.