By Angie Gumm
The Haysville Times
Haysville residents looking to talk things over with Larry Powell, the city’s community developer, will soon be able to do so at the restored Vickers Building. After years of talk and planning, the old Vickers Building has been fixed into community developer’s office.
Powell said they were mainly waiting for fiber optics to be installed and that “barring a parking fiasco,” the building would be open at least by May 19, in time for the next Haysville Forward meeting.
Joking about the small size of the building, Superintendent Dr. John Burke said that the committee “may have to lose weight.”
A few major faces were missing from the Haysville Community Expo this year, including Dairy Queen, Dana Haislett’s Shelter Insurance, and Homeland. According to the committee, the first two businesses had prior commitments and Homeland did not hear back from their corporate office with authorization to attend.
Tom Gibson, who helped organize the event, was disappointed about the smaller turnout. “It’s a little disheartening thinking about what’s here and what’s in the community and who we get involved with it,” he said.”
Gibson said he was especially referring to the lack of participation by churches and student organizations in the last couple of years.
The $100 price tag to have a booth at the expo was seen as a possible deterrent, but Gibson said that was the lowest prices could go unless Haysville Forward helped subsidize them.
Haysville Forward and the school district have each contributed $5,000 for the city’s new advertising campaign, which they are hoping to air on regular, local television instead of cable. The group is starting to collect bids from agencies.
The new Haysville Leadership Academy is revving up to start in September. The group is looking to meet the first Thursday of every month from September to March, with the exception of December. The program will teach local people how to get involved and become leaders in the community. The cost of the program will be $100, with $25 of that to be paid by the attendee’s employer. The academy is starting to solicit names of potential community leaders who might be interest in attending. You can nominate someone else or yourself by calling Sandy Bradshaw at 554-2200. Between 12 and 20 people will be participating in the group.
The annual Haysville, Mulvane, Derby Tri-City breakfast will take place at 7 a.m. on May 5 at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Mulvane. For more information, call Dr. John Burke at 554-2200.