Election

Hello Community of Hays,

My name is Glenn Cox and I am a candidate for City Commission. I have lived in or near Hays for twenty three of the past thirty years. My platform is growth, downtown development, hike/bike trail completion, curb appeal of college area and efficient/effective city government. Ask me questions or comment about your community.

What would you do about downtown parking? How would you make the the district competitive?

Hike n bike is cool for a perfect community. I'd rather see the streets cleaned when it snows. About 5 years ago I pulled a muffler off my vehicle on a Hays residential street after it re-froze into an ice rut maze that never had the fortune of seeing a snow plow. But hey, we have trees growing in the middle of North Vine so visitors will think we are progressive.

How about we go for fully functional before we worry about bike paths and impressing tourists?

How do you propose to improve the curb appeal of the college area?

Thank you all for your questions and comments.

To improve curb appeal I want to work with landlords, the university and public works on some type of trash cleanup policy that will work.

You are correct, the first job of city government is efficiently operating city services. The city could use more private contractors for snow removal during severe winter storms, which would support private business and address snow removal on the side streets.

I propose that the city , if this idea proceeds, support building a convention center downtown. Many events are associated with the University and a downtown location is convenient for access to the university.

Hays Neighbors provides an alley clean up each spring in addition to the city wide fall alley clean up. Were you thinking of something other than the alleys?

gmcox wrote:

Thank you all for your questions and comments.

To improve curb appeal I want to work with landlords, the university and public works on some type of trash cleanup policy that will work.

You are correct, the first job of city government is efficiently operating city services. The city could use more private contractors for snow removal during severe winter storms, which would support private business and address snow removal on the side streets.

I propose that the city , if this idea proceeds, support building a convention center downtown. Many events are associated with the University and a downtown location is convenient for access to the university.

I'm afraid FHSU has earned the rep of a sports and party university instead of a center for higher learning. Until universities in general focus on academics instead of trying to lure in lunkheads who can play ball you'll have trouble changing the look of the area. Think about it. Whether it's FHSU, K-State, or KU, nobody is wearing the school colors because of their great debate team. As long as sports is the priority of universities you will attract a hard partying trashy crowd.

As far as a downtown convention center goes, the question of parking arises again.

FHSU is no longer considered a party school. At least not to students. The days of huge yard parties are gone. They still party as all people that age will. But the parties are much smaller and they are more considerate of their neighbors. Some exceptions will remain, but overall the climate has changed at FHSU. Most of the trash in the neighborhood is blowing trash from overfull trash cans.

I agree the students of FHSU are invested in education more than parties. This relates to trash containers and the people who live in the neighborhoods around the campus area.

Glenn, you will have to get over the overall negativity of this board and some specific users. No mater what you propose or say, they are going to trash it.

As for FHSU being a party school or not, I'm pretty sure all universities are considered party schools to some extent, its just a college thing.

A downtown convention center would be nice, but the university can already host conventions, they have the space. Hays in general needs this addressed, but the biggest aspect that helps convention centers is hotel support and how close the hotels are to the convention centers. I think that is the problem right now, people can host conventions at FHSU but they are across town from where the people are staying when they come to town. The conventions I've gone to, we don't have to get in cars and go back and forth across town, even a small town like Hays.

I agree with lil chef. But in order to fix that issue you'd either need to put the convention center along vine street (which will further damage business downtown) or put a hotel+ convention center in closer to downtown and campus ( and does hays REALLY near another new hotel.
I think that bike/ walking trail thing would be great. They have them all over the place out here and they as constantly in use!

dz724 wrote:

I agree with lil chef. But in order to fix that issue you'd either need to put the convention center along vine street

I'm not so sure, dz. Hays isn't that big. It doesn't take long to get from the north side of town to the south side, and the eating establishments are between.

lilchefed wrote:

Glenn, you will have to get over the overall negativity of this board and some specific users. No mater what you propose or say, they are going to trash it.

You'd be better off if you get over users that have a Mary Poppins image of the world. Maybe I wouldn't be negative if there hadn't been so many suicides in Hays in the last 2 or 3 years, including 2 FHSU students a week apart. Will bike paths help prevent that?

I'll take justoo's word for it that FHSU isn't as big a party place as before. At least not in the open where HPD is waiting to pounce. I know the high schoolers are staying in hiding nowdays but still partying. I do agree it's common to college life and always has been to a degree. But I still say there's far too much emphasis on sports in schools and I'd like to see FHSU expand on academics rather than put so much into sports. Maybe they've changed that too, but it wasn't that many years ago I saw a bunch of ball players sitting on a 7th street porch drinking beer while classes were in session.

All that aside, I agree with SciFi in that no bigger than Hays is it's not a huge issue to travel around town for events. Maybe if there's alot of trash blowing around as they said, then that might be an issue to address.

I honestly just don't see the need to sink time and money into bike trails and convention centers when there are problems that need corrected first. I'm not against parks and other ways to relax, and I'm sure not against tourist dollars. I just think the first duty of a city's leaders is to find things that affect daily living that need taken care of before we try to mirror Wichita or KC in leisure activities.

And on that note, Why is it that rent and housing just goes up and up in Hays but wages don't? I know what the answer was years ago and it stunk, so maybe it needs addressed again. There's one for you to tackle.

Ratzilla wrote:

And on that note, Why is it that rent and housing just goes up and up in Hays but wages don't? I know what the answer was years ago and it stunk, so maybe it needs addressed again. There's one for you to tackle.

As someone who was seriously considering moving back to Hays this year, I'd like to know the answer to that, too. Rent there is on par with rent in Topeka, but what is there in Hays to justify that? The aquatic park? The bustling Mall? Great shopping elsewhere in town? City services? None of that was enough of a draw for me to make the move.

I've got no vested interest in Hays as I don't live there anymore. I liked the place and the people; it's an insulated slice of Americana that you just don't find in other parts of the country... but it just ain't for me long-term.

As I understand it, the Hays area is pretty much the only town in Western Kansas that's actually gaining in population. And IMO that's exactly why Hays is a pretty good place to live- unlike other mid-sized towns like Great Bend, Garden, Dodge, Goodland, etc. And the smaller towns are dying by attrition- all the bright kids move away seeking better opportunities (my Supreme Commandress being a case in point).

So I think that ya'll should be doing everything you can to encourage commerce and growth in Hays. Ya'll shouldn't be turning away ANY economic opportunity that comes your way- whether that's another hotel, another chain restaurant, a factory, or crop of wind turbines. Personally I would even welcome the inevitable influx of Mexicans... but I know most of ya'll will disagree with me on that point.

Hays is its own isolated little universe- being FROM there, some of ya'll may not see that... I dunno. It's part of Ellis County's charm. But along with that 'charm' and genuine sense of community comes a certain protectionism and resistance to change. And I reckon THAT is Hays' biggest threat to continued growth.

suzyr wrote:

Ratzilla wrote:

And on that note, Why is it that rent and housing just goes up and up in Hays but wages don't? I know what the answer was years ago and it stunk, so maybe it needs addressed again. There's one for you to tackle.

As someone who was seriously considering moving back to Hays this year, I'd like to know the answer to that, too. Rent there is on par with rent in Topeka, but what is there in Hays to justify that? The aquatic park? The bustling Mall? Great shopping elsewhere in town? City services? None of that was enough of a draw for me to make the move.

Maybe landlords with places to rent and owners of local businesses who don't want higher wages shouldn't be voted in office.

Actually, Hays is a small city pretending to be big. The city commission in the past has perpetuated this falsehood. High taxes, wasteful spending and poor services in order to pretend. Hays is a hub due to Walmart only. You will have your work cut out for you.

I agree with suzy. If i was not established here, I would not relocate here.

Bighead wrote:

As I understand it, the Hays area is pretty much the only town in Western Kansas that's actually gaining in population. And IMO that's exactly why Hays is a pretty good place to live- unlike other mid-sized towns like Great Bend, Garden, Dodge, Goodland, etc.

There's a reason those other towns are not as nice as Hays.

Bighead wrote:

Personally I would even welcome the inevitable influx of Mexicans... but I know most of ya'll will disagree with me on that point.

And that's it. It's not a racist thing either. There have been Mexicans in Ellis Co. for decades. But they worked, paid their way, and didn't hang out on street corners with baggy pants and an attitude trying to give everyone's daughters latino babies.

nitromaxx98 wrote:

Actually, Hays is a small city pretending to be big. The city commission in the past has perpetuated this falsehood.

That's a good description. And not allowing businesses to come in because they supposedly paid employees too much has been a huge past issue. They want big city rent out of their houses but don't want big city wages. It's why I'd vote for some drunken bum living in a trailer house before I'd vote for anyone in Hays who has employees or rentals.

I'm curious as to why comments have not been addressed such as low wages compared to high rent. Is it taboo to run for office in Hays and deal with this? Or do we just want to talk about tourists and bike paths?

Like I said, a bike path isn't a terrible idea but Hays has several parks where kids can get lots of exercise including the Frontier Parks.

No offense Glenn, but you want to hear what Hays needs to do and this is it. Just a few years ago local places here were starting wages out at $6 or $7 an hour while a kid making cardboard boxes in Salina was making $12 in six months and it hasn't improved that much. Yet rent and housing in the last ten years has went berserk.

The cheap assed excuse years ago for not raising wages was because it would raise cost of living. Well wages have raised slowly but cost of living raised twice as fast. And just a watch of TV commercials in Wichita or Salina tells you that even though our wages are lower you can buy things for less there. We're f***ed up here Glenn. Fix it.

I would think the low wages and high rent are both economics, supply and demand. If we had an abundance of quality places to rent, rent would go down. If we had a shortage of workers, then wages would go up. We have neither.

The city has allowed the low income housing apartments, that I don't know the exact details on, but I think they are even going to build a third down by the pool. At the city commissioner debate or whatever it was called a couple of weeks ago, this question was asked. The Commissioners to be elected that were there all said they didn't want to force contractors to build cheap apartments, it wouldn't be a smart move for government to get into.

At the same time, its not like they can force wages up. The only way is to bring in more companies that can then compete for the work force, which will then raise wages. I think they have done that with special tax areas for the Holiday Inn Express and Home Depot. Plus they have allowed a nursing home to borrow against the City's name, so that they can get tax free building supplies thus a better incentive to expand since the expansion will be cheaper (and the city isn't on the hook for any of the debt...not 100% sure on how that all works though).

I think the information is out there, but people only want to see and hear what they want.

I agree with you lilchefed. The way to bring wages up is to get more business and commerce in Hays. IMO that means doing away with this protectionist mentality. Ya'll should be welcoming every hotel, chain resturant, windfarm, call center, oil well, factory, ethanol plant, etc. that comes your way.

When I lived in Hays I heard talk about certain businesses not being allowed in because local business owners feared that they would pay too much. I honestly don't know if that rumor is true, or any details if it IS true. But if that is in fact how zoning decisions and the like are being made in Hays... then I'm surprised these business owners haven't been LYNCHED by now. That's selling out the future of your town in favor of their own short-term interests.

As for wages vs. rental prices, my experience in hays was much the same. I took a big pay cut when I moved from Colorado to Hays. And I got a big pay raise when I left Hays for Wichita. Rent in Hays is MUCH cheaper than it was in Colorado... but very similar to Wichita. Just based on wages vs. cost of living, I find it much easier to get by in Wichita.

The city allows low income apartments because the feds want our losers, non english speaking residents, and welfare queens to have homes. The same reason states are passing the complete smoking bans, seat belt laws, etc., etc. Because big brother pays them to. Trickle down PC by bribery so to speak. Well I gotta correct that in part. Seat belt laws and alot of others that carry fines are money makers themselves, but federal and state governments tend to push locals to play follow the leader with a financial carrot on a stick, or a threat of removing it.

And I seem to recall some debate at city meetings years ago suggesting that allowing high paying companies in here would be too hard for local businesses to compete with. But the battery plant pays better than most factory work here and for sure more than the typical worker in a retail setting. And it hasn't killed the lower paying places so that argument is BS.

As Bighead says, if Hays wants to be big and bold it needs to allow more businesses in even if not 100% desirable, and I might add regardless of higher pay rates. We already have a factory that uses lead and will likely be declared an EPA cleanup site someday, so they may as well open up to more industry.

Quote :

The city allows low income apartments because the feds want our losers, non english speaking residents, and welfare queens to have homes.

You really are a bitter old crank, ain't you?

The dregs of society will always be around. We can either pay them a pittance so that they sit quietly in front of the teevee and their kids get (somewhat) fed. Or we can leave them to their own devices where they'll steal and prostitute their kids for a few dollars... in which case we'll end up paying four times as much to lock up both them and their shithead kids when they grow up.

I honestly think some folks would rather spend more money and deal with more problems just 'cause they can't stand the thought that their loser neighbor down the street might get something for free.

I believe it's a frustration stemmed from being neither too poor or to rich to give a crap.

Bighead wrote:

You really are a bitter old crank, ain't you?

The dregs of society will always be around. We can either pay them a pittance so that they sit quietly in front of the teevee and their kids get (somewhat) fed. Or we can leave them to their own devices where they'll steal and prostitute their kids for a few dollars... in which case we'll end up paying four times as much to lock up both them and their shithead kids when they grow up.

I honestly think some folks would rather spend more money and deal with more problems just 'cause they can't stand the thought that their loser neighbor down the street might get something for free.

I just understand reality. But you are a pretty good liberal after all. Since when did the creation of housing projects where parents can sit on their ass watching TV reduce crime? It only instills the laziness factor and their kids you worry so much about will be even more likely to be in trouble on the streets just because mom and dad have no ethics.

I have a sister who's lived on the government tit for decades and her daughter didn't turn out worth a shit either. Now she's following in her mothers footsteps and her eldest son is a mess too. 3 generations of losers thanks to welfare programs.

If the government wants to do something it can create jobs like the old WPA or CCC camps. Our parents and grandparents weren't too good to "WORK" for a living, why should we allow it now?

I proposed a tax abatement to all landlords willing to offer rents based on incomes to make living in the community more affordable. I own a house in rural southeast Graham County and rent to a guy commuting to work in Hays. The second idea is attract business that will pay better wages. Regarding the immigrant debate, we are an immigrant nation and a goal is promote the local heritage with all new residents. I would like to see Hays be more a of cultural hub, when I lived here in the eighties we had two major concerts year in Hays. The disagreement in the forum serves the purpose of a forum, to discuss the issues. Later

judging by the amount of Chinese around town and of course the Mexicans, I would say Hays is very much the cultural hub west of Salina

gmcox wrote:

I proposed a tax abatement to all landlords willing to offer rents based on incomes to make living in the community more affordable.

How would you pay for this?

gmcox wrote:

I own a house in rural southeast Graham County and rent to a guy commuting to work in Hays.

Where do you live now?

gmcox wrote:

The second idea is attract business that will pay better wages.

How would you pay for this? Business abatements?

gmcox wrote:

Regarding the immigrant debate, we are an immigrant nation and a goal is promote the local heritage with all new residents.

Why are there no Volga-German resturants in town?

gmcox wrote:

I would like to see Hays be more a of cultural hub, when I lived here in the eighties we had two major concerts year in Hays.

When I lived in Hoxie in the eighties, we had one. This aint the eighties.

gmcox wrote:

The disagreement in the forum serves the purpose of a forum, to discuss the issues.

Obviously.

nitromaxx98 wrote:

gmcox wrote:

I proposed a tax abatement to all landlords willing to offer rents based on incomes to make living in the community more affordable.

How would you pay for this?

Good question. Politicians, whether local, state or federal, usually propose ideas without thinking about how to balance the books. There's only two ways that this idea can be paid for. Either raise taxes on others or cut spending. And we all know how well the latter always works out.

nitromaxx98 wrote:

gmcox wrote:

I own a house in rural southeast Graham County and rent to a guy commuting to work in Hays.

Where do you live now?

Most likely Hays.

nitromaxx98 wrote:

gmcox wrote:

The second idea is attract business that will pay better wages.

How would you pay for this? Business abatements?

Good luck with this one. Hays is short on the water supply needed for major industries. Add to that the fact that most industries that pay well aren't exactly expanding at this point.

nitromaxx98 wrote:

gmcox wrote:

Regarding the immigrant debate, we are an immigrant nation and a goal is promote the local heritage with all new residents.

Why are there no Volga-German resturants in town?

C'mon, nitro. That has nothing to do with politicians. It's not like they can mandate that someone open a Volga German place, nor can they force people to eat there in order to keep it in business. Besides, the city gave Gella's plenty of tax breaks. Isn't it supposed to be Volga German? The best thing there is one of the basic German food groups - beer.

nitromaxx98 wrote:

gmcox wrote:

I would like to see Hays be more a of cultural hub, when I lived here in the eighties we had two major concerts year in Hays.

When I lived in Hoxie in the eighties, we had one. This aint the eighties.

Are either of you seriously saying that any concert that has ever been in Hays was major, let alone cultural? Which ones? Pat Benatar? Joan Jett? Starship? (I might have given you that one had Grace Slick been with the group at the time.) The Encore Series at FHSU is much more cultural than any of the "major" concerts that were in Hays in the 80s. It's one thing that Fort Hays and Fast Eddie don't get enough credit for.

I too enjoyed the Encore series when I lived in hays!

[quote="The Other One"]

nitromaxx98 wrote:

Are either of you seriously saying that any concert that has ever been in Hays was major, let alone cultural? Which ones? Pat Benatar? Joan Jett? Starship? (I might have given you that one had Grace Slick been with the group at the time.) The Encore Series at FHSU is much more cultural than any of the "major" concerts that were in Hays in the 80s. It's one thing that Fort Hays and Fast Eddie don't get enough credit for.

lol... She was. It was one of the few concerts I went to in Hays.

[quote="suzyr"]

The Other One wrote:

nitromaxx98 wrote:

Are either of you seriously saying that any concert that has ever been in Hays was major, let alone cultural? Which ones? Pat Benatar? Joan Jett? Starship? (I might have given you that one had Grace Slick been with the group at the time.) The Encore Series at FHSU is much more cultural than any of the "major" concerts that were in Hays in the 80s. It's one thing that Fort Hays and Fast Eddie don't get enough credit for.

lol... She was. It was one of the few concerts I went to in Hays.

Were they there more than once? I don't remember her being there in 1986 when I was there. The concert was the same night as game 6 of the World Series - the game where Billy Buckner of the Red Sox had the ball go through his legs, essentially costing them the series. I remember standing outside the car eating a Whopper at the new Burger King after the concert and listening to that happen on the radio. But maybe she was there. Those were hazy days for some of us. Maybe it was earlier in Salina that she wasn't there. So if she was, I would credit them with getting a little culture in Hays. After all, it was Grace who was the first person to say the word "motherfu@ker" on live TV.

It was '86. I remember being surprised at how tiny she was... looked about 5' tall and 80 lbs.

Back to the topic at hand, though I think bands, groups, artists (however you want to refer to them), are going back to more "intimate" settings, I don't think there's any way Hays will be able to draw big names, current or past. People just don't have the disposable income anymore, to be able to pay the price for tickets that would be required to bring someone in.

suzyr wrote:

It was '86. I remember being surprised at how tiny she was... looked about 5' tall and 80 lbs.

We saw a charcoal drawing of her by Jerry Garcia at a gallery in Lahaina (Maui). She was sitting naked on the floor between a couch and coffee table, with two wine glasses and an empty bottle on the table. The way she was sitting, you couldn't see any private parts, so it wasn't a dirty picture. The title was "Why Am I Too Lazy To Get Up and Go Buy More Wine?" Price was $1500.

suzyr wrote:

Back to the topic at hand, though I think bands, groups, artists (however you want to refer to them), are going back to more "intimate" settings, I don't think there's any way Hays will be able to draw big names, current or past. People just don't have the disposable income anymore, to be able to pay the price for tickets that would be required to bring someone in.

The closest Hays gets is the Wild West Festival, and that's usually a has-been or a never-gonna-be band.

gmcox wrote:

Regarding the immigrant debate, we are an immigrant nation and a goal is promote the local heritage with all new residents.

There's a problem though. My great grandparents and great great grandparents came from Prussia, now modern day Germany, in 1866. I have copies of papers they signed giving up all allegience to the King of Prussia, and my great grandfather learned english and eventually became a Rooks County Commisioner. My family didn't come here by means of anchor babies, they didn't refuse to speak english and they didn't expect anyone to give them a break on housing. They worked not only for themselves, but for their community, and they apparently paid whatever taxes were applicable at the time.

It's no secret that women are immigrating from Southern nations and getting state aid because of babies born here while their men are working for cash tax free. I assume you do realize why those of us whose families immigrated by the rules object to this new open arms attitude to those who didn't, don't pay taxes, and refuse to give up allegience to their parent nations.

I live in Hays after moving here from Graham County five years ago. There are other cultural items such as events for sportsman or nightclub acts. The Encore Series is great and the University is an asset for cultural events, however there are many cultural values in town. I know folks who love pancake dinners as a cultural event. I do miss the concerts. A partial tax abatement is more likely and many landlords may choose not to participate.

Candidate Cox,

Will you be having an event where the community can ask questions and get direct answers on issues they care about?

gmcox wrote:

I live in Hays after moving here from Graham County five years ago. There are other cultural items such as events for sportsman or nightclub acts. The Encore Series is great and the University is an asset for cultural events, however there are many cultural values in town. I know folks who love pancake dinners as a cultural event. I do miss the concerts. A partial tax abatement is more likely and many landlords may choose not to participate.

If you're going to do a partial tax abatement for landlords, whose taxes are you going to raise to make up for it and/or where are you going to cut the budget?

So far it seems that answers to serious questions are being delicately danced around.

Sorry Glenn, you are pretty vague and not very convincing. Short one sentence answers with out elaborating doesn't give me confidence or my vote. At least in the HDN interview the answers were longer, but why come to this forum and then not really expand and try and win our vote?

I read the HDN article. I'm afraid you'll need to explain to me why a hike and bike path seems so necessary Glenn. Especially after this comment you made to HDN.

Quote :

"I just don't see, until the economy is in better shape, not increasing any expenditures where it's not necessary."

I just can't picture new businesses, visitors, or residents deciding to come here because of one, and if someone isn't making enough money in Hays it's sure going to take more than that to keep them here. So can you explain why this hike and bike is big enough that you seem set on spending money on it?

And before considering any convention center downtown it might pay to consider where the flood zones are. Seems to me that the old Walmart building would be perfect for a convention center.

Glenn,

If elected, would you "open the books" on the HCVB, polycarts, Sports Complex, and the trees on north vine, and how they have brought business to Hays?

I hate to seem negative, but so far you seem to be more of what we already have.

nitromaxx98 wrote:

Glenn,

If elected, would you "open the books" on the HCVB, polycarts, Sports Complex, and the trees on north vine, and how they have brought business to Hays?

I hate to seem negative, but so far you seem to be more of what we already have.

The only thing that you named here that was designed to bring business to Hays in the past is the HCVB. The Sports Complex isn't even open yet, and the other two are irrelevant in a discussion of attracting business.

That being said, in the interviews that have been published in the HDN, the candidate who seems to have the best understanding of the issues in Hays is Henry Schwaller. I don't agree with his answers to all of the questions, but I get the sense that he knows his subject matter. I can't say that about some of the others.

I can see a sports complex bringing in business by way of tournaments. The polycarts just brought in less chance of a worker suing the city by getting hurt having to lift trash cans, and they gave everyone that BORG look. You will be assimilated..... I suppose the HCVB and trees on Vine did give some contractors a job for awhile.

I just figure if you want to hike and bike you have lots of options like loading up the family and going to the Frontier Parks, or the fitness trail behind HMC. And if you don't have a car to load up the family and go to one of the many parks or pre-existing fitness places you probably are tired of walking and riding bikes already.

Hey, talk about culture! I just heard a radio commercial for Red Green at the 12th St. Auditorium on April 9th. It says the show is sold out, but he's doing a meet 'n' greet at Heartland Lumber in the afternoon. Wow!

Actually, I haven't ever heard of Red Green, but he sounds really old, so I figured Ratzo and/or Blackie know who he is.

I used to watch Red Green on tv some years ago. I don't even know if he's on any more.

He's still on.