One Candidates Platform

This is the contents of a flier going around town.


Glenn Diehl
Candidate for Ellis County Commission
Paid for by Glenn Diehl for County Commission Committee, Allen Leiker, Treasurer
Hello. My name is Glenn Diehl. I’m running for the Ellis County Commission in
District 2. I am personally asking you to vote for me in November. Why?
Our commissioners are not managing our money wisely.
Here's just one example of many. I believe that Dennis Pfannenstiel, my
opponent in this election, is giving you incomplete and misleading information
about his proposal to spend your tax dollars on the “Hadley Office Expansion.”
Here’s the real story. Hadley is just too expensive!
Commissioner Dennis Pfannenstiel recently stated that the bonds for this
project would not exceed $5 million. The public has been misled by this
statement. The public has been led to believe that the project would only cost
taxpayers 5 million dollars. While I believe that even $5 million is too much to
spend, the true cost of Dennis Pfannenstiel’s project would cost you the taxpayer much more than that.
The real story? Our current County Commissioners are in favor of spending over $10 million of your tax dollars to
acquire the Hadley building. Dennis Pfannenstiel failed to tell the public about the full cost of this project.
Let’s look at all the real facts about the proposed Hadley Office Expansion.
See, all of us, the hardworking taxpayers, would have to pay off not just the loan, but also the interest. Over the
20-year term of these 5 million dollar bonds, interest is estimated to cost us another $2.9 million, in addition to
the first $5 million. Therefore, our principal and interest would cost the taxpayers close to $7.9 million. And, that’s
not all we’d have to pay for.
Once the administrative departments moved to Hadley, the courthouse also would need costly remodeling. The
space study from a few years ago stated that remodeling the courthouse would be in the $1.4 - $1.9 million range.
(I think that this is now on the low end due to increased construction costs since the study was completed.) This
brings the total for principal, interest, and courthouse remodeling to $9.8 million. The taxpayer cost is mounting.
Moving to Hadley would also mean that the senior center would be demolished. There’s talk of moving the senior
center to the City of Hays’ old army reserve building. The city manager has estimated a minimum of $300,000 to
remodel this building. Now, we are talking about $10.1 million.
The overhead costs for the Hadley project have not even been estimated yet. These include heating & cooling,
maintenance and the additional custodian expense for the building. After these costs are added in, the project will
be even more than $10.1 million. As you can see, it's much more costly than the $5 million claimed recently by
Mr. Pfannenstiel, our current county commissioner. We need new, truthful commissioners. We need change.
Taxpayers deserve complete truth, all the time. I will always give you the whole truth.
Have you had enough of careless spending in Ellis County? I'll manage your tax dollars more wisely than your
current commissioners. As your new commissioner, I vow to always closely examine all the options before us, on
all issues. I'll keep you, the hard working taxpayer, foremost in mind. I'll always be responsible with your money.
First, I really need your help. I need you to help elect me to the County Commission.
Please vote for me, Glenn Diehl, on November 4th. I am honored by your support and look forward to serving you.

So what's 10 million dollars for an office building when they want us to pay 8 million for a sports complex that most citizens here will neither use or benefit from.

He isn't getting my vote

I say put them all in the LHC and let be what be.....

The students of Fort Hays voted against this once, but Pres. Hammond is still pushing to make this happen. And as you know a lot of bad decisions are made in Hays, so it's up to us to vote no.

fescue wrote:

So what's 10 million dollars for an office building when they want us to pay 8 million for a sports complex that most citizens here will neither use or benefit from.

Really? Do you know how much the economic benefit to the community would be if we were able to host major soccer tournaments, or to even have our club teams play home games? The tournament last weekend in Leavenworth hosted teams from as far away as Hays and St. Louis. Hotels were filled to capacity in Leavenworth, Lansing and Bonner Springs. That's "bed tax" money. They also ate in restaurants and visited shopping centers. That's tax money and jobs for the local economy.

By the way, the sports complex is a joint effort by Fort Hays State, the Hays Rec Commission and the Hays Soccer Club. Between the latter two, that's several hundred kids in the community who would benefit on an ongoing basis. Adding soccer at FHSU would get some outstanding Western Kansas kids to consider FHSU rather than Washburn or Emporia State, which already have soccer programs. Those students spend an awful lot of money in this community.

So even if you're one of the grumpy old people who like to complain about anything that doesn't directly benefit you, it will indirectly benefit you by adding money to the local economy that would otherwise come from higher taxes on YOU.

Blackie Kuhn wrote:

He isn't getting my vote

Please tell us what you like about your candidate.

Pfannenstiel needs to be voted out. Hadley building is logistically stupid and costly. There's no logical reason to move county offices that far from the court house.... The only solution is the Eddy Clinic both for cost and location. Doesn't take an astrophysicist to see through this .... Ask VanDoren what his take will be after he gets Pfannestiel to push this through. I hope Hays folks are following the money.

The property the county already owns at 22nd and Vine is another option

fescue wrote:

The property the county already owns at 22nd and Vine is another option

There is a dentist that wants to buy that location. Selling it could fund buying the Eddy building. Wasn't Pfannenstiel involved in buying that? And for what?