HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Recreation Commission announced it has a vacancy on its Board of Directors. The position is being vacated by Joe Fangman, who is stepping down after serving two terms with the board.

According to a release from Hutch Rec, the position is a four-year term running through 2022 and would start next month.

To be eligible for appointment to the Recreation Commission Board of Directors, the applicant must be at least 18 years of age, a Hutchinson resident and must also show an interest and desire in helping the commission move forward in its mission and vision.

To receive an application or for more information, contact Tony Finlay, Executive Director of Hutch Rec, at tfinlay@hutchrec.com or (620) 663-6179.

Along with Fangman, the board’s current members are Ron Sellers, Karen Neal, Leslie Shea and Amanda Jackson.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — With no desire to eliminate a police position and wanting to give a pay increase to employees, the Hutchinson City Council still faces about $500,000 in cuts if it wants to maintain an ending fund balance of $4.1 million.

The discussion came at another budget meeting as the city wrestles with stagnant revenues and increasing costs. One area that did gather more discussion again at this meeting was the animal shelter. The shelter costs have increased dramatically from around $300,000 in 2016, to more than $452,000 for 2019.

Police Chief Dick Heitschmidt told the council that the only way to save any money from the shelter would be to eliminate any waiting to adopt pets and give the animals taken three days before being euthanized. Heitschmidt says the costs to keep animals sheltered and cared for are great.

The elimination of the prison inmate work program has also caused costs to increase. Other cuts that made the list include changing the city’s radio maintenance provider. That will save $52,000. More cuts to park staff and eliminating the proposed “Move to Hutch” campaign that was part of the planning department will also help. It also included a list of deferred maintenance needs and purchases.

The council seemed to agree on an increase to building rental fees, a 5 percent increase in season passes, and a $1 increase in green fees for the golf course. The council also briefly discussed increasing franchise fees, but with that number already at 5 percent, the discussion was short lived.

The city is trying to eliminate the constant spending down of its reserve fund. In 2016, that fund was nearly $6 million. If the budget is approved as the council wants it, the reserve fund would fall to $4 million.

The next budget meeting for the city council is set for July 19.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — As far as fireworks and the Fourth of July go, it was a pretty safe holiday for Reno County and the surrounding areas.

According to figures released Tuesday by The Kansas Department of Health and Environment, there were just two injuries reported in Reno County that required a visit to the emergency room.

In the surrounding areas, just one such injury occurred in Rice County and three in Pratt County. No emergency room visits related to fireworks happened in Kingman, Harvey, Stafford or McPherson counties. There were 38 such injuries in Sedgwick County.

According to the KDHE, the age range with the highest number of injuries was five to 17, closely followed by 18 to 44-year-olds. Of all age groups, more than 63 percent of firework injuries involved males.

The agency reported a total of 133 emergency room visits due to injury from fireworks across the state.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Several area legislators or candidates received an endorsement from the Kansas Chamber PAC on Tuesday.

Representatives Joe Seiwert in the 101st district and Jack Thimesch in the 114th received the backing from the state’s chamber. Paul Waggoner also received an endorsement for the 104th district.

The PAC named these candidates because of their pro-business stance in the state.

Kansas Chamber President Alan Cobb said the Chamber PAC made its 2018 primary endorsements based on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, candidate surveys and scorecards based on legislators’ voting history relating to policies and issues important to the Kansas business community. Cobb says Kansans must elect and maintain in office legislators who will lead the charge for business so the state’s economy can grow and create more jobs and prosperity for all Kansans.

Both Seiwert and Thimesch are running unopposed in the August primary. Waggoner, who has stated he will not accept PAC money of any kind, is running against incumbent Steven Becker for the 104th district seat.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Despite the many challenges facing this year’s winter wheat crop, the final harvest numbers in Reno County weren’t too bad.

According to Darren Busick with the Reno County Extension Service, the harvest was better than expected, but still not up to the usual numbers. This year’s harvest suffered through a cold snap in April, followed by very dry, hot weather just before cutting started.

Busick says there were still many reports from 25 to 30 bushels per acre with test weights around 58 pounds per bushel and protein levels at 12 percent. Some dry land fields produced 55 to 60 bushels per acre, but some fields ran less than 15.

Some wetland wheat showed good numbers with some fields producing yields around 80 to 100 bushels per acre.

Busick says the final numbers on this year’s harvest in the area should be known in about three weeks.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson City Council still has work to do if it wants to trim a total of $1 million from the proposed budget. The council will tackle those numbers again during a special study session Tuesday morning.

City manager John Deardoff says he has been able to find about $705,000 in cuts and will also propose several revenue increases. Including an increase in building rental from $7 to $10 and a small increase in green and trail fees at Carey Park Golf Course.

The building rental increase will generate about $6,000, while the golf course increases will generate around $25,000 per year. Both increases are the first in several years.

The council will also hear the budget proposal from the Chamber of Commerce during Tuesday’s meeting, which is set for 8 a.m. in the Hutchinson city offices.

BUHLER, Kan. — The Buhler USD 313 School Board approved the new policy for drug testing students who participate in extracurricular activities starting this school year. The action comes after the board went over the new proposal during last month’s meeting.

The board also approved a revised policy for drug use or sale of drugs on campus.

The testing will cover students between 7th and 12th grades. It will include random drug testing and random breathalyzer tests for alcohol. Under the policy, five percent of the students in the middle school and 10 percent in the high school will be tested each time.

The amount of time an activity would be missed would be determined by the number of failed tests, ranging from 10 percent of an activity schedule to an entire season. Getting caught with drugs on campus is a whole different matter and could lead to suspension and possible expulsion for 186 days.

The policy provides programs to help the student get back on the right track if they choose to do so. Selling of drugs on campus results in being suspended for 10 days before a hearing. If the student is caught selling drugs on campus, they will be expelled for 186 days.