HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The City of Hutchinson hoped to have a new planning director in place in the near future. However, that is not going to happen — at least for now.

After interviewing potential candidates, Hutchinson City Manager John Deardoff says the city has decided to reopen the position in hopes of finding a suitable candidate. Deardoff said they interviewed three finalists, but none of the three had the right experience, nor were they the right fit for the city.

The city has been looking for a new planning director since Jana McCarron resigned in July of 2018. Former Downtown Development Director Jim Seitnater has been the interim director since that time.

Deardoff did not give a timeline for when the position could be filled.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Cosmosphere recently promoted and hired new members to the organization’s Executive Team.

Michele McCartney has been promoted to the Vice President of Marketing and Creative at the Cosmosphere. McCartney manages the organization’s marketing, creative and branding efforts and has been instrumental in designing galleries and exhibits for the museum. Additionally, McCartney oversees print and digital materials for operations and marketing.

McCartney began her career with the organization in 2008 as the Creative Design Manager. During her time, she has participated in a number of significant projects for the Cosmosphere, including the design work for an exhibit commissioned by Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos’ company, Bezos Expeditions, showcasing the recovery and conservation of F-1 engines from the Apollo program. McCartney holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Graphic Design and 3D Design from the Kansas City Art Institute.

Nathan Meyer has been hired as the organization’s Vice President of Strategy and Product Innovation. Meyer comes to the Cosmosphere after starting his own online data management company, which he subsequently sold in 2017. In his new role, Meyer will grow revenue and develop new opportunities to expand the Cosmosphere brand and impact. Meyer is a native of Ellinwood, Kansas, and holds a Masters of Business Administration degree from the University of Phoenix—Wichita and a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Kansas State University. Meyer, his wife and two children live in Hutchinson.

TOPEKA, Kan. — A Hutchinson man with a felony conviction record was sentenced Tuesday to seven years in federal prison for a firearm violation.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that 32-year-old Lucas Hall pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. In his plea, he admitted that he was arrested with three handguns in his possession.

In 2011, Hall was convicted in Reno County District Court of attempted kidnapping, aggravated intimidation of a witness and aggravated battery. In 2014, he was convicted in Reno County District Court of aggravated assault.

This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhood, which targets armed offenders with a record of felony convictions.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hospice and Homecare of Reno County announced Monday that Dr. Sara Patry has joined the staff as a hospice physician, supporting Dr. Mark Yackley, the organization’s medical director.

Dr. Patry’s responsibilities at Hospice and HomeCare of Reno County include coordinating care with the patient’s attending physician. Should the attending physician be unavailable, Dr. Patry will assume responsibility for meeting the medical needs of the patient. Also, in the absence of the medical director, Dr. Patry will assume temporary responsibility for that position.

Dr. Patry grew up in Byron, Nebraska, and is a graduate of the University of Kansas School of Medicine. Her residency was spent at the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Wichita where she served as chief resident during the final year of her training.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson City Council approved the lease of a new fire truck during Tuesday’s agenda session. The department will once again use a lease similar to the one that allowed the fire department to acquire a new ladder truck last year.

The nine-year lease will allow the department to continue the new practice of setting a timeline for equipment replacement to better stabilize the budget.

Chief Beer talked about trying to keep costs down and hold the line on maintenance:

Councilwoman Jade Piros de Carvalho expressed concern about using an outsourced leasing agent to acquire the truck versus using a local institution to fund its outright purchase:

The vehicle will be financed through PNC Equipment Finance, which is a leasing group that is used by numerous departments to keep maintenance costs down for their fleets.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson City Council will consider new construction for a walking path in the Southwest Bricktown area during Tuesday’s agenda session. The cost of the project is for $26,900 from Borecky Construction.

The project calls for 600 linear feet of walking path at SW Bricktown Park. Since the bids came in well under projected costs, the remaining grant funds will be used for the purchase of 5 LED decorative light poles along the walking path.

Also Tuesday, the council will hold a second public hearing for the Genzada project for the issuance of industrial revenue bonds totaling $6.2 million. The original IRB’s totaled $4.5 million, but the company returned to the city asking that the bond amount be increased. Because of the increase, the city must hold another public hearing and then take action on the request.

Tuesday’s meeting of the Hutchinson City Council begins at 9 a.m. in the Hutchinson city offices.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson Public Works announced Monday that Sherman Street at Kirby will be closed for an extended period of time starting Tuesday.

The street will be closed for a culvert replacement project. Weather permitting, the street will be closed for seven days.

For more information on this or other road projects, contact Public Works at 694-1900.