HUTCHINSON, Kan. — An email sent by an employee of the Hutchinson Planning Commission regarding the Rental Inspection Program set off a flurry of quick and critical responses through the Housing Commission and the Planning Department.

The email sent from Jade Shain to the Commission, City Council and to Eagle Communications requests that the council end the program. Earlier this week it looked like the Housing Commission would do just that, but in a sudden turn of events, changed its mind during the Wednesday meeting. Shain’s email states that the program overwhelms the department and has done nothing to improve the housing situation. A portion of the email reads:

“When the RRIP is in full swing it virtually cripples the Department’s ability to do other work for 3-4 months. This is no hyperbole. It is overwhelming with how much work is required to administer the program, and at the expense of other work our department is required to do. There will be hundreds of phone calls a week, hundreds of walk ins, and 100% dedication to a cash drawer in front of extremely irate individuals. Other department tasks will absolutely fall to the wayside. The Planning department is understaffed. Taxpayers deserve better service than what they’re getting from the department.”

The email was met with swift reaction from Commission Chair Tony Finlay, who wrote back asking if Shain was speaking for the Planning Department or City Management.

“As Chair of the Housing Commission I find this as an insult to the work and the direction set from a group of residents volunteering their time to work on the Housing problem,” Finlay said.

The email also got a response from Jim Seitnater with the Planning Department: “Jade Shain is not speaking for the Planning Department and should not have sent this message in this manner. Like any citizen he has a right to his thoughts but should share those on his own time and not on the City infrastructure. Our job as staff is to carry out the work that our governing bodies and commissions ask of us to the best of our abilities.”

The recommendation to continue the rental inspections is sure to draw a lot of discussion by what could be a split City Council on the matter.

CINCINNATI (AP) — The nation’s largest grocery chain will be plastic-bag free at all of its nearly 2,800 stores by 2025.

Kroger Co., which orders about 6 billion bags each year, will begin phasing out their use immediately at one of its chains based in Seattle, a city that has been proactive on reducing plastic use.

Dillons based in Hutchinson is a division of the Kroger Company that is based in Cincinnati.

The company operates 2,779 stores in 35 states and the District of Columbia, serving almost 9 million people daily through two dozen different grocery chains.

Kroger is seeking customer feedback and will be working with outside groups throughout the transition.

It will begin phasing out plastic bag use Thursday at its QFC stores in and around Seattle. It expects to be plastic-bag free at the chain next year.

Kroger has not confirmed when Dillons will make the transition.

“We listen very closely to our customers and our communities, and we agree with their growing concerns,” said Mike Donnelly, Kroger’s chief operating officer. “That’s why, starting today at QFC, we will begin the transition to more sustainable options. This decision aligns with our Restock Kroger commitment to live our purpose through social impact.”

There is a broader shift under way at major U.S. corporations to reduce waste. Disney, Starbucks, Marriott and McDonald’s are getting rid of plastic straws. McDonald’s said this year that it will use only recycled or other environmentally friendly materials for its soda cups, Happy Meal boxes and other packaging by 2025. Dunkin’ Donuts is phasing out polystyrene foam cups by 2020. Ikea plans to eliminate single-use plastic products from its shelves by 2020.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — It was controversial and even lead to threats of legal action. There was eventually legislation by the state over its legality. In March 2015, the Hutchinson City Council approved establishment of a Rental Registration and Inspection Program.

But the city was forced to amend the program in June 2016 to comply with the new state statute. The change required tenant consent before conducting an interior rental inspection. The change basically took the teeth out of the city program, which was put in place to pressure landlords to keep their property up to standards. The program was also met with much resistance from landlords.

Now, after three years, the program may be eliminated. The Hutchinson Housing Commission will likely ask the City Council to do away with the program. The request will surely draw a lot of discussion by the council if and when it’s presented to them. The housing commission will meet Wednesday to consider discontinuing the rental inspection program at the end of the year. Another request to the council will be to explore alternative code enforcement methods for the city. Alternative codes might at least keep some type of watch over rental properties.

The lack of interior inspections left little chance for rental improvements to be made. The commission report states that Hutchinson has not seen a noticeable improvement in housing conditions. The last data collected was in 2015, which showed trends still declining.

Rentals continue to hold a significant share of the housing stock — 33.5 percent of housing units meet the definition of rental as determined by the Rental Registration and Inspection Program within the city.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — As expected, the Reno County Commission made no final decision about adding a position to the Reno County Sheriff’s Office. The addition would include a school resource officer for the Nickerson School District.

The plan is for the district to pay 85 percent of the wages and benefits with an estimated cost of over $74,000 — more than what was first indicated.

Dr. Dawn Johnson with USD 309 explained why the district feels it needs the officer:

 

Reno County Sheriff Randy Henderson indicated that he could move some dollars around and possibly delay buying some equipment. However, since budgets were already set, Johnson says the district will have to find the funds elsewhere:

 

She says they’re 90 percent there at this point.

The two commissioners present at the meeting Tuesday didn’t seem to have a problem moving ahead with negotiations with the district. At this point, the issue is only in the talking stage. No agreement has been reached.

There was a question raised by Commissioner Dan Deming over other districts in the county also wanting a school resource officer. Sheriff Henderson says two districts in the area have their own police departments, that being Buhler and Haven. The only others would be Pretty Prairie and the Fairfield districts. Sheriff Henderson says if they want to have an officer, they would need to come forward soon:

 

It should be noted that neither of those districts has made such a request.

No decision was made on the Nickerson request as negotiations continue.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson City Council will have to take another look at the proposed events center that the city wants to build in Rivers Banks Orchard Park north of town.

The city was to take action on bids for the building during Tuesday’s agenda session, but bids came in nearly twice the projected cost which was approximately $850,ooo. The Council is expected to reject the bids.

The action by the council also comes as questions were raised by several council members over whether the public building would cause too much competition with other privately and company owned facilities. One city council member who is employed by such a company expressed such concern during a recent meeting, but did not request any action be taken.

City Manager John Deardoff says things are further complicated by the fact that the Council has already approved bonds for the project, along with engineering and design costs.

If the Council rejects the bids many other decisions will have to be made. That would include scaling down the project, putting it up for bid and deferring the project to a later date.

Tuesday’s City Council meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. at the Hutchinson city offices.

 

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — On Thursday, the Hutchinson Regional Medical Center celebrated the opening of their new ICU center. The opening of the facility comes just 18 months after the hospital broke ground on the $25 million expansion. Wesley Hoyt, COO of Hutchinson Regional Health Care Systems says the construction project went fast:

 

 

Hoyt says the new ICU unit was needed due to the continued advancements in technology:

 

The one thing that’s most noticeable is the larger size patient rooms. Hoyt says the design is safer for both the patient and the staff:

 

The project finished about four months ahead of schedule.

 

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Republican candidate for the Kansas 104th House Paul Waggoner, has kept his lead over incumbent Steven Becker after votes were canvassed in Reno County this morning.

Waggoner led Becker by a single vote after the Aug. 7 primary, 2014 to 2013. A count of mail-in ballots stretched the challengers lead to five votes 2023 to 2018.

This morning, 65 provisional ballots were looked over and 40 of those were accepted. When the count was finished, Waggoner ended up with 2045 votes and Becker with 2036.

 

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Cosmosphere has landed four more VIP’s for a December event that will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 8 moon mission.

Mimi Meredith of the Cosmosphere confirmed to Hutchpost.com that Apollo 7 astronaut Walt Cunningham, Apollo 16 moon walker Charlie Duke, and Apollo 17 moon walker Harrison Schmidt, will all be in attendance for Earth Rising. Meredith also announced that flight controller Glynn Lunney, will also attend. The impressive guest list also includes Jim Lovell of Apollo 8 and Apollo 13; Fred Hase of Apollo 13; and flight controllers Jerry Bostick and Jerry Griffin. Meredith comments on the dedication their guests have to the museum and science center:

 

The Earth Rising event is a major fund raiser for the Cosmosphere and will be held December 1 at the Kansas State Fairgrounds. The Apollo 8 mission continues the run of 50th anniversaries for the Apollo moon program that will culminate with the 50th anniversary celebration of Apollo 17 in 2023.

The Apollo 8 mission was key in the race with the Soviet Union to the moon, as the plan was originally to make the mission a test run. When spy satellites detected a large Russian moon rocket on a launch pad, the United States decided to go for broke and take Apollo 8 along with astronauts Jim Lovell, Frank Borman and William Anders to the moon.  The crew arrived to the moon in late December and took the famous photo of the earth rising over the lunar surface on Christmas Eve.

Tickets to Earth Rising go on sale for Cosmosphere members October 15, and the general public October 29.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Kansas State Fair has its new General Manager. At a press conference Tuesday morning, Robin Jennison, the current Secretary of the Kansas Department of Wildlife Parks and Tourism, was announced as the replacement for Susan Sankey. Jennison spoke on his appointment to lead the State Fair:

 

 

 

Jennison takes on the job with the fair as it begins to venture into new territory. There is a possible major overhaul with the recent passage of the sales tax bill, and work on a new master plan for the fairgrounds has begun:

 

Raised on a ranch near Healy, in Western Kansas, Jennison made a failed run for governor in 2006. He left the Legislature after 10 years in 2000. He became Secretary of KDWPT in 2011.

Jennison helped start Kansas Outdoors, a venture that included a radio show promoting the Kansas outdoors for four years.

The company also promoted a pheasant hunting contest designed to bring more hunters and money to western Kansas.

Jennison has a degree in animal science from Kansas State University. He’ll start his new duties with the fair September 24.