By KALEY LYON

klyon@dailynews.net

Keys to the former Army Reserve Center will be handed to North Central Kansas Technical College, possibly as soon as today.

At Thursday's Hays City Commission meeting, commissioners unanimously approved an agreement leasing the college use of the building for a five-year term.

"It's a wonderful opportunity for the city of Hays, as well as the vo-tech, so we're glad to have this happen," Commissioner Barbara Wasinger said.

The college has one campus located near Commerce Parkway and another location in Beloit. The city-owned property at 101 Main will be used to house expanded curriculum.

In lieu of rent, the college and city have negotiated other arrangements. Under the agreement, college students will provide labor -- without cost to the city -- on one city construction project at least every two years after the first three years of the agreement.

Within the first three years of the new partnership, the college has agreed to assist the city in constructing or renovating space for parks department offices.

The college also will help with technical and expert design services whenever possible.

Commissioner Henry Schwaller IV also expressed appreciation for the partnership and said he hopes additional projects, such as providing space for other city-supported entities like First Call for Help and American Red Cross, will be accomplished.

Both nonprofit entities previously partnered in submitting a proposal for using the former Army Reserve Center.

"I'm very pleased because I believe this is the best and highest use of the facility," Schwaller said. "I hope that we can work together and figure out where we can put these things, including the parks department, in the future."

The agreement also requires the college to make every effort to staff at least five full-time employees at the downtown campus. NCKTC President Clark Coco said one additional employee already has been hired, and the college is set to begin advertising for additional help.

The agreement states the college will not conduct any activities at the new Big Creek Campus that will be detrimental to the east campus, and requires NCKTC to give the commission annual updates.

City permission would be required for any significant structural changes, and the college will pay all costs for cosmetic improvements, such as painting and adding phone lines.

The college already has plans to begin a new commercial driver's license program June 1 and hopes to have other programs available next fall.

Original plans called for a small business incubator, in partnership with the Ellis County Coalition for Economic Development.

It was the consensus of the commission, however, to use the space for strictly public purposes.

College administrators had been looking for room to grow for at least a year and are ready to take the next step, Coco said.