City seeks opinions on ending KC flights
By KALEY LYON
The Hays City Commission and city staff are considering elimination of Kansas City-bound flights from Hays Regional Airport and are soliciting public opinion.
Two public information meetings have been scheduled for Wednesday, one at 3 p.m. and the other at 5:30.
While boardings soared past 10,000 in 2006 and 2007, city staff has tracked a significant decrease in the number of passengers since the loss of U.S. Air service in November 2007.
That partly is due to an altered flight schedule, which changed when Great Lakes air service began providing all local service.
A possible solution offered by the airlines to help boost the number of boardings and improve flight schedules would be to eliminate two Kansas City flights and add two additional flights to Denver.
The proposed change would result in four flights to and from Denver on weekdays, with three on Sundays and two on Saturdays.
Residents also are encouraged to send comments to the public works office, 1002 Vine Street, e-mail bherrman@haysusa.com, or call (785) 628-7350.
An online survey also is available at www.haysusa.com.
The Hays City Commission will meet in regular session at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. Agenda items include:
* Consideration of an ordinance regulating wind energy development in city limits. The commission will have the opportunity to recommend changes, which will be considered by the Hays Planning Commission next week.
* A funding request in the amount of $20,600 for Hays Has Jobs.
* Award of bid for repair of the Eighth Street Montgomery bridge.
* A semi-annual report from the Ellis County Coalition for Economic Development.