Story time at Norwich begins soon

SCHOOL has started and it’s time for Storytime at the Norwich library. Sessions for children 3 to 5 years old will begin at 12:45 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 8. Storyteller Brenda Shipley will read stories, lead fingerplays, learning games and songs. Bring your friends and come to the Norwich Community Library to join in the fun. Shown at the last spring Storytime session: Back row – Jackson and Ava Shipley, Teja Samuelson, Ashlynn Fieser, Avery Garretson, Reagan Ayres, Marisa Brewster. Front row – Blakely Warner, Kanyen Dopps and Reid Brewster.

---

USD 331 will proceed with detailed energy audit

The Kingman-Norwich USD 331 Board of Education voted Monday night to spend $31,000 for a detailed energy audit of district facilities.
The unanimous decision followed more than an hour of discussion about whether the district should move forward with an energy performance contract with Johnson Controls, Inc. Monday’s decision commits the district to spend at least the $31,001.40 (9 cents per square foot) to get the detailed audit.
Johnson Controls’ promise is to find savings of 15 to 35 percent from installation of energy-efficient equipment. The contract is “a procurement tool that leverages future energy savings to pay for facility payments today,” according to company materials.
In other words, the company promises to improve the district’s energy efficiency and expenses with no up-front cost. The estimated contract cost is $900,000, with the project saving the district that same amount over a period of time, typically 10 to 15 years.
Before the affirmative vote, several board members expressed concerns about the project. Superintendent Robert Diepenbrock had brought the idea of an energy performance contract to the board shortly after he began his job in July.
Diepenbrock told the board Monday that he became aware of Johnson Controls when the company was working with the Cheney school district. He sat in on that meeting. The company made a presentation to the 331 board at its regular August meeting.
The board then published a request for qualifications, with Johnson being the only company to respond. Diepenbrock admitted Monday that the RFQ was written to favor Johnson. But he also said that soon after he began his job in the district, he was told of several needed improvements, especially in air conditioning.
“One reason I pushed for it is concern for the AC and chiller units,” he said. He estimated the cost to replace a chiller unit alone would cost at least $80,000.
If the district “piece meals” repairs, it won’t get all the efficiencies, he said. He estimated it would cost the district $150,000 minimum to maintain its current equipment. Another advantage of entering into a performance contract would be to level out annual payments over time.
The biggest changes will be in lighting and HVAC systems. Monday’s decision does not yet commit to the whole project. It simply commits to pay for the detailed audit that will show where money can be saved. Board President Mike Maloney noted the company promised three ways to guarantee the energy savings but that each came with its own costs.
“The concern I have is, are we able to scale the project back if we choose,” he said. “I understand the advantages to updating equipment. Part of the struggle in my mind is when the district did the bond issue, the public committed to the bond.”
If the district embraces the $900,000 project, it will make a commitment that must be honored by future board members, said Maloney.
“Who’s to say five years from now some board might say, ‘What were you thinking, obligating us to $50,000 a year?’ The whole process is a leap of faith.”
Board member Jon Wollen said, “I find value in the energy audit,” noting the district had never had one.
Jodi Swinehart said she was concerned that the request for qualifications was answered only by Johnson. She also said she thought that existing staff could do some updates and that some of the savings promised were “theoretical.” To prove them would incur additional costs.
Don Ward said the district’s energy committee met with Johnson Controls and he came away from that “with the understanding we are the ones in charge.”
“If we choose to go with them, I think we will need to be ‘in their face’ a lot to make sure the work gets done and it is quality work,” said Ward. “Once we make a commitment to Johnson Controls, we should say, ‘Okay, it’s your baby. This is what we want done. Let’s get it done in a timely manner.’”
The next step is for the detailed audit to be prepared. That is expected to take 90 days. Once the audit is brought to the board, the board must decide whether to enter into the full project within 60 days.

---

Let us hear from you!

We want to hear from you, and now with our online version of the paper, you can contact us anytime, day or night.
Stories, photographs, questions and comments are all welcome. All you have to do is click!
Let us hear from you!
Contact information
for Leader-Courier
staff

Connie Schoenhofer
Editor
news@lc.kscoxmail.com

Nancy D. Borst
Sports Editor
sports@lc.kscoxmail.com

Irene Arensdorf
Circulation
subscribe@lc.kscoxmail.com

Ashlee Arensdorf
Advertising
advertise@lc.kscoxmail.com

---

The Leader-Courier staff

Connie Schoenhofer, Editor, Irene Arensdorf, Circulation; Bob McQuin Publisher , Nancy Borst Sports, writer, Ashlee Arensdorf, Advertising sales & Accounts Receivable.

 

 

Birds of a feather

Jayhawk comes home to help coach KHS Eagles

Chet Hartley prefers to stay out of the limelight but it’s hard to miss the 24-year-old Kingman man when he steps into a room or onto a football field.
Both tend to turn heads because Hartley is a big man (6-5, 310) and because he is something of a local celebrity. He is a homegrown football player who went on to become an Orange Bowl champion as a Kansas Jayhawk.
He returns to his alma mater this fall as an assistant football coach, working with linemen from 7th grade through high school. The soft-spoken Hartley is excited to be back at the sport he loves.
“I’ve been playing football my whole life,” he said. “I like to be around the game. Hopefully I can teach some of what I’ve learned.”
His play at KHS earned him first team all-league honors his senior season on both the offensive and defensive lines. He also was an all-state and all-league basketball player for the Eagles. That got him on the college football radar.
“Pretty much all the junior colleges in the state,” said the 2005 KHS grad when asked who recruited him out of high school. Hartley, who is the son of Jerry and Kay Hartley, chose Butler County Community College.
“They’ve been a powerhouse,” he said of the Grizzlies. Plus, the proximity of El Dorado to Kingman meant he easily “could take laundry home” if needed. He liked the idea of staying close to home.
It was during his time at Butler that Hartley really began to find his football footing. He was a two-year starter at left tackle and helped the Grizzlies to the 2006 KJCCC championship, a Region VI title and a victory in the 2006 Dalton Defenders Bowl.
Hartley was named second team All-Jayhawk Conference as a sophomore and was the number 77 ranked junior college player in the class of 2007. That got the attention of Florida State University coach Bobby Bowden, who made a personal visit to court Hartley. Mom Kay Hartley has the photo of the pair to prove it and noted that Bowden only visits a handful of recruits each year.
But Florida is a long way from Kingman and Kansas. Enter KU, which was in need of offensive linemen. The Jayhawks called and Hartley answered, spurning the Seminoles and the University of Illinois, which also wanted him.
He went on to start 26 consecutive games at right guard for KU in the 2007 and 2008 seasons. In 2007, he helped lead the Jayhawks to a single season school-record 12 victories, including a 24-21 victory over Virginia Tech in the 2008 FedEx Orange Bowl. KU also won a bowl game his senior season, defeating Minnesota, 42-21, in the Insight Bowl.
He admits he sacrificed some of the quiet life he craves during his time at KU, especially when he came home to visit.
“When I was still playing and I came home, I chose to stay home a little more often,” he said. “I didn’t have to talk to anybody.” But, he adds, he doesn’t mind talking to fans. “It’s not bad. I don’t mind it.”
He comes by his football talent honestly. His grandfather, Bernard Thissen, earned a football scholarship to Oklahoma A&M. At least one of his uncles also played college ball.
At first, he thought he wanted to keep playing at the next level. But he didn’t get invited to the National Football League combine.
“I didn’t get invited to the combine and would have had to work from the bottom up, which is okay,” he said. “My body wasn’t holding up the best. My knees started to fall apart.”
So he returned to Kingman to join his father in the family business, Hartley Fish Farm. The road to becoming a Kingman assistant coach began with KHS Assistant Coach Bill Woodward asking Hartley to help out at this summer’s football camp. Woodward also coached Hartley when he was an Eagle.
“I talked to him and helped during summer camp,” said Hartley. “After that, we talked about it a bit. He said something to Coach (Bill) Kelley and it got going from there.”
Hartley was formerly hired at a special school board meeting Monday night. He will coach and attend all middle school and high school games. Just weeks into the job, he already is learning the ropes.
“I didn’t really know what to expect,” he said. “It’s a lot different giving orders out than taking them. One of the hardest things – I’m not a real patient person. I’m already learning it takes a lot of patience. You’ve just got to be patient. I don’t have very good patience but I’m getting better and better.”
He’s striving to share what he learned as a college player. And Hartley knows how to win. He finished his four-year college football career with only eight losses.
KHS Head Coach Darby Jones says his newest assistant is doing a good job.
“He knows what he’s talking about and how to explain it to the kids,” said Jones.
Hartley will spend most high school games in the press box, wearing a headset that will allow him to communicate what he is seeing to coaches on the sideline. He got his first taste of that last Thursday during the annual red-n-black scrimmage. He will mostly watch the play of the offensive and defensive lines.
He hopes to impart the technique and skills he learned, even to the youngest players. He says his best football memories are not what people probably think they are.

“A lot might say the Orange Bowl, beating Missouri, K-State and all that’s great. But my best memories are going to be my teammates on the team,” he said.
Those are the kind of memories every player can make. Hartley hopes to help more students make such memories in Kingman. He plans to coach here for the foreseeable future.
“Yea, I think so,” he answered when asked if he will continue to coach at Kingman. “It’s going great. I like what I’m doing. It’s time consuming but when it’s something you like, that’s okay. It’s only been three weeks. As long as I enjoy it, I will keep doing it.”
He’s even okay with being the focus of an article in the local newspaper because it will mean something to his mom.
“She just likes to see it in the paper. I’m not much of a paper guy,” he said. “I like to fly under the radar.”

Got News! Get it to us before noon Tuesday. Call 532-3151 or

news@lc.kscoxmail.com

---

Sign up for Boy Scouts

The Cub Scouting program is fun and exciting for boys in grades 1-5 and your son can join now! Please contact Jeremy Hopp, Pawnee District Executive, at (620) 513-0944 or jeremy.hopp@scouting.org for more information on how to sign up and to find a Cub Scout Pack in your neighborhood. The Scouting program helps young people grow in character, citizenship, physical fitness and duty to God and Country. Cub Scouting is age appropriate and boys meet in dens with other Scouts their age. Boys grow in self confidence and self esteem as they earn rank advancement and leadership skills and the whole family can attend monthly Pack meetings to recognize each Cub Scout’s achievements. For more information, you can also visit www.scoutinginkansas.org or the Quivira Council website at www.quivira.org More than 900 boys participate in the Cub Scout and Boy Scout programs in the Pawnee District. They make a difference in their communities through service projects at schools, parks and churches.

Stucky retiring from the Kansas Highway Patrol

 

Colonel Terry Maple, Superintendent of the Kansas Highway Patrol, has announced that Lt. Michael Stucky is retiring from the Patrol on Sept. 7 after serving the citizens and State of Kansas for more than 31 years.
Stucky graduated from Kingman High School in 1969. He received an associate’s degree as a medical technician from Pratt Community College.
Stucky began his career with the Patrol on June 18, 1979 as a road trooper stationed in Scott City. In June of 1980, Stucky transferred to Ness City, still serving as a road trooper. Stucky was promoted to Master Trooper in 1992.
On July 23, 2000, Stucky moved to Troop I, the Patrol’s Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program. Under Troop I, Stucky was responsible for commercial motor vehicle safety enforcement. On Feb. 13, 2005, Stucky was promoted to Lieutenant, serving as a zone supervisor for Troop I personnel.
During his career with the Patrol, Stucky served on the Kansas Highway Patrol Training Academy Felony Car Stop Instruction Team from 1992-1998. He was the Troop I Director of KSTA from 2002-2005. He was a North American Standard Inspection (truck inspector) Instructor from 2003-2010. He also served as a Field Training Officer for four separate troopers in 1986, 1988, 1989, and 1994.

Business is light at the city meeting

Commissioners met at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 26. City Manager Frank Soukup was absent and the meeting was short, ending at 7:40 pm. Jane Wallace, economic development director, attended a Transportation Works for Kansas meeting for the south central region. She shared with commissioners the paperwork she received and that the south central region of the state competes with all the other regions for state funding. T-Works is an economic impact analysis that works to help generate greater economic benefits because of transportation projects. The proposed Highway 54 project that is scheduled to be built north of Kingman was also discussed. Gregg Thimesch addressed commissioners about the specifications for the beer garden that they approved at a recent meeting. The beer garden will be part of the music festival organized by Thimesch that will be held near the activity center Oct. 9. His question to commissioners was whether they wanted the garden to be a specific area where no minors are allowed, or if beer would be allowed in the entire paid area of the festival. Commissioners, along with the Chief of Police Mark Holloway, were in agreement that they wanted it in a confined area that would be easier to supervise. Commissioners approved a purchase request for transformers from Solomon Corp., in the amount of $7,017. Commissioners held a 10-minute executive session. No action was taken upon their return.