By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post
The Ellis County Commission will consider putting the final touches on the 2025 budget Tuesday at its first meeting of August.
The commission will consider a final draft budget at the Aug. 13 meeting.
According to Tuesday’s Aug. 6 meeting agenda, the budget includes several additions following the July 18 budget hearing with county department heads.
Among those additions are funding for public works to hire two additional employees, 48th Street and Vineyard and 270th Avenue improvements to the road and bridge replacement program and funding for Rural Opportunity Zone Program and the scholarship program for area high school students.
In the agenda information provided to the commission, County Administrator Darin Myers said the mill levy would slightly decrease under the current budget proposal.
In other business, the commission will review updated county road design and construction standards, approve weight restrictions for several county bridges and give the go-ahead for an engineering firm to begin negotiations for right-of-way acquisition for the bridge on 370th Avenue over Big Creek south of Walker.
The county was awarded funding to replace the bridge through the 2024 Off System Bridge Program from the Kansas Department of Transportation.
Tuesday’s county commission meeting is set for 8:30 a.m. at the County Administrative Center at 718 Main St. in Hays.