By ALIN HETT
Hays Post
Ellis County commissioners approved the publication of the proposed 2027 county budget Tuesday, moving the process toward the Sept. 8 budget and revenue-neutral rate hearings.
Darin Myers, county administrator, said approving publication is one of the final steps in the budget process. The action allows the county clerk to publish the 2027 general fund and fire district budgets, but does not formally approve the budgets.
Myers said the published figures establish a spending cap for the county. Myers also said commissioners can still reduce the proposed budget before the Sept. 8 hearings, but any additional spending would have to be offset.
“If, for any reason, any changes were to be made between now and the Sept. 8 revenue-neutral rate hearing and budget hearing, the commission could not add anything without cutting something else,” Myers said. “We cannot cap that dollar amount, but the commission can always still continue to reduce the budget, which has kind of been the focus this year.”
The proposed general fund includes no more than $34,696,835 in expenditures, while the solid waste enterprise fund includes $2,220,461 in expenditures. The fire district operating fund is proposed at $893,477.
For a full look at the 2027 Budget, click here.
The Sept. 8 budget and revenue-neutral rate hearings are scheduled for 8:30 a.m. during the regularly scheduled commission meeting in the Ellis County Commission Chambers.
Landfill hours to change
Commissioners also approved changes to Saturday operating hours at the Ellis County Landfill following a request from Justin Craig, environmental services director.
Beginning Oct. 1, Saturday hours will change to 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The landfill winter Saturday hours will be 8 a.m. to noon beginning the first Saturday in November through the last Saturday in February.
The landfill will remain open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays during August and September before the October schedule takes effect.
Craig said the change is intended to better match landfill traffic patterns and make operations more efficient.
“Just look at the numbers,” Craig said. “The vast majority of trash typically comes in early in the morning. Sometimes we let them in early, so between 8 and 10 is usually our highest loads.”
Craig said the reduced Saturday hours would also allow employees to incorporate those hours into their weekday schedules.
Commissioners discussed whether the winter schedule should run until noon or 1 p.m. before settling on the 8 a.m. to noon schedule. Commissioners also noted that keeping the landfill open for at least part of Saturday was important after receiving feedback from residents.
In other business
Commissioner Nathan Leiker said he would attend the second meeting of the Access Transportation Task Force Tuesday afternoon as the group continues developing a plan for the service.
“We're working on a plan,” Leiker said. “The plan is to have something in place going forward by mid-October. That is our tentative goal: is to get some decisions made here very quickly."