By ALIN HETT
Hays Post
Ellis County commissioners will continue work on the 2027 budget Tuesday, as they review the third draft of the proposed spending plan.
According to the agenda, commissioners identified nearly $600,000 in budget cuts during July budget hearings with department heads and elected officials. As a result, the current proposal is just $5,221 higher than the 2026 budget, and additional personnel changes expected this month could reduce the final budget below current spending levels.
The proposed budget includes an estimated 7% increase in health insurance premiums, an 8% increase in property, vehicle and liability insurance costs, a $200,000 reduction in the Public Works budget, a $200,000 reduction in the Special Highway Fund and a $300,000 decrease in projected interest revenue. Commissioners also have delayed planned salary adjustments and removed more than $425,000 in oil and gas depletion revenue from the budget.
The budget process will continue with a review of the fourth draft on Aug. 11. Commissioners are expected to authorize publication of the final draft on Aug. 18 before holding the revenue-neutral rate hearing and adopting the budget Sept. 8.
The following budget documents show all the county budgets to date. The Ellis County General Fund includes:
- Estimated 7% increase in health insurance premiums,
- Estimated 8% increase in property, vehicle, and liability insurance with KCAMP,
- Court-appointed attorney salary increases – 2nd year, pushed back to April 2027,
- Bond Payments paid from reserves, which are not impacting 2027 or future tax levels,
- Decrease in $300,000 in interest rate revenue,
- Removal of $425,865 of Oil & Gas Depletion revenues,
- Salary adjustments being pushed back every 3 months for step adjustments and COLA,
- Moving the $50,000 ACCESS Transportation funding allocation to the budget stabilization
- line pending the results and findings of the newly formed task force,
- Other requested amounts for outside agency funding,
- 2 additional Detention Officer additions starting in April and October, which was offset with fingerprint and municipal court inmate fee revenues,
- $200,000 reduction to the Public Works budget with a 10% decrease in all budgeted transfers to reserves,
- $200,000 reduction to the Special Highway Fund,
- Removal of the RePath software for the Courts; partial funding could come from the State, and the remaining could be paid for with Opioid Settlement Funds,
- Removal of additional uniform expenses in the Sheriff’s budget.
- Increase of $200,000 of sales tax transfers to the general fund budget.
The two major remaining items not addressed in the 2027 budget are:
- Health Department fee changes,
- The continued need for a facilities maintenance position for the Ellis County Fairgrounds,
- Funding for a new records management software for the County.
In other business
- Commissioners also will be introduced to newly hired and recently promoted county employees during the meeting.
- County Administrator's report from Darin Myers