By TONY GUERRERO
Hays Post
The Ellis County Commission reviewed a draft of the 2026 budget for the final time before publication during its Tuesday meeting.
The current draft of the general fund has a 1.84 mill levy increase, from 35.99 mills to 37.83. mills.
Commissioner Nathan Leiker said the mill increase serves as a precaution to help maintain essential services if grants are reduced in the future.
"It at least allows us the flexibility to be able to have a soft landing when we have federal or state grants pulled," he said. "The county, the city and the school board, we're all taking out of the same cookie jar."
During last week's commission meeting, the commission reduced Grow Hay's allocation from $165,000 to $160,000, with the $5,000 reallocated to the Ellis County Historical Society, bringing its total to $115,000.
Commissioner Michael Berges said Grow Hays contacted the commission after that discussion and asked that the $5,000 be reinstated.
"I hate that it looks like we're putting one [outside agency] against the others when in reality, their requests are without consideration of the others," Berges said.
During this week's meeting, the commission reinstated Grow Hays' funding request of $165,000 and also maintained the Ellis County Historical Society's allocation at $115,000.
The Fire District budget draft has an increase in the mill levy from 4 mills to 4.14 mills, with projected revenues of about $781,600 and expenses of about $892,200. The Solid Waste Enterprise Fund has revenues of $1,595,000 with expenses at about $1,576,400.
A public hearing on the revenue-neutral rate and budget is set for Sept. 9.
Request for proposal for appraisal contract services
The Ellis County Appraiser's Office received approval to enter into a consulting agreement with Equitable Solutions for income and expense analysis services.
With the contractor, the county will have better tools to determine market values of commercial and industrial properties, leading to more accurate property tax assessments, Eugene Rupp, county appraiser, said.
The total cost is $21,000 and will be paid in three installments. The expense will be covered from the appraiser's 2025 general fund and the appraiser's capital reserve fund.
The following year, the county appraisal staff will fully take over the analysis, eliminating the need for a contractor in 2027.
Natural gas pricing
Commissioners received an update from Mike Thomas, vice president of WoodRiver Energy, on the natural gas market and the option to lock in natural gas rates for county facilities.
Thomas said in the short term, the gas market is well supplied with stable prices, but in the long term, prices may rise. The commission approved a two-year natural gas contract at $5.10 per million British thermal units.
Pharmaceutical lawsuit settlement
The commission briefly discussed the county's involvement in a national opioid lawsuit settlement from several years ago. Darin Myers, county administrator, said the county has been receiving payments over the last several years after opting in to do so.
Myers said the county recently received new settlement offer documents related to Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family. These documents came with tight deadlines, and Myers asked permission to sign them with the intention of bringing the documents to a future meeting.
Myers said the settlement funds do not impact the general fund and go into their own.
"By law, certain things that we can use them on are training and different programs specific to opioid use and drug addiction," he said.
The commission unanimously agreed to allow it.
Other business
The commission approved a waived fee of about $500 in waste disposal for the upcoming Volga German Oktoberfest, scheduled for Sept. 26 and 27 in Hays.
Commissioners also approved an updated job description for the Noxious Weed Department, including the addition of a new position level. This change aligns with stricter state certification requirements and improves employee retention. No new positions will be created.