By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post
Representatives from 20 outside agencies presented their 2022 budget requests to the Ellis County Commission on Monday.
Nearly all of the requests were the same as last year, as requested by the commission, for a total of $1.14 million.
The lone exception was Grow Hays.
Executive Director Doug Williams told the commission they are requesting that each taxing entity in Ellis County to levy ½ mill for economic development through Grow Hays.
“We believe that that’s the most equitable and sustainable way to fund economic development,” Williams said. “We see it done in other places. It’s successful. It seems to us to be the most prudent way to do it.”
County Administrator Darin Myers said one mill for Ellis County was roughly $387,000. Half of that would be approximately $193,500.
The commission elected not to fund Grow Hays, formally Ellis County Coalition for Economic Development, in 2019. Each of the last two years, Ellis County has allocated $27,500 for Grow Hays.
Williams told the commission that despite the challenges of 2020 they believe Ellis County had a good year and should be proud of the year the county had.
He told the commission that they have not seen an investment from the community that allows them to “maximize our potential.”
“I see how other communities fund their economic development and what their achievements are, what their results are, and I can tell you that by and large those who fund economic development at a high level get high return,” Williams said.
“It’s an investment that pays dividends,” he added.
Williams said southwest Kansas has been able to use its resources to expand and said that needs to be done in Ellis County.
He said Fort Hays State University, Interstate 70, North Central Kansas Technical College and Hays Medical Center are all resources that Ellis County should take advantage of.
“We are asking for sufficient funding so we can achieve what this community is capable of achieving,” Williams said.
Ellis County Commissioner Dean Haselhorst said at Monday's meeting that he believes the county needs to fund economic development at a higher level.
Commission Chair Butch Schlyer told Williams they are still debating the ½ mill but wondered what the taxpayers would see from the increase in funding.
Williams told the commission, “they’re going to see the same things they have been but more.”
He added that they plan to use the funding to add two more positions — one will help with business recruitment and retention.
“There needs to be a return on investment, absolutely and we plan to deliver that,” Williams said. “We feel like we are now but we understand a bigger investment requires a bigger return.”
Below you can find a complete list of funding requests.
The commission will consider the funding requests next month.