<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589824071248.png" alt="Ruder" />
 <figcaption>Ruder</figcaption>
 </figure>By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays PostEllis County Treasurer candidate Vernon Ruder Jr.
believes his experience as the head of the county solid waste division and his
willingness to help other departments succeed make him a great candidate for the
office.As the solid waste supervisor, Ruder has been in
charge of the Ellis County landfill for the past three years. Prior to that, Ruder also worked as a financial advisor and as a district manager for E.A.
Sween Co.Ruder said he decided to run for the treasurer’s position
after noticing several issues with the treasurer’s office. Among those are the
turnover rate and amount of money spent in the office.“I feel like I could come in and decrease spending and
increase efficiencies,” Ruder said.Ruder, Sherry Dryden and incumbent Lisa Schlegel square off in Tuesday's Republican primary.As the solid waste supervisor, Ruder is in charge of the
landfill’s $1.2 million budget. The landfill is an enterprise and ran solely on
the fees that it collects. The landfill does not receive taxpayer money to
fund its operations.“I run it like it’s my money,” Ruder said. “That’s the way
it should be.”Ruder said he also believes the financial background and
the skills he has developed running the solid waste division would help him
succeed in the position.“I know for a fact that I can decrease spending by thousands
of dollars within that department,” Ruder said.He said there are several areas where he would like to see
the department increase efficiencies.Among the examples of things Ruder would like to implement
would be a kiosk that allowed residents to pay their tags and taxes after hours
because the administrative office closes at 4 p.m. when a lot of people don’t
get off work until 5 p.m. or later. He would also like to implement an app that
tells visitors to the office what the wait time is at the office.Ruder also believes he will have several ideas to take in
front of the commission once he takes office, if elected.He also believes that he will be able to help the county in
a greater capacity is elected treasurer.“Working for the county, I feel like I have experience in
front of the commissioners giving the budget,” Ruder said.Ruder said he gets
along with all of the other department heads and he believes that added
level of communication will also be a benefit to the treasurer’s department and
to Ellis County.“Most departments talk to each other but I feel like that
department, the lack of communication kind of hurts,” Ruder said. “Working with
the county, I feel as though I can’t come up to them (members of the
treasurer’s office) and speak about ‘Where is my money invested at?’ ”He said if elected he will present the county commission
with a monthly financial report, similar to the city of Hays.“It will explain, here’s the money, here’s what we have it
invested in,” Ruder said. “I know a lot of people wouldn’t question anything if
it's all laid out on the table. That would be so much easier.”Ruder said he also believes he has the necessary
communication skills to run the office.Ruder also said he would be a “working elected
official.”“When the doors are open, I will always be there,” Ruder
said. “If you have a team leader, the rest of the staff will feel more like a team.”He added his goal will be to know how to do every job within
the department, similar to how he operates the landfill.“I want to be there so I know exactly what this department
doing,” Ruder said. “If you know your whole job, you are going to be able to run
it smoother.”Ruder said he has heard from staff and some of the county
commissioners that that is one thing the department is currently lacking, a
person who is putting in the time in the office.“I will work,” Ruder said. “I’m probably one of the crazy
people that will work more than I have too.”Ruder also said he believes there is a current lack of
professionalism in the department. He pointed to the very public disagreements
current treasurer Lisa Schlegel has had with multiple commissioners.“I solve problems and I don’t create conflict," Ruder said.
“There’s no reason to have conflict. Let’s be professional about it.”Schlegel has attacked Ruder for the fact that his son, Mason, also works for the county and serves on the Hays City Commission. Mason is the
Environmental Planning Supervisor.Ruder said he and Mason work together as division heads
within the public works department but there is no nepotism as Schlegel claims, he said.Public Works Director Bill Ring said there are policies are
in place so that a family member cannot be in charge of another member of their
family. Both Vernon and Mason are on an equal level as division heads.On social media, Schlegel has also accused Vernon Ruder and Ring of
attempting to cover-up wrongdoing in a September 2019 fire that destroyed a
building and backhoe at the landfill.In her posting, Schlegel claimed someone was allowed to enter the
landfill after hours and put flammable rags in a bin that started the fire.An official investigation determined that the rags were
placed in the bin just after 4 p.m. Sept. 26, and they spontaneously
combusted around 4 a.m. the next day.Ring said insurance covered the cost of the building and the
backhoe.Ring stressed that no taxpayer funds went to those updates
because as an enterprise the landfill does not get taxpayer funds. It is run
completely on fees paid at the landfill.Ruder said Schlegel is creating these allegations because,
“she can’t find anything on me.”“I don’t know where she is coming up with all her stories,”
Ruder. “If I wasn’t running against her, there would be nothing brought up.”

CANDIDATE PROFILE Ellis County Treasurer: Vernon Ruder Jr.