By ALIN HETT
Hays Post
The Ellis County Commission will consider using $22,500 from its 2026 contingency fund to help support ACCESS Transportation’s 2027 fiscal-year budget when it meets Tuesday.
Nathan Leiker, Ellis County commissioner and member of the ACCESS Transportation Task Force, will present an update from the Task Force and see if the other commissioners: Neal Younger and Michael Berges, approve the request.
The request is part of a months-long effort to address a funding shortfall for the public transportation service, which is operated by Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas.
The issue surfaced publicly in June, when ACCESS announced it would end Sunday rides beginning July 1 because of budget limitations.
At the time, DSNWK reported an estimated $112,000 shortfall for the year and said the gap could grow because of reduced state transportation funding and rising costs for fuel, insurance, maintenance and vehicles.
Federal transit funding is distributed through the Kansas Department of Transportation, which requires local matching dollars.
The city and county both contribute to ACCESS. The city of Hays has agreed to contribute $22,500 toward ACCESS if the county matches it. Read more about the task force’s formation and the initial funding concerns.
Commissioners discussed ACCESS again last week, when Jerry Michaud, DSNWK director and Task Force representative, asked the county to consider $22,500 for a 2028 Kansas Department of Transportation grant application.
Commissioners did not commit to that funding, but agreed to look for possible funding sources. It was brought up that DSNWK had spent $97,000 of its own budget to keep the service operating, according to the commission discussion.
Michaud told commissioners, “General public transportation is an added value to our community and needs to be supported.”
Read more about last week’s discussion.
Tuesday’s proposed payment is a separate request: It would come from the county’s 2026 contingency fund to support ACCESS’ 2027 budget.
The task force has also requested another $22,500 for the 2028 fiscal year, which would need to be addressed through a future county budget process.
COPS grant to replace sheriff's office cameras
Scott Braun, Ellis County sheriff, will update commissioners on a $327,000 COPS grant awarded to the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office to replace aging in-car camera systems in patrol vehicles and provide new body-worn cameras for deputies.
Under the existing contract, patrol’s current body-worn cameras would be reassigned to the detention center. Those cameras are expected to be upgraded within about a year at no additional cost to the county. Patrol’s body-worn cameras would be replaced with updated models in about three years, also at no additional cost.
The contract includes professional installation of the in-car systems and cloud-based storage for recordings. Patrol and Detention would use one recording platform, rather than maintaining separate systems.
The sheriff’s office is completing grant paperwork before receiving the funds and moving forward with the purchase.
According to the agenda, this investment will improve officer safety, accountability, evidence management and operational efficiency.
A safer route with the Canterbury Study
Commissioners will vote on a $10,500 feasibility study and design for a proposed sidewalk along Canterbury Drive presented by Brendan Mackay, Public Works director. The study comes after Public Works received a complaint about school-age children walking and riding bikes and scooters in the roadway.
The concern followed the relocation of Hays Middle School. The proposed sidewalk would connect the residential area south of Old Highway 40 with the existing sidewalk at the Hays Recreation Center.
The study would collect data, assess whether the extension is feasible and estimate the cost. It would look at potential utility relocations and right-of-way needs, as well as pavement markings and pedestrian signals at the Canterbury Drive and Old Highway 40 intersection.
The work could also help the county pursue outside funding. Public Works identified the spring round of the Kansas Department of Transportation Cost Share grant as one possible opportunity, with additional federal grants to be explored after a new transportation bill is signed. The county would pay for the study from the Public Works operating budget.
County to consider support for Victory Village grant
Commissioners will consider a resolution supporting DP Management’s application for a $750,000 Moderate-Income Housing grant for a proposed 120-unit apartment development near 22nd Street and Wheatland Avenue in Hays.
The state program supports housing for moderate-income households that typically do not qualify for federal housing assistance. David Clingan of Grow Hays previously told commissioners the grant could help offset development costs and make market-rate rents more attainable.
The county would serve as the local applicant and oversee grant compliance, while DP Management would provide a personal guarantee and an assumption agreement. The grant would be passed through to the project, with no county funds requested and no impact to the county budget or taxpayers.
Each local agency can support one application per grant period, and the city of Hays is supporting a different developer’s application this cycle.
County to seek input for RPM Speedway
The current RPM Speedway promoter has told the county he does not plan to renew his lease for 2027. Darin Myers, county administrator, will ask commissioners what information they would like to include in a request for proposals for a new promoter.
The proposed application would ask about an applicant’s racing and management experience, financial capacity, references, insurance coverage and plans for the number of races each year.
It would also ask how the promoter would coordinate with the Ellis County Fair Board, including during the annual fair and whether traditional spring and fall shows would continue.
County staff is seeking commissioners’ input before finalizing the proposal requirements.
Myers also suggested allowing the Fair Board to review applications and assist with selecting a promoter, since the board and promoter would work together on future events.
In other business
Myers will also ask commissioners to approve the county’s 2027 health, dental and vision renewals. Blue Cross Blue Shield’s proposed health premium rate is 18.31% higher, and its dental rate is 16.32% higher.
Myers said the increases were driven by high claims, changes in the insurance market and recurring health claims anticipated in 2027. All other health plan bids had larger increases.
Mike Freeman, Public Works project manager and Eugene Rupp, county appraiser, will provide an update on the county’s right-of-way review.
The work is divided among five townships, beginning with Township 11, to establish consistent criteria for evaluating right-of-way across Ellis County. The review is intended to promote equal treatment and improve efficiency and service without increasing costs.