By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post
The Ellis County Commission voted Monday to change the time and day of its weekly meeting starting next month.
Currently, meetings are held the first three Mondays of the month at 5 p.m., but County Administrator Darin Myers said staff had suggested a different time and day.
Myers said there were a number of reasons given in favor of the move, among those was allowing commissioners time to attend Victoria or Ellis city council meetings.
“You're sometimes either late, rushed or can't get there at all,” he said.
The commission voted to move the meetings to Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. starting in October.
Commissioner Joe Leroux spoke in favor of the change and called it a "good move."
“It's going to get us better attendance from county employees, it’s going to give us the same openness that we currently have for outside county employees to attend the meetings, and it's going to free us up in the evenings and other conditions and community events in the area," he said.
Myers said the change will also help to reduce overtime costs because the county will not have to pay in IT employee to record and produce the meeting. They also have a member of the sheriff’s department who provides security for the meeting.
“If we ever have staff that have to present that aren’t department heads or when we bring in employees, whether new employees or celebrating the success of the promotive employee, it’s sometimes hard to get them in,” Myers said. “Because it's big in employment today ... your work-life balance. When 5 o'clock hits, they're ready to go home. They got kids to take care of ... sports to go to.”
Staff has also told Myers that they will be more likely to attend meetings in the morning during work hours.
Myers said they also believe this will help outside businesses who come before the commission as well.
“Most people that come and present to the commission are usually there to represent their business or their organization ... business hours are eight to five.” Myers said. “That would also release some of their nighttime hours to not have to go to a commission meeting.
Both Michael Berges and Nathan Leiker, who won their respective commission races in the primary election and are running unopposed in the general election, told Myers they were open to the change.
The next commission meeting will be 8:30 a.m. Oct. 4.