By ALIN HETT
Hays Post
Ellis County might be asked to provide additional funding to help ACCESS Transportation continue operating while a task force develops a long-term plan for the service.
Nathan Leiker, Ellis County commissioner and a member of the ACCESS Transportation Task Force, updated commissioners Tuesday morning during a special county commission meeting.
Leiker said the task force has concluded ACCESS provides a valuable service that should continue, but faces funding challenges.
“It’s come to the task force’s conclusion thus far that ACCESS is a service that needs to continue,” Leiker said. “There’s obviously some funding problems there.”
Leiker said the city of Hays and Ellis County could be asked to provide about $30,000 in combined additional funding for the 2027 cycle. The final amount and how it would be divided between the two parties have not been determined.
No funding decision was requested Tuesday. Leiker said he expects to return to commissioners in early October to seek direction.
The proposed funding would help ACCESS continue operating while the task force studies its finances and develops a more detailed plan.
“This would help get us the time that we need to do it properly,” Leiker said.
Neal Younger, Ellis County commissioner, asked whether ACCESS could accept private donations instead of relying entirely on funding from the city and county.
Leiker said ACCESS can receive donations and generate revenue through advertising on its vehicles. Those sources could help reduce the amount requested from the local governments.
“It doesn’t have to come from the city and county, but that’s kind of the shortfall gap that we’re looking at trying to work through,” Leiker said.
The task force is facing a tight timeline because the Kansas Department of Transportation’s application process begins in October. Leiker said ACCESS needs to determine its available funding before submitting information to KDOT.
"This is just an increase from city and county to secure more of a higher percentage of grants from KDOT," Leiker said.
The task force has identified potential changes to the service, but Leiker said additional time is needed to study them and avoid abruptly eliminating services.
Younger also asked whether ACCESS drivers are paid employees or volunteers.
Leiker said the drivers are paid and must complete KDOT-required training to transport passengers. The task force was also told the drivers have not received pay increases or adjustments for several years, he said.
Commissioners took no action on the ACCESS funding.
ACCESS Transportation recently released an article asking the community what next steps should be.
In other business, commissioners unanimously approved adding land to Ellis County Rural Water District No. 6 following a public hearing.
Travis Braun, chairman of Ellis County rural water district 6, said the property had already been detached from a rural water district in Trego County. Tuesday’s approval completed the Ellis County portion of the transfer.
The property includes land in sections 13, 14, and 15 near Buckeye Road and 260th Avenue.
Braun said the water district expects to install about 3 miles of waterline to connect a proposed well to its existing well house. No members of the public spoke in opposition to the request.