Jul 10, 2023

Ellis County Commission set to consider creating Opioid Settlement committee

Posted Jul 10, 2023 12:38 PM

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

The Ellis County Commission will consider the creation of a committee to distribute funds the county has received from the opioid settlement at Tuesday’s commission meeting.

According to the agenda, the county is receiving funds from the Opioid Settlement, and Ellis County District Court Administrator Mike Smith is asking the commission to create a committee that will consider funding requests and help properly administer the fund.

There are certain limitations that funding recipients must meet to receive Opioid Settlement funds.

The commission will consider a proposal to replace a bridge six miles south of Walker on 370th Avenue over Big Creek. The bridge was selected for replacement as part of the KDOT 2024 Off System Bridge Program.

The commission also will consider:
• The purchase of a new server for the county’s Computer Aided Dispatch Center
• Six new tasers for the Ellis County Sheriff’s Department
• Adding office space at the EMS building for an employee of the Kansas Fire & Rescue Training Institute Western Kansas Training Coordinator
• A presentation on the Biden Administration’s 30x30 land initiative and National Heritages.