By TONY GUERRERO
Hays Post
The Ellis County Commission will hear 2026 funding recommendations from the Ellis County Care Council during its 8:30 a.m. meeting Tuesday.
The recommendations are for outside agencies requesting county support in the 2026 budget. The proposed total funding amount is $160,955 based on 3/10ths of a mill from the 2024 mill levy.
If approved in the final budget, the funding would be available for disbursement in January 2026.
Everbridge mass notification system
Ellis County is rolling out a new mass notification system from Everbridge to improve emergency communications.
The commission will hear an overview of the system’s deployment and features. It is intended to replace the previous CivicPlus system, which has low public participation.
2026 mill levy discussion
The commission will discuss the 2026 mill levy and long-term financial planning for the county. Commissioner Michael Berges suggested adding one to two mills to the levy to help fund future projects and maintain current services in the case of state legislation restricting the county’s financial flexibility.
No decision is needed at this meeting. As the budget continues to move forward, the increase can be removed if the commission decides to do so before finalizing the budget.
You can view the full agenda here.