BY JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post
After serving more than year in the position, Monday marked the final meeting for Ellis County Commissioner Dustin Roths.
He was appointed to the Second District commission seat in January of last year after then-Ellis County Commissioner Barb Wasinger resigned to take her seat in the Kansas House of Representatives.
Roths was defeated by fellow Republican Neal Younger in the August primary election.
On Monday, Roths said the county is in a good place.
“In my life, I’ve always tried to leave things better than I found them,” Roths said. “I feel like as I go, I can feel that way about Ellis County and their finances (and) the type of people we were able to hire during my tenure.
“I know the future looks bright and the future of Ellis County is in good hands,” Roths added.
He said he is “excited” for the road projects that are set to begin soon in Ellis County.
Earlier this year, Ellis County voters approved a pair of quarter-cent sales taxes. One quarter of the sales tax revenue will fund health services, the county’s EMS and health departments. A portion of the other quarter-cent sales tax will go directly to the county’s general fund with those funds earmarked for road and bridge improvement projects.
The commission used the expected funds to begin bonding road projects within the county. Roths praised that move Monday.
“I’m excited for the road projects that are going to be started, not just the Northwest Business Corridor but all the other fixing that will be done with that bond project that was long, long awaited and I believe the taxpayers knew we really needed,” Roths said.
Roths apologized if some considered him a “lightning rod.”
“I know that in my heart of hearts I always have to say what I feel is right,” he said.
Roths also said he believes that Neal Younger will do a good job but he also urged the future commission to, “keep an eye” on Hays.
“The city of Hays is a big portion of what will happen for Ellis County in the future. As Hays goes so does Ellis County and all the surrounding communities,” Roths said. “I feel like Hays is a beacon for all of western Kansas, of a community that does things the right way.”
Roths also encouraged the future commissions to reach out if they need anything.
Younger and Third District Commissioner Dean Haselhorst, who won re-election in November, will be sworn in next week.
Commission Chair Butch Schlyer told Roths he enjoyed serving with him on the commission and invited him back before commission.
“You have brought a lot of discussion and insight to the issues we’ve had to look at on this board and I very much appreciated it,” Schlyer said.
Roths was re-elected as the chair of the Ellis County Republican Party last year and will continue serving in that role.
He and outgoing County Clerk and Election Officer Donna Maskus talked Monday about possible changes to the township system in Ellis County.
There are currently nine townships in Ellis County and each township must elect a trustee, treasurer and clerk.
Maskus says they continue to have a difficult time filling all of those positions.
Because most of the functions that a township would typically handle are conducted at the countywide level, there are not a lot of responsibilities other than creating a budget and bonding the township.
Roths said they have talked about combining townships in the past, but it was blocked by a former Democratic Party chair in Ellis County.
Roths said he believes the next commission should look at making changes. Schlyer agreed.