Ellis County Commission Summary
Week of June 10, 2026
Commission accepts $104,000 grant for courtroom tech upgrades
Public transit faces $240,000 shortfall, Sunday service cut
Mental health center reports high usage at new crisis facility
Grow Hays touts housing progress, requests flat funding
Victoria coalition leverages state funds for housing project
Humane society reports rise in abandoned rural pets
Historical society prepares for 150th Volga German anniversary
DSNWK details local economic impact, notes early intervention shortfall
County announces free tire disposal event
Commission accepts $104,000 grant for courtroom tech upgrades
ELLIS COUNTY, Kan. — The Ellis County Commission approved the purchase and installation of new audiovisual equipment for the 23rd Judicial District Court after receiving a $104,072 grant from the state Office of Judicial Administration. District Court Administrator Mike Smith told commissioners the upgrade will outfit two courtrooms with digital evidence display capabilities and hybrid Zoom integration, including converting the municipal courtroom into a fully functional district courtroom. The county will use capital funds to cover a roughly $1,200 difference to upgrade the planned monitors to 98 inches, ensuring jurors can clearly view digital evidence from across the room.
Public transit faces $240,000 shortfall, Sunday service cut
HAYS, Kan. — Representatives from Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas (DSNWK) warned commissioners that ACCESS Public Transportation is facing a $240,531 funding gap for 2027, prompting the call for a city-county task force to find a permanent solution. DSNWK President and CEO Jerry Michaud explained that reserve funds have carried the service recently, but flat funding from the Kansas Department of Transportation and rising equipment costs have created an unsustainable deficit. In an immediate effort to manage costs, ACCESS will eliminate its Sunday transportation service after July 1, a move expected to impact 84 weekly riders.
Mental health center reports high usage at new crisis facility
HAYS, Kan. — High Plains Mental Health Center CEO Craig Poe requested $393,106 in county funding for 2027, citing a $2 million increase in the total cost of services provided in Ellis County over the past year. Poe reported that the center's new Crisis Intervention Center, which opened May 4, is already averaging five patients a day with an average stay of two to three days, providing a supportive alternative for individuals in crisis and helping divert them from the state hospital waitlist and the local justice system. The requested funding represents a slight increase, calculated based on an interlocal agreement formula tied to the previous year's local mental health screening numbers.
Grow Hays touts housing progress, requests flat funding
HAYS, Kan. — Grow Hays Executive Director Doug Williams highlighted the organization's recent economic and housing successes while requesting a flat $165,000 allocation for the 2027 budget year. Williams reported that the new community center is seeing increased senior usage and is operating a full child care facility, while the microfactory is currently 60 percent to 70 percent occupied with four commercial tenants. In housing developments, four of the five nearly completed homes in The Grove have already sold, and infrastructure work is actively underway for 101 new residential lots at the Tallgrass Addition.
Victoria coalition leverages state funds for housing project
ELLIS COUNTY, Kan. — The Victoria Community Coalition provided an update on its moderate-income housing initiative, announcing the receipt of an additional $425,000 in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds routed through the state of Kansas. Coalition Treasurer Marilyn Braun reported the funds are being used to construct garages to attract tenants to the housing development, which currently houses four residents. Construction on the garages is well underway, with electrical wiring and foundations currently being installed to meet a strict Sept. 30 completion deadline.
Humane society reports rise in abandoned rural pets
HAYS, Kan. — Shelter Manager Betty Hansen of the Humane Society of the High Plains requested a flat $2,600 allocation from the county, noting a concerning uptick in stray domestic animals found wandering on rural county roads. Hansen attributed the increase in strays to the rising costs of pet food and veterinary care, noting that only 7 percent of the 88 stray animals brought in from the county last year were claimed by owners. The county allocation covers only a fraction of the shelter's basic intake, boarding and vaccination costs, with the no-kill shelter relying heavily on local donations to cover extensive surgeries and medical procedures for injured strays.
Historical society prepares for 150th Volga German anniversary
HAYS, Kan. — Ellis County Historical Society Executive Director Amanda Rupp requested $115,000 in flat funding for 2027, highlighting the organization's extensive preparations for the upcoming 150th anniversary of Volga German immigration to the area. The first week of August will feature multiple free public events, including an original play at the Hays High School theater and an open house at the society's newly restored Victoria facility. Rupp also noted the museum has hired a professional design firm to build a new permanent Hays history exhibit, which is expected to open to the public next summer.
DSNWK details local economic impact, notes early intervention shortfall
HAYS, Kan. — Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas (DSNWK) President and CEO Jerry Michaud requested a flat $250,000 allocation, noting the organization's $9.6 million direct economic impact in Ellis County. Michaud shared that 40 percent of the individuals DSNWK serves across 18 counties reside in Ellis County, and noted the state's waiting list for developmental disability services has shrunk slightly to a nine-year wait. Additionally, DSNWK's KidLink early intervention program reported a $10,000 funding shortfall due to cuts from outside sources, which the organization will cover using cash reserves to avoid disrupting developmental therapies for infants and toddlers.
County announces free tire disposal event
ELLIS COUNTY, Kan. — Ellis County Environmental Services Director Justin Craig announced a tire amnesty event at the county landfill scheduled for Saturday, June 13. Residents can dispose of up to 1,000 pounds of tires for free during a single trip between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Tires must be removed from their rims, and residents are responsible for unloading them, though load assistance is available from landfill staff for a $20 fee. Any loads exceeding the 1,000-pound limit will be charged the standard rate of $100 per ton.
Click here for local obituaries
Found a mistake? Have a news tip or feedback to share? Contact our newsroom using the button below:
