Ellis County Commission Summary
Week of May 19, 2026
Ellis County Commission reviews Tallgrass solar development agreements
Design-build contract approved for Ellis County Law Enforcement Center
Ellis County approves relocation and upgrades for 911 dispatch
Ellis County seeks land for new joint EMS and fire station
Free tire amnesty day scheduled for June 13, 2026
Ellis County landfill's secured load policy enters full enforcement
Ellis County Commission reviews Tallgrass solar development agreements
ELLIS COUNTY, Kan. - The Ellis County Commission publicly reviewed the conditional use permit and contribution agreement for ibV Energy Partners' Tallgrass solar development, proposed southwest of Hays. The project is currently in a public review period, with no vote taken Tuesday. If the agreement is approved, ibV Energy Partners will receive a 10-year state tax abatement but will pay Ellis County a local contribution of $1.1 million in its first year of operation. The initial payment is calculated at just over $6,500 per megawatt and will increase by 1 percent annually thereafter.
Design-build contract approved for Ellis County Law Enforcement Center
ELLIS COUNTY, Kan. - The Ellis County Commission approved a $1,839,900 design-build contract to renovate the Ellis County Law Enforcement Center. The project will overhaul the building to accommodate the Ellis County Sheriff's Office after the Hays Police Department vacates the facility this October. The approved bid includes a 5 percent contingency and keeps the renovation under Ellis County's initial projections for the voter-approved bond project.
Ellis County approves relocation and upgrades for 911 dispatch
ELLIS COUNTY, Kan. - The 911 dispatch center will be relocated to a significantly larger space in the north basement of the Ellis County Law Enforcement Center. The Ellis County Commission approved expenses exceeding $27,000 for a communications vendor to route networking, servers and radio systems, alongside separate AT&T networking upgrades. The move will expand capacity from four dispatch positions to six and includes replacing aging, specialized dispatch consoles that have exceeded their serviceable life.
Ellis County seeks land for new joint EMS and fire station
ELLIS COUNTY, Kan. - Ellis County is issuing a press release seeking available land outside the floodplain to construct a new Emergency Medical Services (EMS) station in the city of Ellis. County Administrator Darin Myers noted Ellis County currently lacks a parcel large enough for the proposed pre-engineered metal building. Ellis County has also approached the city of Ellis about a potential partnership to add two additional bays to the facility to house City of Ellis fire equipment.
Free tire amnesty day scheduled for June 13, 2026
ELLIS COUNTY, Kan. - Ellis County will host a Tire Amnesty Day at the Ellis County landfill on Saturday, June 13, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Residents, farmers and local government entities with an Ellis County license plate can dispose of up to 1,000 pounds of tires for free. Any weight over the limit will be charged $100 per ton, and tires with rims still attached must be separated or will incur a standard fee.
Ellis County landfill's secured load policy enters full enforcement
ELLIS COUNTY, Kan. - Environmental Services Director Justin Craig informed the Ellis County Commission that the Ellis County landfill's secured load policy is now in the full enforcement phase. Craig reported a noticeable decrease in roadside trash since the policy was implemented, noting that exemptions are now only made for valid emergencies as staff strictly enforce the regulations for all incoming vehicles.
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