Ellis County

This document provides a roadmap for implementing the Ellis County Comprehensive Plan, focusing on guiding future land use decisions and ensuring the plan's ongoing maintenance and evolution. Key areas of focus include land use regulation, with recommendations for reviewing and aligning zoning, and a comprehensive plan maintenance process involving annual evaluations and multi-year action and capital improvement programs. Development policies and actions are outlined across transportation, infrastructure, facilities, and land use, with recommendations categorized into ongoing, short-term (within 5 years), medium-term (5-10 years), and long-term (10-20 years) efforts.

The County Commission agenda for February 17, 2026, included several key items. The Consent Agenda covered approval of Refunding Warrants, Tax Roll Adjustments, Escape Tax Orders, Adds and Abates, Purchase Orders, Accounts Payable and Payroll, and County Licenses. Departmental reports were scheduled for review, along with a presentation from the Conservation District. Other significant discussion items involved the Recovery Court Grant Award, Opioid Settlement Fund Request, Health Department closure updates related to the Governors Public Health Conference, the 2026 Road Tour, and Property Protection Classification Changes. The commission also planned to finalize parameters for Community Improvement Districts (CID), specifically discussing landowner petition thresholds (considering an increase to two-thirds majority) and standards for road improvements within CIDs, including three options for road base stabilization and seal coating maintenance. Additionally, the parameters for the 2026 Ellis County Commissioner Scholarships were discussed, focusing on shifting the focus to offer $1000 scholarships exclusively to family members of Ellis County employees as a recruitment and retention tool, with $5000 budgeted for the year.

The meeting commenced with condolences for the Treasurer's father. Key discussions included the approval of the consent agenda items A through G and the monthly financial report. A significant portion of the meeting involved employee service awards recognizing staff milestones for five, ten, fifteen, twenty, thirty, and forty years of service, as well as recognizing employees with eight, sixteen, twenty-four, thirty-two, and forty-four-year anniversaries through the Kansas Association of Counties. Additionally, the commission discussed and approved the 2026 services agreement with DSNWK (Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas). A detailed review and discussion occurred regarding the preliminary plat for Big Creek Estates third edition, including necessary adjustments and requested variances related to water well locations, lot sizes, road construction standards, lot line perpendicularity, double frontages, drainage, airport vicinity mapping, and centralized sewer/water provisions.

The meeting commenced with the Pledge of Allegiance. The order of business was adjusted to move an item regarding Ford Hayes to a later slot. Discussions included the approval of the consent agenda items A through G. Key updates were provided by the executive director of Gro Hayes concerning numerous community projects completed in 2025, such as the Bob and Patch Mint Community Center and the new high school. Commercial projects highlighted included the Servpro relocation, Astra Bank, new structures at the former sail barn location, and ongoing construction at the Foresight Library and Strup Hall. Housing development updates covered projects in Hays (including Tall Grass and The Grove) and Ellis (Highlands Edition), as well as projects in Victoria (St. John's Place). The presenter also discussed business retention efforts, noting the successful retention of Agility, which committed to significant investment and job creation, and expansion by Hess Services. Business creation through Network Kansas was also reviewed, reporting nine new business loans in 2025 and management of 38 active loans. The speaker concluded with an analysis on property taxes to provide perspective on recent increases.

The meeting commenced with announcements regarding the passing of Roland Pan and a moment of silence, followed by the pledge of allegiance. A quorum was confirmed. Key discussions included a public comment from Jerry Green regarding perceived abuses of power by the County Appraiser's office, highlighting historical issues with property valuation manipulation and commending the current appraiser for integrity. The monthly departmental reports noted activities by the Noxious Weed department and high call volumes for EMS, with fire department calls extending across county lines. It was also noted that the jail population is near full capacity. A substantial portion of the meeting was dedicated to a presentation by Jay Harris from the Cottonwood Extension District, detailing the history of Cooperative Extension Services, its purpose (extending university research to the public), and various current programs such as senior health insurance counseling (SHICK), which provided significant financial savings to participants, and youth programs like 4-H and "Becoming a Mom."