The Ellis County Commissioners approved moving more than $400,000 dollars from emergency funds to cover losses within seven department budgets at Monday night’s commission meeting. The county needs to transfer money from the emergency funds to cover the budget shortfalls.

Of the seven departments that make up the $404,500 shortfall, the jail accounts for $145,000 and EMS for $100,000.

Ellis County EMS Director Kerry McCue said  the way paid time off is handled  dramatically has changed the EMS budget. He also said because EMS is required to have four ambulances on the street 24 hours a day, it has to have to appropriate staff on board.

“I really don’t have a lot of control over the majority of my budget,” McCue said.

He said one way to reduce his budget would be to cut to three ambulances at certain times of the day. But he added, “I don’t think we want to do that. That hasn’t been the direction of the previous commission.”

Ellis County Sheriff Ed Harbin said part of the jail’s shortfall is due to increased costs to house inmates out of county. The new jail will cut those numbers. Harbin added increases in medical and pharmaceutical bills also added costs.

Both departments’ budgets have been cut in recent years.

The approved resolution transfers $315,500 from the emergency/disaster contingency fund and $89,000 from the administrator’s contingency to cover the $404,500.

Ellis County Administrator Greg Sund said he expects the final numbers to change by the end of the year and does not believe the county will need the full $404,500. Sund also said the county still has the largest contingency fund available.

Below is the amount that will be transferred to each department to ensure the budgets will end the year in the positive.

Information Technology – $65,000
Coroner – $8,500
Jail – $145,000
Courts – $16,000
Attorney – $38,000
Weed Control – $32,000
EMS – $100,000
Total – $404,500

In other action, the commission  approved purchasing a 2014 Ford Expedition from Shawnee Mission Ford in Shawnee for Fire District No. 1 for $28,948.

Commissioner Swede Holmgren voted again the bid, saying the county should have allowed for more bids than the ones that were sent directly to dealerships. He also objected to the size of the Expedition because of the fuel expense and the fact that, most of the time, Rural Fire Director Dick Klaus is the only one riding the in vehicle.

The commission tabled discussion on the Insurance Proceeds Resolution it has been discussing at recent meetings. Sund pointed out the city has had this resolution in place for some time and the money, which is put in a special fund when it is received from the insurance companies, usually was paid back within 30 days.

The city however has its own inspector and city codes it must follow, something the current resolution does not.
The commission also accepted a resolution setting the 2014 salaries for both elected and non-elected officials.

2014 Salaries for Elected Officials
County Commissioner     $19,196.17
County Attorney      $76,439.46
County Clerk       $50,194.75
County Clerk – Election Stipend          $8,000.00
County Clerk – Comm Correct Stipend        $3,000.00
County Clerk – Comm Meeting Stipend        $3,600.00
County Treasurer      $53,063.03
County Treasurer – Comm Correct Stipend      $2,250.00
Register of Deeds      $39,176.42
Sheriff        $61,737.71

All Ellis County elected and non-elected officials on the county health insurance plan will continue to be responsible for paying 5 percent of their monthly premium.