By KARI BLURTON
Hays Post

The new EMS/Rural Fire building might be a less expensive metal building instead of a concrete one.  That’s because Ellis County commissioners recently learned the architect tacked on an extra 20 percent to the cost of the more than $3 million dollar building.

At a meeting Friday, Commission Chairman Dean Haselhorst said the Wichita-based architectural company realized it is more expensive to build in Hays, but failed to let the commissioners know.

Ellis County Commission Chariman Dean Haselhorst
 

Haselhort said he would like the architect — Spangenberg Phillips Tice Architecture — to focus on building a metal building instead of a concrete one.  A metal building would knock well more than $300,000 off the project.

The change could set the project back a few months, but Haselhorst stressed the sales tax for the building will not be increased or prolonged.  Haselhorst has also asked for bi-weekly updates from the architect.

The county’s building upgrade project is being funded through a sales tax passed by voters this spring.