By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

The Ellis County Commission moved the 718 Main Administrative Center closer to construction Monday evening when they voted to advertise for bids for the project.

Denae Denio-Odle of Spangenberg Phillips Tice Architects presented commission and department heads with their first look at the redesign at last week’s meeting. The commission and staff had until the end of the week to offer comments, but Administrator Greg Sund said he did not receive any that warranted redesign.

One of the main issues facing the project continues to be how to address the hole left in the main floor by removing the staircase to the basement.

According to Sund, there is no easy answer to filling the hole while continuing to save money because if they are forced to add structure to the floor it cuts into the cost savings.

“We got to do something that is not structural in order to keep the price down but it can’t be something that attracts people to try to walk on it either,” Sund said.

Commissioner Barbra Wasinger suggested a skylight as a barrier to keep people away and it would also serve as a sound barrier. But the commission voted to go ahead with the bidding process and figure out an answer as they move forward.

The drawings will go out to bid by the end of the day Wednesday and are due back by 3 p.m. 7.

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The Ellis County Commission also approved providing labor and equipment to chip-seal 57 city blocks in Ellis.

Ellis Mayor Lyle Johnston was at Monday evening’s meeting and said under the same arrangement last year they were able to chip-seal roughly 34 city blocks.

Ellis County Public Works Director Mike Graf said it took approximately two days to complete the work last year, and he estimated it would take about 3 1/2 days.

The City of Ellis will pay for the materials, which is expected to be available between Aug. 1 and Oct. 1. It will be up to the county crews to find time to complete the chip seal.

Graff also updated the commission, at Johnston’s request, on the second construction phase of Old U.S. Highway 40 from Hays to Ellis. Graf said he believes the county will send out the project for bid letting later this year with construction to begin sometime next year. Old U.S. 40 repaving currently is in the works from 280th Avenue to Victoria, a project that is scheduled to be completed by mid-June.