By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post
The Ellis County Commission heard funding requests from three organizations for the 2015 fiscal year Monday night.
Officials from High Plains Mental Health, Ellis County Coalition on Economic Development and Hays Area Children’s Center presented their requests to the board.
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Walter Hill, executive director of High Plains Mental Health, said the organization is requesting more than $275,000, an increase of $15,000 from last year.
According to Hill, High Plains saw 1,646 Ellis County residents last year at a cost of $3.3 million in services, which is by far more than any other county in the 20-county coverage area.
Hill added High Plains continues to deal with funding cuts from the state.
“We’ve seen over a million dollars in cuts in state funding over the past five years,” he said “We’ve been able to operate successfully financially largely by being more efficient.”
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Susan Bowles of the Hays Area Children’s Center presented the commission with the request for $154,000 from the county for the next fiscal year, an increase of $10,000.
Bowles said HACC is running on a negative budget this year and was forced to make cuts in the services offered.
HACC provides services that include speech-language pathology, physical therapy, health services and social work services for infants and toddlers with disabilities.
Bowles said the organizations continues to serve a great need in the county.
“Over the past year, we’ve served 4.7-percent of infant toddlers under the age of 3 in our area,” she said. “That is higher than the state average of 3.64 (percent).”
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The Ellis County Coalition for Economic Development put in a request for $87,550, an increase of $50.
Aaron White said Monday night the coalition is meeting with local and regional manufacturers to create a short-term welding training program that would help people transfer to a career path and work for local companies.
He said the program is designed to help businesses struggling to find qualified workers, noting there is a shortage of welders.
According to White, employers have identified the lack of affordable housing is hindering workforce development, and White said the coalition is working to help bring more affordable options to the Hays community.
He said he is working with a Wichita developer interested in building one- and two-bedroom units in Hays.
White said the apartments would targeted for single people and small families.
“They are priced to not attract students but be attractive to workforce,” said White.
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The commission will decide on funding for the organizations in the 2015 county budget later this year.