By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

“That was far less painful than I anticipated.”

That was the reaction of Ellis County Commission Chairman Barb Wasinger after Wednesday night’s special meeting in which commissioners set Aug. 18 as the public hearing date for the 2015 budget.

Cuts of about $1.7 million were made. Commissioners were determined to close the budget gap without an increase in taxes or in the mill levy.

Wasinger thanked county staff and said “we were truly a team.”

“I’ve gotten a lot of negative reaction from constituents,” said Commissioner Dean Haselhorst, “but I feel we three commissioners, along with department heads, elected officials and County Administrator Greg Sund did an excellent job in making those cuts.”

“Nobody wins,” said commissioner Swede Holmgren.

“It’s not a win/win, it’s not a win/lose. I hope it’s neutral,” he clarified. “These budget cuts were painful, but logical, decisions.”

Addressing the handful of county employees sitting in the audience, Holmgren asked for their support:

The estimated mill levy for Ellis County in 2015 is 33.7, down from 34.232 in 2014. Total expenditures in the 2015 budget are $28,707,698.

Nathan Leiker, Ellis County Extension executive board member, was the only person to question commissioners during the special meeting.

Leiker thanked the commission for “adding a little more money back into the Extension Council budget,” and asked about the status of remodeling the building at 610 Main Street, which houses county Extension offices, the county health department and the county environmental office.

Commission chairwoman Barb Wasinger told Leiker those improvements are “still in the FY 2015 budget.”

The budget public hearing is scheduled for 5 p.m. Aug. 18 in the Ellis County Clerk’s office.

Detailed budget information is available in the county clerk’s office and on the Ellis County website.