By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

Beginning next year, Ellis County administrative office hours are changing.

At Monday night’s Ellis County Commission meeting, commissioners adopted a resolution changing office hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The changes will affect administrative services at the new 718 Main administrative offices beginning in January.

Commissioners stressed that while the hours are changing staff still will be working from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“Our employees are going to be there the same amount of time,” said Commissioner Swede Holmgren. “We are allowing them to catch up from that day’s activities and prepare for the next one in that last hour of the day.”

County staff said the move will cut down on the amount of overtime hours accumulated.

During budget meetings, Ellis County Treasure Ann Pfeifer told the commission her department could trim $5,000 from its budget by reducing the public access hours.

In other action:

• The commission canvassed primary election results. County Clerk Donna Maskus said the county-wide voter turnout was just 17.7 percent.

• Petty Pratt from Northwest Kansas Juvenile Services presented the commission with a report on the services offered by the organization.

• A resolution making easier for the commission to relax the limitations on fireworks in the county has been moved to the first meeting in September.