By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

The Ellis County Commission held a public hearing and voted to approve the 2015 budget at Monday night’s County Commission meeting.

After months of cutting and trimming, county staff was able to reach a balanced budget without having to raise taxes.

The budget is for $28.7 million dollars, an increase of about $3 million from last year.

The estimated mill is 33.7 also down from last year.

The commission also approved a resolution that makes it easier for the commission and, in some cases, the Rural Fire director to ease restrictions on fireworks in rural Ellis County.

The resolution also bans the use of sky lanterns throughout the county.

A sky lantern — often called a Chinese lantern — is a small hot-air balloon made of paper with an opening at the bottom where a fire is suspended.

The Ellis County Rural Fire director can also approve some smaller public firework displays.

In other action, the commission:

• Voted to pay $5,598 for the remainder of the 2014 dues to the Kansas Natural Resource Coalition. Ellis County Administrator Greg Sund said he did not expect the additional fees from the KNRC. Commission Chair Barbra Wasinger said the group need to be more straightforward in the future with costs.

The KNRC is a group of 30-plus counties with the primary goal of easing lesser prairie chicken regulations.

• Went into a 15-minute executive session for non-elected employee matters/union negotiations. No action was taken following the session.