By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post
In an effort to keep the public informed during emergencies, Ellis County soon will begin implementing a mass notification system.
At Monday’s county commission meeting, the commission approved the purchase of a system that will alert residents of severe weather, armed suspect/hostage/law enforcement situations or any other potentially dangerous situation in the county — via text, email, phone call or social media.
Emergency Management Director Bill Ring told the commission that the software — Civic Ready — will allow the county to spread the message in a variety of ways.
“We’ve all been involved in something where we wanted to get the word out,” Ring said. “There is no one vehicle that reaches everyone.” He added “you need to hit six of seven vehicles to pass that message on.”
Ring used the incident last week in which an armed suspect was on the loose in the northwest part of Hays as an example of a need for the new alert system. During the incident, law enforcement officials asked citizens in a portion of the city of lock their doors and report any suspicious activity.
In previous years, according to Ring it would have been much easier to contact those people living in the area. He said dispatch could look up and call landline phone numbers. But, because more and more people are moving toward cellphones, it is more difficult to contact people.
The system is a sister company to the company to runs the county’s website and can be updated by county employees who are given access.
To implement the system in the first year, it will cost the county $7,540, then $6,440 annually.
Ring added this is another way, in the event of severe weather, to reach areas not covered by tornado sirens.
“This is a much more efficient way in which to let our citizens know what is going on,” Commissioner Barb Wasinger said. “We have to move forward into the 21st century.”
Once the system is in place, people can sign up for the alerts through the county website free of charge.
In other action:
• The commission approved an update to the 2015 resolution setting 2016 salaries for elected employees.
• The commission also approved a resolution setting 2016 salaries for non-elected union ineligible employees. Employees will get a 1-percent raise.
• Approved the purchase of 13 sets of bunker gear for the rural fire department for $18,980.
• City Commissioner Henry Schwaller was present to discuss the Blue Sky Acres housing development south of Hays. The development is within the three-mile radius of Hays and under the city’s jurisdiction but Schwaller said he wanted to get the county’s input.
• Commissioner Dean Haselhorst attended a recent planning commission meeting and said he believes the county has nothing to lose and everything to gain, in terms of property taxes if the development goes forward. Both Commission Chair Marcy McClelland and Wasinger echoed Haselhorst’s support. The city planning commission has twice voted against allowing the development to move forward.
• Haselhorst also expressed his frustration with city officials for not coming to the county commission to ask their opinion on the development.
• The commission also conducted two separate executive sessions to discuss non-elected personnel issues. No action was taken following either meeting.