By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

This week, Ellis County will join the growing number of Kansas counties to enact a burn ban.

At Monday’s county commission meeting, the commission voted to approve a resolution banning all outdoor burning in unincorporated areas of the county until further notice, due to the projected dry weather and drought conditions.

In the resolution drafted by Rural Fire Director Darin Myers, the ban prohibits all outdoor burning, including trash barrels, fire pits, trash pits, fields and any other form of open burning in the county.

Anyone found to be in violation of the burn ban can be charged with a misdemeanor and, if convicted, may face a fine of up to $500.

The ban will be officially implemented when it is published in the county newspaper of record later this week.

In other business, the commission:

• Heard a presentation on and approved an agreement with Kansas WorforceONE that would allow the county commission to place a member on the board. The commission will discuss which commissioner will take a seat on the board at a later meeting.

• Completed the canvass of the Ellis City sales tax election from April 5. According to County Clerk and Election Officer Donna Maskus voter turnout was 24.48%. According to Maskus, 321 people voted yes, 17 voted no.

• Approved the Ellis County Courthouse Preservation Committee to purchase granite. The committee is raising the funds but the commission must approve the use of the funds. The county is not funding the project.

• Met in executive session to discuss property acquisition. No action was taken.

Commissioner Dean Haselhorst was absent.