ELLIS–Members of the Ellis City Council and the Ellis County Commission held a joint special meeting Monday in Ellis.

The governing bodies discussed areas of mutual interest including roads and bridges, water issues, and EMS, Rural Fire, and Sheriff services.

There are 1,400 miles of county road and 201 bridges.

Ellis Co. Public Works Director Bill Ring said his department is finishing up repairs to the Baughman Street bridge in Ellis, using steel beams rather than wood. Repairs to the 10th Street bridge are forthcoming.

Darin Myers, Ellis Co. Fire Chief and Emergency Manager, reported the department is currently drafting an Operating Procedures manual to have consistent procedures in place with Ellis and Victoria for mutual aid calls. The County Emergency Operating Plan is also being updated. That plan is required to be completed by mid-2018.

The full meeting minutes follow.

ELLIS CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING Minutes March 6, 2017

CALL TO ORDER
Mayor David McDaniel called the special meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. Present were Council members Bret Andries, Susan Eaton, Jolene Niernberger, Dena Patee, and Bob Redger. Also present were City Clerk Amy Burton, Public Works Director Alan Scheuerman, Police Chief Taft Yates, Fire Chief Dustin Vine, and City Attorney Olavee Raub. Council member Holly Aschenbrenner was absent.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
PUBLIC PRESENT
Phil Smith-Hanes, Jonathan Zweygardt, Darin Myers, Cheryl Kinderknecht, Dean Haselhorst, Kaley Conner, Bill Ring, Kerry McCue, Barbara Wasinger, Glen Keller, Gary Luea, Asher White, Marcy McClelland and Donna Maskus.
PURPOSE OF SPECIAL MEETING
Mayor David McDaniel stated the purpose of the special meeting is to meet with Ellis County officials to discuss County assistance with roads and bridges, cooperation with the County on water issues, and collaboration with the County for EMS, Rural Fire, and Sheriff services.
Streets: Repair/Maintenance
Ellis County Director of Public Works Bill Ring reported the 1,400 miles of county roads have taken a beating with the dry weather conditions. The Department is finishing up repairs to the Baughman Street bridge in Ellis. The County has repaired the bridge with steel beams rather than wood. The engineer’s estimate to repair the bridge was approximately $62,000 for a contractor to perform the work, and approximately $28,000 for the County to perform the repairs. Insurance proceeds of $13,000 have offset a portion of the costs. The Council inquired about repairs to the 10th Street bridge. Mr. Ring explained that he can’t give a timeline for repairs to that bridge. There are 201 bridges in the County, and Ellis only has one of those bridges. Twenty-five bridges in that total have exceeded their life expectancy and are in need of attention. City Public Works Director Alan Scheuerman praised the County for maintaining a great working relationship with the City and thanked them for their annual assistance with the City’s street maintenance projects.
Water: Special Project
County Administrator Phil Smith-Hanes noted the County does not provide water utilities to any residents. Both the County and the City of Ellis have written a letter of support for the City of Hays and their R9 Ranch Project. That project has been delayed at the State level due to its unprecedented nature. County Commissioner Barbara Wasinger added that even though the R9 Ranch is a City of Hays project; they are hoping for the project to provide a water source for the region.
Fire
Ellis County Fire Chief and Emergency Manager Darin Myers reported that fire crews have been sent out to neighboring counties to combat the wildfires. Chief Myers had to turn down several requests for mutual aid to some communities to ensure adequate firefighters remained available in Ellis County. The Commissioners will consider a burn ban for the County at the next Commission meeting. The Department is currently drafting an Operating Procedures manual to have consistent procedures in place with Ellis and Victoria for mutual aid calls. The County Emergency Operating Plan is also being updated. That plan is required to be completed by mid-2018. Chief Myers then discussed the new communication system purchased for dispatch services. The system should be up and running by mid to late April.
Ambulance
Director of Emergency Management Services and Health Administrator Kerry McCue explained how the crews stationed in Ellis and Victoria may get relocated closer to the center of the County for a period of time when other ambulances get called out. The Ellis crew is usually the last to move due to distance. The average response time for EMS callouts is 4.3 minutes. The big news at the Health Department is mumps. The Department has seen ten suspected cases with one positive case. Mr. McCue reminded everyone to practice good hygiene and to stay current on vaccinations. The current Health Department location on Main Street in Hays may be relocated closer to the EMS station on 22nd Street. Currently, Mr. McCue has offices in both locations.
Sheriff
In Sheriff Ed Harbin’s absence, Detective Chuck White reported the Department continues to assist other communities as they can. He commented on the good working relationship with Police Chief Taft Yates and the other officers. In return, Chief Yates thanked Detective White for their assistance on cases and for covering Ellis as needed.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 7:20 p.m.