By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post
Ellis County Treasurer Lisa Schlegel told the county commission Monday the 2017 tax statements will be mailed out late and then refused to answer questions at Monday’s meeting.
Schlegel informed the commission of the delay in a prepared statement that she read to the commission. Before reading the statement, Schlegel said she did not want to be interrupted and then walked out of the meeting without taking questions.
In her statement, Schlegel said Ellis County Clerk Donna Maskus is “not meeting the state law dictating a deadline of Nov. 1 for her to turn over tax calculation information to the treasurer’s office.”
“Until we have that information, our office is unable to move forward in mailing out tax statements each year,” she said.
Maskus said at the special Ellis County Commission meeting last week, on Nov. 16, that they had handed over the necessary information.
Corrected to reflect statement was from Maskus.
After reading her statement, Schlegel immediately turned and left the chambers.
“I guess we’re not going to ask her questions,” said Commission Dean Haselhorst. “She left. I had questions.”
She said she would instead answer questions with the commissioners on an individual basis.
According to Maskus, Ellis County officials have been waiting on valuations from other counties.
The process was also delayed by a software issue with the new joint K-State Extension District, the Cottonwood Extension District.
The Extension district is funded through a tax levy of 1.5 mills for Barton and Ellis counties. Maskus said the county’s software provider, Computer Information Concepts, was not set up for Ellis County. There was also a calculation error on truck values.
Maskus said in a statement, “all of these issues were out of control for the Ellis County Clerk’s Office.”
The first-half tax deadline is still Dec. 20, according to Schlegel, but the treasurer’s office will not begin assessing interest and penalties until Jan. 3 because of the delay.
Statement from Ellis County Clerk Donna Maskus
To Ellis County Taxpayers
For a clarification as to why the process for the 2017 Ellis County tax statements is delayed was due to issues including waiting on values from other counties, the new joint extension district causing a new challenge for our software vendor, and with a calculation error on truck values. I apologize for these circumstances, but all of these issues were out of the control for the Ellis County Clerk’s Office. Please let me know if you have any questions by calling the Ellis County Clerk’s Office at 785-628-9410.
Donna Maskus
Ellis County Clerk/Election Officer
In other business, the commission:
• Approved the hiring of Dr. Lynn Fisher as the medical director for the Ellis County Health Department.
• Approved a contract for $27,700 with Burwell Roofing to replace the roof on the Noxious Weed Shop and Office Building.
EMS Director Kerry McCue also informed the commission the county has received a grant that will allow it to purchase three cardiac monitors. The grant, from Hays Medical Center Foundation and the Hadley Foundation, totals $95,350.
The Public Building Commission also met Monday night and Project Manager Phillip Smith-Hanes, also the Ellis County administrator, informed the board the latest architectural estimate for remodeling 601 Main Street is $342,500. Smith-Hanes said that only addresses the drainage and water issues on the exterior of the building and ADA requirements and new carpet on the interior.
The county rents the building from the PBC, and Smith-Hanes said the county might have to increase rent payments to pay for the improvements.