Ellis Co. Commission approves fiber connection to future Health Dept. home

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

The Ellis County Commission voted to approve a bid for fiber optic connections to the new Health Office at 2507 Canterbury at Monday’s commission meeting.

Crews are working to remodel the building at 2507 Canterbury, the future home of the Ellis County Health Department, and the county needs to have the building connected to other core county facilities.

Under the bid approved with Nex-Tech Monday for $33,600, a fiber optic connection will be run from the Emergency Services Building on East 22nd street to 2507 Canterbury.

During the Public Building Commission (PBC) meeting, Project Manager Phillip Smith-Hanes told the PBC the county received three bids for construction at 601 Main, the current home of both the Health Department and the K-State Extension offices.

The Health Department will move to 2507 Canterbury once construction is complete and the K-State Extension will occupy 601 Main.

Smith-Hanes said they received three bids, all from local companies, with the low bid coming from Paul-Wertenberger Construction. The commission will consider accepting the bid at its first meeting in February.

In other business, the commission voted to contribute $300 to the KLPG Oil and Gas Committee fund in support of a possible challenge to current tax policy regarding commercial salt water disposals.

At issue is how the state handles the tax valuations on the wells. The state has an Oil and Gas Guide that lays out the process for values the leases based on an income value. But the Small Claims officer went against the method, which lowered the values.

A group of counties wants to continue appealing the decision in an effort to get some clarification and the KLPG has hired an attorney for an estimated $30,000 to 60,000.

County Counselor Bill Jeter said he believed the commission should contribute as it could benefit Ellis County in the future.

The commission also approved a proclamation declaring School Choice Week Jan. 21-27, 2018 and approved a Resolution to waive General Acceptable Accounting Practices and approved the annual agreement with Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas.