By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

The first two women to serve as members of the Ellis County Commission took part in their final commission meeting Monday with a new commission set to be sworn in next week.

After serving six years on the commission, Barb Wasinger, R-Hays, was elected to the 111th District Kansas House seat in November and will be sworn in next week.

Commissioner Marcy McClelland, R-Hays, was defeated by Republican challenger Butch Schlyer in the August primary.

McClelland, who served one term on the commission, thanked her fellow commissioners and county employees at Monday’s meeting.

“This has been an eye-opening adventure for me, as an Ellis County taxpayer,” McClelland said. “I am proud of the fact that the sales tax was enough to complete the projects that were started and trust that they will soon be finished.”

Wasinger also thanked staff and employees and said she looks forward to continue serving Ellis County.

“There’s no better place to live, I think, then in Kansas and here in Ellis County,” Wasinger said. “We’ve got a pretty good thing going and hard workers and wonderful people.”

Wasinger will be sworn in as a member of the House of Representatives at a ceremony Monday in Topeka.

“I’m proud to be serving Ellis County in the state Legislature,” she said.

Commissioner Dean Haselhorst said Monday, “Thank you both for the past years, it’s been a lot of fun. … We’ve made it through the challenge so we’re going forward.”

Wasinger said to Haselhorst, “You ushered me into this job six years ago and now you’re ushering me out.”

At Monday’s meeting, Wasinger submitted her letter of resignation as a commissioner.

At a meeting of Republican party precinct chair members in December, Dustin Roth, R-Hays, was appointed to fill the term on the commission vacated by Wasinger.

Roths and Al Ackerman, who ran against Wasinger in the Republican Primary Election in 2016, answered questions during the December meeting before the precinct chairs selected Roths. Wasinger, John and Becky Pile all three voted for Roths while Lucas Roths and Chase Berg abstained.

Commissioner Haselhorst said of the two incoming commissioners Monday, “We’ve got two new commissioners who are coming in so that is going to be interesting to start over again. But looking forward to that challenge.”