By CRISTINA JANNEY

Hays Post

The Ellis County Commission agreed to move forward Monday night with architectural plans for a new public works building adjacent to the county landfill.

During the 2018 commission retreat, commissioners identified upgraded facilities for public works as a high priority for future capital planning, according to the report in the commissioners’ agenda packet.

The county initially considered building a new metal building at the 280th Avenue location. Two options for a buildings at the site were estimated at $1.9 to $1.4 million. That includes converting the existing shop into cold storage.

However, the county has recently leased to purchase land adjacent to the landfill. All of the land the county plans to purchase is not needed to expand the landfill. Staff is proposing relocating the Public Works Department to 240th Avenue adjacent to the landfill.

Bill Ring, public works director, said locating the new public works shop at the landfill would create some opportunities for efficiencies. He gave the example of a backhoe breakdown this week that required both of the shop mechanics to go to the landfill to fix the equipment. This left public works without a mechanic.

He said he also hoped locating the shop adjacent to the landfill would allow office staff to be cross trained and more easily share documents.

If the county built at the site of the current shop, it would use all of the available space, leaving no room for expansion, Ring said. At the landfill site, public works would have space to have parking and for storage for materials, such as sand and crushed concrete.

Commissioner Dustin Roths said he supported exploring the location.

“The concern Phillip [Smith-Hanes] brought up about our ability to expand size is so constrained by the railroad track here, I do like the idea of us looking into this, at least seeing dollars,” he said.

Commissioner Butch Schlyer said, “I would like to see us proceed with this. I think there is no question we need to address the public works with their needs as far as space and storage. If this concept could create more efficiencies along with it, we should explore this and see where this will leads us.”

Haselhorst also said he supported moving forward with the architectural plans.

The additional architectural drawings for a building at the landfill site will cost $3,500. If the commission decides to build at the landfill site, it would likely sell the property where the current shop is located.

The commission also transferred $146,689 to the Capital Equipment Reserve Fund from the Budget Stabilization Account. The county budget for 2020 contains $56,144 as a transfer from Equipment Reserve Fund and an equivalent expenditure for six months’ salary and benefits for an assistant EMS director if hiring an assistant EMS director is deemed necessary.