By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

ELLIS — At the regular Ellis City Council meeting Monday, the council unanimously approved an engineering contract with Driggs Design Group, completing another step in the process of applying for a Community Development Block Grant that would cover half of the cost of $824,000 project that would replace four waterlines through the city.

The council approved the grant submission at its meeting on Sept. 3.

“It’s generally the same as the application we submitted two years ago with the exception that we added another waterline to it to try to capture some more money,” said Buck Driggs of Driggs Design Group.

The contract with the firm is also the same as during the previous submission, covering design and construction. The contract is contingent upon the city receiving the CDBG grant.

Approving the contract is a part of the application process and signifies the city is ready to move forward if the grant is received, Driggs told the council.

“By doing this in a public hearing, that gets two of the boxes checked,” he said.

Driggs expects the grant application to be submitted next week.

In other action:

• The council approved a proposal to perform a survey for the swimming pool improvement project.
• The council authorized the mayor to sign a letter of support for ACCESS Public Transportation. The letter will be used with grant applications.
• The council approved a contract with the Ponderosa Tree Farm and Nursery.
• The council approved a continuation of a tax abatement for the Ellis Days Inn. The abatement has been requested as the current owners are looking for a buyer and will only take effect if also approved by the Ellis County Commission and the Ellis Board of Education.
• The council accepted resignation letters from Police Chief Taft Yates and Public Works Director Alan Scheuerman. Scheuerman will continue in his position until Nov. 1. Yates will continue in his role until Nov. 29.