By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

The Ellis County Commission is expected to have a special meeting this week to wrap up talks on the 2015 budget.

At last week’s county commission meeting, Administrator Greg Sund said the county is still approximately $76,811 short of a balanced budget.

Sund said adjustments still need to be made to get the budget balanced by the end of July, which is required by state law.

The commission is trying to complete the task without raising taxes and without cutting any more from the proposed employee pay adjustments.

Department heads originally were told to budget for a 3-percent increase for raises or the implementation of the wage and benefit study.

The commission has since proposed trimming that allowance to 2-percent, although no final decisions have been made.

The special meeting is tentatively scheduled for 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Ellis County Courthouse, although the meeting time has yet to be made official.