By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

The newest member of the Ellis County Commission was sworn in and appointed the new commission chairwoman at Monday night’s Ellis County Commission meeting.

After being elected as First District Commissioner in November, Marcy McClelland took the oath as a new commissioner before the meeting.

Commissioner Dean Haselhorst was also appointed vice chairman as part of the 2015 reorganization.

McClelland called for the commission to work together in the New Year.

“It’s a new experience for me, and I do believe the commission has to work together as a team,” McClelland said. “We need the opinion of each commissioner to make a reasonable decision.

“Our duty is to set policy for the administrator and the departments to carry out,” she added.

McClelland joined current Commissioner Barb Wasinger as the second woman to be elected to the commission.

In other business, the commission:

• Approved a contract with the Kansas Department of Transportation to replace two county bridges — one on Emmeram Road west of Yocemento Road and another on the south county line west of Pfeifer.

• Appointed the county commission as the Board of Zoning Appeals.

• Approved a resolution to waive the requirement that the county uses financial statement and reports that conform to Government Accounting Standards Board and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Wasinger voted against the resolution. While she said she understands why they do not follow the standard, she has a problem with taking the easy out.

• Appointed Brett Schmidt to the Ellis County Joint Planning Board to replace McClelland, who resigned to take her position on the county commission.
• Scheduled the first 2016 budget meeting for Feb. 3 at 1:30 p.m. at the Administrative Center.