By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

The Ellis County Commission continued to work through the 2016 budget process at Monday evening’s meeting.

Auditor Ken Beran from Adams Brown Beran and Ball once again went before the commission to go through some of the issues as they continue to work through what was at one time an almost $2 million shortfall.

Beran, who is assisting the county’s budget process after the departure of former Administrator Greg Sund, presented the commission with a draft of the budget but said it is ever-evolving. The county has until late August to publish the final budget.

The sharp drop in oil prices and lower-than-anticipated commercial and vehicle tax collections led to the decline in tax collections.

The commission will meet again later this month to discuss the budget.

In other business:

• The commission approved an extra 48 days of construction at the courthouse and law enforcement center. The additional days were needed because the general contractor was ready to begin construction in November, but the courthouse was not cleared out until January. The added days brings the completion date to Dec. 7.

• Approved change orders for $21,516 for carpet in the courthouse and $32,646 for construction between the courthouse and LEC. The project is approximately $25,000 over budget.

• The commission also took no action regarding a proposal to lower the speed limit at 230th Avenue and 55th Street. The study was commissioned after an accident in the area of Celebration Community Church.

• Met in an 45 minute executive session with the Randal Allen, executive director of the Kansas Association of Counties, to discuss the open county administrator position. No action was taken.