By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

There will be more places to park around the Ellis County Administrative Center in downtown Hays after the Ellis County Commission approved the purchase of two properties surrounding the 718 Main Street location.

The commission voted 3-0 Monday to approve the purchase agreement for the properties, owned by Commerce Bank, at 113 E. Seventh and 132 E. Eighth for $150,000 and $10 for the personal property associated with the two lots. The commission also approved the bill of sale.

According to County Administrator Phillip Smith-Hanes, the county was approached by Commerce Bank about purchasing the property in late 2016 after the bank decided it would close the Eighth Street drive-through location.

In 2012, Ellis County purchased the building at 718 Main from Commerce Bank. County offices occupy the basement and first floor making up the Ellis County Administrative Center. Adams Brown Beran and Ball leases the second floor of the building and has an agreement that runs through 2021 with two extensions through 2031.

Smith-Hanes said with all of the changes going on at the 718 Main location, there is a need for more parking.

“Since most of the county functions have consolidated here and with the recent addition of new staff with Adams Brown Beran and Ball, the parking lots of kind of crowded,” he said.

Once the sale is complete, the county plans to use the lot at 113 E Seventh as parking, Smith-Hanes said, and then begin negotiations with Adams Brown Beran and Ball to lease the building at 132 E. Eighth. The two entities will work with an architect to reconfigure the parking lot, which will include upgrades to the building’s landscape.

“I’ve had some preliminary discussions with the city of Hays and the Downtown Hays Development Corporation. Suffice it to say, people are in favor of additional parking in downtown Hays,” said Smith-Hanes.

The commission also approved the transfer of $150,010 from the county’s budget stabilization account to pay for properties at Monday’s meeting.

That account, according to Smith-Hanes, was designed to “protect cash flow in the general fund to cover such instances as emergencies, revenue shortfalls, changes in timing of revenues and unanticipated capital needs.”

“The purchase of these two parcels is unanticipated capital need,” he said.

The county will then use the increased amount of unencumbered cash balance in the general fund to repay the budget stabilization account in 2018.

“It makes sense to take control of the property around 718 Main,” Commission Chair Barb Wasinger said. “It’s advantageous to have the extra space that’s over there that Adams Brown Beran and Ball would like to use so there’s some lease income.”

Commissioner Marcy McClelland agreed there is a need for more parking.

“I think we were met with that quite some time ago,” she said. “I think it would be very helpful for both our customers and also Adams Brown Beran and Ball so that there’ll places for people to park.”

In other business, the commission approved the hiring of a person to fill an Environmental Associate position vacated after a county employee passed away. The new position also contained a change in job title and description.

Commissioners tabled a decision to fill a vacant full-time position within the Appraiser’s Office. The position was changed from full-time to part-time in 2017. Appraiser Lisa Ree said she has had trouble keeping someone in the position because it is part-time. Ree said counties similar to the size of Ellis County average 10 employees in the Appraiser’s Office. Ellis County has seven and a quarter positions.

The commission also approved an update to the county’s personnel policy.