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[6:10] [music] >> Everyone, um, welcome to the Ellis

[6:14] County, um, Tuesday, September 8th, 2026.

[6:18] Um, if we could please stand for the pledge

[6:22] of >> allegiance.

[6:26] I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic

[6:31] for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and

[6:36] justice for all.

[6:43] » Hey, Bobby could call roll please. >> Commissioner Nathan Ler

[6:47] » here. Chair Neil younger >> present.

[6:49] » Commissioner Michael Burgess >> here.

[6:51] » We have a quorum. >> Okay.

[6:54] All right. Prior minutes. Everybody have a chance for look at them? Everything?

[6:58] » Yes. >> Good. Okay.

[7:06] And the consent agenda. >> All move we approve consent agenda items

[7:12] A through G. >> Second.

[7:15] » Okay. We have a motion and a second. And all those in favor say I.

[7:19] » I. >> I.

[7:20] » Opposed. Same sign.

[7:25] » Okay. Issues from people not on the order of business.

[7:32] » You're going to talk on the budget, right?

[7:34] » Yeah. >> Okay. Yeah. That'll be that'll be later.

[7:36] » Yeah. >> Part of it.

[7:37] » Yeah. >> You got other concerns?

[7:40] » If you got other concerns,

[7:44] parts. >> Okay.

[7:47] [clears throat and cough] I put in my schedule. So, [laughter]

[7:53] » okay. Mike Worth, 605 200th Avenue. Um, I guess I'm going to skip over the

[8:00] the budget stuff, but I am going to ask some questions about the IBV.

[8:06] Um, I guess the one question is, uh, did IBB

[8:13] technically start construction of of their project after the CUP was

[8:19] passed just to secure the grant. Just trying to get a timeline down.

[8:26] Um, I did

[8:29] I'll bring that up later. I I I did read through some minutes and um it showed

[8:36] that our our environmental Ellis County environmental service

[8:40] attended a meeting for the BSS fire safety battery energy storage

[8:47] system. Now, it's my impression that the solar

[8:52] farm is not supposed to have battery storage. So, I'm just putting a red flag

[8:57] that kind of caught my eye. you know, maybe this is routine. Don't know. Um,

[9:06] but that that was kind of about it with the

[9:10] uh IBVB for now. I've already talked to Nathan about

[9:16] lawsuits uh with IBB, so he can discuss that with the other commissioners. I

[9:23] will bring the rest of it up when you start the budget. Okay.

[9:26] » Thank you. >> Thank you.

[9:36] Okay. The monthly financial report.

[9:42] » I saw no problems. >> Okay.

[9:44] » No problems.

[9:48] Commissioner Younger, if I may ask um kind of skipped over a uh order of

[9:54] business, but Emily with Emily Nolles with the October Fest would like to be

[9:58] added >> uh to the agenda instead of for next

[10:01] week. and if we could add her to maybe number seven after the public hearing

[10:05] for the budget and everything. Uh she wants to visit with the uh the waste

[10:11] waving the fees of the the land landfill for the waste that they have during the

[10:15] October fest. >> Okay. You want after seven or

[10:20] » Yeah. after after the public hearing and the budget and everything so that way we

[10:23] don't push that back. >> Do we have an executive session?

[10:29] » Yes, sir. One executive session.

[10:36] Okay. Revenue neutral rate. Darren.

[10:46] Morning, commissioners. Darren Myers, county administrator. Um your process

[10:50] this morning for the budget comes to a conclusion as we uh need to hold the

[10:56] public hearing for both the revenue neutral rate exceeding the revenue

[11:00] neutral rate as well as the the public hearing for the budget itself. Both of

[11:05] those hearings can be combined as one which is what that we made the

[11:08] notifications for through the county clerk and the newsletter newspaper and

[11:12] our website and um to [clears throat] have that public hearing the combined

[11:17] hearing. The motions are in front of you to have that so that way you can open up

[11:21] u input from the community for those that wish to speak. And if you have any

[11:27] other questions on the budget, um nothing's changed since our last meeting

[11:30] when the commissioner did review it, but if you have any questions or any

[11:34] clarifications, I'd be happy to answer them for you. Okay.

[11:42] » Okay. Well, I guess with that, I would move to open the public hearing for the

[11:48] intention of exceeding the revenue neutral rate and 2027 Ellis County

[11:53] budgets. Second. >> Okay, we have a motion and a second.

[11:59] This is a roll call vote, correct? >> You got a Well,

[12:04] » you have to >> afterwards when you approve it, right?

[12:06] » That's right. Okay. Just so public knows. So,

[12:10] » so we can all do an I on this one. >> Okay. All those in favor say I.

[12:16] » I. >> Okay. I motion approved.

[12:20] » Okay. >> Okay.

[12:22] » Public hearing. >> Anyone?

[12:24] » Go ahead. [clears throat]

[12:33] All right. 2027 budget questions um for you guys to

[12:40] navigate the year revenue neutral rates. I mean I went through most your budget.

[12:45] It looked like very few of your departments really

[12:50] kind of toned down and and I guess you know you got to keep those salaries

[12:56] those those normal annual salaries going. Um

[13:02] I I guess that's why it seems like the the department that has a lot of

[13:10] diesel oil and stuff like that and not necessarily salary

[13:16] got kind of whacked. Uh the road and bridge took a big cut.

[13:21] Um pretty important.

[13:25] I'm going to go back to something that I had a question about

[13:30] the last time that I was up here. Why is a Grow Hayes guy participating in

[13:37] your meeting? Well, once I went through the budget, I could see why.

[13:42] Uh you guys have went from $23,000 in contributions in 2018 up to 165,000

[13:51] annually. I guess for me it's like

[13:56] what is Ellis County what are they getting by incorporating

[14:03] this money into the grow haze? I mean grow haze is incorporated is am I

[14:10] correct or is it or is it not? It but

[14:17] I I guess I'm just trying to feel out. I said why is the county dumping money

[14:20] into this? Yeah. I mean, it's kind of it's a city issue, not a county issue.

[14:26] And and and you guys have everybody else is having to tighten their belts down.

[14:32] And I mean, there's a lot of them on that list that have been cut for the

[14:36] last two years, but their number has stayed steady.

[14:43] In connection with that,

[14:47] the pilot payment,

[14:51] I am not educated enough on that and I'd really love for the commission

[14:58] or or administrator to kind of talk about what exactly it is

[15:04] because that's a ton of money going into this thing. And there again, I don't

[15:09] know what is the county getting out of this. I gota ask specifically which

[15:14] pilot payment are you going to refer to? >> I I think it's

[15:19] » is it >> you you just had it you just had a kind

[15:22] of blank slate on your budget. So I don't know what it refer it's like

[15:25] $800,000. >> So I I mean I'm just trying to trying to

[15:30] decipher which >> what exactly it goes from

[15:32] » the wind farms. >> That is from the wind farm.

[15:36] » Okay. That's and that's, you know, that's it's it's kind of nice to

[15:42] [clears throat] try to try to uh interpret your budget sometimes because

[15:47] sometimes it just goes right over my head. So, um I mean I I guess you know

[15:54] with the road and bridge cut I I kind of see what you're you guys are really

[15:58] banking on the IBV to come in with their road agreement to bring that

[16:06] back up to straight. Uh but that's that's a hell of a cut for

[16:12] those guys. So, um,

[16:17] » Mike, let me let me address the the road and bridge department. And yes, it's

[16:21] it's a cut. Uh, the reason you're seeing that cut is it align it's going to align

[16:26] more with what's true. Uh, for the past three or four years, Road and Bridge has

[16:32] had a budget surplus uh, at the end of the year that they've carried over. So

[16:37] we felt that it was we were able to bring that number down so we wouldn't

[16:42] have to tax for that. So it it brings it more in line with what's actually being

[16:46] utilized at Road and Bridge. >> That would that would make a little more

[16:50] sense because I you know just looking over every other department. It's like

[16:55] » yeah. So it was it was a very big cut but it kind of tr it up to what the the

[17:00] real budget is with road and bridge and uh it doesn't have any fluff in there.

[17:05] So, we're not going to be cutting services. We're not cutting any of the

[17:08] plans for asphalt or bridge. None of [clears throat] that will be affected or

[17:12] should not be affected, but uh it gets us more in line with what it actually

[17:16] is. >> It levels it back out.

[17:19] » Okay. Okay. Well, I mean, it just it's it's just hard to with your normal

[17:24] increases in salary for you guys to >> basically you took the 26 budget and you

[17:31] pretty well matched it up. So that's pretty tough to do unless somebody gets

[17:36] whacked. So >> and and uh all of our employees are

[17:40] going to uh feel some of this because we are deferring and moving some of the pay

[17:47] adjustments that would have taken place in January. Those are being shifted. Uh

[17:51] so the employees are helping uh do this and accommodate this for keeping a level

[17:57] budget as best we can. >> Okay. Um,

[18:01] » and Mike, the uh same thing you were asking before earlier this morning. All

[18:06] that stuff is recorded. You were wondering where the 800,000 went. If you

[18:10] follow the minutes, it's it's stated. You just got to keep digging.

[18:13] » Our administrator [laughter] puts it out there really good. So,

[18:16] » well, I just kind of went through the budget and it's kind of

[18:19] » a little vague. So, you just kind of >> grow haze one.

[18:23] » Yeah. >> Um,

[18:24] without the city of Hayes, Ellis County couldn't survive. the same thing without

[18:29] Ellis County. >> You can survive. You just have to quit

[18:32] spending. [laughter] >> It it brings people in. Um you know,

[18:37] [clears throat] so it's tax generated deal. Also, everybody buys a little

[18:41] something, another person and family [clears throat]

[18:45] goes to school. Um it all it all goes to good cause.

[18:52] I mean, there's such thing as a good cause, but

[18:56] when everybody else is having to suck down and tighten up

[19:01] and I just don't see this from the county. I mean, you guys have I see

[19:06] where you need to keep your salaries up. You need to keep them competitive just

[19:11] to keep them your workforce. But

[19:16] to me, that's that's just an extra. You're just throwing her out there.

[19:21] I I [clears throat]

[19:25] just say I don't I don't see where you're getting anything out of

[19:30] this. I really don't. I I maybe I'm looking at the little picture and I need

[19:35] to look at a big picture. But um when everybody else is having to really

[19:40] tighten up just to survive with increases in taxes,

[19:48] things like these like this needs we need we need you need

[19:53] to look this stuff over. I mean I mean I they were budgeted at a lot less.

[20:01] So cut it cut it in half and when it gets better,

[20:06] you can take it back up again. Everybody else has got to do this right

[20:10] now. Why shouldn't the county? And I mean I mean we're Ellis County, I

[20:19] mean we're kind of the we got a lot of shiny stuff out there.

[20:23] fire department. You You are Everybody in the in the state looks at our at our

[20:30] Ellis County Fire Department and it's like, "Wow,

[20:33] it helps that Darren, you're you know, you're the administrator right now."

[20:38] That helps. You know, you're the budget stays up. But I was a volunteer and I

[20:45] know what we started with before you got on. I know exactly what and yes, we had

[20:50] to make improvements, but wow, we're getting up there. So,

[20:57] everybody needs to take a little cut. So,

[21:00] » when uh when you're done, I'll ask there is a representative from Gro Hayes if he

[21:05] would be willing to speak here when you're completed. So,

[21:09] » yeah. Yeah, that'd be great. Okay. >> Thanks. Thanks, Mark.

[21:15] Would

[21:18] you mind speaking?

[21:27] » Morning, commissioners. >> Morning.

[21:29] » Mike Cllingan with Gro Hayes. Um, Gro Hayes is the Ellis County Economic

[21:34] Development for Ellis County. Um, I appreciate your questions, Mike, and I'd

[21:39] be happy to even talk further after this meeting on what we focus on, but our

[21:43] goal mission is to continue to work with business growth um that comes into Ellis

[21:48] County. Uh, how we can work with secession, keep businesses inside of

[21:52] Ellis County. Um, in the last four and a half years, we've focused greatly on

[21:57] housing because housing is such a need for Ellis County. and we have several

[22:01] programs that we've been working with through Heart of America and Haze Med as

[22:04] we try and get more development into that process. Um, we worked a lot with

[22:09] our school systems and talking about how we can get children and kids and college

[22:13] kids to actually see themselves staying in Ellis County in western Kansas to

[22:18] stay and grow and and see this as their future for them. But we have multiple

[22:23] projects going on. One that we're very proud of this year would be Agility. uh

[22:27] Agility at one point wanted to leave Ellis County because they'd reached a

[22:31] point where they were getting ready to redo all their construction um figure

[22:35] out where they can do the remodeling and at one point they were looking at

[22:38] another state and working with this company and working with the state of

[22:41] Kansas we were able to put together a plan that not only kept Agility to stay

[22:46] inside Ellis County but they will now expand and they'll be adding another 140

[22:51] more employees to that which benefits Ellis County and everything that we say

[22:56] and do and what I'm talking about today really talks about not only just that

[23:00] top layer of what we're focusing on and we focus on a lot more than just that

[23:04] but we talk more about the ripple effect of that process for every person that's

[23:08] staying here and they're working and where that dollar goes if it's a dollar

[23:12] getting paid that's actually like a$130 going out that's being respent

[23:17] in our very own community and everything that we can do to create more ripple

[23:22] effects creating new housing where people will move into that housing that

[23:26] creates more inventory for more housing to be used. Is every aspect along the

[23:30] way that we can uh help grow Ellis County and keep people saying this is

[23:36] the place they want to raise their families and they want to stay. But I'll

[23:40] be happy to answer any questions that you might have as well.

[23:44] » Okay. I guess probably one of the biggest

[23:48] questions is is that that increase that is noted uh from 2018 up to up to today.

[23:55] Um would you do you have the ability to

[23:59] address where all set came in? >> So 2018. So I've been with Gro Hayes

[24:04] going on almost 5 years now. Right. So uh coming out of co when grow Hayes was

[24:09] just two people. It was just Doug Williams and Ernie Sly who was operation

[24:14] for brief space. Um we kept when I was hired on we were taking on more projects

[24:20] and that's what we're focused on. How do we continue to expand economic

[24:23] development? Six months later, James Robin was brought on board. Um, this

[24:28] four-person team has worked on a lot more projects in Ellis County than we

[24:33] worked on in the past because of that. And that was the focus. How do we have

[24:36] the people to do what needs to be done? Um, you know, we look at our community

[24:42] center, we look at the Grove, we look at the microactory, we look at agility, we

[24:46] look at housing. you just kind of across the board more people to help focus on

[24:50] bigger tasks simply to continue to grow Ellis County. And it takes all that to

[24:55] cause that ripple effect for that pause to flow that actually in one aspect or

[24:59] another through uh taxes actually gives you know the cities and the county the

[25:05] ability to spend more just simply for the fact that they have that income

[25:08] coming in from that growth. Okay. >> Thank you.

[25:12] » Yes. Anybody else?

[25:31] Anyone else from the public?

[25:36] Burn. Okay. Okay. Well,

[25:40] » I'll move to close public hearing for 2027 revenue neutral rates and budgets.

[25:45] Second. >> Okay, we have a motion and a second. All

[25:49] those in favor say I. >> I.

[25:51] » All right. I'll move to approve proposed 2027

[25:55] general fund and fire district number one budgets, both of which exceed the

[25:59] RNR rates and approve resolution 2026-16 for budget year 2026.

[26:06] » Okay. Do I'll still second though. >> Okay. Sorry.

[26:09] » Second. >> Just just a clarification. I have a typo

[26:13] on that. That last 2026 should be 2027.

[26:21] » I don't know if we need to correct or withdraw the motion and and restate it

[26:24] to be official before we have a vote. >> I'll restate the motion. I move to

[26:29] approve proposed 2027 general fund and fire district number one budgets, both

[26:33] of which exceed the RNR rates and approve resolution 2026-16 for budget

[26:38] year 2027. >> And I will second that. Okay. Motion and

[26:43] second. Those in favor say I.

[26:48] Here we go to the role. Thank you. >> Commissioner Ler

[26:52] » I. >> Chair Younger

[26:55] » I. >> Commissioner Burgess

[26:57] » I. >> Okay. Roll call taken.

[27:00] » Okay. >> Okay. Thank you.

[27:05] » And thank you Mike for your concerns and stuff. So

[27:08] » I didn't bring anybody else. [laughter] Sorry.

[27:18] » Okay, we are putting Emily in for before the

[27:24] greater. So, >> hey everybody. I'm Emily Nolles, the

[27:28] director of October Fest, and my stuff's a little lighter. Um just I wanted to

[27:34] come and ask the Pelis County Commissioners if they would wave the

[27:38] dump fees for October Fest for this year and um because the end time is from

[27:44] Trash Begone that'll be doing our rolloffs this year.

[27:52] » And this is just something that we've done normally in the past for the

[27:55] October Fest to help with that. >> Yeah. For a lot of years.

[27:59] » Yeah. Yeah. >> I greatly appreciate it. How many years

[28:02] is this? >> Um, this is the 54th year of October

[28:06] Fest, but I don't know how many years the shers have waved this.

[28:10] » Okay. >> I think

[28:11] » Yeah, it's >> long because I've been coming to ask.

[28:15] [laughter] >> It started out small and got huge.

[28:17] » Yeah, it definitely it has definitely changed in the last 10 years that I've

[28:20] been on it. >> Is it still a two-day event? It is still

[28:23] a two-day event. And then we actually got some of our um placer stats back.

[28:28] And I always thought, just judging by the number of people that are down there

[28:32] with, you know, my eyes and stuff, I thought it was maybe 10,000 max down

[28:37] there, but it's over [clears throat] 17,000 people that come down to the park

[28:40] for those two days. And 45% of those are from out of town. 25% of them are from

[28:46] like around 50 50 miles away and greater. And then 7% come from over 250

[28:52] miles. >> Wow.

[28:55] » It's turned into a big thing. Kansas tourism gave us um the best October Fest

[29:01] in Kansas award and the second place in food festival or fall food festival. So

[29:09] we excited to have those. >> That's great. That is

[29:12] » congratulations. >> That boost the economy here and the

[29:16] » Yeah. youngsters g. It's just everything. It it

[29:20] » it just keeps growing and growing and we love that Saturday is uh well Friday is

[29:24] the more traditional day and then we've added Saturday quite a few years ago and

[29:29] the kids just go nuts. They love it. We have lots of different kids events um on

[29:34] Saturday. We've got um the parade and then we've got the Clydesales there down

[29:40] right outside the October Fest Park. We have bounce houses. Um, this year I'll

[29:45] have little Steinholding for the kids with little root beers. I pitched that

[29:49] idea at GFest for the fifth graders and they went crazy. So, they've asked to

[29:54] have that on Saturday. So, >> I've never asked the question, how many

[29:58] times do they um take the trash out the roll off? Is it one time deal? Is it a

[30:03] two several >> Friday, Saturday?

[30:06] » We get two 25 foot rolloffs. >> Okay.

[30:08] » And they get delivered on Wednesday and then they get picked up on Monday. And

[30:13] so we just have um we have a group that does that and we make a donation towards

[30:18] them and um >> they just take care of our trash the

[30:22] entire time. It really helps a lot that all of the can cages, the can things

[30:26] that we did for sponsorships, um those are all around the park and so we don't

[30:32] have all the the can trash in there and then all of those cans get recycled at

[30:37] Langanger and they get donated back to the um the troop

[30:45] troop 133 maybe or something like that. And um so cuz they come down on Sunday

[30:51] and help us tear down and kind of do a com of the ground. So we donate all

[30:56] those cans to them and make a donation to us for helping out on Sunday.

[31:02] » Okay, good.

[31:05] » Very good. I don't have any issues. >> Yeah,

[31:07] » I have no issues. >> I have no no questions. So thank you,

[31:09] Emily. Um do we need to make a motion for that one?

[31:12] » No. >> Okay. You have consensus. So

[31:15] » thanks for all your hard work. Thanks. I appreciate it. It's such a great

[31:19] community event. We just love that sponsors are a huge part and the

[31:23] community shows up and it's just an all around good thing. Um I would ask that

[31:28] if someone would like to do the opening ceremony that would be great from one of

[31:32] you commissioners. I think Neil, you've done it in the past and um then you guys

[31:36] can fight over this one. If you guys want to um we'd love to have a county

[31:40] commissioner as one of the battle of the bureau judges again. So I think Nathan

[31:45] did or Michael did it last year >> did it last year.

[31:47] » Yeah. >> So we welcome you guys to be a part of

[31:50] it and move. >> I can't because I'm in the Lions Club so

[31:53] I can't do [laughter] >> by

[31:54] » otherwise I would but you just >> Okay. Thank you guys so much.

[32:00] » All right. Thank you. >> Thank you.

[32:08] » Okay. Discussion on considering the purchase of a a used grater. Brandon.

[32:16] Morning commissioners. Brenamman KL County public works director.

[32:19] » So before you is request at a later date for me to bring forward the purchase of

[32:24] a used machine. This used machine was the machine that county was selected to

[32:29] test for about 13 months. It's one size larger than the machines

[32:34] we currently utilize. So, it not something we would recommend going with

[32:39] all of our machines on, but there is a benefit to having one size larger for at

[32:42] least one machine. This machine will be about 50 $60,000 less than the price of

[32:47] a brand new one. But because it is a size up and all the additional options

[32:51] that are on it, it'll come in close to what we're paying for a brand new 140

[32:56] class machine. And some of those options are the rear rippers, the front

[33:00] additional front hydraulics, so we can run our attachments like our shouldering

[33:04] machine. There is additional rear hydraulics. So if we wanted to roll a

[33:08] compaction wheel behind the that's powered off the ripper as well as our

[33:13] cross slope assist which really helps out keeping consistency when you're

[33:17] reconstructing a roadway. It can be done without it but having that tool is a

[33:21] great benefit to us we found. [snorts]

[33:24] » How many hours did we put on it over the past 12 13 months?

[33:29] » I don't have that for sure on my head. I think it was around 1,300, but it'll

[33:33] have an additional 7 year or 8,500 hour warranty on it.

[33:35] » So, it'll we'll be covered up to nearly 10,000 hours on it then.

[33:40] » That's our Yes. >> Okay.

[33:42] » Yep. Everything bumper to bumper or is it Okay.

[33:45] » Premier with travel. So, there's no mileage. And then it also has a CSA,

[33:49] which is all the filters and everything. Everything minus the oil will be sent to

[33:53] us as part of it. So, all that all those maintenance items are already factored

[33:57] in. >> Okay.

[33:59] » Which we've done with all of our machines. That just helps simplify. We

[34:02] get an alert 50 hours out and they send us a package for the filters and

[34:07] consumables that need to be changed. >> Okay.

[34:11] Yeah. As long as we have I mean we've been going that that route. Uh and this

[34:16] is going to fit into our plan of we were planning on purchasing one this year.

[34:20] » Correct. One soon and then if there's money at the end of the year to purchase

[34:24] a section one. >> Okay. Is this going to

[34:28] » take the place of any purchase or is this just

[34:31] » This is going to take the place of one of the purchase of one of the two

[34:33] machines that we would like to purchase this year.

[34:35] » Okay. But we'll be losing a machine then yet.

[34:38] » Yes, we'll be taking one from our auxiliary fleet, the 2013 machine

[34:42] that'll be going to the landfill and the landfills machine will be coming being

[34:46] sold. >> Okay.

[34:49] » So, there won't be any additional machines. We'll get one in and pass a

[34:53] nicer used machine down to the landfill and then get rid of the landfills one.

[34:58] » Okay.

[35:02] » I have no problems moving forward with that.

[35:04] » I don't either, especially the warranties there. So, I mean the

[35:09] shoulder thing. How often does that get used?

[35:11] » Well, right now zero because we don't have any machines that can operate it.

[35:15] Okay. >> All we have is the small one that fits

[35:18] on the back of one dump truck. So, operating on the grater, you can have

[35:23] all of your trucks pull into it. Whereas the one we have for the truck, it's only

[35:27] one trucks at a time. >> Okay.

[35:31] » Okay. >> Okay.

[35:34] » I'm good with that. Thank you. >> I'm good.

[35:36] » Thank you very much.

[35:45] » Okay. [clears throat] Tall grass solar uh project. the legal

[35:50] fees. Darren,

[35:56] » uh, this next item is to re, uh, bring back to the commission, uh, some of the

[36:01] agreements that we had for the legal fees associated with the solar farm

[36:05] contribution agreement and the uh, [clears throat]

[36:10] the conditional use permit that was approved in June of 2026.

[36:14] Back in January and February time frame, the commission entered into an agreement

[36:17] with IBV for them to provide uh $200,000 into an escrow account to allow the

[36:23] county to select and uh hire an attorney on the behalf of the county that the

[36:29] commissioners would select to help us through that legal pro or the process of

[36:33] the conditional use permit. All the any additional agreements that would come

[36:37] with that to include the contribution agreement. Um that was an estimate at

[36:42] that time. We did not know how long it would take, how many months, how many

[36:45] reviews, how many meetings um that the commissioners or staff would have to

[36:49] progress through that. Um now that we have completed that process, there is a

[36:55] remaining balance of just over 22 just under $23,000

[36:59] above um that that $200,000. The $200,000 did include $35,000 to Acres

[37:07] Strong, which was another individual consultant that the commissioners hired

[37:10] to provide you all uh consulting expertise on the legal on the solar

[37:16] side, the development side of of those uh projects. Um, and as we sit now at

[37:22] the end of um, well, we're into September already, but there is a

[37:26] $23,000 balance and the commission uh, has it on your agenda today to approve

[37:32] that payment to Folston out of Witchah for $22,923.50,

[37:39] which would be paid out of the contingency line item in the budget

[37:42] since this was an unbudgeted expense uh, for the county this year.

[37:50] Okay. Any questions? >> So, just for clarification, the $200,000

[37:56] that we that the county has spent on legal fees did not come from taxpayer

[38:00] dollars. >> Correct. That $200,000 was the initial

[38:03] agreement that was in the county commission agenda, I believe, in both

[38:06] January and February. And that payment was put into escrow within Folston,

[38:13] which was a payment directly made from IBV to Folston. and those fees were paid

[38:17] for from them. No tax dollars were spent on those attorney fees or the there is

[38:23] $5,000 left in that escrow fund because we have a $5,000 remaining balance with

[38:27] Acres Strong to assist us as we start progressing through the road use

[38:31] agreement which we're currently working on as well as the decommissioning

[38:35] agreement as well. >> Okay.

[38:40] » So, is there I'm just trying to look. So 5,000 left or 17,05. What's the 175 on

[38:46] that one page there? Retaining funds, retainer funds remaining on account.

[38:51] They um that 17,500 was this statement was given to us before they made a

[38:57] $12,500 payment out of escrow, >> which was the second half of the larger

[39:03] chunk paid to Acres Strong, which out of their contract was the majority of the

[39:08] time committed to the project was for the contribution agreement and the

[39:11] conditional use permit. And 5,000 was kind of set aside as a remaining balance

[39:16] to them. Uh like I say for the road use agreement and decommissioning

[39:20] agreements.

[39:24] » Okay. And these these funds were were negotiated by the by the commission in

[39:31] uh Pollston and this is not going to be reflective in our pilot agreement that

[39:37] was uh agreed upon in the conditional use permit.

[39:40] » Correct. We won't receive any pilot payments from IBV for several more

[39:44] years. uh probably earliest would be 2029. Uh but this will not decrease that

[39:49] amount. >> Okay.

[39:51] » Or be impacted by that amount. >> Okay.

[39:57] » Well, I'll move to approve the payment of the attached invoice to Fston

[40:01] pertaining to their legal consultation for the tall grass solar project.

[40:05] » Second. >> Okay. We have a motion and a second. All

[40:09] those in favor say I. I. >> I. Motion approved.

[40:28] Okay. The eulraic rescue tool purchase Darren

[40:34] for the fire. This agenda item is to ask the

[40:38] commission approval to purchase uh hydraulic rescue tools for company six

[40:42] which is over in Ellis which is the next scheduled uh company in the county to

[40:47] get new rescue tools. Um it kind of goes down to a trickle down effect as well.

[40:52] If these tools are purchased they will uh put into service on rescue 60 and

[40:57] Ellis. The tools that are currently there will replace uh old tools that are

[41:02] on engine 80 which is out in Shenshin. The tools that are in Shenshin would

[41:06] then move to mini 51, which is a brush truck, which is the backup reserve for

[41:12] the county tools, uh, which is here in Hayes. And then kind of tied into the

[41:17] next agenda item for the training facility. Those tools that are off of

[41:20] the the brush truck here in Hayes would go out to the old engine 40, which will

[41:24] become the reserve pumper uh, for the for the county. So that way they can be

[41:28] used out there without taking tools into service, out of service. Um, here in

[41:33] Hayes, the hydraulic tools are actually um they're not new. They've been around

[41:39] for 15 or so years. I went to FDIC, which is out in Indianapolis, about 15

[41:44] years ago, and used one battery on a cutter and completely cut a car in half.

[41:50] Um, they're they've come a long ways even since then. They're they're heavy,

[41:56] but um that's one thing that you can't really get away from. But this this

[42:00] purchase is to uh replace those tools so that way they're hydraulics, which means

[42:05] our current tools have a pump and then you have hose and then you have the

[42:09] tools at the end of it. So you're restricted on um potentially taking two

[42:13] or three people if you can't get to a vehicle close enough to where the the

[42:16] truck is parked. You have to carry all that equipment down or wherever it may

[42:20] be. These hydraulic tools are basically the the AMCUS tools are around off of uh

[42:26] big uh DeWalt batteries. So they are interchangeable. We have these tools in

[42:30] Hayes currently here. Company 5 and the city of Hayes has also started

[42:34] purchasing purchasing these tools as well. Uh the thought of keeping like

[42:39] tools is that way if we do have a significant incident where multiple

[42:43] vehicles have to be extricated or confined space, building collapse,

[42:47] different things like that, all the bu all the tools are interchangeable as

[42:51] well as all the batteries. So that way we have that large uh cache of equipment

[42:55] and tools that are are likeminded. Um, when we looked at these tools, we

[43:01] looked at um because they are heavy and they they they're not the easiest to

[43:06] operate, just like any rescue tool, but we looked at a lighter weight version,

[43:10] they were about just over $1,000 less. But when you looked at the capacity of

[43:14] what they could cut, how far they could spread, the types of metals that they

[43:18] would um not be able to cut on newer vehicles today, a significant decrease

[43:22] in the amount that uh they would be able to not do. So, we uh are not asking to

[43:28] purchase those lightweight lighter weight tools, which are only about seven

[43:31] pounds less than the the ones that are on the agenda here. Um, but I I could

[43:37] keep talking about these for a while if if you like me to, but that's the the

[43:42] biggest point of using these whole source purchase through Weiss Fire for

[43:45] Amus tools because Weiss is the only dealer in Kansas in our area because

[43:50] they have territories that can sell these tools. If not, we'd have to go to

[43:53] a different branded tool. And when we did uh started purchasing these tools, I

[44:00] think the first one that we bought for the county was three or four years ago,

[44:04] uh we did do very uh various demonstrations on other tools as well.

[44:08] Homantro um Denko had one, TNT, Amus, and um

[44:14] there was one other one as well that we Hurst I believe had one.

[44:20] » Our first that was purchased in what 23 I believe.

[44:24] » That sounds about right. But I think I had it in the agenda when we did

[44:26] purchase them last. >> Mhm.

[44:30] » Yeah. 2023 in January. Got it.

[44:40] What happens to the existing tools that we have? Do you keep them or is there

[44:45] any value to them if we're going with the

[44:48] » That's why I say we when we put if this is purchased, the tools get will get

[44:52] moved. Uh this would go on to rescue 60 and Ellis. Those tools would go to

[44:56] Shenshin uh which are an older set of tools which those tools would then go to

[45:01] the brush truck and haze and then those really old tools are I think from 80

[45:05] 1981 would go into uh engine 40 or the old uh engine 40 that would be a reserve

[45:12] pumper over at the training facility if approved as well.

[45:16] » I guess what I'm getting at in in an in an accident where the new tool is

[45:20] needed, how quick will that be? So the county's average response time

[45:25] for almost the last five years, we average 12 to 13 firefighters per call

[45:30] and we can respond on average to any call just under or around 10 minutes.

[45:35] » So that's varies. You could be one mile off the

[45:39] interstate, which like these are going in Ellis, they could be there within a

[45:42] few minutes, but if you're um clear up by the Selen River Bridge, it could take

[45:46] 15 20 minutes to get up there. So, um, that's

[45:51] part of the troubles that we have to deal with when we have to cover 900

[45:54] square miles is sometimes you can get there quick and but there's vehicles

[45:58] that travel all over their 1400 county miles that we have of roads. So, it

[46:02] could take a lot longer to be there as well. But the firefighters usually turn

[46:06] out which means from the time they get their page to the time they actually

[46:09] start responding is usually about 1 minute and 50 seconds and they're

[46:13] usually on scene just under 10 minutes. in the the surrounding counties. Have we

[46:20] ever assisted with something like that that they needed us for tools?

[46:26] » When they have different incidents, we do cover other counties um just on

[46:29] standby. So that way if they do have a call, like if they have a fire in

[46:32] northern Rush County or Brooks County, we've covered the south half of the

[46:35] county for calls. >> Uh we go over to Trio County quite often

[46:40] uh with the Ellis station because Ellis is only uh just about two miles from the

[46:44] Trio County line. Um just might have been two years ago they had that uh

[46:50] larger vehicle accident. I think it was like 17 or 20 vehicles that they covered

[46:56] uh or they didn't cover. They responded to it right away as well.

[47:01] » Good. >> Well, I'll move to approve PO number

[47:07] 7990 for the purchase of the extraction tools

[47:11] for the Ellis County Fire Department. >> Second. Okay, we have a motion and a

[47:16] second. All those in favor say I. >> I.

[47:19] » Motion approved. >> Hey Darren, one one last question on

[47:22] this. Um, part of us retaining that extra truck, uh, part of part of the

[47:30] deal is that we do have to stock it or supply it with with equipment in order

[47:35] for it to be qualified for tax reductions for our county. Is that

[47:39] correct? to be qualified to get points. Um that won't necessarily lead to

[47:44] » I'm [clears throat] sorry, not tax reduction. I'm sorry.

[47:47] » Just to make sure. I mean, it helps >> uh to increase our score

[47:51] » uh for the ISO. The higher the scores that we get is determined by the amount

[47:55] of points that we receive. Part of those points uh that we don't currently

[47:59] receive any at all now is for a reserve engine for the county. Um, and since we

[48:04] kept the old engine 40 because we spent the money to put a new pump in it

[48:08] several years before it was to be replaced, uh, we will now have a reserve

[48:12] engine, but it can't truly be in a fire station, so to speak, that can be used

[48:17] on any given structure fire. It's got to be sitting in reserve status, um, that

[48:22] it doesn't ever respond. So that way the true purpose of it is if a engine goes

[48:26] down, breaks down or has to be sent in for service, warranty, whatever it may

[48:31] be, could be several weeks depending on what the problem is, that engine can

[48:35] come in right away and uh fill that. So, yes, it'd be nice to have it fully

[48:42] outfitted, but at the same point, what we would do is just um bring in a bunch

[48:47] of people real quick. If we know a engine 50 is going in for service is

[48:50] going to be out of, we would just dump all the tools. We'd probably have it out

[48:53] in 30 minutes or so and then reout the uh the reserve engine with those nicer

[49:00] tools. like the tools that would be out there 1980 some. The vehicles that they

[49:05] made in 1980 aren't like they are in 2025, 2026. So those tools don't cut,

[49:11] but there's still a lot of things that they can do for training purposes out

[49:14] there as well that they would be on there and they would count for the

[49:17] specific type of cutting tool on that reserve engine.

[49:20] » Okay. Thank you. >> What are we up to now as far as

[49:25] volunteer fires? Uh we are at [snorts]

[49:29] » 90 Well that's a that's a tricky question

[49:33] because between today the next two days we're on boarding seven new

[49:36] firefighters. >> Okay.

[49:38] » And uh we just had one retire at the end at the beginning of August here and that

[49:43] should put us around 103 if uh if all go through. So

[49:48] » Okay, good. I thank them all. That's a big thing to volunteer for our

[49:53] community. So, >> if we can get them all seven and going,

[49:56] that'll be the most we've ever had on the county fire department.

[49:59] » Good.

[50:12] » Okay. The uh Patterson Family Foundation.

[50:17] Um Darren. So, as the commission knows, um

[50:22] [clears throat] earlier this year, staff the county fire department applied for a

[50:26] grant with the Patterson Family Foundation

[50:30] to create somewhat of what we're calling a regional training facility for

[50:34] Northwest Kansas or Western Kansas. Cut out on me real quick. That sounded

[50:39] inverted. Um the idea was with the working with the Patterson family

[50:43] foundation on the grant that they have a certain bucket that they donate funds to

[50:47] for uh hybrid workforce and and and development for rural America rural

[50:53] Kansas. And you can't get more rural in Kansas when you start looking at

[50:57] volunteer fire departments. And then you look back all the way through the trends

[51:01] all the way to the 80s. Um, we just spoke about being up to about 103

[51:05] firefighters, but the amount of firefighters since the 80s, volunteers

[51:09] in the in the country have uh decreased by about half uh over those years, but

[51:15] the amount of calls that they respond to have quadrupled. Um, so we're asking

[51:21] less of them to do four times as much essentially over those years. And so we

[51:26] started looking at that and the ability of what they're here for and the

[51:30] training to keep them safe, to keep them knowledgeable, to stay up to date on

[51:33] building uh fire, building construction, vehicle extrication, hazmat, rescue, uh

[51:38] about everything you can think of. And one of the things that we're lacking is

[51:42] a good hands-on training facility. Uh you can make do things um very cheaply

[51:47] and uh give them some type of opportunity to have that hands-on

[51:52] training. But then when you start trying to partner with other organizations, we

[51:56] got letters of support from the Kansas Division Emergency Management, Kansas

[52:00] Forestry Service, Kansas Fire and Rescue Training Institute. We'll be working

[52:03] with Kansas hopefully the Kansas Firefighters Association um to create

[52:07] some of these types of trainings. Uh but when you start putting uh firefighters

[52:12] in IDLH atmosphere, immediately dangerous to life and health, uh where

[52:16] you have live fire, you have to start meeting certain standards. and uh to

[52:20] have those classes, to have those opportunities, um there's not very many

[52:25] facilities like this in the in the state of Kansas that uh you can put all these

[52:29] different types of ideas into one place and and have have that ability for them

[52:33] to train. So, we looked at the Patterson Family Foundation. We applied for a

[52:38] grant and we put a whole bunch of um training props that we've seen uh either

[52:43] through conferences, uh newsletters, just word of mouth and different things

[52:47] like that. and um came to a bulleted point list of items that are on the

[52:54] agenda that um are part of the grant. So, if the commission would allow, I

[53:01] would speak to each one of them just to kind of give an educa or a little quick

[53:04] synopsis of what each is. Um so, I'll just scroll through. I attached a whole

[53:08] bunch of pictures. Um but the first one is kind of the main

[53:13] focal point of the training center. So, if you can imagine um what this may look

[53:18] like, it's a 10acre track of land, which we'll talk about here in a little bit,

[53:21] but right in the center of it is a uh training center tower that looks like

[53:27] you have on the screen. It's 10 Conx's built together um structurally designed

[53:33] and NFPA approved for live fire burning both on the main floor as well as on the

[53:39] second floor. So you can do interior and exterior as well as second story and you

[53:44] can train as it being a basement to do live fire training scenarios. Uh the

[53:48] tops of these facilities are built so that way you have anchor points for rope

[53:52] rescue to repel off the sides. And then part of the backside of that has

[53:58] multiple props so that way you can do bailout exercises out of windows, roof

[54:03] collapse, entanglement props, uh wall breach props. There's a roof prop that

[54:08] [snorts] you can see on there. That way you can practice using chainsaws to cut

[54:11] through roof and on part of the conx you can open up and they have a metal

[54:16] cutting prop so that way you can use your rotary tools to cut through metal.

[54:20] So that's the the main focus of the center of the facility and um also the

[54:25] the most expensive part as part of the Patterson grant that we have received

[54:30] which is roughly $454,000 already. That is enough to pay for this

[54:35] as well as a water uh supply prop which will allow us to build a somewhat of a

[54:41] sistern or a large pool that we can have um about 20,000 gallons of water to be

[54:47] able to draft up store water into and draft out of to use for the live fire

[54:51] scenarios as well as a above ground like a 200 barrel oil tank to accommodate

[54:56] another we haven't actually bought the the tank yet of course because we have

[55:01] to have the commission approval but you can I have another 200 barrel which is

[55:05] uh what's that about 10 12,000 gallons worth of water above ground as well to

[55:09] to continue with that. Um moving on is a flashover simulator. What

[55:16] this is is you start uh on the left side of that prop. You use class A

[55:22] combustibles and you create heat, fire, and smoke. And then the firefighters go

[55:27] into the right side of that. And you can see by sitting into it, laying on the

[55:31] floor, you can uh put in the effects of rollover, flashover, and different

[55:36] impacts of looking at fire behavior um in there in a design structure so that

[55:42] way they can do it safely. Um and technically, you won't be in there for a

[55:46] flashover event. Um but you'll be able to open up the doors and see what it

[55:50] actually looks like. This is another prop that would be in

[55:55] another area of the facility. Um, this is not necessarily the one that we're

[56:00] looking at, but on and the inside of that has an SCBA confined space maze, so

[56:04] that way firefighters can practice crawling through tight spaces with their

[56:07] SCBA on their breathing apparatus. Um, as you can see off the left side of

[56:12] that, it's got a roof cutting prop um, as well. And off the top, it's got a

[56:16] safety device with a bailout window, so that way you can practice safely being

[56:20] tethered to a safety rope, bailing out a window onto a ladder to get out of a out

[56:24] of a building. Uh

[56:29] this is a fire dynamics prop. This is if you essentially look at like maybe two

[56:33] large suitcases where you could start a fire and you have different compartments

[56:37] like you do in a home. You can start a fire in one and open up doors or windows

[56:42] and practice ventilation to see how that impacts fire and how the fire growth it

[56:47] spreads throughout the throughout the building.

[56:51] Forcible entry door. Uh this is uh basically a door that is built out of

[56:57] solid steel and you just replace wood products into it um scrap wood. So that

[57:02] way you can practice breaching and breaking through walls and prying open

[57:06] doors. Uh cuz if you imagine if we had a facility where we could go break through

[57:11] a door after you do it once and you got 20 people in class, the door is done,

[57:15] you can't do it again. Um, basically you slide in new wood into that uh

[57:21] into that door and then you can just do it over and over as long as you have

[57:24] that additional wood to to do so. It also includes in a different area of

[57:30] the complex a LPG training prop. So what this is is this is a not a true picture

[57:37] of what it actually looks like. They but it's a it's a vehicle like an SUV. That

[57:42] SUV slides over a pan that's controlled by water and propane underneath it. So

[57:47] that way you can um have a ignited propane fire inside the car. Then you

[57:52] can open the doors, open the hoods and uh approach the vehicles in the safe way

[57:58] without having to worry about explosions or projectiles on a on a normal car if

[58:02] we got one that we could use to burn up. And they have other props that come with

[58:07] that. You can have them. They come they they basically roll over pans. So you

[58:11] can have a dumpster fire, you have car fires, engine fires, uh different things

[58:15] like that, as well as the pan that you kind of see below it where you can fill

[58:19] that up full of water and then have your propane attached to it. And as the

[58:23] propane escapes through the water, it lights. So you have a liquid fuel and

[58:28] then the firefighters can use that as a prop to use foam to suppress fires using

[58:33] different foam application methods to put fire out on liquid fuels.

[58:40] Part [clears throat] of that process out there that uh before the training

[58:44] complex actually came to light was the the bond that the commission has

[58:47] approved uh to was originally thought to have a storage facility out by the

[58:54] public works facility to store the engine uh that was replaced over in

[58:58] Ellis as a reserve. Um, a part of that then grew into having the appropriate

[59:04] size storage facility to house that engine as well as some of the other

[59:09] equipment that the counties received off Homeland Security grants or through the

[59:12] forestry service. We have an ATV that was granted to us uh no charge from the

[59:17] forestry service as well as a water supply trailer that houses seven

[59:22] portable tanks. So that way we could in the time of need have seven or six

[59:27] portable tanks connected together or individual to hold 21,000 gallons of

[59:31] water on a wildland fire, structure fire, whatever it may be. But that whole

[59:36] project was donated by the wild the homeland security. So all that equipment

[59:40] would be out here as well. Uh but on the west or the left side of that is a

[59:46] classroom. So that way when you have uh inperson class in a classroom session at

[59:52] the training center um there would be an actual training room available for the

[59:57] firefighters. U this building the way we have it set now is uh we have a bunch of

[1:00:03] firefighters who are willing to finish it on the inside if it does get built.

[1:00:07] So if it does get constructed at constructed the way it is planned now

[1:00:12] and based on the size that we have on the lot, it would be a 40x 100 metal

[1:00:16] building and the classroom would be 40x40. And uh like I say, it would be

[1:00:21] unfinished. It would be insulated on the inside, but over a period of time,

[1:00:26] firefighters will go in, as you imagine, having 103 firefighters, they have a lot

[1:00:30] of different skills and abilities, so they'll be able to finish that room out.

[1:00:34] And we do have HBAC donated for the project as well for both sides of that

[1:00:39] building. So moving on to where it would actually

[1:00:43] be located is a map and the east west street at the bottom is 55th. So that's

[1:00:51] the landfill 55th and 240th. Uh you can't really see my cursor, but right

[1:00:57] there at the intersection, this is all the landfill area in the

[1:01:02] right down here in the corner is where the main entrance is at. To the west of

[1:01:06] that is a 10acre plot that was closed back in the early 1990s, I believe in

[1:01:11] 1991 where one of the original Ellis County landfills were built on and

[1:01:16] there's not much it can be used for. You can't build on it. Um it's been sitting

[1:01:21] there vacant since the 1990s. Uh but the only section of that 10 acres is that uh

[1:01:28] smaller blue box that was never developed or put as waste because that's

[1:01:32] where their scale house and their office building and everything was located at

[1:01:36] back in the 80s. So that is where the location and the current entrance is to

[1:01:40] the facility and that's where that building would be placed at uh running

[1:01:46] north to south but it would be facing east and then that bigger that lighter

[1:01:50] blue box is the 10 acres that are identified. So each of those training

[1:01:53] props would have different areas located through there in like a big circle. The

[1:01:57] training uh the the conxes would be in the center of it and then throughout the

[1:02:01] surrounding area of that you'd have each of those other props. Two other items

[1:02:05] that we didn't list that aren't mentioned. Um, Kansas Fire and Rescue

[1:02:10] Training Institute would like to have some part of that to build a rubble pile

[1:02:13] for simulation and training on building collapse. Um, which would be concrete

[1:02:19] blocks, containers, culverts, and things like that to be able to tunnel and

[1:02:22] traverse through. And then another area would be out there for vehicle

[1:02:26] extrication. So that way it would be a simulated area that the fire companies

[1:02:30] could go out and tear and cut apart vehicles and not have to worry about the

[1:02:33] oil, the gas, the glass, and all the other materials that may be falling down

[1:02:39] that they don't necessarily have to clean up or um so a lot of opportunities

[1:02:43] there. Um with that comes to the discussion we

[1:02:49] had. Uh, previously, like I say, we were originally maybe putting the storage

[1:02:53] building out of the public works facility and the location that was

[1:02:58] identified there was going to create a lot of work for public works to be able

[1:03:01] to cut and fill, do a lot of dirt work to get us about 3 and 1/2 acres. It was

[1:03:05] going to take them several months as they had allowable time to move any

[1:03:09] dirt. This is already flat and uh it's three times the size. And then when you

[1:03:15] start looking at utilities, we met with Midwest Energy at both locations. We

[1:03:20] would have to be trenching um several couple almost 2,000 feet of gas line. Uh

[1:03:26] we would be trenching a water line and we'd be dropping in many power poles to

[1:03:32] get uh access to the other facility. Whereas right here, right there at that

[1:03:36] bottom corner, there's electricity right there. Uh they probably only have to set

[1:03:40] one power pool. And we do have one trans uh u

[1:03:47] not transmission but uh donated for the electricity

[1:03:52] » transformer donated. Um >> so that's another cost savings there and

[1:03:57] gas is also in the ditch on the south side. So uh getting access to utilities

[1:04:01] a lot quicker. Um the only issue that we'll still be working with if the

[1:04:07] commission would to approve is the rural water district stops their 4-in water

[1:04:11] man at the entrance to our drug enforcement unit building which is about

[1:04:15] 1,800 ft to the east on the south side of the road. And the city of Hayes stops

[1:04:20] their 10-in water man 18 about 1,800 ft to the west uh right about the entrance

[1:04:25] of Dunan. So, um, still working on both of those to see, uh, which route to to

[1:04:32] go with there, but that will be about a $25,000 expense to get water based on

[1:04:38] some estimates. Um, it is in the, uh, water districts, uh, district area. So,

[1:04:46] uh, first preference comes to them on trying to work something out there. But,

[1:04:49] if the commission were to approve all of this and allow us to move forward, uh,

[1:04:54] that would be the next thing that we'll be working on.

[1:04:57] The last piece that I would mention is the the gratitude for the Patterson

[1:05:01] Family Foundation uh for working with us on this. It wouldn't be possible uh to

[1:05:06] do it. Like I say, they've already given us over $454,000.

[1:05:10] It's sitting in the bank account now with the treasury. Uh if the commission

[1:05:14] were to not approve to proceed, essentially a check would just be made

[1:05:17] back to them and then uh with nothing uh would be spent on it. The next part of

[1:05:24] the grant, as this is uh all the equipment that we said that I went

[1:05:28] through minus the building was about $820,000 worth of equipment. Um so the

[1:05:34] Patterson family has given us 454,000. They're doing what's called a challenge

[1:05:39] grant with us for the the remaining roughly 350,000 to get us the purchase

[1:05:43] of the rest of the equipment essentially for they will match any donation that

[1:05:48] the county fire departments receive dollar for dollar up to 178,000. So if

[1:05:53] we raise 178,000 they'll give us another 178,000. So collectively besides the

[1:05:59] money that we get, the money that we raise and the money that they match

[1:06:02] after that will be just about 800 I think $11,000 which should get us most

[1:06:07] everything uh as part of that uh grant application minus a couple things that I

[1:06:15] didn't mention. There was a couple smoke machines that we had in there, some

[1:06:18] rescue mannequins as well as hose to outfit that old engine 40 for a fire

[1:06:23] attack and fire supply line. Um, so like yeah, like I say, if it wasn't

[1:06:29] for the Patterson Family Foundation, this wouldn't really go go forward. Uh,

[1:06:34] what's what would be next? Maybe another question the commission may ask is we

[1:06:38] were going to have to retain some statistics afterwards is who all trains

[1:06:43] there, how often do they train there, what departments are they from, are they

[1:06:46] new recruits, uh, you know, from Philipsburg or Kobe? uh keep track of

[1:06:52] all that compared to how many are actually uh veterans of the fire service

[1:06:56] and we send all that information out. Um one thing that we're working on like I

[1:07:01] say with the Kansas State Firefighters Association is hopefully create an

[1:07:04] annual fire school in western Kansas. Uh the only true fire school in the state

[1:07:09] right now is in March. It's in Topeka. Uh so the western part of the state

[1:07:14] really doesn't get a whole lot of time to be able to take off work and go out

[1:07:18] there. Whereas this facility could be open year round that if Philsburg wanted

[1:07:22] to come down and do some type of training the facility would be open to

[1:07:25] them as well as if we do an annual fire school that would be the earliest when

[1:07:30] everything would be completed if we match or meet the fundraising goals

[1:07:34] would be about 2028. and we're hoping to have that and every

[1:07:39] year at the same time usually or we're hoping to have it like October, November

[1:07:43] time frame. >> Okay.

[1:07:45] » So, a lot of information. I'll pause because just make sure I captured

[1:07:50] everything.

[1:07:53] So, this has kind of really metastasized from being a just storage facility to

[1:08:00] we've really gone and and the Pattersons have really stepped in to really make

[1:08:04] this a western Kansas kind of cornerstone.

[1:08:08] » Yeah. How that actually came through with the request from the Patterson

[1:08:12] Family Foundation was an idea uh through Leadership Kansas, which I attended last

[1:08:16] year. And you through Leadership Kansas, you go around the states to see the

[1:08:20] different communities, what they're doing, whether it be economic

[1:08:23] development, uh whether it be businesses that they're doing, education, military,

[1:08:29] and and one of the stops that we did was in Salina, and they have what's called

[1:08:33] Crisis City, which is a military installation out uh on the bombing range

[1:08:37] to the west of Salina. Uh it's not open to the public. Um you can get out there,

[1:08:42] but you can't just use it, so to speak. And when we were out there, uh, the CEO

[1:08:48] of the Patterson Family Foundation was out there and I kind of just ran the

[1:08:51] idea by her just to see if this would meet their goals and objectives of what

[1:08:55] they donate money for. And um, she got me into contact with some of their staff

[1:09:01] and I kind of shared the idea is and they kind of guided me from there as to

[1:09:07] yeah, may may be something they would be interested in. And um so we filled out

[1:09:11] the application process and it that's how it's came about.

[1:09:18] » Very good. [clears throat]

[1:09:22] » So with this, do you think that uh that's going to be more inviting to get

[1:09:25] more volunteer firefighters? So without people in Ellis County or Hayes or

[1:09:31] houses that um we'll have more people want to participate.

[1:09:36] » I don't think it's going to be a sole reason for the any firefighter to join.

[1:09:42] But I think especially as a volunteer, but I think the many different things

[1:09:45] that we do that we've tried with the county, uh you try to protect them with

[1:09:50] the right gear so that way they're safe. You give them a purpose. You give them

[1:09:54] decent equipment that they can train and use on. you give them the support.

[1:09:58] They're not truly volunteers. They do get paid. And then and if you give them

[1:10:01] the purpose of having true scenarios where you're not just uh saying this is

[1:10:06] what it looks like by sitting in the classroom watching something on YouTube,

[1:10:10] you can actually go out and use this uh and then be able to create fire schools

[1:10:14] where might be able to create revenue for the county to offset some of the

[1:10:18] expenses. Um because when they come in they may uh we may have registration

[1:10:23] fees uh for a conference but if KU comes in they usually supply all the material.

[1:10:28] So like if we're doing a lot of cutting and breaching and breaking of sheetrock

[1:10:31] or OSB and stuff they usually uh bring some of that material in to be able to

[1:10:36] pay for it as well. So when you look at it I don't think it's necessarily going

[1:10:40] to if I were to say one side or the other it's going to help uh recruit

[1:10:45] firefighters rather than not be of any benefit. It's just another another

[1:10:50] ability that we'll have to be able to use and and give them the ability to go

[1:10:54] out and do some training. >> So the LPG right now, what do we do as

[1:10:58] far as that is on a on a fire? Has have you witnessed that yet or not?

[1:11:03] » For training? >> No.

[1:11:06] » For for Yeah. [laughter] for a real incident.

[1:11:10] » So KPA does different they have out at Crisis Cities, they have different

[1:11:14] training props that you can do. Uh, but LPG, it's so tricky because there's the

[1:11:18] when you look at what type of scenario are you, are you talking about a truck

[1:11:21] hauling LP? Are you looking at a little propane tank at a building or a propane

[1:11:25] tank on a on a a barbecue grill? Um, you know, you can't just put water on it

[1:11:31] because it doesn't really stop the leak. So, then you have to cool it off and

[1:11:35] prevent what's called a belvy, uh, which was when they explode. But if you put

[1:11:40] the fire out, you still have leaking propane. So, then now you have a

[1:11:42] flammable atmosphere that you have to worry about. So there's a lot of

[1:11:45] different things and we train all of our firefighters. At a minimum it's required

[1:11:50] that they go through hazmat awareness uh to be on the fire department and um that

[1:11:54] doesn't really necessarily get everything but it's this it's the

[1:11:57] awareness level what your environment and environment during hazmat situations

[1:12:02] that you're involved in to make sure you identify what you're working in and get

[1:12:06] the appropriate help coming.

[1:12:11] in the uh city of Hayes, they're well aware of this, correct? That this

[1:12:15] possibly could go through and are they going to use the facility? Are we going

[1:12:20] to let other >> Yeah, when I guess when I say volunteer

[1:12:22] firefighters, it wouldn't be limited to just volunteers at the city of Hayes.

[1:12:26] Obviously, they're the only full-time fire department around us until you get

[1:12:30] down to KBY, Dodge, Garden, or Salina, Great Bend, but u I've even said if

[1:12:36] Kansas City, Kansas comes out for a training, it it

[1:12:40] just means we're getting bigger and better and is getting a good name, a

[1:12:43] good reputation, and a good opportunity. So primary focus is for volunteer

[1:12:47] firefighters, but we do um regular scheduled training with company 5 and

[1:12:52] the city hayes. And if they are willing to come out and use it whether with us

[1:12:56] or on their own for whatever type of training scenario, I would say they

[1:13:00] should be more than welcome as well because they'll that's one of those

[1:13:04] things. It's the city hayes fire department, but they still benefit the

[1:13:07] county. Yep. They do respond out in the county for um no matter where it is with

[1:13:12] at least one firefighter if it's surrounding the city of Hayes, they

[1:13:15] bring uh their on duty uh full on duty force

[1:13:19] » and like Commissioner Ler said that you know Patterson family that that's huge.

[1:13:25] So >> I think we have somebody that would like

[1:13:29] to the audience would like to speak on this.

[1:13:32] » All right. Just had a quick quick question for Darren speaking from

[1:13:35] somebody that's been in a couple training trailers.

[1:13:39] » If you would live, if you would state your name, please.

[1:13:43] » Oh, Mike Worth, 605 200th Avenue. Um, I mean, this is great. I mean, I I love

[1:13:50] what he's doing here. Uh, I guess my question is is,

[1:13:56] you know, you got a lot of grant money coming in and it's, you know, trying to

[1:14:00] get it and it sounds like you've kind of got it going, but

[1:14:07] is there if you have uh firefighters from coming

[1:14:11] in from different counties and you know, you have them scheduled, does the county

[1:14:17] then like have a list and then they submit

[1:14:21] that to the state saying, "Hey, you know, we had this many trainees come

[1:14:25] into our facility. Do we get reimbursed for this?" Is there

[1:14:31] something or is this just all on Ellis County?

[1:14:34] » So, this isn't tied to anything with the state. So, all the numbers that we

[1:14:37] collect or some of the requirements that the Patterson family wants us to know

[1:14:41] just so they have statistics of how many firefighters are they full-time,

[1:14:45] part-time, volunteer, where they're from, are they new recruits, are they 10

[1:14:50] year, 20 year veterans? Um, if we have fire schools, that will be ability. Um,

[1:14:55] I mean, I don't know what the price because we're several years out of even

[1:14:58] having that as a possibility, but usually any fire school you go to has

[1:15:02] like a registration fee. It's like a conference. So, that helps to pay

[1:15:06] » depending on how big and how long and how much you do would be determined

[1:15:10] about what whether it's $50 registration fee or a hundred. And so, so will the

[1:15:17] Patterson family, since the state's not involved, they will kind of supplement

[1:15:22] something to the county or is this just a one-time set you up deal and they're

[1:15:27] done? >> Correct. So, if Plainville wanted to

[1:15:30] come down, um, we often get, I wouldn't say often, but quite frequently we get

[1:15:36] requests to take donations for vehicles. Uh we get pallets, uh hay bales, all all

[1:15:43] kinds of things that would be able to use. So you don't actually have to

[1:15:47] purchase the stuff because you use com combustible class A materials, usually

[1:15:51] pallets and bales and the live burn. Um everything else. So if if uh Planeville,

[1:15:58] again, I don't want to pick on Planeville, but if they wanted to come

[1:16:01] down and do vehicle extrication, they would need vehicles. And um they we

[1:16:05] would just set them up with maybe Bretts or Pipers, and they usually give us a

[1:16:10] very highly discounted rate, basically enough to cover their cost to get a

[1:16:13] vehicle to us and back. So if it's $100 a vehicle, we would just ask like the

[1:16:17] Planeville Fire Department to pay for that vehicle. But um other than that,

[1:16:23] our guys, our firefighters are very excited about this as well. Um they they

[1:16:28] want to do a lot of teaching as well. So training is one thing. That's one level

[1:16:33] of of commitment. But when they actually start committing to teach um you educate

[1:16:38] yourself but others a lot better and brings us to another higher level. So

[1:16:42] that's another piece of the training part of it.

[1:16:44] » It's all about repetition. I mean when you're training and the better you get.

[1:16:49] So having the training facility right on hand is better than waiting, you know,

[1:16:56] whenever we get on a list for them to bring a training trailer in. It's just

[1:17:00] it's sometimes it's tough to do. So I could see this as good. I I just kind of

[1:17:05] wonder, you know, I I still feel like the county is going to have to be

[1:17:09] kicking kicking something in here and [snorts] firefighters substantial.

[1:17:14] » The firefighters will have a commitment to go out there and do the training. um

[1:17:17] not just be a part of it, but also teach. Um and then

[1:17:23] I [clears throat] wouldn't say there's going to be no expense, but you you're

[1:17:26] using the props that are already out there. So, I guess an example would be

[1:17:31] the LPG. You know, we'd have to replace LPG every once in a while, but that

[1:17:36] might be something if we host a fire school that KSFA um would fill the

[1:17:40] propane tank up and if they use it all, they use it all. If not, then we would

[1:17:44] have uh equipment left over. Um so there there would be expenses, but we I mean

[1:17:51] we got to train our firefighters, too. So we have to have expenses in relation

[1:17:55] to that. And then like the the budget that we have for next year didn't

[1:17:59] increase any because of this project and I don't see it necessarily increasing

[1:18:04] unless we want to start doing doing something more which at that time I

[1:18:08] guess the commissioner would have to approve. So, I I guess what Mr. Worth is

[1:18:13] trying to get at, he's he's trying to make sure that Ellis County is not going

[1:18:18] to be raising taxes or or taxing just to fund and keep this project afloat. And I

[1:18:24] guess the end goal would be is that yes, we have a premier training facility when

[1:18:29] it's done, but the possibility of hosting and having some revenues that

[1:18:34] would offset some of that. >> Correct. The biggest expense is what

[1:18:37] we're seeing here today is the $820,000 worth of equipment. After that, one of

[1:18:43] the things like I didn't mention was it's attached to 200 plus acres of

[1:18:48] grassland for the landfill out there, which is what the forestry service is

[1:18:52] interested in coming out and doing live fire training out there as well. So

[1:18:56] although you're just burning out grass, there is expenses associated with that.

[1:19:00] Like if we use drip torches, you know, we're using but it's so minimal. Um, but

[1:19:06] you still there are expenses that would be uh be occurred to have it. Uh, we're

[1:19:12] hosting a fire school next week uh or two weeks September, I'm

[1:19:18] sorry, this weekend the 11th and the 12th of the K State Firefire

[1:19:23] Association. Even without the training facility, we still have when we host a

[1:19:27] fire school, we have expenses. So, we rent uh we rent or sometimes get donated

[1:19:32] equipment to roll cars, smash cars, so that way they're not just sitting there

[1:19:37] uh with doors not smashed in where you can just pop them open. Um so, we still

[1:19:42] have those even when we have a a fire school without this, but it's like Mike

[1:19:46] said, we're bringing in trailers at that point. Um which aren't always as

[1:19:50] realistic and >> but it's something it's it's a lot

[1:19:53] better than nothing. >> Yeah. Yeah. you know, if you get it all

[1:19:56] built, I maybe Nathan needs to make a motion that the commissioners have to go

[1:20:01] through it. So, [laughter] >> yeah, absolutely.

[1:20:03] » You know, they're they're constantly doing fundraisers al I mean, also, so

[1:20:08] there'll be some >> and those people those firefighters are

[1:20:12] a little different people. They like to keep their stuff up to par and

[1:20:18] participate. So, >> they're they're adrenaline junkies. I

[1:20:22] know, but it's they're dedicated and and volunteers. I I can't say that enough.

[1:20:28] Uh not only that, I was going to ask the question, too, to um field trip. I would

[1:20:34] love to do went through something this facility years ago to to at least look

[1:20:39] at it because that will teach our kids not to mess with fire because you're

[1:20:42] going to get burned. Um it's just a matter of when. So,

[1:20:47] » two more quick things is um this isn't necessarily for us today or the next

[1:20:51] couple years. This is the next generation of firefighters after I

[1:20:54] retire. >> So, that way we can continue. If we

[1:20:57] don't have volunteer firefighters, the tax burden on the county is going to

[1:21:00] significantly increase because you're going to have to start hiring full-time

[1:21:03] people and you can't just really do it with one with the expectation that they

[1:21:07] have PTO and vacation. So, it's going to be many. Uh and then the next piece is

[1:21:12] we we do have the $178,000 challenge to to match in the future. Um the

[1:21:19] firefighters already started working on that. We haven't uh accepted any funds

[1:21:23] yet uh because we didn't want to accept anything before the commission would

[1:21:28] approve this, but we already have 61,000 of the 178,000 uh committed to to this.

[1:21:35] And just as of this morning, we sent out another email if somebody's wanting to

[1:21:38] do it. Um, I sent out a some emails yesterday. Um, we have a couple

[1:21:45] foundations that we're going to be working with and some disaster funds

[1:21:48] that possibly could give us uh upwards of another $100,000 in the coming weeks.

[1:21:54] Uh, and they're working hard. The firefighters are for the first week in

[1:21:58] October is GiveFest with Heartland Community Foundation. So, all the money

[1:22:01] that they raise, they could be getting up dollar for dollar as well. Uh, so

[1:22:06] they're they're pretty excited about this and I I hope the momentum goes for

[1:22:10] the several months so that way they can hit that and blow that $178,000 cap out

[1:22:14] of the water and and then we're sitting on excess funds that may be able to use

[1:22:19] to stockpile some of that equipment like uh Mr. Worth was talking about that um

[1:22:25] give us funds into the future so that way there is no burden on some of those

[1:22:29] small pieces of consumable goods that would be need needed to train with.

[1:22:35] Okay.

[1:22:39] I I think it's a great great move. So,

[1:22:44] » I will move to approve the acceptance of the Patterson Family Foundation grant

[1:22:48] for the regional training facility training equipment and to allocate the

[1:22:53] 10acre parcel at 1515 West 55th for the purpose of the same facility.

[1:22:59] » Second. >> Okay, we have a motion and a second. All

[1:23:04] those in favor say I. >> I.

[1:23:06] » I. Motion approved.

[1:23:11] » Thank you for this opportunity. I know. Um hopefully the firefighters blow your

[1:23:15] inboxes and cell phones and text messages up that there's a lot of true

[1:23:19] excitement about this and I think it's going to take us to a whole another

[1:23:22] level into the future and uh give me more to do on my all the extra time that

[1:23:27] I have off already. It's it's going to be neat. And um

[1:23:31] definitely they used to do uh at the at Scaffa every year they used to bring the

[1:23:35] legislators in when we were out there in March and they called it like fire ops

[1:23:40] 101 where they brought brought in uh the senators reps and even county

[1:23:46] commissioners, city commissioners to go through what it's actually like. And

[1:23:49] maybe if we get this fully built in the next couple years, that might be

[1:23:52] something that we can do locally uh to share it with the community of what's

[1:23:56] truly out there. That'd be great. I'd just like to say, you know, I was on the

[1:24:01] on the department almost 15 20 years ago and uh I had the opportunity to go on a

[1:24:07] trailer that has been discussed and it was that training cuz within a week or

[1:24:12] two after that I was actually inside of a a burning structure fire and it's the

[1:24:17] training that was received while in those training facilities that really

[1:24:21] helped and really set the tone for one on call and on scene. So, this facility,

[1:24:26] I think if we can expose more of our volunteers and our our firefighters to

[1:24:31] these, uh, it makes for better outcomes when they are challenged with that. So,

[1:24:37] I look forward to this.

[1:24:41] » If anybody knows of anybody to reach out to for donations, I please let me know

[1:24:45] because we'll take them. >> That give fest is a is a cool thing.

[1:24:50] You can double your money and it goes to good causes.

[1:24:56] Okay. Michael, you have anything?

[1:25:00] » I don't. >> Okay. County administrator

[1:25:03] [clears throat] report. Uh we do have one topic uh that Mr. Jeter and uh the

[1:25:10] county clerk Bobby's received a request to from the rural water district number

[1:25:15] six to add real estate into the water district that was uh removed from

[1:25:20] another water district. and we need to schedule a public hearing to do so. And

[1:25:24] I don't know if Mr. Jeter wants to explain any more of that, but

[1:25:27] essentially once the notice was received, I believe on September 1st, we

[1:25:32] have one month or 30 days to hold a public hearing as well as create notice

[1:25:36] to the hearing for that. And uh was hoping that besides anything else Mr.

[1:25:41] Jeter may want to share if we could schedule uh look at the your calendars

[1:25:44] today to see if we can get a meeting scheduled towards the end of the month.

[1:25:49] Bill Jeter, county counselor. Uh, this statutory process. Trio County Rural

[1:25:54] Water District abandon earlier this year some territory in

[1:25:59] Ellis County and Ellis County Rural Water District number six wants to

[1:26:05] attach that property to their property. And the statutory process requires uh

[1:26:12] approval by the county commission subject to a public hearing being held

[1:26:18] within 30 days of when that application was filed with the county clerk's

[1:26:23] office. Um and notice being provided at least 7

[1:26:28] days before the hearing. And we're working on who we provide

[1:26:33] notice to. And so we need to schedule a public hearing and a hearing date.

[1:26:45] » I think that the timing has created an issue because we can't fit a county

[1:26:50] commission already scheduled county commission

[1:26:53] meeting within that time frame. >> Is that right, Bobby? So we need to have

[1:27:00] a special date, >> right? because the next commission

[1:27:02] meeting is going to be October past the 30 days that we are required to have it

[1:27:07] but it was too late to get it scheduled for next week since I have to give a

[1:27:11] 7-day notice.

[1:27:17] So, >> so the week of like the 21st through 20

[1:27:20] 25th, the week the following week, the 28th through that first week, I'm in I'm

[1:27:25] in Atlanta, so I I mean, you don't have to have all three commissioners, but I

[1:27:30] would not be able to attend a a meeting that week.

[1:27:32] » Takes all three. Correct. >> Uh just a majority vote. So, it take two

[1:27:38] of you. >> Yeah.

[1:27:40] » Are you available on the week of the 21st through

[1:27:43] » Yeah, that week I'm >> okay. Available.

[1:27:45] » Okay. pretty much anytime. >> I'm available then as well. So,

[1:27:50] » Commissioner Younger. >> Yeah.

[1:27:52] » Do the 22nd. Just do it. >> Do the the 22nd the fourth Tuesday.

[1:27:57] » Yep. That goes with the clerk. And >> that's good.

[1:28:00] » At what time? >> 8:30.

[1:28:05] » That works for me. Just >> I'm fine with that. Yes.

[1:28:08] » So 21st. >> We'll do the 22nd the fourth. The fourth

[1:28:11] Tuesday. >> Okay.

[1:28:13] » Yes. That works for my calendar. Uh, Mr. Cheater, I just want to make sure that I

[1:28:17] do not need to publish anything correct. I just need to make sure I get the

[1:28:22] notice of hearing out to all affected parties.

[1:28:25] » I'll have to re-review that statute, but I think it only called for providing

[1:28:30] written notice. >> Okay. to

[1:28:34] rural water district number six and >> right I did get all [clears throat]

[1:28:38] their addresses the uh owners of the property

[1:28:41] » and then to the chief water engineer >> and the chief engineer of the state

[1:28:45] water resource >> that's all I read but like I said I just

[1:28:48] want to make sure that I >> I'll reconfirm that

[1:28:50] » okay thank you >> I guess can I ask the question why

[1:28:54] they're giving this territory up >> they already gave it up but I have no

[1:29:00] that's that's trial county rural water district.

[1:29:03] » So, Trio County gave it up and now Ellis County Rural Water District number six

[1:29:08] wants to attach it to their property. >> Okay. I thought it was something that

[1:29:12] they just had done here. Yeah. Recently, but Okay.

[1:29:16] » Okay. So, it'll be September 22nd at 8:30 in

[1:29:21] the morning. >> Okay.

[1:29:27] » Okay. County Commission reports. I have none.

[1:29:33] » I don't have anything either. >> Okay.

[1:29:36] » Okay. I guess the only thing I have is I have nothing. Um but I would, you know,

[1:29:43] like to make the comment that um how our hiring process has been going

[1:29:50] on. So, you know, how the wage study was done and how many applicants we're

[1:29:55] getting. Um, from when I first became commission, it was like you'd get two or

[1:29:59] three and now we're getting dozens. And um, which is nice, which comes back to

[1:30:04] uh, Mr. Worst's comment that, you know, um, that pay scale is what brings a lot

[1:30:10] of people in and and good quality people, which we've we've got. So,

[1:30:16] that's all I have and we have one executive session.

[1:30:21] » Okay. Uh, at this time I'll move the board of county commissioners recess to

[1:30:26] executive session for 20 minutes under the following exception to the Kansas

[1:30:30] Open Meetings Act pursuant to attorney client privilege exception. The subject

[1:30:35] to be discussed during the during the executive session is solar litigation.

[1:30:41] Open session will resume at 10:15 in the commission chambers. Those in attendance

[1:30:48] in addition to the board of county commissioners are Bobby Dryling, Bill

[1:30:51] Jeter, and Darren Meyers. >> Second.

[1:30:55] » Okay, we have a motion and a second. All those in favor say I.

[1:30:58] » I. >> I.

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[1:32:08] go.

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[1:54:15] » No uh decisions were made and we will adjourn at 10:18.

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Ellis County, KS Commission

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