Commission approves $5,000 to United Way; signs letter supporting City of Hays water project

The Ellis County Commission took two administrative actions on Feb. 11: it approved a $5,000 contribution to the United Way of Ellis County for work supporting the county’s care council review process, and it signed a letter of support for the City of Hays’ ongoing water-supply project and federal grant applications.

United Way contribution: County Administrator Darren Myers told commissioners the United Way had assisted the county’s care council by reviewing and visiting applicants for outside-agency funding and that the county and United Way staff had jointly agreed on an annual contribution amount. "That amount was to be $5,000," Myers said. Erica Burgess, director of the United Way of Ellis County, summarized the care-council site visits and volunteer review process and described this as the first round of reviews under the revised process.

A motion to approve a $5,000 contribution passed at the meeting; the minutes record the motion and a second and a recorded affirmative outcome of "2-0, pass." A commissioner recused from the vote for a stated conflict of interest. The commission did not specify which commissioners voted in the audio record available; the motion passed and county staff will process the expenditure.

City of Hays water supply: County Administrator Myers briefed the commission on the City of Hays’ renewed BRIC (Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities) application and related regulatory steps for a proposed water transfer pipeline. City Manager Toby Doherty described project progress: the design is roughly 60% complete, updated cost estimates have stabilized after a period of inflation, and land-acquisition work for pipeline easements is expected to begin in the coming months. Doherty said the transfer hearing panel must still set a date for the water-transfer hearing; he said the city hopes to move to construction bidding later this year with possible ground-breaking in 2026 depending on regulatory progress.

Myers indicated the county had previously provided a letter of support and that the commission had signed an essentially identical letter for this application cycle. The county’s letter supports the city’s federal grant application and notes the regional importance of water supply to housing and economic growth.

Formal actions taken: the commission approved the United Way allocation by recorded motion and signed a letter supporting the City of Hays’ BRIC/federal funding application. No additional county funds beyond the $5,000 contribution were approved at the Feb. 11 meeting.