Historical Society asks Ellis County for letters backing two grant applications; commissioners sign support

Amanda Rupp, representing the Hays Historical Society, asked the Ellis County Commission on March 18 to provide letters of support for two grant applications: a T-Mobile Hometown Grant requesting $50,000 for exhibit space at the Hays location, and a tourism-attraction grant administered by the Kansas Department of Commerce for a Victoria project.

Rupp said she had submitted two separate letters to county staff for the commission’s signature and asked whether the commission would endorse the applications. Commissioners asked whether either request required a county financial match; Rupp said the T-Mobile grant did not require a match and the Commerce tourism grant “might be a matching grant” but that the society expected to cover any match and only sought community backing.

Commissioners indicated support and noted there was no county financial commitment requested. At the meeting conclusion, commissioners confirmed the letters had been signed.

What this means: The Historical Society will include county letters of support with two grant applications; county staff said the commission’s backing is limited to support letters and does not commit county funds.

Direct quote: “I have sent 2 separate letters for grant support to Darren… 1 is for a grant, for the Hays location, for our exhibits space, and it's to the T Mobile Hometown Grant. It's for $50,000,” Rupp told the commission.