Ellis County Commission approves 2025 budget, votes to exceed revenue-neutral rate

The Ellis County Commission voted to approve the 2025 General Fund and Fire District No. 1 budgets and separately authorized exceeding the states revenue-neutral rate for budget year 2025, the commission recorded. The roll-call votes on both items were recorded as unanimous: Nathan Meicher, Michael Burgess and Neil Younger voted yes.

Commissioners and staff said most of the increase in the proposed county budget stems from implementing a recent pay wage study and absorbing employees from the county dispatch function into county payroll. "The increase that I see is almost all attributed just to that," Commissioner Michael Burgess said, pointing to wages, benefits and the addition of five to six full dispatch positions as the primary budget drivers. Burgess added the commission trimmed about $1 million from the initial budget proposal before bringing the final package forward.

Residents urged restraint. Ken Kennedy, a Hays resident who addressed the commission during the revenue-neutral public hearing, said assessed valuations rose roughly 30% between 2020 and 2024 and that property taxes for many residents have increased about 40% over the same window. "We need to find a way to control taxes and keep these things reasonable for people that are living off on a fixed income," Kennedy said during public comment.

Chair Nathan Meicher acknowledged the call for fiscal restraint but said some projects and maintenance cannot be delayed without public-safety consequences. "I understand the thought process to stay revenue neutral, but I also understand the dramatic reality of we need to do some of these projects," Meicher said, noting infrastructure and bridge repairs as examples of work the commission chose not to defer.

Treasurer and finance staff figures were discussed in public comment as one reason the commission could mitigate tax impacts: residents and commissioners referenced increased interest earnings on idle county funds as one potential offset to the levy. Commissioners said departments have been encouraged to build reserves and to use idle-fund interest where appropriate to reduce mill levies.

The commission also asked members of the public to take part earlier in the budget cycle. Meicher said the commission plans to publish the preliminary budget schedule in February or March so residents can provide suggestions before budgets are finalized.

The motion to approve the 2025 budgets also included Resolution 2024-12 authorizing the county to exceed the revenue-neutral rate; that resolution was approved in a separate roll-call vote. The commission closed the public hearing and carried the budget vote without amendment. No further action on the budget was announced at that meeting.