BY JUSTIN SABATA
Ellis County residents voted, and the results are in. The Health Services sales tax passed by almost 2,000 votes while the General Services sales tax passed by more than 1,000 votes. The exact numbers are still unofficial and awaiting canvassing Wednesday. The tax will not officially begin until Oct. 1 and will be set for 10 years.
Though both plans passed, work was still not done for the commission. The county commissioners almost immediately shifted their focus on upcoming projects, including the county road tour scheduled for April 22. The tour, a meeting provided by the Ellis County Public Works department, consists of the commissioners viewing Ellis County’s infrastructure and determining where repairs are most needed.
Concerns were raised given the COVID-19 pandemic and the safety of those involved with the tour. After deliberating, it was determined the tour could still go as scheduled with proper precautions in place.
“Our current interest rates for bonding are really low. They’re about half of what they were a month ago,” said interim county administrator Darin Myers. “So, I would almost suggest not postponing or rescheduling the road tour in regards to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Myers went on to describe the importance of acting now in repairing county roads.
“If we prolong that, it’s going to prolong us to know an idea of how much we’re going to need if we want to look at a bond,” Myers said.
First district commissioner Butch Schlyer agreed with Myers, and also pointed out the ineffectiveness if the meeting were to be postponed.
“I think, in regards to the road tour, I think we should either proceed as scheduled or just cancel it,” Schlyer said. “I’m not in favor of postponing it. Postponing it gets us nothing.”
The road tour is scheduled to begin in the Commission Room at the Ellis County Administrative Center on April 22. Before the end of the meeting, each of the commissioners was sure to thank the voters of Ellis County.
“That was great to have such a large turnout,” said third district commissioner Dean Haselhorst. “So, thank you Ellis County for supporting us on that.”
The Ellis County Commission will meet again April 20 in the Commission Room.