Monday’s meeting of the Ellsworth County commissioners was a short one — just a little over an hour. During that time, officials approved the purchase of a quarter page, black and white ad in the Aug. 22 Cowtown Days section of the Ellsworth County Independent-Reporter for $189.95.

In other business:

• Commissioner Kermit Rush said the county’s valuation for 2020, $112,772,512, rose $7 million from the 2019 total of $105,623,171. He said the county also saw a drop in the mill levy for 2020, from 51.720 in 2019 down to 48.870 in 2020. Rush said counties in Kansas still have to operate under a cap placed on them by the state legislature in Topeka.

“They just keep cutting us down every year,” he said.“I don’t know when it’s going to stop.”

A public hearing on the 2020 Ellsworth County budget is scheduled for 10 a.m. Monday, Aug. 12, at the county courthouse.

The next regular meeting of the Ellsworth County commissioners will be at 9 a.m. Monday, Aug. 5, at the county courthouse.