For the second week in a row, the Ellsworth County commissioners stood firm Monday on the face mask mandate they approved Nov. 9.

“I would be in favor of it, said Commissioner Kermit Rush.

“I think we’d better,” added Commissioner Dennis Rolfs.”For at least another week:’

“That’s what I was planning on: said Commissioner Steve Dlabal.

The mandate, which is on the commission agenda weekly, remains in place until commissioners rescind or it.

In other business:

+ Jeremiah Brown of the Ellsworth County EMS said the ambulance he had to take out of service has one strut longer than the other. A replacement strut is being sent and installed.

+ After a 15 minute executive session to discuss non-elected personnel (a new hire) with Dale Houston, county road and bridge superintendent, approval was given to a motion to hire Charles Bradley Jezek as a full-time equipment operator at a salary of $16 per hour. Jezek will start immediately.

Houston said his crew has been busy mowing, cleaning out ditches and blading roads. He has one employee who is in quarantine due to exposure to COVID-19 and another that has tested positive for the virus.

Rush asked Houston if anything could be done to improve the washboard effect on the road between Hi-Plains Sand and the Grubb Bridge.

“Putting sand on it doesn’t help; Rush said.

Houston said he will try to build up the base of the road.

The next meeting of the Ellsworth County Council will be at 9 a.m. Monday, Dec. 7, at the county courthouse.