The Ellsworth County commissioners were not only one commissioner short Monday, since Greg Bender was attending the fall meeting of the Kansas Association of Counties in Overland Park, they had a short agenda as well.

Commissioners Steven Dlabal Jr. and Dennis Rolfs approved a request by Ron Etchison of the Ellsworth County Council on Aging to give $1,000 to the ECCA to make up the difference the county still owes to the North Central Agency on Aging in Manhattan from 2016-20 for Senior Care Act funding.

In other business:

• Teresa Shute, supervisor of the county landfill, noxious weed department and recycling program, said she will consult with Kirkham Michael & Associates after receiving a letter from the state. The letter requests that a letter be drafted by an engineering or geological firm stating to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment that recent water well testing at the landfill found no nitrates in the water supply there.

Shute said this is part of a 30-year plan for water testing.

Commissioners requested Shute inform her of the cost of Kirkham Michael drafting the letter.

• No action was taken after a discussion with Tracey Barton of the Kansas Natural Resource Coalition possible membership by the county in that organization. The cost would be $5,000 per year.

The mission of the KNRC is to monitor, analyze, understand, communicate, and participate in those initiatives that materially affect the natural or human systems governed by individual member counties.

The coalition will be discussed with Bender at the next commission meeting at 9 a.m. Monday, Oct. 25, at the county courthouse.