At Monday’s meeting of the Ellsworth County commissioners, Colleen Sippel was reappointed to another four-year term as Ellsworth County’s representative to the Central Kansas Library System board of directors.

In other business:

• Grow Ellsworth County Director Stacie Schmidt presented an American Rescue Plan Act memorandum of understanding agreement to the commissioners to sign.

From Feb. 21:

• Ellsworth County Emergency Management Director Keith Haberer, Ellsworth Fire Chief Ralph Doubrava, Ellsworth County Sheriff Murray Marston, Geneseo Fire Chief Chris Muse and Rice County Fire Chief Ed Feil discussed Ellsworth County’s current handling of burn bans.

Ellsworth County dispatcher Katie Nelson said dispatchers only document the information for controlled burns. Feil said Rice County has restrictions that are discussed between all fire chiefs. Doubrava said it would be nice to have the flexibility for fire chiefs in Ellsworth County to either enact or loosen restrictions based on moisture or the lack thereof.

Commissioner Greg Bender said if the Ellsworth County fire chiefs have good communication, this would be a better solution.

Fire chiefs in Ellsworth County will work on a solution like Rice County’s burn restrictions.

In other business

• Schmidt presented the Youth Entrepreneur Challenge results. She noted turnout was excellent. Schmidt also told commissioners she had submitted the modern income housing grant.

• During a review of applications for ARPA funds, Nelson, Doug Janssen of Post Rock Rural Water District and Ellsworth County Medical Center Chief Executive Officer Jim Kirkbride presented statements on the need to receive ARPA funds.

Approval was given to give $200,000 of the $225,000 in Ellsworth County ARPA funds to ECMC to help repay a portion of the Medicare pre-payment, and $25,000 was approved for the Ellsworth County Sheriff ’s Office to pay for some of the needed radio replacement.

• County Sanitarian Shawn Estrel gave his 2022 year-end report. Twenty-five percent of the wells inspected were not constructed to state standards. Estrel said this is due to wells being completed prior to the state standards being updated.

The next meeting of the Ellsworth County commissioners will be at 9 a.m. Monday, March 6, at the county courthouse.