Ellsworth County commissioners rescinded the countywide burn ban Monday during their weekly meeting until further notice.

Commissioner Dennis Rolfs said he was contacted by several farmers recently wanting the ban lifted. In other business:

• No action was taken after a 30-minute executive session to discuss confidential financial affairs for Ellsworth County Medical Center with ECMC Chief Executive Officer Jim Kirkbride; ECMC Executive Director of Business Operations Charles Lewing; Hospital Board President Clint Rogers; Hospital Board Member Stacie Schmidt; Hospital Board Attorney Theresa Staudinger; and County Attorney Paul J. Kasper.

From Jan. 17:

• During a meeting of the county’s department heads, Register of Deeds Sue Arensman asked if the courthouse could have employee lockdown drills once a month involving the new security system on the courthouse doors.

Once the system is online, the monthly drills will begin.

It was noted the handbook committee needs to meet at least one more time to finish corrections to the document.

Emergency Management Director Keith Haberer introduced the Orion Damage Assessment program purchased by the Kansas Department of Emergency Management. Haberer took the training on the system and said the county could take pictures of damage after a disaster and the program would give the cost of the damage.

In other business:

• Sheriff Murray Marston was notified by the county’s insurance carrier, Kansas County Association Multiline Pool, the sheriff ’s office will receive $21,000 for the pickup truck recently totaled in an accident. Marston said that amount will not cover the cost to replace the truck, so he is looking for an alternative. Marston said he is looking into purchasing a used cargo van for around $20,000 to keep his budget in line.

• EMS Director Nathan Florian said the department had 899 ambulance calls in 2022. Most were in the city of Ellsworth.

• Approval was given to a request by Florian to give EMS Medical Billing Clerk Jenny Kempke a 1 percent wage increase, from $18.53 per hour to $18.72 per hour.

Florian said Kempke goes above and beyond her job by taking calls during the day as an EMT and continuing her education in the evenings at no extra pay.

• Amanda Cambrice, Sarah McCall and Marty Sneath, representing Pattern Energy, inquired what they can do for Ellsworth County since the money from the Paymentin- Lieu-of-Taxes (PILOT) program has gone to the county’s general fund in the past to help decrease taxes. Also in attendance during the discussion were County Attorney Paul Kasper, County Appraiser Carl Miller and Central Plains USD 112 Superintendent Bill Lowry.

The commissioners said everyone is experiencing substantial cost increases, and they would like to keep taxes paid by the taxpayers down.

Cambrice said she would have an answer for the county by the end of March or sooner so the county will know what to expect when developing its 2024 budget.

Lowry asked if USD 112 could enter into a contract with Pattern Energy separate from the county’s agreement.

The next meeting of the Ellsworth County commissioners will be at 9 a.m. Monday, Jan. 30, at the county courthouse.