The Ellsworth City Council officially welcomed a newly- elected mayor, incumbent council member and council member, a newly-re-appointed council member and a new council president at its Monday meeting.

Council President Jessica Kootz took her seat as mayor, while incumbent Tyler Renard and Steven Bishop took their seats on the council. Former council member Russell Allen was reappointed to the council, and longtime council member Darcy Hansen was appointed council president.

In other business:

• The council bid farewell to Ellsworth City Attorney Patrick Hoffman, who accepted a job as Salina City Attorney.

“I really enjoyed the challenge of helping out here,” Hoffman, an Ellsworth native, said.

In a related note, the council approved a committee made up of Kootz, Hansen and Interim City Administrator Allen Dinkel to screen potential applicants for the city attorney position and report back to the council at the Jan. 26 meeting.

• Ellsworth City Fire Chief Ralph Doubrava reported that while responding to a mutual aid call from Russell County two weeks ago to fight a very large grass fire, an Ellsworth fire truck experienced mechanical problems which ignited a separate large fire. Doubrava noted the owner of the ground that was burned is trying to seek monetary reparations for his loss.

Doubrava said he cannot find the mutual aid contract EFD signed with Russell County, but under the mutual aid agreement, EFD is not liable for any losses associated with that response.

Hoffman agreed, noting he is confident in the mutual aid agreement between the EFD and Russell County.

Doubrava said a report on the incident was turned in to the EFD’s insurance carrier.

• Brian Ingalls, the city council’s representative to the Grow Ellsworth County board of directors, gave an update on programs Grow Ellsworth County is moving forward with.

• Kootz signed proclamations establishing January 2026 as Human Trafficking and Stalking Awareness Month in the City of Ellsworth.

• Approval was given to the lease agreement between the City of Ellsworth and the Ellsworth County Fair Association for a parcel in the Northwest Quarter of Section 29-15-8 and authorizing the mayor to sign the bill of sale for a utility building to the Ellsworth County Fair Association in the amount of $20,000.

• Approval was given to the agreement between the City of Ellsworth and CrossPoint Church for a $50,000 donation from CrossPoint towards HVAC in the Ellsworth Health and Recreation Center, and to have the project be installed by Water Works, HVAC, LLC, not to exceed $58,210.24. In addition, approval was given for the city to pay the remaining $8,210.24.

• Approval was given to Ordinance No. 3179, creating a Housing Rehabilitation and Citizens Advisory Board.

• Approval was given to the City of Ellsworth CDBG 25-HR-02 Demolition Plan.

• Approval was given to the City of Ellsworth CDBG 25-HR-02 Housing Plan.

• Approval was given to the City of Ellsworth Grievance Policy for CDBG 25-HR-02.

• Approval was given to the first amendment to the Kansas Department of Commerce Community Development Block Grant Agreement No.

25-HR-002.

• No action was taken on the consideration of replacing the drainage structure under Third Street adjacent to Preisker Park.

• Approval was given to an emergency request for a Kansas Department of Transportation Aviation grant in the amount of $15,863.54 for an equipment upgrade to the airport fueling system.

• Approval was given to contract with Benesh as designers for the airport taxi lane project.

The total cost of the project is $128,425, with the city’s share being $12,000.

• Approval was given to apply for a KDOT Aviation Grant for an additional taxi space.

The project is estimated to cost a total of $275,000, with the city’s share being $27,500.

• Approval was given to have Conrad Fire Equipment repair the EFD Unit 501 aerial ladder truck at a cost of $15,000.

• Discussion on the interest of an entity seeking to purchase a 1.3 acre parcel of city-owned land located to the west of the intersection of St.

Louis Avenue and W.

North Main Street was tabled until the council discusses the matter with Western Cooperative Electric.

• Five resolutions were approved by the council dealing wiht the city’s bank account. Each removed the name of Dan Finnegan and added the name of Steven Bishop. The resolutions were Resolution 2026-1, authorizing cash back transactions; Resolution 2026-02, updating authorized signers for a city bank account; Resolution 2026-03, updating authorized signers for a city bank account; Resolution 2026-04, updating authorized signers for a city bank account; and Resolution 2026-05, updating authorized signers for a city bank account.

• The council began discussion of filling the city administrator’s position, currently filled by Dinkel on an interim basis.

“I’ve enjoyed doing this,” Dinkel said. “I’m not running away.”

Dinkel said he expects the process to take from four to six months to complete. The council will discuss it again at the Jan. 26 meeting.

• Dinkel said a representative from the City of Ellsworth is needed to sit on the Beloitbased North Central Kansas Regional Planning Commission board of directors. He will ask Grow Ellsworth County Director Kevin Colle to see if he is interested in joining the board. If Colle declines, Dinkel will approach Russell Allen.

• No action was taken after a 10-minute executive session for the preliminary discussion of the acquisition of real property relating to the sewer improvements project.

The next meeting of the Ellsworth City Council will be at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 26 at city hall.