Afamiliar face in Ellsworth County was selected Monday by the Ellsworth City Council, as the new Ellsworth City Attorney.

Current Ellsworth County Attonrey Paul J. Kasper was selected from three candidates.

Of the other two candidates, one was from Kansas City, Mo., and the other was from Salina.

According to Ellsworth Interim City Manager Allen Dinkel, Kasper will have the same contract as previous city attorney Patrick Hoffman. Under the contract, Kasper will be paid $2,750 per month.

Dinkel said the fact that Kasper is the current Ellsworth County Attorney is “not an issue” when it comes to taking the city attorney job.

Another item involved a more lengthy discussion: rezoning.

After hearing from four patrons — three in support of and one against — the council voted to table until the Feb. 9 meeting a decision on a request to rezone Lots 1-6 and Lots 8-10 in the Canren Addition from single- family dwelling district (R-1) to two-family dwelling district (R-2) so council member Russ Allen can gather more information.

Dinkel said the City Board of Zoning appeals conducted a public hearing and meeting Jan. 7 for the purpose of considering the request. The board voted 3-0 to recommend the city council rezone the property for the purpose of building duplexes.

“The planning commission did an extremely good job of handling the hearing that night and discussing the information,” Dinkel said.

David Pyle, the person making the rezoning request, said the intended use for the property in question has always been singlefamily and duplex housing.

“I’m looking forward to getting some properties started here in Ellsworth,” he said. “We’re trying to target that 18-30-year-old (age) range, and I think we can really do that and capture that with this project.”

Terry Parks, who lives in the Canren Addition, spoke on behalf of herself and her neighbors.

“Reliance upon the planning commission’s recommendation does not substitute for the filings required by this body under Chapter 17,” she said. “With respect to housing needed, the objecting property owners do not dispute that housing availability is an important public concern. However, generalized housing demand is not a substitute for a location-specific analysis. The zoning ordinance requires consideration, existing uses of the property, the zoning and uses of surrounding properties, the neighborhood character, suitability of the property under existing zoning and the public welfare. Those factors must be applied to this location and not addressed in the abstract.”

Parks said assertions that the impact on the surrounding neighborhood will be minimal are inconsistent with the nature of the request.

“A rezoning from R-1 to R-2 is a material change in zoning classification,” she said. “It permanently alters allowable density and land use rights, authorizes future development that is incompatible with the established single-family residential character of the area. It’s not a minor or temporary adjustment.”

Anita Hoffhines, broker/ owner of Hoffhines Real Estate and Hoffhines Properties, who owns both residential and commercial properties in Ellsworth, recommended the city council approve the rezoning request.

“The demand for rental units is consistent and strong,” Hoffhines said. “And even through the winter, we normally have units rented prior to the current tenant moving out. This demonstrates the lack of available rental housing in the city.”

Hoffhines said she doesn’t see the new duplex rental units as competition, but as a benefit to all rental investors.

“As we can begin to be seen as a town where you can find a clean, affordable rental,” she said.

Stacie Schmidt, human resources director at Ellsworth County Medical Center, said the hospital is currently recruiting employees who are in that 18-30-year-old age range, and “we certainly need help in doing so.”

“We need more choices for people to rent houses,” council member Steven Bishop said. “If we don’t step up and start getting places for people to live here, it’s not going to work out well.”

“I see their (those who oppose the rezoning) side too,” council member Tyler Renard said. “You’re going to change that whole neighborhood.”

n other business:

I• The council discussed the safety of the ball field lights and poles and how to replace them.

“It’s a city-owned facility, but it’s a community asset,” Dinkel said.

He suggested contacting the Ellsworth-Kanopolis-Geneseo USD 327 school district to see if they could help the city with the estimated $400,000-$425,000 cost of replacing the poles and LED lighting.

“I think this is our issue to fix,” Dinkel said.

A letter from Mark Klein of Western Cooperative Electric indicates the current wooden poles are showing cracks and possible rot below ground, which may cause them to lean. In addition, a couple of the poles have damage caused by woodpeckers.

Ellsworth Recreation Director Ronnie Tenbrink estimates the current poles were installed in the early 1990s, with newer halogen lights installed around 2005. He noted the poles need to be at least 70 feet above ground; they are currently at 55 feet.

Tenbrink noted if the city went with steel poles instead of wood ones, only 10 poles would be needed instead of 12.

To get by, Renard suggested the city have a company check the current condition of the poles and replace only the ones that are bad.

• Approval was given to the civil rights/fair housing policy and to adopt the City of Ellsworth Code of Ethics. Both are required by 25-HR-002, the Kansas Department of Commerce Community Development Block Grant Housing Project.

• Approval was given to the football field maintenance contract with USD 327 for 2026.

• Approval was given to an engineering agreement with BG Consultants Inc. for Water Well No. 4 and Water Well No. 6 improvements.

• Four resolutions, 202606, 2026-07, 2026-08 and 2026-09 were approved. Each resolution updates the authorized signatures for the city bank account.

• Approval was given to immediately end the memorandum of understanding made with Dale Hoosier, owner of the property at 406 N. Douglas Ave., since no substantial efforts have been made by the owner to improve the home since June 12, 2024.

Dinkel said following a public hearing on June 10, 2024, the city council approved Resolution No. 2024-14 declaring the structure at 406 N. Douglas Ave. as unsafe or dangerous and directed it to be removed and the premises made safe and secure.

However, shortly after the meeting, then-City Administrator Dustin Stambaugh entered into an MOU with Hoosier.

“In my opinion, this should have never happened as the council had already taken action,” Dinkel said. “Any changes should have been approved by the city council, but I believe they were not.”

Dinkel said very little has been done to the property by Hoosier since the MOU was signed. He noted the structure may be eligible for CDBG funding for demolition.

“Even though the owner may argue that he should use these funds for rehabilitation, the amount of work that is needed to make this home fit for human use and/or habitation will greatly exceed any grant funds he could possibly receive,” Dinkel said.

The next meeting of the Ellsworth City Council will be at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 9 at city hall.