Nicholas Florian of Ellsworth has accepted the Ellsworth County Commission’s offer to be the next director of the county EMS.

That announcement came at Monday’s meeting of the county commissioners.

Florian will begin his duties Aug. 2. He is currently a captain in the Great Bend Fire Department.

In other business

• Sheriff Murray Marston dropped off copies of his office’s 2022 budget request. He plans to discuss the budget proposal during the July 19 commission meeting.

• No action was taken after a five-minute executive session to discuss non-elected personnel with EMS employees Alex Winters and Jenny Curnutt (unresolved issues at EMS).

• No action was taken after a 10-minute executive session with county attorney Paul J. Kasper to discuss matters relating to attorney-client privilege (questions regarding policies).

• A request from Tim Korbe, interim EMS director, was approved to expend up to $4,000 from the county building fund for electrical work on the new classroom at the EMS.

• No action was taken after a 10-minute executive session with Korbe to discuss nonelected personnel (the assistant director position).

• Ellsworth City Administrator Rusty Varnado said the council plans to condemn the old Ellsworth County hospital at their council meeting later on Monday. He noted a man from Manhattan has expressed interest in the rehab of the old hospital building. Varnado said he invited the man to visit Ellsworth personally and take a look at the condition of the structure.

• No action was taken after a 15-minute executive session with Kasper to discuss matters pertaining to attorney-client privilege (litigation).

• Larry Sharp of KCAMP, the county’s liability insurance coverage provider, made his annual visit to update commissioners on the services his company provides. He noted Ellsworth County has been a customer of KCAMP for over 20 years.

From the July 6 meeting: • Brent Goss and Troy Soukup of the Ellsworth County Fair Association requested a 2022 budget of $18,000 — a 28.6 percent ($4,000) increase from last year.

• Stacie Schmidt, director of the Ellsworth County Economic Development, discussed the best use of American Rescue Act funds. She said the funds must be tied to COVID and well documented. She is giving the public 45 days to comment on how the funds could be used. Schmidt will then develop a form for the public request and they will be asked to present that request to the commissioners. At the end of 45 days, commissioners will come up with a budget for the ARPA funds.

• Dave Cox, plant manager for Maico Industries in Ellsworth, visited with commissioners about assistance in paying the $100,000 natural gas bill the company received during the three-day frigid cold snap in February. Cox has been in contact with U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran’s office and was told the ARPA funds could be used for utility bills for businesses. Schmidt said there were other reasons she believed Cox qualified for ARPA funds but cautioned that the utility bill in question was not related to COVID. Commissioners said they are still working on a plan for the funds and would get Cox information as soon as it became available.

• Korbe presented the 2022 EMS budget request totalling $561,132. The budget increased four percent ($21,592) from last year due to building maintenance and payroll.

• No action was taken after a 10-minute executive session with Winters and EMS employee Gaye Woods to discuss non-elected personnel (current issues at EMS).

• Teresa Shute, supervisor of the county landfill, discussed the need for a new pit at the landfill. She has had several individuals ask if the brick from the old hospital could be recycled. Commissioner Dennis Rolfs said hopefully somebody could be found to at least take the brick. The landfill must have a letter of proof from the state saying there is no asbestos before they can accept debris from the old hospital.

• Commissioners told Florian that if he was interested in the EMS director job, they were interested in him.

No action was taken after a 15-minute executive session with Florian to discuss nonelected personnel (new employee information).

The next meeting of the Ellsworth County commissioners will be at 9 a.m. Monday, July 19, at the county courthouse.