progress june 27, 2013

-RepoRteRIndependent

Ellsworth County

Volume 147, No. 45 www.indyrepnews.com Thursday, June 27, 2013

And the Beat goes On

What’s InsidePage C3 — Dr. Mark Herzog and insurance agent Gary Urbanek have new homes on the highway.

Page C4 — KanEquip unveils its new $1.5 million expansion in Ellsworth.

Page C5 — It’s all about the green for Cashco, Inc.

Page C6 — Maico joins the list of growing Ellsworth County businesses.

Page C7 — Great Plains had too much space in 2004. What a difference a few years can make. Page C8 — Independent Salt celebrates a century of business.

Page D1 — Wilson Communications goes “the last mile” for its customers.

Page D2 — H&B Communications of Holyrood brings the world to its customers.

Page D3 — Ellsworth’s Choitz Brothers thrives on family-friendly customer service.

Page D4 — Home Lumber has a new look and Ellsworth Ready Mix looks to the future.

Page D5 — Ellsworth County Medical Center adjusts to the winds of change.

Page D6 — Ellsworth’s Mosaic traces its history back a century.

Home, again

See BOISVERT, Page C10

See FILLION, Page C10

In the past two years, Ellsworth County has seen millions of dollars in new construction and the addition of jobs and housing. Perhaps this song title best describes the future.

MARK McCoy/Ellsworth County Independent-Reporter

Welders work on one of many huge metal projects in the Maico Industries shop in Ellsworth.

An Ellsworth kind of attitudeBy LINDA MOWERy-DENNINGEllsworth County I-R

As Great Plains Manufacturing considered expanding its operations to Ellsworth sev-

eral years ago, the first question owner Roy Applequist asked Rob Fillion was — “Can you guarantee us a labor force?”

“Yes,” came the response from the executive director of the Smoky Hill Development Corporation, Ellsworth County’s economic development orga-nization.

Today, Great Plains does business along Kansas Highway 156 in Ellsworth’s former El-Kan building, a large structure the maker of tillage equipment is in the process of enlarg-ing because it needs even more space.

Great Plains is not the only local business in growth mode.

Over the past two years, Ellsworth and Ellsworth County have seen tre-mendous growth in both new and existing businesses. This year alone, valve maker Cashco expanded into more overseas markets and erected a new headquarters building at Ellsworth, KanEquip unveiled a $1.5 million expansion and the First Bank Kansas development south of the Ellsworth County Medical Center has

started to fill with homes and other busi-nesses.

Other companies have experienced less visible growth. Both Wilson Communications and H&B at Holyrood are in the process of building fiber optics networks,

which will put the companies’ mostly rural customers on the same broad-band playing field as residents in Chicago, Denver and other large cities.

This also is a milestone year for sev-eral other existing businesses, including Kanopolis’ Independent Salt, which celebrates a century of operation.

Can Ellsworth and Ellsworth County continue at the same the pace? Fillion thinks the answer to the question is the same one he gave Applequist earlier this decade.

Yes — but perhaps with an asterisk.“While we’ve seen growth ... It’s not

going to look the same in the immedi-ate future,” Fillion said. “What I hope to see are more manufacturers locating in our area.”

And that brings him and others who work in economic development back to potential workers. In March, the Ellsworth County unemployment rate was 3.7 percent — compared to a

national rate of more than 7 percent.“Unemployment is a Catch 22,”

Fillion said. “Our unemployment rate shows a stable, steady workforce, but it’s also scary for new manufacturers.”

For that reason, Fillion stretches his workforce net in a 45-mile radius of Ellsworth when he talks to potential businesses. Leave Ellsworth early any weekday morning and you’ll see a steady stream of cars coming into Ellsworth from other communities, a circumstance that adds to Ellsworth’s labor pool and also provides jobs for spouses. The highway to Salina runs both ways.

“Salina is definitely more helpful than hurtful to us,” Fillion said.

The one dark spot in Ellsworth County’s economic picture in recent years has been Acme Brick in Kanopolis, which closed its doors about the time Great Plains opened. Fillion still talks with company officials and is optimistic the plant will reopen at some point in the future, as the national housing market becomes stronger.

The bottom line for Ellsworth and Ellsworth County, Fillion said, is the leaders and other citizens who have found ways to get things done. In the 1980s, for instance, a group of resi-

Fillion

The I-R asked two residents of Ellsworth County to write down their thoughts about liv-ing here. Here are the responses from Anita Hoffhines, president of the Ellsworth-Kanopolis Chamber of Commerce and a real estate saleswoman, and Brian Boisvert, general manager of Wilson Communications.

Opportunity is hallmark of living in our county

Living in Ellsworth County means that we have opportunity. Ed and I have the opportunity to serve, to earn a living, to develop friendships and to live a full

life. Each person who lives here has that same opportunity. What makes Ellsworth County a place full of opportu-nity? Our area’s eco-nomic stability, local people willing to take educated risks, and “long-timers” willing to

open their arms to “newcomers.” We moved here 22 years ago so that our boys could attend Ellsworth schools. That decision proved to be a wise one. Our boys did well academically and socially while growing up in the Ellsworth-Kanopolis area. We hope the community will remember that we need to continue to support and improve our school facilities. Many new families count jobs and schools as the primary reason they choose to move to Ellsworth-Kanopolis. Because of our participation in the Methodist church, our boys were surrounded by loving leaders, teachers and neighbors as they grew in their Christian walk. It’s easy for me to promote the Ellsworth-Kanopolis area because it has been, and continues to be, a place we can continue to call home.

Anita Hoffhines

Hoffhines

People make a community what it is

Living in Ellsworth County offers many benefits to its residents. Robin and I moved here more than a decade ago from rural New England. I had worked with colleagues in Dodge City prior to moving to Kansas and knew from that

experience how much I enjoyed the interaction with these Kansans. Once living in Ellsworth County, that positive experience continued and we felt very welcomed.

So what gives Ellsworth County its charm and quality? From my perspec-

tive, first and foremost it is fundamental quality of life characteristics — educa-tion, low crime, good employment, car-ing “neighbors,” available commerce and good services with reasonable property taxes.

Although our children are adults, I’ve seen the quality education our local schools deliver. Each year I have the pleasure of presenting scholarships to area schools. I am always impressed with the high GPAs of the graduating classes. Our applications require an essay. The writing is often very good, more than I would expect from a high school student. Many of our area youth go on to two- and four-year colleges. Now if we can just get them to return to Ellsworth County after college …

Our community is not without crime. No community is, but Ellsworth County’s crime, in my opinion, is low by any standard. Beyond our law enforce-ment forces, are residents who care about each other. Ellsworth County is a safe place to raise a family, the children can walk about town and enjoy playing with their friends.

The county enjoys a good job market. The unemployment rate for Ellsworth County in April was reported to be 3.2 percent compared to the state rate of 5.3 percent and a national rate of 7.5 per-cent. I have seen activity in Ellsworth with new business and residential con-struction and in Wilson with the fiber to

Boisvert

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Ellsworth County Independent-Reporter • Thursday, June 27, 2013

InvestmentRepresentative

Kim Vidricksen

785-493-1622

G.P. Financial Services, Inc.Serving Salina and Surrounding Areas

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Congratulations to Ellsworth County on their continued growth. Outstanding business growth generates outstanding investment opportunities. Call me for professional investment strategies.

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Gene’s Heartland Foods, Committed to the Growth and Progress of Ellsworth County

745 O’Donnell Drive • Ellsworth, KS 67439785-472-4111

BY Mark MccoYEllsworth County I-R

USD 327 serves Ellsworth, Kanopolis and Geneseo and roughly the eastern

half of Ellsworth County. The dis-trict has four buildings, Ellsworth Elementary located at Third and Douglas streets in Ellsworth; Kanopolis Middle School, located at First and Iowa streets in Kanopolis; Ellsworth Junior/Senior High school, located on the corner of 11th and Stanberry streets in Ellsworth and the District Office, located at 145 W. 15th Street (old Highway 40) in Ellsworth.

At the end of the 2012-13 year, EES had 238 students in grades kindergarten to fourth grade; KMS had 88 students in the fifth through sixth grades and EJSHS had a total of 249 students in the seventh through 12th grades. Eric Reid, the district superintendent, said that he expected EES to have a slightly lower population in the 2013-14 school year. He thought that KMS and EJSHS would have a slightly higher population

Patrick Schroeder is the princi-pal of both EES and KMS. Dale Brungardt is the principal and Ken Windholz is the assistant principal at EJSHS.

Reid came to Ellsworth in the second grade and graduated from EHS before earning his bachelors of education degree from Kansas State University in 1996. He taught and coached in Crocker, Mo. for two years; was the athletic director, coach and teacher in Fowler for four years and a princi-pal at Haviland before returning to Ellsworth as EES principal. Reid worked as the EES principal for three years before the duties of being the principal of KMS were added to his plate, due to the bud-get crisis of 2009.

Reid was selected to the superin-tendent job in 2011. He obtained his masters degree from Fort Hays State University in 2003.

“Our mission is to provide an edu-cational environment in which all students learn to the maximum of their capabilities; demonstrate posi-tive personal character and develop into responsible citizens,” Reid said. “USD 327 will challenge every learn-er through programs that demand excellence. This requires a coopera-tive effort from patrons, faculty, administrators, staff, board of educa-tion, and students.”

The long range goals of the dis-trict are to pursue excellence; insure an environment that pro-motes responsible behavior and good character on the part of stu-dents, faculty, staff, and patrons; provide programs and instruction designed to help all students mas-ter the skills necessary for reading, mathematics, and science that are age appropriate and correspond to their interests and aspirations; develop technology programs designed to supplement learning and to enhance opportunities for our students and our community and explore, develop, and imple-ment programs to better meet the needs of all students.

There are seven members of the board of education for the district. Peggy Svaty represents district three, position three; Mark Herzog represents district one, position one; Gina McGowan represents district two, seat two and Ron Tenbrink represents district two, position five. New members to the board after July 1 will be David Hand, representing district one, position four and Liz Donley, rep-resenting district three, position six. The at-large position, number seven, is currently open as Deneen Urbanek resigned as she moved out of state.

At the high school level, the

Ellsworth Bearcats are classified as a 3A school by the Kansas State High School Activities Association and they compete in the highly competitive North Central Activities Association. Ellsworth is one of the smallest 3A schools in the state. The Bearcats compete in cross country, tennis, football, bas-ketball, track, golf, baseball, soft-ball and wrestling. No one can remember when the Bearcats haven’t sent at least one wrestler to the state tournament. Ellsworth excels in art, music, forensics and scholar bowls during the school year.

Like a lot of rural school districts in Kansas, USD 327 faces its share of challenges for the future.

“Funding will be a challenge as costs increase while we fight to keep our quality of education high. We do have some facility challeng-es that need to be addressed,” Reid said. “Our transition to the new College and Career Ready Standards will bring a change in focus in preparing students for the next stage in life.

“We will always have challenges in front of us in how to do more for our students, and we will also work to improve ourselves. Our legislature has not made things easy on us in terms of long-term planning, but we will work to do the best we can for our kids.”

USD 327 patrons defeated a bond issue in July of 2012 and another bond issue in April of 2013. Ellsworth had the distinc-tion of being the only school dis-trict in the state to defeat a bond issue in the April 2013 general election.

“We really have some great opportunities for our students. While there are many areas we hope to improve and advance, we have worked to get better, and I plan for that to continue,” Reid said.

BY alan ruschEllsworth County I-R

HOLYROOD — As he sat in his office at Central Plains Elementary School in Holyrood boxing

mementos from his past four years as USD 112 superintendent, Steve Woolf remained positive about the future of the district, its students, teachers, staff and patrons.

“We’re constantly coming together as a fam-ily,” he said. “When we started the consolida-tion, it was like a new marriage — and in a new marriage, you work through the issues. Now we’re heading right along with a new superintendent coming in.”

Woolf announced his resignation in February. He has accepted a job as superinten-dent of the Erie USD 101 school district. Jim Runge, superintendent of Solomon USD 393, has been hired to succeed Woolf. Runge starts his duties as Central Plains superintendent July 1.

“I think Jim is inheriting something he can take off and run with,” Woolf said. “Financially, I think we will carry over about $1 million this year.”

Woolf said had the consolidation between the Lorraine-based USD 328 and the Claflin-based USD 354 which resulted in Central Plains USD 112 not taken place, the district would now have $1 million less in its coffers.

“We’re where we need to be financially and with our staffing to keep moving ahead,”

Central Plains USD 112 consists of four schools — Wilson School, Central Plains Elementary School in Holyrood, Central Plains Middle School in Bushton and Central Plains High School in Claflin. Wilson School is also home to Lakeside Learning Center.

During the 2012-13 school year, Central Plains USD 112 had a total of 509 students.

A board of seven members directs the dis-trict. Currently, the board consists of Richard Rugan of Claflin, Dawn Dolezal of Dorrance, Ron Etchison of Holyrood, Jerry Bieberle of Bushton, Cherlyn Maier of Claflin, Michelle Brokes of Wilson and Malcolm Shaw of Wilson.

On July 1, a two new board members will succeed Rugan and Dolezal, who chose not to run for reelection last April. They are Tony Zink of Claflin and Jacob Charvat of Wilson.

School District ProfilesCentral PlainsEllsworth-Kanopolis-Geneseo

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We look forward to the continuingservice of the Ellsworth County area.

Now at our new location!

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704 E. KUNKLE DRIVEELLSWORTH, KS888•472•3114

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LINDA MOWERY-DENNING/Ellsworth County Independent-Reporter

This is the exterior of Dr. Mark Herzog’s new dental office. To the left is another entrance, where Gary Urbanek will have his State Farm Insurance office.

Long-time Ellsworth dentist feels pull of highway

LINDA MOWERY-DENNING/ECI-R

Dr. Mark Herzog takes members of the Kiwanis Club on a tour before moving day.

See HERZOG, Page C10

By AlAn RuschEllsworth County I-R

Long-time Ellsworth dentist Dr. Mark Herzog

opened his new office June 20 in the First Bank Addition in northeastern Ellsworth.

The First Bank Addition is north of Old Highway 40, and bor-dered by Aylward Avenue on the east, and Ellsworth County Medical Center on the north.

Under Prairie Business Park LLC — a partner-ship between Herzog and State Farm Insurance agent Gary Urbanek — an east-fac-ing 7,000 plus square-feet professional com-mercial building was built, north of First Bank

Kansas. Herzog’s dental office and Urbanek’s State Farm Insurance office have relocated into the building, and will occupy two of the three units available there. First Bank Kansas will own the third unit, which is for sale or lease.

“I’ve been formulating this idea for several years,” Herzog said. “Last sum-mer, we started looking at some things and we final-ly got everybody together and we’re ready to move forward.”

Herzog will have the north section of the building (4,000 sq. ft.), Urbanek the middle sec-tion (2,000 sq. ft.), and the First Bank-owned section will be on the south end (also 2,000 sq. ft.) —all under one roof.

In addition to a better location, Herzog said the

biggest plus the new office affords him is more space.

“This will give us more room to be more efficient

and more productive,” he said.

The new building will have more parking avail-able, with handicapped

parking in front. Herzog’s office will also have more seating capacity for patients.

“We’ll be able to work with people in more of a confidential manner,” he said. “The hygiene rooms will be separate from the oper-ating rooms where I work, and it will be rel-atively quieter.”

Curt Glaser, First Bank Kansas executive vice president and Ellsworth branch man-ager, said he is seeking a tenant for the bank’s section of the building.

“Right now, it’s just going to be a shell of a building, finished on the outside, but the inside will just be stud-ded walls with a con-crete floor,” he said. “So if we can find someone

who wants to occupy it now, we could have it finished at the same time we are doing the other finish work.”

Glaser said the Herzog and Urbanek development is impor-tant to Ellsworth for several reasons.

“One is that it allows that area to take the next step of growing and being completed,” he said. “I think it’s important of how it developed and how the building is going to look. It’s going to really tie in well, and transi-tion between the bank and the hospital, and really make that area look well. It’s impor-tant because it’s going to give growth to Ellsworth, but at the

-RI Beat goes OnC4


Doubrava Woodworking, Inc.is proud to have been theGeneral Contractor for theKanEquip project.

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Abe Hughes, vice president for sales and marketing for the New Holland, Pa. - based New Holland

Agriculture in North America, praised Ellsworth KanEquip’s $1.5 million expan-sion project which was completed in late May.

“Growing a business is what it’s all about, and you’ve done exactly what we like for everyone to be doing out there — investing in your future and building a service capa-bility like this,” Hughes said during the dealership’s open house May 29 in Ellsworth.

Hughes said New Holland’s vision of the future includes local dealers like KanEquip and its manager, Terry Robl.

“We want people that are connected to each and every community. People that are connected in a very local way building rela-tionships because it’s all about relationships — personal relationships,” Hughes said.

According to Hughes, other big imple-ment brands are growing into big corporate entities which he believes are becoming dis-connected from their communities.

“That’s not what we like to see at New Holland,” he said.

Robl said he was pleased with the expan-sion project.

“We desperately needed the shop space and the show space,” he said. “We’ve gotten all that, and it looks really nice.”

Robl said an increase in business was one of the major reasons for the expansion.

“In 2008 we were doing $8 million a year, and we’re up towards $20 million now,” he said.

Robl employed four to five mechanics when KanEquip purchased his implement dealership in 2008.

“Now we have nine mechanics,” he said. “You have to have space for those people.”

Robl said most people don’t understand even if a dealership has space for mechanics to work, secondary background people, such as those in the parts and sales departments, have to have space as well.

“All that entered into the decision to try to grow things a little bit,” Robl said.

As a result of the expansion, Ellsworth KanEquip has became more efficient, Robl said. The dealership gained a 100’-by-152’ shop, an overhead crane, two additional offices for salesmen, exhaust and ventilation systems, new restrooms, additional tool storage space, office space for the service manager, a conference room with kitchen-ette, expanded showroom and parts areas, renovated bulk parts storage area, a porch area on the front of the building for addi-tional equipment display, and easier custom-er access to the service department.

“I want the business to feel comfortable,” Robl said. “I don’t like sterile-feeling busi-nesses when you walk into them. We’re a farm business, so, hopefully, when custom-ers walk in, they get that feeling of it being a country-style store.”

Robl said he considered an expansion of the dealership back in the early 1980s when he owned Robl Farm Supply, which later became Ellsworth KanEquip.

“It just never fit into the program,” Robl said.

Construction on the expansion began a year ago.

“There was a lot of thought that went into the plan,” Robl said.

For example, he pointed to the new 40’- by-30’ conference room which will be used to educate both KanEquip employees and the public on the latest in agriculture equip-ment.

“It’s going to have all the technology that you can possibly get,” he said.

Robl said KanEquip has been adding new lines of equipment to its roster since 2005, and the new expansion allows the Ellsworth store to better serve customers.

“KanEquip is a growing business,” he said. “We just purchased the store in Syracuse, Neb., and we’ve got a couple of other oppor-tunities down the road we’ll be looking at.”

Robl said in any business there are two options — grow or die.

“There has to be growth, because your expenses never go down,” he said. “So, some-where, you have to grow the business to compensate for that, or you are going to go backwards.”

At Ellsworth KanEquip, they are defi-nitely moving forward.

KanEquip values community connection

ALAN RUSCH/Ellsworth County Independent-Reporter

Above, Ellsworth KanEquip manager Terry Robl addresses the crowd during the dealership’s May 29 open house.Below, Doug and Ray Frehse of Holyrood examine the selection of goods for sale.

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CHOITZ BROTHERSEQUIPMENT CO., INC.

1 3 t h & S t a t e S t r e e t • E l l s w o r t h , KS .7 8 5 - 47 2 - 3 8 7 6

Choitz Brothers Equipment would like to thank all our loyal customers for their support over the past 50 years.

We couldn’t have done it without you!

We are here to serve all your future needs...and we are proud to share the excitement of the growth

in the Ellsworth area.

Thank You!

209 N. Douglas, Ellsworth, KS 67439785-472-3131/800-829-7131

F&M Drug LLC

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We will be keeping the best of the Ellsworth Steakhouse menu, but adding some great authentic Mexican dishes, featuring Chef Luis.

Introducing Mexican Food to our menu!

Steak & Chicken FajitasEnchiladasCarnitas

BurritosChimichangasChile Rellenos

And much more!

Congratulations to Ellsworth County on itscontinued prosperity and growth.


The public got its first glimpse of the new 20,000 square foot,

single story worldwide head-quarters built by Cashco Inc. in Ellsworth during an April 11 open house.

“It’s going well,” said Clint Rogers, executive vice president of sales, marketing and engi-neering. “We’ve got the building automation squared away, so now everything is kind of level-ing out. Now we’re just trying to get comfortable with our new environment.”

One word best describes the expansive structure — green.

“Green technology is being used to make the new building as energy-efficient as possible,” Rogers said. “We’ve definitely seen a much more comfortable working environment. I’m very happy with the building, and all the public response has been very positive.”

Cashco is utilizing geothermal technology for heating and air conditioning in addition to spray foam insulation.

“The design of the building, which is Americans with Disabilities Act compliant, also allows a lot of natural light to come in so, hopefully, we won’t have to use so much electrical lighting,” Rogers said. “Definitely, the natural light is nice.”

Energy-efficient windows and lights are also being used.

“They will actually be able to read how much ambient light is in there, and dim themselves to lower the consumption,” Rogers said. “On a cloudy day if there is not as much natural light, they will be able to readjust them-selves to provide the proper amount of light in the building.”

Rogers said installation of the geothermal system involved drilling over 60 wells to allow water to be run through a

closed-loop system. A series of heat exchangers will either heat or cool the air in the building.

“It was one of those things we wanted to try to do if we could justify it in the project at the very beginning,” he said. “We’ll give it a 12 month cycle and see what the winters and hot summer days are like.”

Construction on the new building started June 11, 2012. The general contractor was RY-CO Inc. of Brookville.

Rogers said an effort was made to do all the design changes to the building at the start of the project. Therefore, no changes were needed.

Rogers said the main feed-back he has received from the public centered around what the new structure is and what it will be used for.

“Not knowing what Cashco does, and then seeing a new building, one always wonders,” Rogers said. “So we tried to explain that we are moving

some of the offices over there and refurbishing the offices for other production. And it gives us room to grow.”

The excess capacity in the new building allows Cashco offi-cials to reutilize the main office area in the old building for use in production and related things.

“With the new product line we are developing in Germany (control valves, regulators and tank equipment), we know we are going to have supplemental or support staff in our engineer-ing department since that is going to be manufactured here,” Rogers said. “So we know we have a need to grow — now we have the ability to do that.”

In addition to office space, the new building has a break room training rooms, and conference rooms.

“If we bring sales representa-tives in to train them, we’ll have a location to do it,” Rogers said.

Centrally-located rest rooms

will serve a dual function as storm shelters, since they are made of reinforced concrete. Rogers said the rest rooms will be large enough to hold all employees assigned to the build-ing — something that is partic-ularly relevant given the recent tornado strikes in various parts of Oklahoma.

“In our shop we have a cinder block-reinforced room that serves that purpose, but in the office here we really didn’t have that,” he said. “With our HVAC/geothermal up in the mezzanine, we were able to do that and make it a cost-afford-able option. You just hope you never have to use it.”

Rogers said the new construc-tion offers Cashco a variety of benefits, noting the open and flexible floor plan will accom-modate future growth as differ-ent departments grow at differ-ent rates due to technology.

One thing he noted the open floor plan has already afforded Cascho employees is better

communication between departments.

“I think the flow of informa-tion is better than what it was in the other office area,” Rogers said.

Now that the new construc-tion is complete, Rogers said Cashco still plans to bring 40 to 60 employees into Ellsworth for a one- to two-week training rotation. The company also expects to add 30 more jobs in Ellsworth over time.

“It’s kind of dependant upon how the economy goes,” he said.

He said the process of bring-ing people in for training hasn’t started yet.

“Those people who are going to be training are either going to be customers or indepen-dently owned and operated rep-resentatives,” Rogers said. “As far as adding staff into some of the areas, we have, and, like I said with the addition of the new product line that is being developed in Germany, it’s going to incorporate an additional staff load — both for support on the engineering side and in manufacturing and things like that.”

Rogers hopes Cashco’s Ellsworth footprint will expand even larger in the future.

“With the ability of our existing facility running 24 hours per day operations, we have the ability to grow with-out having to add additional manufacturing space,” he said. “But as things grow, as we opti-mize some of our processes, and as we move some of our processes in house, there’s defi-nitely that benefit.”

Rogers said the key for Cashco is identifying where it spends money,

“If we have that ability to do it here and we can cost-justify it, we’ll definitely try to move that operation in-house to have more control over it, and in the long-term save money,” he said.

Cashco headquarters showcase green technology


Designer Homer Delawder works on a project in Cashco’s engineering department.

Proud to be part of the growth and prosperity of Ellsworth County.Mosaic provides a life of possibilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities. We help people define their own happiness.

We support them and empower the pursuit of their goals. We celebrate their successes, even if that success is as simple as the pursuit itself.

Mosaic in Ellsworth was formed in 2003, but our roots go back to 1985 when the people of Ellsworth and Bethphage formed a partnership to establish an organization that could provide supported living and life skills training. Bethphage and Martin Luther Homes ministries consolidated as Mosaic and now serve thousands of people.

Mosaic in Ellsworth presently provides needed services to 30 people. We employ 45 people with engaging jobs and provide quality training to ensure a high level of integrity and compassionate care.

124 W. 3rd, P.O. Box 169 | Ellsworth, KS 67439 785.472.4081 | www.mosaicinellsworth.org

C6


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Congratulations to the great city of Ellsworth and its continued growth.

Honesty.Integrity.All in a day’s work.

WWW.LYONSFED.COM

Serving thearea for30 Years

Serving thearea for30 Years

Ellsworth Ready Mix Inc.,providing a “Concrete”

foundation for the county

Ellsworth Ready Mix Company411 West 13th St. • Ellsworth, KS

785-472-3932

We'veMoved!

Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.®

CALL ME TODAY.

Gary Urbanek, Agent109 W 1st

Ellsworth, KS 67439Bus: 785-472-4426

[email protected]

Our new location is 1504Aylward Avenue, just south ofthe hospital.

State Farm, Home Office, Bloomington, IL1001114.1

1504 Aylward Avenue


Maico Industries Inc., located just north of Ellsworth on Kansas Highway 14 is about heavy

metal. The company specializes in creating huge metal projects ranging from lighting poles for the California interstate system to rafters for the New York Giant’s modern training facility. Currently, Maico is making a monstrous 100,000 pound shipping frame for the Boeing Corporation, to move a large aircraft component from Wichita to Seattle, Wash.

The huge, one-room shop is a clean, bus-tling, impressive place — complete with welders, grinders, a large computer-con-trolled floor-cutting machine that works above a long four foot tank of water, enor-mous lifts, cranes and the largest cold-steel bending press in the United States.

Due to the high quality of workmanship emitting from the shop, Maico is planning to expand, adding an additional 15,000 square feet to the current shop and potentially six jobs to its work force.

“Additional ground has been purchased north and south of the current building, Pacey Construction has started the dirt work and Kyler and Sons has poured nine of the 10 column foundations for expansion, utiliz-ing Ellsworth Ready-Mix for the concrete,” said Dave Cox, plant manager.

Cox said that Maico is proud to utilize local contractors and suppliers wherever pos-sible for the expansion.

The structural framework is being fabri-cated and will be erected by Maico, along with additional overhead hoists. Cox said that the project is due to be completed within the next year, however, progress of completing the expansion is currently being delayed due to customer projects — which have priority.

“This is a problem I gladly welcome as a manager,” Cox said. “We purchased addition-al land north of the current building for future expansion plans. Our future plans are to build a paint facility separate from the fabrication shop.

“We are currently engaged in fabricating structural building frames in multiple large scale projects utilized in the energy sector, such as electrical distribution and nuclear

testing,” he said. The company is fabricating structural

building frames for the United States Air Force in Mercury, Nev. for the application of a nuclear testing facility. They are also fabri-cating large diameter utility poles destined for California.

The bases of the poles exceed eight feet in diameter, with a four-inch thick base plate welded to the multi-sided shaft. The pole sections can weigh up to 40,000 pounds apiece.

“We just completed fabricating three, 220’ box-truss structures that will span both interstate lanes of traffic in Delaware,” Cox said.

Maico has positioned itself to bid on large contracts with Clean Line Energy Partners, which is designing and funding the construc-tion of the Grain Belt Express transmissions line, as well as three other major utility lines throughout the Midwest.

The Grain Belt Express will originate in southwest Kansas, moving electricity to larg-er markets in upper Midwest to Northeastern United States, totaling approx-imately 800 miles.

Clean Line Energy Partners is currently developing four large transmission projects, using high-voltage direct current technology to connect areas of the country that have excellent solar and wind energy resources to load centers hundreds of miles away, that can use the power. HVDC minimizes energy losses and leaves a smaller environmental footprint compared to alternating current technology.

Each of the four lines will cost about $2 billion to build, and Maico could potentially fabricate a significant number of utility poles for each of the projects.

Maico is known as being a good corporate member of Ellsworth County. It has made lighting poles for Wilson High School and Ellsworth Junior/Senior High School foot-ball fields, charging the school districts only for the materials — a big savings when replacing aged, dilapidated wooden lighting poles. The company has fabricated a lot of things for charitable organizations through-out the years.

“Maico Industries has enjoyed being a part of Ellsworth County for many years now, and continues to look ahead for continued business growth,” Cox said.

Ellsworth’s Maico is about heavy metal

MARK McCOY/Ellsworth County Independent-Reporter

Maico Industries’ plant manager, Dave Cox, stands inside the 8’ circumference of a giant pole slated for shipment to California. The sections for the poles can exceed 40,000 pounds apiece. Maico plans to expand its present shop and build a paint shop north of the building in the future.

-RI Beat goes On C7


Hi-Plains Sand, Inc.1896 Ave M • Kanopolis

785-472-4880

Congratulations KanEquip on your expansion, and thank you for letting Hi-Plains Sand, Inc.

be a part of it.

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Demand leads to Great Plains growth in EllsworthBy LINDA MOWERy-DENNINGEllsworth County I-R

When Great Plains Manufacturing

opened its Ellsworth plant several years ago, company officers couldn’t imagine what they would do with the 129,000 square feet in the former Ell-Kan building.

Now the buzzword around the plant on the west side of Kansas Highway 156 is “expansion.”

“We’ve just outgrown our space,” said Steve Johnson, who has been plant manager for more than a year.

The Salina-based manufac-turer of farm equipment planned to break ground in December on an expansion that is set to equal a little more than 10 percent of the space the company now

occupies in Ellsworth. Weather delayed the start of construction to this spring.

At the end of May, the concrete floor of the new area was laid and the build-ing’s frame was visible from Eighth Street. Johnson said the addition should be in use in another two-and-one-half months.

Johnson said the expansion will allow Great Plains to improve its work flow and enhance its warehouse space.

The parking lot also is being enlarged.

The company employs about 150 workers in Ellsworth on four, 10-hour shifts. A weekend shift with 10 workers was recently added.

“We’re extremely busy,” Johnson said.

The Ellsworth plant start-ed with between 40 and 45

workers; however, the farm economy has been strong in recent years. Four different

models of tillage equipment go from Ellsworth to mainly the Corn Belt of the Midwest and to dozens of different countries.

The local plant has increased its number of employees by 25 percent in the past year.

“And we’re still hiring,” Johnson said. “I think we’ll be at 160 when we’re done.”

The prime reason for the uptick in workers is the Turbo Max, a product the plant started manufacturing in September 2011.

“It has taken off beyond anyone’s belief,” Johnson said.

The Turbo Max is part of Great Plains “vertical tillage,” a newer, non-conventional system that focuses on the proper preparation of seed-beds through more aggres-sive ground leveling and weed removal, enhanced resi-due sizing, and residue cover-age. The goal, as always, is better yields and thus more dollars in the pockets of Great Plains’ farmer-custom-ers.

Johnson said anticipated product demand looks to continue well in 2014.

“Anybody in the ag busi-ness seems to be doing very well. We’re not seeing an end in sight,” he said.

Johnson said he would like to see the company approve another expansion at Ellsworth, this one on the

south side of the existing plant.

“There are opportunities there,” he said.

Great Plains has more than 1,400 employees at seven plants, including in the towns of Assaria, Lucas, Kipp, Abilene, Enterprise and Tipton, which also makes tillage equipment.

The company also has an agreement with the Kansas Department of Corrections for welding work to be done by inmates inside the fence at the Ellsworth Correctional Facility.

Johnson said Great Plains is always on the lookout for improved methods. For instance, the company is working with scientists — again to increase yields — on such items as plant spacing and better utilization of sun-light.

Johnson

The frame takes shape this spring on Great Plains Manufacturing’s expansion at its Ellsworth plant. Demand for the company tillage equipment has created a much larger operation here than was first envisioned by Great Plains officers. The expansion was projected to start several months ago; however, work was delayed by snow and rain.

I-R photos by Linda Mowery-Denning

-RI Beat goes OnC8


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CARRICO IMPLEMENT1104 E 8th

Ellsworth, KS 67439www.carricoimplement.com

(866) 522-9600

By LINDA MOWERy-DENNINGEllsworth County I-R

KANOPOLIS — Bad weather for most people is good weather for the Kanopolis-based Independent Salt Co.

That’s because for the past several decades the major use of the salt taken from an underground mine here has been as a de-icing agent for roads, bridges and other structures. The harder the winter, the more salt Independent sells to cities, counties and others with a stake in maintaining highways.

“The past couple of years have been pretty slow for us, which isn’t all bad,” said Independent president Brian Keener. “We were so busy for so many years in a row, it gives us a chance to catch up.”

This year, the company celebrates its 100th anniversary. Independent and its 50 employees will be recognized as grand marshals of the town’s annual Fort Harker Days parade in July.

Salt plays a major role in the history of Kanopolis.The Royal Salt Company was organized in 1890, followed by

the Crystal Salt Company in 1906 and Independent Salt in 1913. In the early days, Keener said, the salt was mined and used to

pack meat. In fact, meat packers Swift & Company and Armour & Company owned Independent Salt for many years, until 1969, when it was sold to three Chicago businessmen. Keener’s father, Don, became the principal owner of the plant 20 years later, after working there since 1953.

Now, in addition to easing winter roads of ice, salt from Kanopolis is used as an additive to animal and poultry feed, for processing raw hides into leather good, industrial water treat-ment and as an aid in drilling oil and gas wells.

The salt comes from a 245-million-year-old vein that crosses the state south to north, providing industry jobs in Hutchinson, Lyons and Kanopolis. Independent employees work 850 feet under ground, producing roughly 400,000 to 500,000 tons or more of salt a year. They work in two, eight-hour shifts — about 15 employees during the day and six to seven at night.

About 70 percent of the salt leaves Kanopolis by truck; the rest goes by rail on the Union Pacific Railroad.

Some of the people Keener works with are — like him — second generation. Don Keener semi-retired in 1995, leaving in charge Brian, who as a lad never considered taking over the family business.

“There are a lot of long-term relationships in this industry,” Brian said. “I wanted to do something different and then we started having kids. We lived in Wichita at the time and Wichita just wasn’t that appealing to us.”

Long-term relationships certainly apply to Independent’s employees. Several are second and third generation. That’s one of the reason Independent Salt is the only survivor of an indus-try that at one time dominated the Kanopolis economy.

“It’s been a combination of luck and we’ve had a lot of good people over the years who knew what they were doing,” Keener said.

A century of Kanopolis’ Independent Salt

These historic photos of the Independent Salt Company were provided by Brian Keener, who operates the company today. The top photo is of the plant, probably in the 1940s. The bottom photo shows the trucks used by the company to transport salt. See page C9 for mining method.

Does agriculture play a role in our community? Agriculture plays a major role in Kansas communities — and Ellsworth County agriculture is no different.

Our producers are efficient in grain production, hay production and meat production. We have a wide variety of commodities produced in the county.

The past few years have been great times to be involved in pro-duction agriculture. Markets for commodities have remained higher than normal. However, less than normal moisture has held down production potential.

Does agriculture have anything to worry about in the coming years?

Land prices are at an all-time high. Over the last five years, farm

ground has doubled in value. Low interest rates, increased demand for outputs such as proteins and biofuels, above average commodity prices have led to sky- rocketing land prices. For pro-ducers looking to expand their operations, it’s not as easy as it was a few years ago. Land rent rates have gone through the roof as well. Rent values have doubled or even tripled over the last five years. This has made for some interesting relationships between landlord and tenant.

Input prices — the cost of equipment, fuel, fertilizer, seed — are going up. It costs a lot more money to put out a crop with these higher prices. Farmers risk a lot of money to rely on Mother Nature every year. Further, higher input cost have made it difficult for smaller farmers to remain competitive.

Why on earth would you want to remain in production agricul-ture with everything going against you?

The genetics that we are using today are more productive than we have ever used. Seed companies have invested in research and development; improving genetic varieties that can produce more crop with less moisture and resist pests.

Seed isn’t the only area we have seen major developments in technology. Equipment has progressed a lot over the last couple years. We have machines that are bigger, better and more efficient than ever. Today’s technology allows farmers to work more acres in less time, using less fuel and fewer passes over a field.

Animal agriculture production, primarily beef production in Ellsworth County, is a vital and stable portion of our agriculture economy. Much like crop production, rising land prices affect a cat-tleman’s ability to expand. However, beef demand and prices for beef remain high due to growing markets, rising incomes world-wide, and a short beef supply due to the recent drought in the Midwest and South. Additionally, beef genetics continue to improve, allowing producers to raise animals with more lean mus-cle using less land and less feed.

Agriculture plays an important role in Ellsworth County. Just like any occupation or any business owner, there are multiple advantages and disadvantages. The difference is this: these hard working guys and gals stick with the job because of their love and passion for the land they work. Agriculture in our community is in good hands.

Brent Goss of Ellsworth is an Ellsworth County Extension agent.

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99

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www.ellsworthcoop.comN. MAIN WEST & KANSAS • 472-4061

Mining takes place in a 10-foot layer in a salt bearing formation

which totals nearly 250 feet in thickness. Because of cycles of flooding and drying spanning millions of years, the salt layers are separated by layers of shale, deposited as dust or mud, mea-suring from a fraction of an inch to many feet in thickness.

The bed is reached by traveling down an 840-foot deep timber-lined shaft connecting with miles of entries which lead to the mine “face.” The mining method used is known as “room and pillar,” meaning that rooms are excavat-ed and a pillar is left to support the mine roof. This method allows the removal of 70 to 75 feet of the salt, leaving a roof that needs no other means of support.

At the present time, the first step in salt production here is to drill the “face” with a large hydraulic auger drill. After drill-ing the face, with the holes in a precise pattern, a large machine called an undercutter is used to cut a 6-by-12-foot cut at the bot-tom of the face.

The holes are then loaded with explosives which are “shot” at the end of the work shift each day. This leaves a pile of broken salt containing pieces ranging in size from a fine powder to lumps weighing many hundred pounds. It requires three to four hours to clear the smoke and fumes between detonation and loading. In this fashion we can produce up to 3,500 tons in a two-shift day.

Diesel powered loaders called LHD’s (Load-Haul-Dump) are then used to move the salt to a feeder-breaker which uses a rotating drum covered with picks to break the salt into pieces no larger than a softball and feed it on to a conveyor belt. This belt then transports the salt to a crusher which further reduces its size before it is taken by belt-line

to the bottom of the shaft where it is hoisted to the surface.

The shaft is made up of three chambers, two hoisting chambers at the south end, and a ventila-tion chamber at the north end. Here the salt is loaded on skips, each holding 5 1/2 tons. The hoisting system is designed so that, by using two steel cables fastened to a single drum, a load-ed skip is raised to the surface at the same time an empty skip is being lowered into the mine for re-loading. The hoisting process is entirely automated when used for production and with a hoist-ing speed of 1,000 feet per min-ute a round trip for a skip takes less than two minutes. The skips are also used to transport men and material into the mine.

After reaching the surface the salt is emptied into dumping bins from which it is carried by belts and bucket elevators to screens where it is sized according to its end use. The finer grades usually go to feed mills and hide houses, the coarser grades being used for ice control and water treatment.

Any oversized pieces are screened out, crushed and re-screened.

After sorting, the salt is stored in bins in the mill building from which it is loaded into trucks or rail cars for shipment in bulk, or taken to sacking rooms for pack-aging before shipment. The salt we are now bringing to the sur-face has not been exposed to day light for over 245 million years.

Historically, the mining pro-cess here has been much the same as it is now, except, that in the early days it required much more labor to get the salt out of the mine. Manpower on the salt carts was replaced by mules, which were kept in the mine. In the 1940s, the mules were replaced by small electric trains. In the late 1950s, the electric trains were replaced by conveyor belts, which are still being used. Also, instead of the modern automated hoist now in use, a manual steam powered hoist was used.

Information provided by Independent Salt Company

The Mining Process

Joe Orozco works in the mine where salt is produced for distribution to Midwest cities and counties. Photo courtesy Independent Salt Company.

Our Ag foundation

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Restaurant1408 Foster Road • Ellsworth • 785-472-4104

Look for our deliciousOrange Julius drinks by the

middle of August!

Congratulations to the city of Ellsworthand its continued growth and success!

Special Harvest Hours - Open until 11:00 p.m.

Continued from Page C1

the home project. Good highway access to our county is also a benefit.

What really makes a community is the people. Small communities like those in Ellsworth County rely on volunteers. There are many occa-sions where volunteer interest and effort result in the success of an event and enjoyment for many. One I am very familiar with is Wilson’s annual Czech Festival. This all vol-unteer event is a major undertaking and each July brings entertainment and celebration to the community.

Our volunteer fire departments throughout the county face danger every time the whistle blows. Hopefully we never need their ser-vices, but knowing they are trained, ready and willing gives comfort.

There are many great attributes to our rural county of Ellsworth, Kan. Too many to identify in this short description. Living here for more than a decade has been enjoyable and I look forward to the years to come.

Brian BoisvertWilson


dents led by bankers Dane Britton and his father, Roy, convinced the city to build a prison, which the state leased for the first year before taking ownership.

Translated into present day terms, the city, county and school district support-ed efforts to designate the First Bank Kansas and Carrico development a TIF district. Under the plan, Ellsworth issued bonds for infrastructure con-struction and then repaid them with the additional tax dollars generated by improvements at the two sites. Once

those bonds are repaid, the tax dollars will go to ease the tax burden on other property owners.

Fillion said the willingness of govern-ment officials to move forward makes his job easier.

Ellsworth County has been successful because over the years its leaders have felt comfortable thinking out of the box.

“I think it comes down to a frame of mind,” he said. “It’s an attitude of people in Ellsworth County that we are willing and open for business. We have a com-munity that makes businesses want to come here.”


same time, it’s not taking away from any other areas.”

“It’s going to be something that’s going to be around after I’m long gone,” Herzog said. “So many commu-nities west of Interstate 135 are losing their dentists, and their dentists are getting up in age. We’re having a hard time getting dentists to come out here. I don’t want Ellsworth to be in that situation when I’m long gone. I want them to have a facility someone can move in to, and continue to have a dental presence here in the communi-ty.”

Herzog said all the construction that has taken place in Ellsworth is a bless-ing for everyone.

“We’re the only small community that continues to grow and grow — and that’s a blessing,” he said. “We’re fortunate to have the construction and the people in the community willing to take a chance and make things better for everybody.”

Pleased with results“We’re very pleased with this proj-

ect,” Urbanek said. “That office is an office designed specifically by State Farm for State Farm agents. In this office, we sort of made due with the space we had.”

Urbanek was at the State Farm Insurance office in downtown Ellsworth for 25 years.

Urbanek said customers can expect a more professional atmosphere with the new office. Single units for heating and air conditioning will also make the new office more energy efficient.

The new location is another plus for Urbanek.

“We’ll probably have as many cars go by before lunch as we would have had here in a week,” he said.

Like his partner, Urbanek said all the new construction has been great for the community.

“I’m hopeful we won’t have any vacant buildings here in downtown,” he said.

Urbanek hopes someone will find a use for his old building, which is in the historic district.

“It has potential,” he said.Herzog said he and Urbanek plan to

host an open house together sometime in the future, but no date has yet been set.

Herzog

Boisvert Fillion

Brand New

This is the waiting room of Dr. Mark Herzog’s new dental office north of the First Bank Kansas building in north Ellsworth. Dr. Herzog said the room was designed to be calming, right down to the video playing on the television screen. The office features mission-style furniture.

I-R Photo

"We’re the only small community that continues to grow ... and that’s a blessing."

Dr. Mark Herzog

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The National Drovers Hall of Fame Association – in partnership with the Frontier Program, a historical-studies group at Kansas State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine – plans to observe the 150th anniversary in 2017 of the Chisholm Trail with a traveling exhibit celebrating the life and times of men and women who contributed to the economic andsocial healing of post-Civil War America.

� e association has already raised more than $1 million andrestored the outside of downtown Ellsworth’s signature InsuranceBuilding. Act Two starts today, as we move forward with insiderestoration. � e goal is to be fi nished in time to off er apermanent home to K-State’s traveling exhibit.

� is is an exciting time for the National Drovers Hall of Fame Association and its vision of a museum to honor thecattle and horses, men and women, railroads, and cowtownsthat accompanied the cattle drive era – arguably one of thekey periods in American history.

Be a part of this exciting project and help usturn our vision into reality.

P.O. Box 415Ellsworth, Ks. 67439

www.nationaldrovers.com

National DroversHall of Fame

Send your tax deductible contributions to:

Meet us at the End of the Trail

By LINDA MOWERy-DENNINGEllsworth County I-R

WILSON — Cattle still enter the sale ring at the Sylvan

Sales Commission. The only dif-ference from several years ago is — a buyer doesn’t have to be pres-ent to place a bid. Instead, a ranch-er can be home — at Ellsworth, at Hays, at any one of hundreds of places in Kansas and beyond — and still participate in the commis-sion’s weekly Monday auction.

“We get people from Colorado, Nebraska, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri,” said the commission’s Toby Meyer. “It’s been kind of a lifesaver.”

Geography doesn’t matter in the world of on-line internet auctions, brought to you by technology Wilson Communications originally delivered to its service territory in 2002.

“What we want to do is elimi-nate barriers for any commerce our customers want to do,” said general manager Brian Boisvert.

Wilson Communications and its 16 Wilson-based employees serve seven small central Kansas com-munities, based on their telephone exchanges. The company, for instance, has responsibility for the 658 — or Wilson exchange — through territories certified by the state.

About a decade ago, Wilson Communications started investing millions of dollars into its system with the addition of a fiber optics broadband part-way to the homes and businesses it serves. Its most recent effort has been to go “the last mile,” to take fiber optics tech-nology all the way to a customer’s front door. The fiber-to-the-home project has been completed at Tipton, Wilson Lake, Brookville and Lucas. Wilson is under con-struction. Boisvert said it will take

another few years to complete the upgrade systemwide.

The technology is a far cry from the early days of Wilson Communications, which was founded in the early 1900s as Wilson Telephone Company. Paul and Helen Grauer became part-owners in 1943 and eventually sole owners, over the years adding exchanges until the company pro-vided telephone service to the communities of Wilson, Lucas, Sylvan Grove, Hunter, Denmark, Tipton, and Brookville.

The company is currently owned by Robert and Eva Grauer and their son, Scott Grauer. In addi-tion to territory, the company also has grown its services to include local and long distance telephone service, broadband and cable.

“Our main driver is that our cus-tomers have access to the most modern communications network,” Boisvert said.

The Grauers recruited him more than a decade ago to oversee the day-to-day operations of the com-pany. Boisvert recently celebrated 35 years in the industry. He remembers his early days, when the biggest challenge he faced was figuring out how to take custom-ers from party to private telephone lines. The options are unlimited with today’s fiber optics.

“The technology changes have never stopped,” Boisvert said. “We know we’re just not a voice provid-er anymore.”

Wilson Communications’ fiber optics network will offer custom-ers opportunities in economic development, education, entertain-ment and other areas, Boisvert said.

Fiber optics also will provide graphics, video and other informa-tion to homes at a high rate of speed. It also will eliminate geo-

graphic barriers, as it has done for Toby Meyer’s livestock auctions and other customers.

This past school year, for exam-ple, elementary school students in Wilson visited the San Diego Zoo, via an interactive internet connec-tion.

The investment in technology made by Wilson Communications allowed for the exchange.

Boisvert said his company is con-sidered a “provider of last resort,” which means it is obligated by law — and by compa-ny policy — to serve all custom-ers within its 1,000-square-mile territory. With 1,600 homes, that averages 1.6 customers per mile.

“We have more wheat and cattle than we have people,” Boisvert said.

Establishment of the fiber optics network will give those customers the same opportunities as residents of Chicago, Denver and other large towns. It also will carry Wilson Communications into the future, by making change easier to handle with improvements coming on the end equipment instead of with new cable.

But for Wilson Communications, it all goes back to the consumer, just as it did in Paul and Helen Grauer’s time.

“It’s not a technology we’re investing in, it’s what the technolo-gy can offer to the customer,” Boisvert said.

Wilson Communications thrives on customer service

The Grauer family includes, from left, Robert, Paul, Paul Jr., Helen and Charles. The company is now owned by Robert and his wife, Eva, and their son, Scott.


Brian Boisvert is shown with some of the antique telephone equipment on display in the Wilson office of Wilson Communications.

SERVICE EXCHANGES• Wilson• Lucas• Sylvan Grove• Hunter• Denmark• Tipton• Brookville

-RI Beat goes OnD2


121 W. 1st Street • P.O. Box 163 • Ellsworth, KS785-472-5566

We are proud of ourcommunity’s continuedgrowth and prosperity.

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H&B looks to the future with technologyBY Mark MccoYEllsworth County I-R

HOLYROOD — Within the last five years, H&B

Communications of Holyrood has positioned itself and the area that it serves for the 21st century.

“The biggest project that we have just completed is a fiber-optic project in the Claflin and rural Ellinwood areas,” said Rob Koch, president and general manager of the company. “We’ve supplied something like 600 customers with fiber-optic broadband connections.”

Koch said the project was partially funded by the recent stimulus program.

“It was a grant-loan project. There was no way it would have been economically feasible to serve those customers with fiber-optic internet, telephone and cable television. All of our focus has been on that for the last two years.”

“We think it’s the core of communications to the home for maybe the next 50 years or so. While wireless provides us all with the mobility that we all have grown to love and every-thing—it does not have the bandwidth that we think that the home is going to consume,” he said.

Koch was asked if H&B planned to expand the fiber-optics into the balance of Ellsworth County.

He said that communication

companies are governed by a government policy called Universal Service, which states that people in rural areas should have the same access to service as urban areas.

“By using that, we were able to do it in our traditional areas that we have always been a phone company,” Koch said. “There is no support to do that if we were to go out into a competitive environment, like rural Ellsworth. That program doesn’t apply there, so there is no economic incentive to do it.”

Koch said that recently, the Federal Communications Commission, which oversees the communications industry, put a proposal in place called the National Broadband Plan to expand universal service to include internet access.

“It’s a great name and all that, but their idea of universal broadband consists of fixed wireless to the house with only 1 megabyte up and 4 megabytes down,” Koch sad. “That’s universal service to them. We are saying no, that’s 25 times less than what they have in the urban areas.

“So our reply to the FCC was that is not universal ser-vice — that is piddling service that barely gets by and we can’t get economic development in the rural areas if they do that. The FCC’s reply to that is that America cannot afford to sup-ply the rural areas with that technology. The rural people around Claflin and Ellinwood were fortunate to be a part of the project,” Koch said. “Unless there is a change in the FCC

program or there is another stimulus — I don’t foresee the rural areas that don’t have fiber as ever getting it.”

Koch thinks that the addi-tion of fiber-optic broadband connections will be an asset to the area they serve for several reasons.

“If you have a home that has fiber to it? Your home just went up in value,” he said. “That will become more and more evident as the demand in the home increases. We should see the demand doubling every year or every year-and-a-half. If that continues, then that value will just continue to climb.”

Another asset is that home based internet workers, like medical transcribers, will have the high-tech bandwidth nec-essary to compete in the mod-ern global economy.

“A lot of the local businesses are connected — like the Co-op, and that makes their life a lot easier,” said Allison Koch, Rob’s daughter who also works at H&B. “It’s important to the farmers too, for we have farmers that watch auctions on-line—that’s a huge thing.”

The Kochs pointed out that a lot of the farmers use the high-band connection for GPS systems in the modern age of no-till farming. And as the internet-based, global economy increases, the area served by H&B’s fiber-optic system could potentially attract new

internet-based businesses.H&B also has a retail show-

room where they sell televi-sions, phones and other com-munication accessories.

H&B employs about 18-20 workers, with a couple of sum-mer helpers. It is a family-owned operation and Koch and his sister, D.J. Nash, are the third generation. His grandparents worked for the telephone company in the 1930s and his parents bought the Holyrood telephone com-pany in the late 1950s when they returned to Holyrood after a stint in the military. H&B serves Dorrance, Bushton, Chase, Claflin, Ellinwood, Holyrood, Lorraine and the surrounding rural areas.

All three of Koch’s grown children, Brandon, Allison and Marlena Jahn are employed at H&B, a fact that Koch is thrilled about. Brandon and Allyson both live and work in Holyrood and Koch’s daughter Marlena works for the compa-ny via internet from California. Koch also has two nephews, Justin and Brent Nash working for the company.

“So we have all five in the fourth generation working here,” he said. “It was my par-ents’ dream that their grand-kids would have an opportuni-ty to work here.

“We have a lot of employees that are not ‘blood’ family, but they are like family. It takes the whole mix to make it work.”


Rob Koch is the second generation of his family to guide H&B Communications at Holyrood.

SPORTS • OBITUARIES • BREAKING NEWS • BLOGS • COMMUNITY PHOTOS

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-RI Beat goes On D3



Service, service, service is the heart of Choitz Brother’s Equipment

Company’s 50 years of success-ful operation in Ellsworth and central Kansas.

Frank Choitz and his brother George, opened the business June 1, 1963, after building a 30’ X 60’ concrete block shop on the company’s present loca-tion at 1219 State Street in Ellsworth. The Choitz brothers built the shop themselves — with the help of George’s wife Dorothy, which has been expanded a few times over the years and now encompasses about 9,000 square feet.

George died in 2010.“Half of it, George used as a

welding shop and I used the rest of it to work on automo-biles, trucks, cars and tractors,” Choitz said. “I came from Westerhouse Motor Company before I moved up here. I worked there for five years, so I had experience in this line of work.”

Choitz attended an automo-tive school in Kansas City in 1957-58 to learn his trade.

George was a self-taught welder and had been employed at A-1 welding shop from 1955-1963. He was well-known in farm and ranch circles as the best welder in central Kansas.

The brothers were approached by the J.I. Case Company to become dealers for Case tractors and farm machin-ery in 1964. According to Choitz, there were several com-peting dealers in the area and Case wanted to make inroads into the marketplace.

“They had been all over town trying to find someone to take on the Case line,” said Choitz, “All the competition said ‘We

don’t want to take on their blah-blah tractor’, so we told them that we would give it a try.”

A week later, Choitz Brothers became a Case dealership. Choitz remembers that they were a little overwhelmed when truck and railroad cars full of machinery started to arrive at the shop.

“The first few years it was a little slow because we had a lot of competition that we were fighting,” he said. “Some of the competition thought we’d be broke in six months, but I was an old country boy, I was broke when we started — so how could it be any different?”

Choitz remembers that they couldn’t borrow any money since they didn’t have any col-lateral.

“It was the individual farmers that helped us,” he said. “It was pretty slim pickings when we started.”

In the fall of 1969, Case

decided to change tractor lines and Choitz Brothers took 33 of the discontinued line to sell.

“Everyone thought we had fallen out of a tree and bumped our heads,” Choitz said. “They said that we would never sell that many tractors. But they all disappeared.”

Choitz Brothers’ strategy was not to make a lot of money from the initial sale of the trac-tor, but to offer superior service to its customers after the sale. Due to the gifted, mechanical genius of the two brothers, word spread in the farmland of a shop that could almost fix anything.

“In 1973 we sold 59 brand new tractors,” said Dorothy Choitz, wife of George. Dorothy helped mix the mortar for the original block building in 1963 and is a fixture at the business, working at the shop every day.

“Everyone said ‘they have got to be doing something wrong

because we can hardly sell any’,” Choitz said. “Well, we sold them at a very small margin of profit, because they wanted to make a big wad of money at the start.

“We didn’t. We just thought that we’d get them out there and keep them serviced. That’s still paying for us today because they are still running them.

“That’s the way business should work, you know. Service is the key — not to make a lump-sum of the initial sale.”

Through the years, George and Frank had three of their brothers working for them including Emil, Harry and Ralph. Karen Paull, who cur-rently is employed in the opera-tion, is a niece and Ralph is still working at the shop.

Choitz Brothers was a Case dealer until early in 2000, when the company, like a lot of farm implement and automobile companies, decided to down-size their dealership obliga-

tions. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, two of George and Dorothy’s sons — Dean and Darrell had joined the opera-tion and several of the grand-children had spent summers working in the shop.

The company has employed as many as 13 people and now employs six. Non-related employees, such as Marvin Dolezal, are long-term mem-bers of the team and are con-sidered family, rather than employees.

Choitz Brothers picked up the Federated Auto Parts line in January of 2006, to offset losing the dealership status with Case-IH. Choitz said that was done to help the business obtain parts to maintain its’ service business, as Case only allowed them to purchase parts at dealership cost for two years after the loss of the dealership. Choitz said that Federated sold a lot of the same type of parts that they had obtained through Case.

The business sells auto parts for most makes and models of automobiles.

Although Choitz Brothers’ business hours are M-F, 8-5 and Saturday 8-12, it’s not uncommon to see the shop doors open at all times of the day and night as employees or preferred customers work on projects or machinery. Employees or family members have been known to open the shop on Sundays to keep the farmer going during harvest.

Frank is currently “retired” but still can be seen almost daily in the shop.

“I sometimes wish I was still doing it today, but Mother Age took over and you can’t fight age,” he said. It’s been a pleasure to work with everybody all

Choitz Brothers thrives on customer service


Front row from left, Frank Choitz, Dorothy Choitz, Darrell Choitz and Karen Paull. Back row from left, Marvin Dolezal, Ralph Choitz, Dean Choitz and Harry Choitz.

See CHOITZ, Page D8

-RI Beat goes OnD4


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In an effort to better serve cus-tomers and stay competitive, manager Stacy Rohr and her

employees at Ellsworth’s Home Lumber Company have undertaken a bit of a facelift of their store, both inside and out, with more show space, bigger and better displays and more tools and equipment.

“We started about a month and a half ago,” Rohr said. “We’re not done yet.”

In addition to moving the counter and office to the front of the store, Rohr is in the process of adding resi-dential floor coverings, two different brands of cabinets and new lines of equipment to the store’s selection.

“We had very few, and those were mostly contractor grades,” she said of the coverings. “Now we’re going to have a lot of residential.”

Rohr is also adding Aristocraft and Diamond cabinets, and will be selling Onyx, a man-made marble-type mate-rial manufactured near Wamego that is used for showers and sinks.

Home Lumber’s decorating selection is also expanded.

“We’ve been switching out a lot of our product lines to encourage new shoppers,” Rohr said. “We’re switching our paint sundries out to Wooster, which is a good name brand and has very good price levels.”

The store has also added Milwauke-brand tools.

“We’ve been selling them now for a month and it’s going great,” Rohr said. “We’re just trying to be more competi-tive with Salina.”

More electrical and plumbing sup-plies for the do-it-yourself individual will be stocked. Displays featuring var-ious sink and countertop styles will be put in.

“We’re waiting for those displays to get in,” Rohr said.

Rohr said the public price-shops Home Lumber a lot.

“We welcome people to call Salina and ask for prices then call us,” she said. “Some things we can match and some things we can beat. Some things we just have to be honest and say we


Home Lumber Company manager Stacy Rohr, middle, and her nephew, Brandon Rohr, the store’s assistant manager, left, listen to a customer.

Home Lumber reorganizes for customer convenience

See LUMBER, Page D8

LINDA MOWERY-DENNING/Ellsworth County Independent-Reporter

Lisa Lindsey and her son, Justin, own and operate Ellsworth Ready Mix, which is celebrating 30 years in business this year.

Ellsworth Ready Mix celebrates milestone

By lInDA MOWERy-DEnnInGEllsworth County I-R

Summer is harvest time for area farmers; it also is a harvest season of sorts for Ellsworth Ready Mix.

The extreme cold temperatures, ice and snow of winter often limit the business to major repairs of equipment — and thoughts of warmer days.

“Our business is sporadic,” said Lisa Lindsley, who owns Ellsworth Ready Mix with her son, Justin.

The Lindsleys celebrate their 30th anni-versary in business this year. Their owner-ship goes back to 1983, when Lisa and her former husband purchased the concrete plant from Steve and Wendell Truhlar, who started the company in 1969-70.

In the early days, the plant was capable of making 4 1/2-yard batches of concere at a time. The product was delivered in the company’s two, eight-yard trucks and one four-yard truck.

In 2001, Lisa Lindsley purchased her brother-in-law’s interest in the business and doubled the plant’s batch capacity to eight

yards. The company also moved to larger trucks.

Today, the plant has three full-time and two part-time employees, including the Lindsleys. They operate within a 30-mile radius of Ellsworth.

The company was responsible for the offices, electrical pods and other smaller jobs related to the construction of area wind farms.

Companies bonded for millions of dollars and capable of much larger jobs did the bases of the turbines.

The most Ellsworth Ready Mix has pro-duced in a day is 750 yards of concrete, a mix of cement and water.

“With large pours we rent trucks from other plants,” Lisa said. Ellsworth returns the favor when necessary.

She said concrete is an excellent product, one that can last for 30 years or more. For that reason, the company is always on the lookout for new customers.

“You need to have growth to have a busi-ness like this,” Justin said.

Ellsworth Ready Mix also sells rock for driveways and landscape use.

-RI Beat goes On D5


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2010 - 2013• Replaced 9 Bridges

Progress is the activity of todayand the assurance of tomorrow.

• Sealed or Overlaid 15 1/2 Miles of County Roads

• Replaced 3 Bridges with Culverts

• Replaced 2 Bridge Decks

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• Completed Rewiring of Law Enforcement Center

Ralph Waldo Emerson

• Started A Community Emergency Response Team Program


The Ellsworth County Medical Center, a 19-bed critical access

hospital built in 1997, is facing its share of both short-term and long-term challenges — much like any other hospital in Kansas.

Roger Masse, the hospital’s chief executive officer, deals with these challenges on a daily basis.

“We have to compete in the same market and get paid in the same way as many critical access hospitals in the state of Kansas,” Masse said. “I think that from that standpoint we are in reasonably good condi-tion financially.”

Masse said members of the hospital administration are in the process of completing the annual budget.

“Our intent is to have a bud-get that will break even on the

bottom line,” he said. “That will still identify some operational challenges.”

Masse said Kansas is one of the more challenged states nationwide in terms of the operational performance of critical access hospitals.

“I believe the average operat-ing margin in Kansas is about a minus 11.5 percent,” he said. “Kansas is fifth from the bot-tom in terms of performance compared to other states with critical access hospitals.”

ECMC’s operating deficit in each of the last two years has been under one percent.

“So while we’re not breaking even from operations, and there are very few who are, on the bottom line we are, at least at this point, in a black position,” Masse said.

Masse said ECMC finds itself having to deal with the same restrictions that other provid-ers have.

“Sequestration is affecting us

to the tune of two percent of Medicare revenue,” he said. “That annualizes at about $200,000 a year, which is the equivalent amount we are receiving in terms of millage support from the county. So we are trying to absorb that within our operations.”

From a provider standpoint, Masse said the hospital is in

the middle of what it hopes to be a significant change within the next 12 to 18 months.

“Many, many things need to be worked out and finalized,” Masse said. “Getting Dr. Kayla Gray here subsequent to her completion of her residency in Wichita.”

Gray is an Ellsworth County native. Masse is also having

some discussions with another native, Dr. Katie Moore, so she can arrive at ECMC at roughly the same time as Gray.

“We’re very much looking forward to that,” Masse said.

He said the hospitals existing providers, Dr. Ronald Whitmer and Dr. Jerzy Slomka, along with physician assistants Shawn McGowan and Michelle Brokes, and advanced practice registered nurses Emily Lindsley and Debbie Whitmer, continue to provide exemplary service to Ellsworth County residents.

“Our workload has continued to shuffle up and down like many others in terms of fluctu-ation between inpatient and outpatient volumes,” Masse said. “The diagnostics area has remained relatively steady.”

The bottom line is ECMC, financially, is holding its own.

“It’s not without challenges,”

The Ellsworth County Medical Center board of directors are from left, Richard Booher, Clint Rogers, Lloyd Sprick, Deb Hyman and Don Kozisek.

Courtesy photo

Medical center weathers the challenges

Roger Maase

See MED CENTER, Page D9

-RI Beat goes OnD6


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Fort Harker DaysJuly 12th - 13th

Cowtown-El-Kan RodeoAugust 16th - 17th

4-H Fair/County FairJuly 16th - 19th

Western Cooperative Electric is a local, consumer-owned electric cooperative committed to providing superior electrical service to all customers, large and small. Western is and will continue to be a part of local communities, schools and businesses. Our involvement includes:

• Taxes to support schools and other local organizations

• Contributions for education and civic activities

• Economic development loans to help businesses grow and prosper

• Local employees, active in the communities we serve

With employees based in the communities of:Ellsworth, WaKeeney, Plainville, and Olmitz

By LINDSEy DECKERSpecial to the I-R

The national Mosaic organiza-tion celebrated a milestone anniversary Feb. 19 when it

kicked off its centennial celebration, “A Century of Service, A Legacy of Love.”

The celebration involves 38 locations, including Ellsworth, across 10 states.

Mosaic was formed July 1, 2003, by the consolidation of two Nebraska-born Lutheran ministries dedicated to the needs of people with disabilities. Bethphage began in 1913 in Axtell, Neb., and Martin Luther Homes start-ed in 1925 in Sterling, Neb.

“This is a very exciting time for Mosaic. Our staff, individuals we serve and their families, donors, volunteers, partners and advocates are joining together to reflect on our past and pre-pare for our future,” said Linda Timmons, Mosaic president and chief executive officer. “We hope that com-munities where Mosaic is located will join us in celebrating our centennial by attending an event, supporting our mis-sion or by including us in their prayers.”

Bethphage heritageThe Rev. K.G. William Dahl wit-

nessed the neglect children and adults with intellectual and developmental dis-abilities received in large institutions. He believed in a better way and con-vinced 54 people to give $1 each to establish the Bethphage Inner Mission Association in 1913. With the start-up money, Pastor Dahl rented and renovat-ed four homes in Axtell. The first four guests arrived June 29, 1914. Within a year, the ministry had grown to include 40 guests and 20 workers, and a new setting on land north of Axtell.

Martin Luther Homes HeritageThree pastors and two laymen saw

the need for a school for “teachable mentally retarded children.” They met in Sterling at the former Martin Luther Academy, a school that had been closed for several years. The founders included the Revs. Julius Moehl, August Hoeger and William Fruehling and laymen John Aden and William Ehmen.

The Martin Luther Home Society

was organized Oct. 20, 1925. As word spread that a home for children and adults with disabilities was opening in Sterling, families began bringing their children for placement, even though the home was not ready. As the building aged and the student population grew, extensive renovation was needed or the home would face the possibility of state closure. The decision was made to build a new facility. A new Martin Luther Home opened June 1, 1956, in Beatrice, Neb.

National ministriesWith the advent of community-based

programs for people with developmental disabilities in the 1970s and 1980s, both Bethphage and Martin Luther Homes grew into national ministries. The orga-nizations were invited to begin services in locations across the United States by families and officials who knew the quali-ty of care provided by the organizations.

Ground for consolidation Throughout their histories, both orga-

nizations maintained close ties with the church. As church structures changed and realigned over rhe years, Bethphage and Martin Luther Homes both became affiliated ministries of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, when that body was formed in 1988. Their shared mission, shared vision and shared church affiliation prompted the two organiza-tions’ board of directors to vote to merge the two ministries, a move that became complete July 1, 2003. Throughout their histories, both legacy organizations changed as needed to carry forth the vision of their founders. The priority has been — and continues to be — the needs and desires of the people Mosaic supports.

Mosaic in EllsworthMosaic has provided services to adults

with disabilities in the Ellsworth area since 1985 when Bethphage opened two homes. Mosaic in Ellsworth now serves nearly 30 adults and employs 45 staff members. People served by Mosaic in Ellsworth receive services tailored to their needs and desires, including 24-hour residential living, intermittent supports and employment opportunities.

“Mosaic in Ellsworth is humbled to be a part of an organization with such a rich, meaningful history,” said Julie Kramp, exec-utive director of Mosaic in Ellsworth. “Our hope is to share our story and mission with our community by inviting them to Discover the Possibilities at Mosaic.”

“Discover the Possibilities” is a free, one-hour tour of Mosaic’s mission offered twice a month at Mosaic in Ellsworth. More information is available from Lindsey Decker, (785) 472-4081 or [email protected].

Mosaic also will conduct a Centennial Festival June 28-29 at its founding location in Axtell and a formal Centennial Gala is planned Oct. 24 at the Mutual of Omaha Dome in Omaha, Neb. Additional infor-mation is available at www.mosaicinfo.org.

About MosaicMosaic provides a life of possibilities for

people with intellectual disabilities through supports tailored to the individual’s needs and desires. Staff supports people to define their own happiness, asking people how they like to spend their day, what they enjoy doing in their spare time, where they want to live and their goals. Mosaic part-ners with them to turn their dream into reality.

Mosaic’s traces history to 1913


Daniel Lobdell participates this spring in the organization of an Aktion Club at Ellsworth’s Mosaic. Lobdell is president of the club, which is sponsored by the local Kiwanis Club.

LEADER IN THE FABRICATION INDUSTRYMaico Industries, Inc., founded in 1995 by Paul Mai, specializes in 3-Plate Built-Up Structural Steel Beams and girders for the construction of shopping malls, factories, manufacturing plants, airport hangars, factory warehouses, schools, public works, public utility coops, steel mills, hospitals/medical centers and much more. Maico’s products are found throughout the U.S., Canada and overseas, in such areas as Southeast Asia and South America.

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are just a few things that describe the traits thatemployees and staff have that make MaicoIndustries, Inc. a “Leader in the Fabrication Industry” and a solid Ellsworth County business.

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-RI Beat goes On D7


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-RI Beat goes OnD8


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WILSON — Steve Eschbaugh, owner of Eschbaugh

Advertising in Wilson, continues to see his company tread water as it deals with the uncertainties associated with an ongoing national recession.

“We’ve been experiencing 10 to 12 years of recession,” Eschbaugh said. “Regardless of what the economists say, we’re not seeing it. There have been lots of peaks and valleys, and we’re holding our own, but the profitability isn’t where it used to be

in the 1980s and 1990s.”With a thin profit margin,

Eschbaugh said his company can only weather two slow months a year.

“It makes it very challenging,” he said. “In my 26 years here, this has been the worst year we’ve had.”

This said, Eschbaugh remains optimistic about the company’s future.

“We still have a good niche in

our industry, which is custom decals and the O.E.M. (Original Equipment Manufacturing) indus-try,” he said. “That’s our speciality.”

Eschbaugh Advertising employs 28 people.

“We’ve fluxuated a bit in the last eight to 10 years,” he said. “That’s another challenge — finding labor.”

Wilson’s Eschbaugh Advertising was founded as an

advertising agency in 1952 by Steve’s dad, George Eschbaugh, along with a local businessman, Frank Sibrava. George also was a noted artist, with a studio on com-pany grounds.


Eschbaugh Advertising employee Delores Schmidt puts an ultra-violet clear coat on a graphic.

Eschbaugh weathers challenges

Steve Eschbaugh is shown in his rural

Wilson office.

ChoitzContinued from Page D3

these years.”Although Choitz Brothers specializes in tractors and

farm machinery, it’s not unusual to see machines rang-ing from four-wheelers to boats being worked repaired in or in front of the shop. If it rolls or goes, they can probably fix it.

Currently, Dean Choitz is building an airplane in the shop — the second airborne machine to come out of its doors. Three of the Choitz family are pilots and former EHS tennis star Mackenzie Choitz is currently working on her license.

The combination of long hours, labor and years of service to the community is what has made Choitz Brothers a successful business for half a century.

Continued from Page D4

can’t do it. I think a lot of people just think that we can’t meet or match, and we can.”

Rohr said her nephew, Brandon Rohr, has been hired as Home Lumber’s new assistant manager.

“He’s been a good addition here, because he will go out to job sites for me and do outside sales,” Rohr said.

Brandon is also available to install fences, etc. for customers that purchase their material at Home Lumber.

“If the customer can’t find somebody or if we can’t find somebody, then he will do it,” Rohr said.

In fact, Brandon, along with Delmar Kohls, are tack-ling the various renovation projects as part of Home Lumber’s ongoing facelift.

“They do it all,” Rohr said. With the changes, Rohr said she has seen more peo-

ple coming in her door to see what Home Lumber has to offer.

Also as part of the remodeling effort, Rohr said the exterior and interior of an outer storage building at Home Lumber will be revamped.

“I think that will make a difference,” she said, noting bathroom and more storage space will be added.

“That part of this project probably won’t get done in 2013,” Rohr said.

Lumber

Did you know?Ellsworth County’s estimated median household

income in 2009 was $41,461 (it was $35,625 in 2000).Estimated median household income in Kansas:

$47,817 Estimated per capita income in 2009: $20,677.

D9


All faiths or beliefs are welcome. 13-G1121

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Call us for our professional constructionand remodeling services.

Continued from Page D5

Masse said. “We’ve been pretty successful over the last four years holding the line on operating costs.”

Masse said he is optimistic in the near term that ECMC will weather the storm in terms of reduced reimbursement.

“In the longterm, I would say to you it is difficult to project the changes we will have to absorb going forward,” he said. “Not only are there continuing to be some uncertainties around the Affordable Care Act, the health reform legislation, but the jury’s still out on the full impact of KanCare as it relates to the Medicaid system within the state of Kansas.”

Masse said the hospital’s future is also dependent upon how Blue Cross and other entities adjust their policies to the demands of federal health care reform.

“The transition toward increasing

outpatient care — more patient-cen-tered care — will take time,” he said. “How that affects the interaction of one provider to another, referral patterns, technology in terms of diagnostic capa-bility, and what that does to the vol-umes we have — those are all items of uncertainty.”

Ellsworth County Medical Center offers inpatient needs for acute, observa-tion, skilled and intermediate care while Rural Health Clinics in Ellsworth, Holyrood, Wilson and Lucas provide outpatient services.

Med center"We’ve been pretty successful

over the last four years holding the line on operating costs."

Roger MasseChief Executive Officer

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