By KALEY LYON

klyon@dailynews.net

After months of discussion, Ellis County Commissioners unanimously voted to enter an updated inter-local cooperative agreement for the Solomon Valley E-Waste Coalition based in Osborne County.

Under the agreement, electronic waste from Ellis County and surrounding counties will be hauled to a specified site in Osborne County to be collected and sorted. While the details still are under negotiation, it's expected the waste will then be recycled in Wichita, said Public Works Administrator Mike Graf.

The city of Hays has been offering a recycling program for the waste, but the coalition will offer a new service for Ellis County.

"For the county, this will be somewhat of a new venture," Graf said Monday afternoon. "As a county, we've tried to either initiate or be a part of other regional recycling programs."

The coalition has been in planning phases for about a year, with Ellis County representatives Marvin Honas, who works as solid waste division superintendent for the city of Hays, and Richard Grizzle with Ellis County Public Works traveling to Osborne for regular meetings.

Honas and Grizzle discussed the coalition with commissioners at Monday's meeting. The endeavor will be a cooperation between the city and the county, Honas said.

Eventually, the city's e-waste program will transfer from the current pick-up system and efforts will partner with the coalition. While the timing still is indefinite, city and county residents will be asked to take electronics to the county transfer station to be recycled.

"It's a fine time for the city and county to join forces as far as advertising," Honas said. "The city would be getting out of the e-waste, so it would be a joint venture there."

The coalition is funded by KDHE grant money, and member counties will pay an annual dues payment of $1,000. The grant is to help foot expenses for the initial two-year pilot program, he said.

"Recycling is just the right thing to do," Honas said this morning. "I believe it should be a very fine program."

As more details become finalized, the county and city will work together to provide further education to the public, Graf said

"More things will be developing in the near future, and we'll try to educate the public as best as we can," Graf said.

The next e-waste meeting will be Wednesday in Osborne.

In other business:

* Susan Schlichting reported on Ellis County Extension activities.

* Rural Fire Director Dick Klaus gave his monthly report. To date, there have been 72 runs in 2008, compared to 64 at the same time last year.

* Graf discussed seven hay permit applications received for a stretch of Highway 40 west of Hays. Commissioners agreed to grant the permits in a 3-0 vote.

* Ellis County Counselor Bill Jeter discussed union negotiations and a matter of attorney/client privilege.