Republican - Ellis County Commissioner, District 1
Sources for Michael Berges
20 public source entries are attached to this profile. Primary records, reporting, and public online activity are grouped separately so readers can inspect the record.
13
primary
5
secondary
2
social
Primary Records
13 sources- Michael Berges is listed as a Republican candidate for Commission District 1
- Commission District 1 appears on Ellis County's 2026 primary candidate filing list
- Michael Berges is listed as Ellis County Commissioner for the First District
- Ellis County publishes commission agendas, minutes, and meeting information
- Ellis County Commission Official Page
- County commissioners serve four-year overlapping terms
- Michael Berges, District I, is listed with term expiring January 2027
- County commission duties include budgets, tax levies, roads, contracts for public health and welfare, appointments, facilities, and local legislation
- Open
Ellis County, Kansas - 2026-05-19
Ellis County Board of County Commissioners Minutes - July 1, 2025ellisco.net
- Berges served as chair for the July 1, 2025 meeting
- Fairview Patch final plat and Resolution 2025-12 passed 2-1
- Berges seconded the Fairview Patch final plat motion; Leiker was the no vote
- 2026 Mill Levy Discussion was presented by Michael Berges
- Agenda cover sheet says Berges asked commissioners to consider adding one to two mills for capital projects and service-level risk
- Open
Ellis County, Kansas - 2026-05-19
Ellis County Board of County Commissioners Minutes - August 19, 2025ellisco.net
- Berges moved to authorize publication of the 2026 Ellis County General Fund and Fire District budgets
- Berges asked commissioners to sign a support letter for the City of Ellis road project
- Berges opened continued discussion on county-maintained subdivision roads
- Open
Ellis County, Kansas - 2026-05-19
Ellis County Board of County Commissioners Minutes - September 9, 2025ellisco.net
- 2026 General Fund and Fire District budgets exceeded revenue-neutral rates
- Budget approval passed 3-0 by named roll call: Berges yes, Younger yes, Leiker yes
- Berges thanked hearing participants, apologized for remote attendance, and invited public participation in a later work session
- Open
Ellis County, Kansas - 2026-05-19
Ellis County Board of County Commissioners Minutes - January 13, 2026ellisco.net
- Berges seconded Resolution 2026-04 setting elected-official salary step adjustments
- County Commissioner District 1 salary was listed at Pay Grade 35, Step 4, $20,746
- Neal Younger was selected chair, Nathan Leiker vice-chair, and Berges was listed as member for 2026
- Open
Ellis County, Kansas - 2026-05-19
Ellis County Board of County Commissioners Minutes - February 17, 2026ellisco.net
- Berges was present for recovery court grant presentation
- Berges seconded opioid-fund use for three sheriff's officers to attend Kansas Narcotics Officers Association training
- Berges asked for right-of-way project update during road-tour discussion
- Open
Ellis County, Kansas - 2026-05-19
Ellis County Board of County Commissioners Special Meeting Minutes - April 8, 2026ellisco.net
- Berges attended the April 8, 2026 county retreat
- Retreat discussion included possible transient guest tax, fairgrounds/Historical Society funding, motor-vehicle fee, and sheriff staffing
- Berges announced he had filed for the 2022 Ellis County Commission District 1 race
- Berges identified housing, roads and bridges, facility plans, growth, emergency services, economic vitality, innovation, and cooperation as campaign themes
- The article identified Berges as Hays vice-mayor, Development Services of Northwest Kansas employee, ARC of Central Plains treasurer, Tiger Takedown Club chair, St. Joseph Catholic Church member, and participant at Firs...
- Berges discussed sales-tax sunset options, including cuts, mill-levy offset, voter-approved extension, or permanent sales tax
- Berges said he supported earmarking sales-tax revenue for infrastructure upkeep
- Berges identified sheriff's department facility needs and outside inmate-housing costs as a major issue
- Michael Berges is listed as Business Services Director at the Innovation Center
- The staff biography describes his work supporting businesses across a 26-county service area
- The biography describes experience in hotel management, foundation development, and financial and investment management
Reporting and Public Context
5 sources- Open
Hays Post - 2026-05-19
Berges, Leiker presumptive new Ellis County commissioners after canvasshayspost.com
- Berges won the 2022 District 1 Republican primary after canvass, 848-835 over Jim Pfeifer
- Hays Post reported no Democratic challengers on the November ballot
- Berges, Leiker Presumptive New Commissioners -- Hays Post
- Open
Hays Post - 2026-05-19
Ellis County Commission approves 2025 budget with reduction in mill levyhayspost.com
- The 2025 budget reduced the mill levy by 0.639 mills while exceeding the revenue-neutral rate
- Berges connected budget increases to employee wages and benefits
- Berges criticized revenue-neutral-rate framing
- Open
Hays Post - 2026-05-19
Ellis County Commission discuss final budget draft with mill levy increasehayspost.com
- Draft 2026 budget had a proposed general-fund mill levy increase
- Berges said Grow Hays had asked for $5,000 to be reinstated
- Commission reinstated Grow Hays' $165,000 and maintained Historical Society allocation at $115,000
- Open
Hays Post - 2026-05-19
City commissioners plea for residents to wear face masks, despite no county enforcementhayspost.com
- As a Hays city commissioner, Berges made a personal plea for residents to wear masks
- Berges said he was not asking for a city ordinance at that point
- League of Kansas Municipalities lists Michael Berges as Commissioner, Ellis County
- Profile was listed as last updated January 5, 2026
Public Online Activity
2 sources- Source/lead URLs: https://www.facebook.com/EllisCountyDistrict1/ (lead only); https://www.facebook.com/HaysDailyNews/posts/ellis-county-commission-chair-michael-berges-asserted-that-commissioners-are-not/150924030436217...
- Hays Daily News -- Berges Commission Comment
