Two recurring topics related to the Seward County Sheriff’s Department were deliberated at the Seward County Commissioners’ Oct. 7 meeting – inventory and the number of deputies the department will have.
At the commissioners’ Sept. 22 meeting, Nesbitt & Associates reported on its audit of the Seward County Drug Interdiction Task Force’s expenditures, with one of its recommendations being improved inventory tracking.
The commissioners and Sheriff Mike Vance have been working on a purchasing policy and procedure that would tie into inventory tracking in the future but deliberated on Oct. 7 whether the auditors’ recommendation is to also complete a current or retroactive inventory for the task force.
After some discussion, they agreed to ask Nesbitt and Associates to return to a future meeting to clarify their recommendations related to inventory.
The commissioners and Vance also differed on the final consensus on the sheriff’s office budget for 2025-26, which is now in effect, related to the number of deputies approved for the county.
The commissioners approved payroll provisions for 18 full-time sworn deputies in the budget, but Vance has 19 deputies now. He said he planned to maintain that level and bring the full count down to 18 through normal attrition or turnover.
The commissioners were considering a resolution to follow up budget discussions that would specify the number of deputies on the payroll, as well as a minimum starting wage.
Seward County Attorney Wendy Elston suggested the resolution be tabled to give her time to determine if such a resolution is necessary, whether the compensation level needs to be included in it, or if the authorization for the number of sworn deputies’ inclusion in the budget is sufficient.
In other action, the commissioners:
• Appointed Brandy Johnson Seward County clerk to complete the term vacated when longtime Clerk Sherry Schweitzer retired Oct. 3.
• Accepted a bid of $14,232 from Wissmann Enterprises, Inc., of Milford for the sandblasting and painting of the emergency spiral staircase on the east side of the courthouse, which will likely occur in the spring and will be funded through the Commissioners Courthouse Sinking Fund.
• Approved contracts for a rental of The Depot event venue for $500 and engagement of Fun Pianos for $1,990 for a Jan. 24 employee appreciation event.
• Discussed the Pine Creek Poultry LLC Livestock Feeding operation’s legal appeal of the county’s decision on its conditional use permit application, which will be decided in the District Court.
• Approved the purchase of $500 worth of upgraded audio/visual equipment for the commissioners’ meeting room from Soarin Group and use of a free software, OBS Studio, to provide sound and video controls.
• Tabled a resolution related to the Seward Blue River Historical District’s request to ask voters to authorize a tax levy for its work pending corrections in the resolution.
• Heard a report on the activities of the Seward County Chamber and Development Partnership from President and Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Jank.
