Tax levies generating nearly $1.16 million for Seward County’s political subdivisions that are allowed to levy taxes up to $0.15 per $100 taxable valuation combined were approved with a 4-1 vote by the Seward County Board of Commissioners Aug. 25.
The “other” political subdivisions include the Seward County Fire District, with a funding request of $755,600 which benefits fire departments around the county, Seward County Agricultural Society, $400,000, Pleasant Dale Cemetery District, $1,900 and J Precinct Cemetery District, $1,767.
The request from the Seward County Fire District includes $80,000 in Seward County’s $0.05 levy allocation as allowed by interlocal agreements, and $1,579,487 for their bond fund.
State law defines these political subdivisions by listing the entities they exclude. They are not school districts, community colleges, natural resource districts, educational service units, cities, villages, counties, municipal counties, or rural and suburban fire protection districts that have their own levy authority. The definition also excludes sanitary and improvement districts.
Commission Chair Misty Ahmic said the miscellaneous districts submit their tax askings to the county board for approval.
The board does not have oversight of their budgets.
There was little discussion of the entities or the funding requested but Commissioner Scott Pekarek voted against the district levies, pointing to their exclusion from the budget process county entities are now working through.
“We are cutting dollars (for county departments) but we are approving everybody else to do whatever they want,” he said.
In other action on Aug. 25, the commissioners:
• Discussed with Seward County Emergency Manager Megan Eckles the removal and surplussing of stored furniture and other items in the Emergency Operations Center Room at the Seward County Justice Center so that it can be used to coordinate communication and activity when emergencies occur as well as its current use as a meeting or training room.
• Discussed the options for engaging amateur or “ham” radio operators for emergency response planning and activities, which is to be on the agenda in October.
• Appointed Crystal Kirby of Bee to the Seward County Aging Advisory Board to complete a term ending in September, noting that she would need to resubmit the application to be reappointed for a full term.
• Heard Commissioner Reagan Hain report that Rep. Mike Flood’s representatives have indicated that possible funding for the Seward County 420th Road paving project north of the Beaver Crossing interchange could be resubmitted for consideration at the end of the year, with possible notifications arriving in January.
• Revised a contract with Encartele to provide CidTalk artificial intelligence (AI) services for inmates at the Seward County Detention Center in addition to other services already contracted at no additional cost.
• Directed Seward County Highway Superintendent Jon Regnier to return to the commission with a revised agreement to obtain a mini excavator, which is referred to in the current document as a lease, but Deputy County Attorney Barbara Armstead said should be referred to as a lease to purchase or something similar.
• Presented the August Veteran of the Month Award to Gerald Meyer, recently retired director of the National Guard Museum in Seward.
• Approved an upgrade or modification to equipment on a wireless tower for Crown Castle and T-Mobile in Township 10 North following a public hearing at which no one addressed the board.
