Since sometime in 2019, the Seward County E911 center has collaborated with York, Saline and Butler counties to finance and utilize a dispatch and records management software for emergency services.
The police departments in Seward, Milford and York also became a part of the system early on, and in 2024, the Crete police department joined the network. Another county is now looking to join the group Seward County Attorney Wendy Elston told the Seward County Board of Commissioners on Dec. 16.
The Zuercher System software allows the agencies to share information on potential criminal activity and access other department’s reports. Dispatchers can utilize computer-aided record keeping to document calls and record law enforcement movement in the area.
The collaborative effort began because the cost of such systems is high and challenging for a single agency to finance.
But Seward County officials are now discussing ways that the cost-sharing could more fairly be spread among the parties to the interlocal agreement that governs its use here.
Elston told the Seward County Commissioners on Dec. 16 her office and the Seward County jail also use the system to some extent.
Seward County is the official host to the data system, which is now owned by Central Square but referred to as Zuercher. It is coordinated from the E911 center in Seward.
“There’s a lot of people who want to get in on this program because it is so good,” Elston said.
The four counties were the initial parties to the interlocal agreement that purchased the original system at a significant cost in 2018 or 2019, she said. There are also annual fees and there are often ongoing costs for equipment or updates.
Seward County paid 25.5 percent of the original purchase and as host site takes on some of those ongoing expenses, Elston said.
Commissioners agreed that the interlocal agreement should address some level of “buy-in” for use of the system.
Elston is to come back to the board with a draft addendum to the agreement addressing the costs.
In other action, the commissioners:
• Authorized Highway Superintendent Jon Regnier to seek bids for fencing around the Missile Base Shop.
• Scheduled a public hearing for Jan. 13 on a proposal to vacate 2,700 feet of Rokeby Road between Sections 25 and 36 in Township 9.
• Re-appointed Jordon Folkers to serve as on the Four Corners Health Board through December 2028.
