Megan Eckles of Seward will begin work as Seward County’s emergency management director and zoning assistant on March 2.
The combined position was recently created to allow the county’s emergency management director to work only in Seward County. Gary Petersen, who retired from the position in January, worked half-time in Seward County and half-time in York County as emergency management director.
The Seward County Board of Commissioners on Feb. 10 voted unanimously to hire Eckles and gave the county human resources staff authority to conduct necessary personnel activities for the appointment.
County Commission Chair Misty Ahmic told the Independent in a later interview that Eckles has considerable experience related to emergency management field and will be able to step right into the role.
An executive session had been included on the county’s agenda following discussion of the position, but a motion to enter into executive session died for lack of a second. Ahmic said after the meeting the session was not needed.
Also at the meeting, the board added an emergency agenda item to designate in the county’s Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant proposal that $78,737 in local matching funds for the 420th Road paving project would be paid out of the county’s Inheritance Fund.
The funding designation was needed to complete the application prior to its submission deadline.
In other action, the commissioners:
• Accepted a bid from JEO Consulting for engineering work for the Safe Streets and Roads For All (SSFA) grant studying safety issues on Milford’s State Street which runs from Highway 6 south through the Southeast Community College campus.
• Reviewed a proposal from Marvin Planning and Consultants for consulting services for the zoning department, which will be amended and returned to the commissioners.
• Discussed plans for the roads department to rent or borrow equipment enabling trial applications of a product to lessen dust on four roads that have either heavy truck traffic or regular heavy traffic, with the department to return with quotes for possible rental or purchase of a water trailer tank additional equipment.
• Discussed the Seward County Public Transit’s current budget situation and heard Jeffrey Baker, a former director of the program, speak to its history. A public hearing on the county service is scheduled for Feb. 24.
• Tabled an agenda item on extending the CentralSquare Interlocal Agreement for E911 services.
• Meeting as the Board of Equalization approved tax refunds related to an error in the levy for the Exeter-Milligan-Friend 90 School District and approved a motor vehicle tax exemption for a Concordia University van.
• Approved a utility permit for placement of electrical equipment across 392nd Road south of Van Dorn Road.
