After 35 years in office, Seward County Treasurer Robert Dahms is retiring.
Though he is looking forward to spending more time with his family and continuing his love of walking, Dahms said he will miss working with the people both in and out of the office who he’s become close with.
He will also, of course, miss the math.
According to Dahms, the office of treasurer requires a good deal of mathematical knowledge, being tasked with xments and payments on behalf of the county. As a math lover, Dahms said it was one of his favorite parts of the job.
However, even if the treasurer is skilled at math, they aren’t guaranteed success. A treasurer is only as strong as his office staff, and Dahms said he has been blessed with a strong one.
“The staff here goes beyond the call of duty,” Dahms said.
Specifically, Dahms will miss working with deputy treasurer Sherry Leising. As deputy treasurer, she is responsible for working alongside the treasurer on a day-to-day basis.
“To do this job, you have to have backup,” Leising said. “We essentially check each other.”
Dahms said he is impressed by how the treasury staff takes ownership of their jobs, and stays hard-working.
Dahms said his staff is the main thing he is going to miss, including Brenda Hartman, Pat Stauffer, Morie Vanderslice, Tsega Dorcey, Nancy Rhode and Leising. He said his replacement, Jacob Zlatkovsky, is in good hands.
“He’s got a phenomenal staff,” Dahms said.
Leising said she is excited to work with Zlatkovsky and is hopeful for the upcoming year, though she will still miss working with Dahms.
There are people outside of the office as well who are sad to see Dahms go. As treasurer, Dahms worked closely with several local banks and has made several connections in doing so.
Mike Hecker, executive vice president at Jones National Bank in Seward, is one such connection. Hecker said he’s been working with Dahms his entire career as treasurer, and he said Dahms is known to put the county first.
“Bob’s this conscientious, hard-working guy who wanted to do, and did do, everything right for the county,” Hecker said.
Hecker said Dahms set a good example in terms of being a county treasurer, noting that Zlatkovsky will have to work hard to fill his shoes.
“I think those are big shoes for the next person to fill,” he said. “Bob has done a wonderful job and is conscientious about what he's done for the county. Those will be big shoes, and I'm very thankful for everything Bob has done for us.”
Hecker said he wishes Dahms the best and is glad he will have more time to relax, as well as continue his walking habit.
“Bob is a walker. That's the part that I love about Bob. He'll walk on his lunch break and he walks home at night. It didn't matter if the weather was good, bad or indifferent,” Hecker said. “He was always out there walking, and I always thought highly of that. He kept trying to keep his physical health along with the county sales in mind.”
Another banking connection, Ryne Seaman, president of Cattle Bank, said in addition to walking, he and Dahms came to know each other on the tennis court.
“At one time, Bob was a pretty decent tennis player, so I got to know him over the tennis courts,” Seaman said.
He said he’s known Dahms since he moved to town about 34 years ago. In addition to being open and easy to communicate with, Seaman said he also gained a reputation for being willing and able to help people on a moment’s notice.
“At one point, I had a need for a volunteer, and I reached out to Bob on it. He always joked that he was too available being over there,” Seaman said. “He was always quick to help out when somebody needed assistance or a volunteer for something.”
Seaman said he is sad to see Dahms go, though he wishes him the best.
“I just wish him the best of luck,” he said. “He has served our county and community faithfully for many, many years, and I wish him the best of luck in retirement.”
Dahms said he is proud of the state in which he is leaving the treasurer’s office. He said the treasurer’s office in Seward has a reputation for being the friendliest in the county. In addition, he said it is a point of pride for the office that drivers from other towns and cities nearby frequently will come into the DMV in Seward, commenting on how it is worth the drive.
Dahms said he is proud of how the office often goes above and beyond the scope of its duties, even occasionally delivering tags personally to peoples’ houses.
Jake Zlatkovsky will be taking the office of treasurer in January. Dahms said he is confident in Zlatkovsky, especially since he will be working with the staff at the treasurer's office.
“He’ll do a fantastic job,” Dahms said. “He’s got a phenomenal staff.”
While Dahms will miss the people and numbers he’s worked with, he said he is excited to retire. Mainly, he said he is excited to get to spend more time with his family. In addition to his wife in Seward, he said he has two daughters out of state, as well as a granddaughter in Lincoln, that he hopes to have the time to visit more.
Additionally, Dahms is excited to have more time to walk and be in nature. One goal of his is to visit Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota, and he is also hoping to hike more with some of his extra time.
While the treasurer’s office is excited to welcome Zlatkovsky, many people in Seward County will remember Robert Dahms for years to come.
“We’re going to miss you, Bob,” Leising said.
