Paul Fischer

    The 2007 Comprehensive Development Plan for Seward County was officially approved by the Seward County Board of Commissioners on June 26, with two additional requirements included in the resolution.
     Commissioner Scott Stuhr advised the inclusion of the Option 3 map for the Future Land Use plan and that page numbers be included in the plan.
     The resolution also stated that any resolutions in the 1995 plan in conflict with the 2007 Comprehensive Development Plan are repealed to give the new plan full effect.
     The board also passed a resolution approving an update in Seward County Subdivision and Zoning Regulations.
     In an unrelated matter, the board also discussed the ongoing issue of storage and office space. A preliminary drawing for the plan was available, indicating how the Court Appointed Special Advocates and Diversion Offices would be relocated to the vacant offices on the second floor of the county courthouse.
     Directors for the CASA and Diversion Offices were present and voiced concern that the designated space wasn't enough.
     Diversion Office Director Denise Janssen said she just received a grant that will provide her with another staff person, and the plan would not be accomodating to her office.
     "I'm meeting with about 90 people a month," she said. "I'd prefer just to stay where I'm at if I'm not going to have privacy [in the new office space]."
     Stuhr proposed that the CASA Office move up to the second floor space and the Diversion Office remain in its present office. The commissioners also asked the courthouse custodian to get an estimate for erecting a permanent wall in the currently vacant second floor office.
     In other business the board:
     • approved the claims for June 2007 for Seward County, totaling $82,659.51;
     • approved the Maintenance Supervisor's annual salary of $32,500;
     • approved the Aging Services Director's annual salary of $22,500;
     • heard from Sandy Morrissey, director of Rural Prevention Coalition for Region V. She informed the board about the program including finances for the coalition;
     • heard from Carman Grummert, director of the Hope Crisis Center, who presented the center's programs to the board. The Hope Crisis Center was formerly called the Blue Valley Crisis Intervention Program, a program of Blue Valley Community Action. She also requested annual financial support;
     • approved a request from Evelyn Pavel to place a marquee on the courthouse lawn for the American Cancer Society Relay for Life;
     • approved a grant application presented by Seward County Highway Superintendent Russ Daehling to provide chevrons and horizontal curve signs throughout the county;
     • approved eight right-of-way requests for MCI and one for Windstream;
     • moved to dissolve the Seward County Public Transit fund, so that all future public transit expenses be paid out of the Seward County General Fund;
     • went into executive session to discuss pending litigation;
     • authorized the chairman to sign documents related to the Seward County Cafeteria Plan;
     • heard from Rick Nation of Blue Valley Community Action, who presented the board with information about recent projects and requests for funding next year;
     • convened as the Seward County Board of Equalization. While convened, they approved a tax list correction, accepted the assessor's recommendation to lower the valuation of a Seward property and heard a protest from Solomon Wang of Milford regarding a raise in his property tax. The board agreed to consider Wang's request for a lower tax increase.
     • convened on June 29 to discuss budgets and reasons for the Road Department, the Economic Development Department and District Judge for going over budget. Daehling was present to provide his reasons for going over budget. Commissioners Stuhr and Ron Minchow said they had discussed the budget of the Economic Development with Director Lana Zumbrunn and gave a report of that office's funding issues. The board also moved to add $600 to the District Judge's budget.