The Seward County Justice Center is nearing completion. Although some moves have been postponed, the county plans on having offices occupy the building this spring. The sheriff’s department, the county jail and E-911 have been occupying their new spaces since the winter. Other offices that will move into the building include the county and district courts, the county attorney, the public defender and probation.
Two more county offices are planning to hold off on their move to the Seward County Justice Center.
During the commissioners’ April 18 meeting, Commissioner Diana Garske said the public defender will not move on May 2.
Garske also directed the probation office, set to move April 25 and 26, to wait to move until the county hears if there are issues from the fire marshal.
The decision to postpone those moves came after Maria Hatfield, detention center director, and Sheriff Joe Yocum voiced their concerns.
Hatfield said there were issues with key cards limiting public access to the probation office and issues with doors not working on the main floor of the justice center.
“I think that there’s issues in the building on that floor in particular,” Hatfield said. “I think that we need to wait... until some of the security stuff is 100 percent.”
Hatfield suggested new furniture be moved into the building while offices wait for construction to be closer to complete, then the offices can move along with old furniture that is going into the new building.
She said the county should be patient with this second phase of move-ins, stating that a rush move can be chaotic.
“I think we’re just setting them up for failure,” Hatfield said.
Yocum said there were issues with the building he was assured were fixed.
“It’s still not done,” Yocum said of those fixes.
Commissioner Whitney Fleischman said issues are being addressed in the justice center and that she will be in touch with construction staff and the county offices.
Office and storage space
The commissioners also discussed changes to the courthouse in regards to the offices that will occupy that building as well as storage space for other county offices.
The county clerk, assessor and treasurer will remain in the court house. The county treasurer has previously requested expanding his office to the north, adjacent to the commissioners’ meeting room.
Garske said the treasurer has also requested two desks from the county attorney’s office and one from the public defender.
Yocum, who maintains one of the offices next to the commissioners’ room, said he does not plan to keep equipment in that room.
Sheila Beins, the county court clerk magistrate, keeps some files stored in the second room near the commissioners’ meeting space. She said she will be leaving behind cabinets in that room.
District Court Clerk Jacque Stewart said her files and cabinets will be removed from that same room.
Danielle Graybill from the probation office said they were not planning on moving the department’s files and cabinets in that storage room, but said they can move.
“They can be stored anyway,” Graybill said.
County Clerk Sherry Schweitzer said she was OK with the treasurer’s office expanding, however, she does need space to store her election machines.
The commissioners directed Schweitzer, the county treasurer and assessor to develop a plan for the courthouse. Fleischman asked that the departments be flexible with others’ needs.
“You’re the ones who work on this floor,” Commissioner Roger Glawatz said. “I feel very uncomfortable saying ‘yeah, Bob [Dahms, the county treasurer] can move in here.’”
Glawatz also said the human resources department would temporarily move into the east side of the West Wing until the courts move. At that time, HR will move into the district court office in the court house.
West Wing
The commissioners also voted to keep the emergency manager in his office in the West Wing.
Representatives from the Extension Office previously spoke to the commissioners, asking that the emergency manager be moved to provide more space for its programming.
Emergency Manager Gary Petersen said he was willing to keep his storage in the courthouse, but would like to maintain his office in the West Wing.
“I think Gary should stay where he is,” Commissioner Gene Gausman said.
The commissioners approved Petersen staying in the West Wing in a 4-1 vote, with Fleischman voting against.
