During the Seward County Commissioners’ July 3 meeting, the board:
• approved a request to place a sign advertising the Seward County Fair on the courthouse lawn from Aug. 6 to 13.
• heard an information technology update from Tom Nielsen of Soarin Group, the county’s IT provider. He and the commissioners discussed audio/visual equipment for the commissioners’ meeting room, which used to be the district court room.
The commissioners would like microphones so the audience can hear them better and televisions that could display the meetings’ agendas or supplemental information for presenters.
Nielsen said he would work with Ehlers Electronics on the equipment and setup the board needs.
• authorized the detention center to apply for a Critical Laboratory Improvement Amendment waiver. Detention Center Director Maria Hatfield said the amendment requires medical testing in the jail be certified by the Department of Health and Human Services.
However, because Seward County does not have a full lab, it likely wouldn’t pass a state audit. The waiver would allow the county to continue its limited testing without a full lab.
• authorized the chairperson to sign a contract with York County for housing York County’s inmates for $65/day. Hatfield said Seward County doesn’t routinely house inmates from York, but she wanted a contract for when it does.
• approved surplus property disposal requests from both the treasurer’s and the county clerk’s departments.
• accepted a settlement of accounts report and the last three years of unpaid taxes report.
• directed building and grounds superintendent Mike Janssen to look into solutions regarding an existing median in the Seward County Justice Center parking lot. Janssen said vehicles drive over the median quite often. Commissioner Roger Glawatz said the median could cause a safety or liability issue for the county.
• awarded Paver’s Inc. with the bid for the Denton Road pavement repair project in the amount of $39,764.
• heard an annual report from Blue Valley Community Action. BVCA also requested the county increase its funding by 3 percent for the 2018-19 fiscal year in the amount of $12,393. Glawatz said the board would consider its contribution during the budget process.
• authorized the chairperson to sign a grant award for nearly $96,000. County Attorney Wendy Elston said this Community Based Grant will be used for the county’s truancy and drug prevention programs. The county will match more than $10,000.
