Seward County Clerk Sherry Schweitzer was named the Nebraska County Official of the Year by the Nebraska Association of County Officials during its conference Dec. 14-16. She has been Seward’s county clerk for 20 years and has worked in the office a total of 39 years. She is pictured with Larry Dix, executive director of NACO, who presented her with a plaque during the Seward County Commissioners’ Jan. 3 meeting.
Seward County Clerk Sherry Schweitzer was awarded the Nebraska County Official of the Year award by the Nebraska Association of County Officials.
Schweitzer received the award during the NACO conference Dec. 14-16. A group of county clerks nominated her.
“I just couldn’t believe it,” Schweitzer said.
Schweitzer first started working in the Seward County Clerk’s office in 1978.
“I wanted to work in an office environment,” Schweitzer said.
In 1987, Schweitzer became the deputy county clerk and was appointed to the county clerk position in 1997.
The county clerk position is an elected position, but the clerk before Schweitzer retired mid-term, hence her appointment.
Schweitzer said the variety of work the clerk’s office does keeps things interesting.
A county clerk has many responsibilities. As Seward’s clerk, Schweitzer is also the registrar of deeds, which means she and her office keep real estate records for the county, and the election commissioner, which means she conducts elections.
But not all of Schweitzer’s duties have titles. Her office also handles marriage licenses, tobacco and alcohol licences for rural areas, pays bills for the county and helps the county commissioners with setting meeting agendas, keeping the minutes and setting the annual budget, among other things.
Seward County Commissioner Diana Garske said Schweitzer keeps the commissioners up-to-date on any legislation that could affect the county budget. She said Schweitzer is always helpful.
“She has a very strong, positive work ethic,” Garske said. “She makes our job much easier.”
In addition to her work within the county, Schweitzer has worked in a state-wide setting, too.
She serves on the NACO board, where she was elected to represent all of the county clerks in Nebraska, and she is active in the County Clerk Association of Nebraska.
The county clerk association deals with statewide legislation. Schweitzer said in the past, she would often testify in the unicameral to let lawmakers know how proposed bills would affect clerks and the counties they serve.
For instance, she spoke in front of the Nebraska Legislature in order for fees received from real estate documents to go toward a fund to archive those documents online.
Now, all of Seward’s real estate documents are available both on microfilm and online for anyone who needs to access that information.
Schweitzer is also involved in new clerk orientation. When a new clerk is elected, she helps train that person for the job.
She also presents at county clerk meetings and at Seward Commissioner meetings.
Schweitzer said she enjoys her position because she works with the public and sees how the election system works in Nebraska.
She said it was an honor to be nominated and among others who were deserving of the award.
“I can name off so many other officials—in Seward County and Nebraska—who are passionate about their job,” Schweitzer said. “So I felt honored to be part of that group.”
