Seward County Commissioners Summary
Week of June 16, 2026
County counsel says treasurer has not cooperated in tax protest defense
Commission exploring $185,000 buyout for health department cell tower lease
Taiwanese energy company advances plans to bring manufacturing to Liberal
Wind farm road use agreement tabled for further review
Commission hires new rural fire chief following executive sessions
County secures emergency management funds, advances firefighter grant
Southwest Medical Center reports financial turnaround, joins federal program
County counsel says treasurer has not cooperated in tax protest defense
SEWARD COUNTY, Kan. — Seward County faces 156 pending small claims property tax protests before the Board of Tax Appeals, but efforts to resolve the cases have stalled due to an internal administrative dispute. County counselor Nathan Foreman told the board of county commissioners that county treasurer Mary Rose has repeatedly refused to provide his office with the protesters' names and complaint forms, which he said he needs to adequately defend the county's interests. Foreman noted the board declined to schedule individual status conferences but will hold joint conferences via Zoom to potentially dismiss claims from taxpayers who no longer wish to pursue them following the county's recent return to a revenue-neutral tax rate.
Commission exploring $185,000 buyout for health department cell tower lease
SEWARD COUNTY, Kan. — Seward County is considering a $185,000 lump-sum buyout offer from SBA Communications for a perpetual cell tower easement at the local health department. The county currently receives a fixed monthly rent for the 1411 W. 15th St. tower site, but the proposed buyout would replace all future monthly payments with a single payout. County commissioners directed staff to review the current lease terms and request draft easement language from the company to determine if investing the lump sum could generate equivalent interest revenue for the county.
Taiwanese energy company advances plans to bring manufacturing to Liberal
LIBERAL, Kan. — Apogee Power is advancing its plans to establish a manufacturing hub in Liberal by the end of 2026, bringing additional advanced manufacturing to the region. Seward County Development Corp. director Eli Svaty announced the Taiwanese company is investing nearly $16 million in the facility and will sublease space to two unnamed companies that manufacture drone components. A third company specializing in solar panel manufacturing is also slated to begin operations on a smaller scale within the same facility.
Wind farm road use agreement tabled for further review
SEWARD COUNTY, Kan. — A proposed engineering services agreement with Kirkham Michael to help negotiate a road use agreement for the Thresher Wind project has been tabled until early July. While developer Invenergy is eager to move forward with the pre- and post-construction road inventory, county commissioners requested a delay because they had not been given adequate time to review the legal document before the meeting. The contract will be revisited at the county commission's first meeting in July to ensure legal compliance.
Commission hires new rural fire chief following executive sessions
SEWARD COUNTY, Kan. — The board of county commissioners voted 4-0-1 to hire Michael Rice as the new chief of the Seward County Fire District with a starting salary of $82,000. The vote followed a series of lengthy executive sessions regarding non-elected personnel. The county commission also agreed to waive the chief's standard insurance waiting period, allowing benefits to begin immediately with a July 1 start date. One commissioner abstained from the vote, citing an inability to attend the candidate interviews due to a scheduling conflict.
County secures emergency management funds, advances firefighter grant
SEWARD COUNTY, Kan. — Seward County successfully recovered $12,968 in Emergency Management Performance Grant funds, though the amount represents only half of the county's potential eligibility due to past reporting omissions regarding emergency drills. To bolster future public safety funding, the county commission also unanimously authorized a $5,950 payment to an unnamed grant consulting firm to prepare a $650,000 federal Assistance to Firefighters Grant application, with initial award notifications expected as early as October.
Southwest Medical Center reports financial turnaround, joins federal program
LIBERAL, Kan. — Southwest Medical Center has seen a significant financial turnaround, reporting a net income of $115,944 through April compared to a nearly $1.4 million loss during the same period last year. Hospital CEO Amber Williams told county commissioners the facility has built up 114 days of operating cash on hand and significantly reduced its reliance on contract nursing labor. Additionally, the hospital was selected as one of 10 "anchor hospitals" in Kansas under a federal Rural Health Transformation Program, which will provide funding to implement new technologies like remote patient monitoring to keep patients closer to home.
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