Sheriff’s Report Under Scrutiny: Seward County Demands Clarity on Task Force Spending

By now, you may have read the article in Wednesday's paper titled, "Commissioner's Questions Hold Up Drug Interdiction Paperwork". That article was based on the county board meeting held on Tuesday, August 19. After being tabled, the issue was brought back on this week's agenda, and a lengthy, contentious discussion ensued. This is a very complicated situation, and we believe it's imperative that citizens have firsthand information. At the bottom of this article, you will find two links to meeting recordings. If you're pressed for time, skip to the 12 min. 45 sec. mark in Part 1 of the meeting recordings, to hear Commissioner Raegan Hain's letter to the board.

The Republican Party of Seward County proudly supports our law enforcement, including our dedicated police officers, sheriff’s deputies, and county attorneys, who work tirelessly to uphold public safety and justice. As staunch advocates for accountability, fiscal responsibility, and limited government, we are also committed to ensuring taxpayer dollars are managed with utmost integrity. We believe in transparent governance and hold our elected officials to the highest standards, diligently investigating any discrepancies in public spending to safeguard the trust and resources of our community.

This week, at the August 26, 2025, Seward County Board of Commissioners meeting, Sheriff Mike Vance re-presented for approval the annual report for the Seward County drug interdiction task force, which collaborates with federal agencies like the U.S. Departments of Justice and Treasury. The ESAC (Equitable Sharing Agreement and Certification) report, due by the end of August, detailed the task force budget for fiscal year 2024-2025, including monies from the federal "equitable sharing fund." The board raised concerns about the report's accuracy and completeness, echoing issues from the prior week. These questions delayed approval, as they sought clearer documentation on fund expenditures, especially given the task force's large budget and its role in civil forfeiture practices. (For more information on the Equitable Sharing Program, click here: https://www.justice.gov/criminal/media/1044326/dl?inline=)

This is a developing situation we are following closely, and we invite citizens to listen to both parts of the meeting recordings (totaling 120 minutes) to understand the full context of the discussion. Please consider attending future county board meetings, held every Tuesday at 9:00 a.m. Next week's agenda can be viewed here: https://files.countyofsewardne.com/clerk/agenda/agenda.pdf.

Looking forward, it's important we stay informed about how this task force operates, how taxpayer dollars are allocated, and whether these expenditures align with our values of fiscal responsibility. We encourage you to discuss this matter with fellow citizens, share accurate information within our community, and, if possible, attend the next board meeting on September 2, 2025, to show our commitment to transparency and accountability.

Video Part 1: https://youtu.be/LMNBjAty0w8

Video Part 2: https://youtu.be/lOF6a1GzG_Y