(The Sentinel) — A trio of Seward County, Kansas, commissioners abruptly resigned their seats on Dec. 15, three months after each voted to increase the county’s property tax rate by 13 mills, citing budgetary needs.
The actions by Presiding Commissioner Scott Carr and Commissioners Presephoni Fuller and Tammy Sutherland-Abbott leave Seward County unable to conduct business until at least two of them are replaced. County Administrator April Warden told the five-member board that county statutes require at least four members to constitute a quorum to vote on county business.
Since each resignation is from a Republican office holder, that party’s county committee is responsible for nominating replacements to serve out the respective terms. According to KWCH-TV reporting, resignation letters are sent to Governor Laura Kelly, and the county has 21 days to fill the positions.
Criticism from area residents had been withering since the tax increase was approved, and recall petitions were circulating to remove members who supported the measure.
During a Commissioner Comment period following an Executive Session near the end of the three-hour meeting, Commissioner Fuller led off the flurry of resignations by citing an impending move out of the county as her reason. She thanked her supporters for giving her the opportunity to serve, as well as her fellow commissioners and county employees. She later stated she was unaware that two of her colleagues were also leaving before their terms expired.
Presiding Commissioner Carr was succinct in his statement:
“I will tender my resignation first thing in the morning…the 16th.” Then addressing fellow Commissioner Todd Stanton, Carr continued: “If the community wants an election recall, I’ll give it to you, Mr. Stanton. You’ve been working real hard on it. I’ll leave it at that.”
Commissioner Sutherland-Abbott completed the avalanche of departures and appeared insulted by the backlash directed at her and her colleagues:
“September 15th, whoever dreamed that this community would have acted like it did. Just because they didn’t agree with the three of us (on our) votes. We have been ridiculed, mocked, cartoons drawn about us.
“It’s pretty pathetic when the three of us, in that aspect, were givers to this community. I signed a grant back in 2023. Who’d have dreamed that one signature on something that had happened for years before, would cause me to be recalled? This was my second recall in the last few weeks. My family’s put up with bull****. My in-laws, 80 years (of age) plus, have been hauled out in public, and enough is enough.
“I’ve served with three of the best people that I could ever think of; Scott (Commissioner Carr) thank you, Persephoni (Commissioner Fuller) thank you. And whatever the community says about April (Administrator Warden), she’s one of the most giving, professional people I’ve ever known. And it makes me sick for people to try to damage any of our reputations. We’ve all served with integrity and honesty, and no one has done anything but legal.”
One upcoming deadline is the approval of future payroll for county employees. Administrator Warden cautioned the payroll approved that day would be the last until the commission is able to transact business.
The resignation statements begin here at the 2:54:00 mark.
