LETTER TO THE EDITOR, Susan Lukwago, Liberal
This letter is in response to an article in the newspaper dated Thursday November 13th 2025. The title is “Greeson proposes procedures for grant approval.”
The first sentence of that article is “A large portion of the discussion around the 14.8-mill increase over the Revenue Neutral Rate for Seward County has been the county’s health department, and much of that discussion has centered on grant money being used for bonuses.” I believe this sentence is not quite accurate.
First, it is my understanding that actually a large portion of the (proposed) increase in our Seward County mill levy is because of a Board Of Tax Appeals case with Conestoga Energy. We/Seward County need to find a way to pay back money we owe Conestoga Energy. That is the biggest factor in the increased mill levy.
Second, the County Health Department has been a conversation in the newspaper thanks in large part to the research conducted by Ms. Carolyn Huddleston. I do not recall the County Health Department budget being a significant portion of the increase in mill levy.
To that end, thirdly, grant funds and how they are used at the County Health Department was and is not a large portion of the discussion around the proposed increase in our mill levy.
Please correct me if I am inaccurate. I like to learn. And like all of us, I care about my current home — Seward County.
