L&T staff report

A recall petition filed against Seward County Commissioner Todd Stanton was allowed to move forward according to Seward County Attorney Russell Hasenbank.

“I determine the petition to be sufficient pursuant to requirements of K.S.A. 25-4318,” Hasenbank wrote in his response.

Petitioners claimed Stanton acquired the retirement records of Greg Standard, which are public records, and communicated with the Kansas Public Employees Retirement department about whether or not Standard qualified for the higher-level retirement benefits during his tenure as Emergency Management Director.

“The petition contains false statements at every turn,” Stanton said. “It is my fiduciary duty as a county commissioner to look out for the taxpayers. And when inappropriate pension contributions appear to be occurring, it is my duty and obligation to make that known to the appropriate people.”