ROBERT PIERCE

   • Leader & Times

With the recent stay order issued by the Kansas Board of Tax Appeals allowing the county to reduce property tax to revenue neutral, workers in the Seward County Treasurer’s office have now begun processing new statements, checks and credits for property owners.

Treasurer Mary Rose said an initial complaint came through after commissioners in September 2025 narrowly voted to pass a 17-mill property tax increase.  She said before the Dec. 31, 2025, deadline, she had sent a total of 173 complaints to BOTA, and from there, conversations with the county attorney started regarding the complaints.

Rose, though, said the only part she played in the initial discussion was her belief regarding what she thought should happen in the Revenue Neutral Rate process.

ELLY GRIMM

   • Leader & Times

The schools throughout USD 480 have been doing a lot of work as a result of recent High Reliability Schools (HRS) surveys, and Monday evening, Meadowlark Elementary School presented its update to the USD 480 school board.

“Since receiving the results, we have done an extensive amount of data diving and root cause analysis with our Building Leadership Team (BLT), the main goal of that was to examine the trends better beyond the survey itself,” Meadowlark Elementary School Principal Ashley Bruce said. “This process has been very rigorous, it has been very challenging, but as a new principal, it has been very valuable. For me, it’s really strengthened my framework for my own accountability, and it’s also provided clearer direction and helped me prioritize the systems and aspects that matter the most in terms of our school culture as well as the systems and framework that help strengthen the safety, support, and collaboration in our school environment. The survey data showed our strengths were indicators 1.1 (Faculty and staff perceive the school environment as safe and orderly), 1.2 (Students, parents, and community perceive the school environment as safe and orderly), 1.4 (Teachers and staff work collaboratively to address common issues regarding curriculum, assessment, instruction, and academic success of all students), and 1.8 (Management of fiscal, operational, and technological resources directly supports teachers), and that was across the board, meaning students, parents and faculty/staff all responded positively. We looked at other areas, and our BLT identified indicators 1.3 (Teachers are given formal roles in the decision-making process for school initiatives), 1.5 (Faculty and staff have formal ways to give input regarding optimal operations of the school), 1.6 (Parents, students and community members have formal ways to give input regarding optimal operations of the school) and 1.7 (Success of the school as a whole as well as individuals within the school, is appropriately recognized) as areas where some growth is needed.”

ROBERT PIERCE

   • Leader & Times

Most Saturday nights find couples looking for something fun to do for a date night.

Saturday, April 11, Seward County United Way gave couples something fun to do while raising money to help local non-profit agencies.

For $50 per couple, which included all of the supplies and the first two drinks courtesy of Tortuga Brewing Company, SCUW gave couples a chance to “Paint Your Partner,” and United Way Director Patricia Fierro said officials with the agency wanted to give couples a fun idea for a date night, adding no actual painting skills were required and preferred.

“It’s pretty much enjoying yourself, compressing, relaxing and painting on your partner,” she said. “No matter how it looks, it’s just having a great time, enjoying yourself.”

ROBERT PIERCE

   • Leader & Times

The weather is finally becoming more spring and summer like, and more people can be seen outdoors enjoying the nice temperatures.

One of the places locals take advantage of the conditions is at Liberal’s Light Park, and May 2, the park will be host to Grace Place Pregnancy Care Center’s annual Run Baby Run fundraiser.