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Greeley County attorney resigns; interim appointment follows amid ongoing veterans‑office audit discussions
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Summary
County Attorney James Swanson resigned effective Sept. 11; the board appointed Cindy Bassett as interim county attorney on Sept. 14 and later confirmed her appointment. Separately, the board and veteran service committee repeatedly discussed a State Auditor finding about a Veterans Service Office checking account balance and sought Attorney General guidance.
The Greeley County Board addressed two personnel and oversight matters in late 2012.
Emergency session minutes from Sept. 14 show the board accepted the resignation of County Attorney James R. Swanson, effective Sept. 11, 2012. At that same emergency meeting the board appointed Cindy Bassett as interim county attorney and later recorded her appointment to fill the county attorney vacancy at the Oct. 23 meeting.
Separately, the State Auditor’s Office noted that the county Veterans Service Officer maintained a checking account balance (reported at $9,759 as of June 30, 2011) that the auditor questioned as inconsistent with good internal control practices. The county’s veteran service committee, including Veteran Service Officer Mike Sweeney and committee members, discussed the finding with the board across multiple meetings. The board and interim county attorney sought additional clarification from the State Auditor and contacted the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office for guidance; the minutes record ongoing work to find a lawful and agreeable resolution. The veteran service committee proposed processes for expending and replenishing the account, and the board asked staff to coordinate with state offices to ensure compliance with statutes and opinions cited by the AG office.
The board recorded motions and votes accepting the resignation and appointing the interim attorney and asked the interim county attorney, county clerk and veteran service representatives to work together to resolve outstanding audit questions.