After an hour-long executive session Monday morning, the Barton County Commission emerged only to announce no action would result from the closed-door meeting. It was called to discuss an investigation involving non-elected personnel and in with commissioners were County Clerk Donna Zimmerman and Sheriff Brian Bellendir.

Monday’s session was requested by Commissioner Jennifer Schartz. It was last week that a similar executive session was called by Commissioner Alicia Straub which led to a heated exchange between Straub and other commissioners.

These closed meetings followed those held nearly weekly for the past couple months, all on the same topic.

Not much is being said about the issue except that it is being treated as personnel matter involving a non-election employee. As such, commissioners said they will not be releasing any further information.

The matter dates back to August.  

After executive sessions on Aug. 16, the commission approved hiring the law firm Kennedy Berkley Yarnevich Williamson Chartered, Salina, to assist with an investigation. The action came at the recommendation of Sheriff Brian Bellendir, who said based on the information obtained during the course of an internal investigation, the issue appeared  not criminal in nature. 

Bellendir and Zimmerman have been included in most of these sessions.