DOVER – Jeremy Sheppard received a promotion, two new vehicles were approved for purchase and the status of the newly opened Kent County Recreation Center were among actions that took place at the Kent County Levy Court’s Special Business Meeting Tuesday night.

Mr. Sheppard received a unanimous vote from a quorum of Levy Court Commissioners and was named director of Community Services for Kent County, effective Tuesday.

Mr. Sheppard replaces former Kent County Director of Community Services Keith Mumford, who retired effective May 31 after working for the county for 30 years.

“I’d like to thank all of the Levy Court commissioners for having the confidence in me,” Mr. Sheppard said. “I’m very honored to be able to serve all of Kent County and to continue with some of the great traditions that we have with the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Library.

“Hopefully, we can build to a bigger and brighter future as we go along.”

The Kent County Levy Court Commissioners also approved the purchase of a 2016 Ford Fusion S sedan for $17,763 and a 2016 Dodge Ram for $18,073 for the Department of Planning Services to replace a couple of older vehicles – a 1999 Jeep Cherokee and a 2002 Dodge Ram – that were facing costly repairs.

The new vehicles were paid for by $3,450 that was available in Planning Services – I&E capital projects fund as well as $36,000 by the County Vehicle and Equipment Replacement Fund within the Capital Budget.

Kent County Sheriff Jason Mollohan also attended the business meeting to go over edits that he and his staff made to the Sheriff’s Office manual, which he said had become outdated.

“The policy had been in place since 2000 and we just thought that 16 years was a little outdated for policy, especially when the law changed in 2012, specifically in Delaware, as to the role of the Sheriff’s Office in Delaware,” Sheriff Mollohan said.

“I think it was just a matter of kind of giving more direction to the office as far as spelling it out a little bit more in detail with the law change the role of our deputies.”

P. Brooks Banta, president of Kent County Levy Court, asked Sheriff Mollohan, “Is there anything here that is going to cost the taxpayers money?”

“Absolutely not,” Sheriff Mollohan responded.

In other business, officials from the Kent County Recreation Center that opened its doors last Saturday, said there are still some minor tweaks being worked out at the facility and that it remains on budget.

Kent County Levy Court Commissioners also awarded its Independent Certified Public Accountant’s Audit Services to Barbacane, Thornton & Company LLP for audit services for fiscal year 2016 for $63,500, fiscal year 2017 for $65,000 and fiscal year 2018 for $66,500.

Six companies submitted proposals and were evaluated to determine each firm’s qualifications, responsibility, ability to provide services and proper fit with Kent County’s Department of Finance.

Barbacane, Thornton & Company received a score of 98.67 percent more than nine percentage points higher than the next of the five companies that bid for the contract.

In the final action of the meeting, Levy Court Commissioners elected to extend the Commercial Trash Collection Services Contract with Republic Services of Delmar for an estimated $8,200 plus disposal costs beginning July 1 and ending Sept. 30.

The short-term extension will allow bid and award of a new contract in the interim.

The trash collection services contract is for the County Administration Complex, Emergency Services Center, various pump stations, Brecknock Park and multiple locations at the Resource Recovery Facility.