(KLZA)-- Richardson County Commissioners agreed to enter into an agreement with Jeremiah Franks who has accepted a position as a Richardson County Deputy Sheriff when they met Tuesday.

Under the agreement, Richardson County will advance $5 thousand of a hiring bonus to Franks, to relocate to Nebraska, provided he remains employed with the Richardson County Sheriff's Office for eighteen months. Franks is a certified law enforcement officer in Nebraska.

Richardson County will pay Franks an additional hiring bonus of $5 thousand after the 18 months, with those funds paid out every four months in equal installments over an additional eighteen months of employment with the Sheriff's Office.

The contract calls for the initial $5 thousand hiring bonus to be paid back, in proportion to the time he actually is employed, if Deputy Franks is terminated prior to completion of the eighteen months.

Deputy Franks, who currently works in the state of Washington.

In other business the Board approved the purchase of firearms training equipment in an amount of $2,214.

Discussion was also held with Sheriff Rick Hardesty about the possibility of obtaining an additional drug dog for the department. Donations have been designated and are being solicited from the community.

An agreement with Mainelli Wagner & Associates for preliminary engineering work on a bridge project southwest of Stella was approved.

Commissioners also agreed to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with Nemaha, Johnson and Pawnee counties to apply for the Community-based Juvenile Services Aid Program grant funds available through the Nebraska Crime Commission. Nemaha County will serve as the administering county for the grant.