Candidates Byars, Grell respond

The following is the second in a two-part series containing questionnaires directed to candidates running for the Republican primary elections for the District 2 and District 4 Gage County Board of Supervisors seats.

Today’s article features questionnaires from the two Republican District 4 candidates, Dennis Byars and incumbent Allen Grell.

Dennis Byars

Birthdate: Aug. 23, 1940.

Home address, street, town: 823 N. Eighth St., Beatrice.

Incumbent: No.

How long in County Board district: 40-plus years.

Political party: Republican.

If married, spouse’s name and occupation: Janet A. Byars, Beatrice Board of Public Works, accounting.

If you have children, their names and ages: Mark, 34, and wife Nicki, and Jonathan, 25. Two grandchildren, Macy, 4 1/2, and Spencer, 22 months.

Education: Graduate, Beatrice High School; attended University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Doane College.

Experience in public office, in civic or professional organizations or in other areas that helps qualify you as a candidate for this office: Served as justice of the peace, 1967-69; Beatrice Public Schools Board of Education, 1970-72; Gage County Board of Supervisors, 1976-83 (served as chairman during the same period); state senator for Legislative District 30, 1988-94 and 1998-2006.

1. List your top three priorities as a supervisor for Gage County and why they are important to the county’s residents.

A. Economic development: Developing a broad tax base to provide the resources to fund the needs of the citizens of the county is of utmost importance. We need to provide adequate jobs, with livable wages, so citizens can live comfortably. Economic development will broaden the tax base and relieve the tax burden for all citizens!

B. Fair and equitable appraisal for all Gage County property to ensure equal treatment for all taxpayers!

C. Communicate with Gage County citizens, giving them a voice in making public policy decisions for Gage County!

2. What one service would you like to drop to save the county money?

County taxpayer-paid health insurance for the supervisors. No other government entity does this for elected officials who are not full-time, 40-hour-per-week employees.

3. What one service would you like to add or change to better serve taxpayers?

Give more support to the sheriff’s office and probation department who ensure the safety of all our citizens.

4. What is your position on the Gage County Courthouse renovation bond issue? What are the alternatives for the county if the bond issue does not pass?

I’m in favor. Using the inheritance tax fund and general fund if absolutely necessary to finance. I would like to see better planning to establish a capital fund for future renovations.

5. Are you in favor of building a new jail at another location, making a new jail as part of an addition to the current jail, or making do with the current jail without any additions? Why?

I’m in favor of a new jail at another location. We need to ensure the safety of our citizens, take care of the overcrowding at our current facility and ensure more efficiency for our law enforcement officers than our current facility is able to provide.

6. Final comments (50 words or less).

I am a listener and consensus builder! I will bring my experience as former chairman of the Gage County Board of Supervisors and as a state senator to give Gage County a more effective voice with both the Legislature and the governor’s office.

The people of Gage County trust me, I trust them and I believe that together we can make Gage County an even better place to live, work and raise families.

Allen Grell

Birthdate: Jan. 16, 1940.

Home address, street, town: 1907 Washington St., Beatrice.

Occupation: Special environmental projects manager for Keep Nebraska Beautiful Inc. (employed part-time); retired U.S. Army colonel with 32 years of full-time Army National Guard service.

Incumbent: Yes.

How long in County Board district: 41 years.

Political party: Republican.

If married, spouse’s name and occupation: Linda K. Grell, executive director of Keep Beatrice Beautiful Inc.

If you have children, their names and ages: Kerri Lee and husband, Trent Lee, of Fargo, N.D., two granddaughters and one grandson; Kristen Heidemann and husband, Jarrod, of Harbine, and two granddaughters.

Education: B.A. from Columbia College; graduate of Command & Staff College, U.S. Army.

Experience in public office, in civic or professional organizations or in other areas that helps qualify you as a candidate for this office: Five years on Beatrice Planning and Zoning Commission; 10 years as an elected member of the Beatrice City Council; four years as the elected mayor of Beatrice; two years appointed to the Beatrice Board of Public Works; 12 years as Gage County supervisor for District 4; 10 years on the state of Nebraska Emergency Response Commission; eight years on the Nebraska Region V Behavior Health Authority Board; governor-appointed member of the Gage County Local Emergency Planning Commission, serving as chairman for five years; serving on Gov. Heineman’s Leadership and Management Team for the development and implementation of the Nebraska School Chemical Cleanout Campaign; charter member of Habitat for Humanity of Gage County, having served as the first chairman and currently serving as vice chairman and construction manager.

1. List your top three priorities as a supervisor for Gage County and why they are important to the county’s residents.

My top priorities are (1) cost-effective Gage County government to keep taxes down for Gage County citizens; (2) re-prioritize county spending to improve countywide road systems for the economic growth and vitality of Gage County; (3) enhance the law enforcement and community justice facilities for the safety of all Gage County citizens.

2. What one service would you like to drop or change to save the county money?

I would like to examine the potential cost savings of merging the county assessor and register of deeds offices into one functional office. This merger could eliminate some duplicate services.

3. What one service would you like to add or change to better serve taxpayers?

I would like to see the combining of the county road maintenance system and township road maintenance system into a unified county road maintenance system. This would significantly reduce equipment, insurance, fuel and personnel costs.

4. What is your position on the Gage County Courthouse renovation bond issue? What are the alternatives if the bond issue does not pass?

We need citizen support to pass the bond issue because we have a significant amount of deferred maintenance that needs to be repaired. Gage County citizens take great pride in their courthouse. After the bond issue improvements are made, the County Board should be able to continue repairs utilizing annually budgeted funds and/or the inheritance fund. If the bond issue does not pass, the County Board will have to shift funds from other services or programs to fund the needed repairs.

5. Are you in favor of building a new jail at another location, making a new jail as part of an addition to the current jail, or making do with the current jail without any additions? Why?

There is a need to bring the Gage County jail into compliance with current jail standards. Currently, there are numerous problems which could result in costly lawsuits and the serious injury of sheriff’s department personnel.

At the present time, until the jail steering committee provides its study report, I cannot comment on a specific location. I support bringing the jail up to the jail standards required by the state of Nebraska.

6. Final comments (50 words or less).

I have served the taxpayers of Gage County with quality leadership and management. My past work experiences and local government service make me uniquely qualified to manage needed change. I am always willing to listen to the citizens of Gage County. Let us together move forward into a new era.