Election 2020

Election 2020

ELECTION 2020

D1

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2020

THE NORTH PLATTE TELEGRAPH

Hales, Kelliher square off for mayor

Retired Chamber exec, GPH admin vie for top elected job

on renewing the city’s Quality Growth Fund in this election for 10 more years? Both finalists favored extending QGF and its reserved sales-tax mech- anism through 2031, which Hales called “one of the most powerful tools we have available to promote economic growth in North Platte.” They also vowed to work closely with the chamber and other city business leaders. Kelliher said the may- or “must create an environment that is wel- coming to businesses” and enforce ordinanc- es “to create a safe environment, a stable community infrastruc- ture and reasonable taxation.” Iron Eagle What is your position on the proposal to sell or lease Iron Eagle Golf Course? Both favor the City Council’s Sept. 1 vote to seek “requests for pro- posal” to buy or lease the long-controversial city-owned golf course. Interested parties have until Tuesday to submit bids. “I believe our commu- nity needs to move past the challenges surround- ing Iron Eagle,” Kelliher said. “The most expe- dient route is to move the course into private ownership as soon as possible.” Property taxes What’s the best way to keep property tax bur- dens as light as possible while providing needed services? Each candidate stressed the importance of maintaining an effi- cient city government and bringing in more visitors and shoppers to grow sales tax collec- tions. Hales said a city ho- tel-motel “occupation tax” — similar to one now in place for the Golden Spike Tower and Visitor Center — could be earmarked for specif- ic projects such as park upgrades and a new rec- reation center. Kelliher said adding housing options down- town, such as on upper floors of buildings, “will enhance property tax collection in the down- town area without significantly growing infrastructure support costs for the communi- ty.” Community vision What is your vision for North Platte’s future? “I want a North Platte where our children and grandchildren want to live, a safe communi- ty with opportunity and a desire to improve,” Kelliher said. “Working together, honestly facing the challenges before us and compromise will al- low everyone to have a voice in improving the community.” He and Hales both spoke of growing North Platte’s workforce with more diverse job op- portunities, affordable housing, parks and rec- reation and historic downtown’s current ren- ovation into the Canteen District. Such projects “all make our city more attractive to young fam- ilies, single people and retirees,” Hales said.

Online See the Telegraph’s interviews with both candidates at nptelegraph.com

Meet the candidates

Brandon Kelliher » Age (as of Nov. 3): 51 » Address: 3801 Sugarberry Court » Education: North Platte High School; University of Nebraska- Lincoln; University of Phoenix » Occupation: Chief informa- tion officer, Great Plains Health » Past public offices: None » Other elections entered: None » Community organizations: North Platte Noon Rotary Club, board member, past president;

please visit nptelegraph. com.

By TODD VON KAMPEN todd.vonkampen@ nptelegraph.com Voters within North Platte’s city limits will elect a new mayor and at least two new City Council members in the Nov. 3 general election. Outgoing Mayor Dwight Livingston’s suc- cessor will be either John Hales, retired vice president of the North Platte Area Chamber & Development Corp., or Brandon Kelliher, chief information officer at Great Plains Health. Kelliher and Hales ad- vanced from a field of five active candidates in the May 12 prima- ry. Councilman Andrew Lee, Lonnie Parsons and former Councilman Larry Lee Britton were eliminated. Livingston, elected in 2012 and re-elected in 2016, chose not to run for a third four-year term. His successor, along with the four council candi- dates elected next month, will be sworn in at the Dec. 1 council meeting. Following are sum- maries of Hales’ and Kelliher’s written re- sponses to questions The Telegraph submit- ted to them and the City Council candidates. Council responses are in a separate story. For video interviews recorded last week with both mayoral finalists,

of city government? Are there particular services you believe that the city should provide or that it could do a better job in de- livering? Both candidates em- phasized the city’s primary role in provid- ing law enforcement, firefighting and other basic services. But they also agreed it’s appropri- ate that the city provide parks and recreation op- portunities and assist in promoting economic growth. Kelliher called for opti- mizing “some operations of city government” so community leaders can “respond to develop- ment opportunities more quickly than we have in the past.” Hales favored main- taining and upgrading city parks and trails and replacing the 1970s North Platte Recreation Center at its current site. Voters also should re- consider a half-cent sales tax dedicated to city in- frastructure that they turned down in 2018, he said. Economic development, QGF What role should the mayor and the city play in economic development? What is your opinion

Personal qualities

What are your strengths that you believe make you the best candi- date for this office? Hales stressed his 28 years in North Platte, in- cluding many years of service with communi- ty groups and retail and business experience as a former Sixth Street Food Stores manager and chamber executive. “The citizens of North Platte expect the may- or to be available at all times,” he said. Because he’s retired, “being may- or will be my one and only job.” Kelliher, a native and 1987 North Platte High School graduate, noted that he started the city’s first Internet service pro- vider (Netquest) in the 1990s before his career with the hospital. “My experience operat- ing a large organization, my ability to bring peo- ple together around complex issues, my expe- rience delivering results and my willingness to openly show results on a public scorecard sep- arates me from my opponent,” he said. City operations In your opinion, what are the main functions

Brandon Kelliher

North Platte Toastmasters Club, charter mem- ber, past president; Platte River Fitness Series, technical adviser; Mid-Nebraska Community Foundation, board member; Nebraska Information Technology Commission, member; Nebraska Statewide Telehealth Network, mem- ber John Hales » Age (as of Nov. 3): 66 » Address: 905 W. William Ave. » Education: Attended University of Kansas » Past public offices: None » Other elections entered: North Platte school board, 1996 » Community organizations: North Platte Area Habitat for Humanity, charter board mem- ber; Nebraskaland Days, board member, past president, 2017 Dale Studley Award winner; Boy Scouts of America, past district chairman; North Platte Community Playhouse, board member, past president; North Platte Noon Rotary Club, member, past president; Heartland Singers, member, past president; Families First Partnership; North Platte Kids Academy, former board member; Adopt-a-Backpack Program, member » Occupation: Retired vice president, North Platte Area Chamber & Development Corp.; former grocery store manag- er, Hy-Vee Food Stores and Sixth Street Food Stores John Hales

NEBRASKA! MAKE SURE YOUR VOTE COUNTS THIS NOVEMBER

I want to vote early!

I want to vote at the polls on Election Day!

VOTE EARLY IN PERSON IN YOUR COUNTY Beginning Oct. 5 until Nov. 2, vote at your local county election commission or county clerk offices. Find your location here: https://sos.nebraska.gov/elections/ election-officials-contact-information Check your registration here: https://www.votercheck.necvr.ne.gov/voterview

VOTE BY MAIL OR DROP BOX

MAKE SURE YOU’RE REGISTERED TO VOTE Check your registration, or register to vote, on the website of your county Election Commission Office, or the Nebraska Secretary of State’s Office. Check your registration here: https://www.votercheck.necvr.ne.gov/voterview If you have moved or changed your name, you should re-register. If you are not registered, you have until Oct. 16 to register to vote in the Nov. 3 general election.

Or you can…

REQUEST AN EARLY BALLOT Ballot application request forms have been mailed to registered voters by their local election commision office. The state is also mailing early ballot applications to all registered voters whose county didn’t already send them.

Remember:

Follow the instructions

Sign the application

Return it by mail, to an official drop box, or by email or fax

Didn’t get one or lost yours? Request one from your Election Commission Office. The request has to be at the Election Commission Office or in an official drop box by 6 p.m. (5 p.m. Mountain time) Oct. 23. Postmarks don’t matter, so don’t wait too long to return your application.

WAIT FOR YOUR BALLOT TO ARRIVE BY MAIL

Ballots start mailing out Sept. 28. Should arrive to voters beginning Oct. 1.

FILL OUT YOUR BALLOT, FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS

FIND YOUR POLLING PLACE

Remember:

Nebraksa polling locaton search: https://www.votercheck.necvr.ne.gov/voterview

Put completed ballot in return envelope provided

Put only your ballot in your return envelope

Sign back of the ballot return envelope. Envelopes without a signature cannot be counted.

Votes cannot change once you’ve submitted a ballot. If you requested an early ballot, you must vote with that early ballot. Track your ballot here: https://www.votercheck.necvr.ne.gov/voterview Problem with your ballot? Check with your Election Commission Office as early in October as possible. On Election Day, a provisional ballot can be submitted at your polling place, but it will be delayed and might be rejected as election officials verify.

VOTE AT YOUR POLLING PLACE BETWEEN 8 A.M. AND 8 P.M. ON ELECTION DAY (7 A.M. TO 7 P.M. MOUNTAIN TIME) Try not to wait until the last minute so you can avoid lines and safely social distance.

Election Commission must receive ballot by 8 p.m. (7 p.m. Mountain time) on Nov. 3. Votes will not count after that; postmarks do not matter. Don’t go by usual delivery times. Allow at least 7 days. You cannot return your early ballot to a polling place. RETURN BALLOT BY MAIL THROUGH U.S. POSTAL SERVICE

RETURN BALLOT TO AN OFFICIAL BALLOT DROP BOX Be sure to sign the back of your ballot return envelope. Secure drop boxes are open 24/7. Ballots are collected regularly and with increasing frequency as Election Day nears. Every county has at least one drop box.

Looking for the sample ballot? Lincoln Count y will publish the ballot in the North Platte Telegraph on Oct. 29.

Or better yet …

LIBRARY

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T H E WO R L D - H E R A L D

THE NORTH PLATTE TELEGRAPH ELECTION 2020 Voters to decide 4 council seats

D2

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2020

WARD 1 Jim Backenstose (I)* » Age (as of Nov. 3): 67 » Address: 2109 Iron Eagle Court » Education: Roncalli Catholic High School, Omaha; University of Nebraska-Lincoln » Occupation: Retired » Past public offices: Appointed to City Council, December 2018 (confirmed by council, January 2019) » Other elections entered: None Meet the candidates

perience, he added, would help the city handle “a unique time in our history.” » Ward 4: Ostendorf said he has “a good work- ing knowledge of the city processes and procedures. When a citizen reaches out for assistance and I don’t have an immediate answer, I know where to go to get it.” Woods said he’s “an inde- pendent thinker,” has run his own business most of his adult life and follows “the character traits that my par- ents instilled in me: to be honest, hardworking and kind to others, depend on yourself and never stop try- ing.” City operations In your opinion, what are the main functions of city gov- ernment? Are there particular services you believe that the city should provide or that it could do a better job in deliv- ering? » Ward 1: Tryon said she would “encourage privatiz- ing as many nonessential services as possible,” while Backenstose said the city is “behind the eight ball, so to speak, in providing up-to- date recreation.” Both cited the primacy of providing es- sential services. » Ward 2: Volz said the city first needs “to set pol- icies and procedures to accommodate the goals of its citizens.” That includes the need “to stimulate growth” that diversifies the tax base “to remain relevant and competitive in our society to- day.” He and Agler agreed that essential services take top priority, with the lat- ter adding “there may be efficiencies that can be examined to provide the ser- vices the community uses and desires.” » Ward 3: Cities’ main role, Kurre said, “is to pro- vide those services and programs that we do best as a community.” North Platte has put off maintenance and repair of its streets and wa- ter and sewer systems and needs to address those, he added. Garrick said the city “should help rather than hinder people thriving.” By doing so, “we could defi- nitely do a better job at supporting and growing our own local businesses and at- tracting new businesses to move in.” » Ward 4: Woods said North Platte does well pro- viding city services, but he perceives “a feeling of dis- trust of the council and a feeling that the city does not take into consideration the ideas and concerns of the av- erage citizen.” Residents north of the Union Pacific tracks have “a sense that we are left out of the mix as far as economic development,” he added. City government exists “to serve the needs of the peo- ple,” Ostendorf said. Besides basic services and promo- tion of economic growth, “I believe that safe, comfort- able, affordable housing is of primary importance to all people, and the city should do whatever it possibly can to ensure that all citizens have access to it.” Economic development, QGF What role should the mayor and the city play in econom- ic development? What is your opinion on renewing the city’s Quality Growth Fund in this election for 10 more years? » Ward 1: Both candidates agreed that elected leaders and residents need to coop- erate to grow North Platte’s economy. Renewing the Quality Growth Fund, Backenstose said, “is integral to grow- ing our community.” Tryon said she would “apply the law as originally intended on a case-by-case basis” to city economic development pro- grams, calling them “a form of corporate welfare in pick- ing winners and losers.” » Ward 2: Agler and Volz said the mayor and council should be partners with lo- cal business leaders to grow North Platte’s economy. Both favored renewing QGF, with Volz saying “we will be at a severe disadvantage com- pared to other communities” if allowed to expire. » Ward 3: Both candidates

said city government plays a key economic development role in North Platte. Garrick and Kurre both called for QGF’s renewal. » Ward 4: Ostendorf cited the City Council’s recent re- zoning of Newberry Access’ east side as an example of good cooperation with North Platte’s business community. The council and mayor “should do everything pos- sible to facilitate new and existing business growth,” Woods said, but residents themselves “also need to pro- mote our town.” He called himself “torn on the issue of the Quality Growth Fund,” saying he op- poses “corporate welfare” but probably will vote for re- newal because the council has the last word on all QGF applications. QGF is meant “to help businesses of all sizes get started and grow,” Ostendorf said, citing a newly approved loan from the fund to Shae and Jeff Caldwell to help re- fit their newly purchased Parkade Plaza as a prime ex- ample. Iron Eagle What is your position on the proposal to sell or lease Iron Eagle Golf Course? All eight council candi- dates endorsed divesting the city’s interest in Iron Eagle, with Backenstose, Agler, Kurre and Ostendorf say- ing they hope the site will remain a golf course after being sold or leased. Property taxes What’s the best way to keep property tax burdens as light as possible while providing needed services? » Ward 1: To reduce infrastructure projects’ re- liance on property taxes, Backenstose said, the City Council should ask voters again to approve a half-cent sales tax dedicated to infra- structure needs. He also called for ex- ploring a 1% hotel-motel “occupation tax” that could be dedicated toward a new North Platte Recreation Center, among other possi- ble uses. Tryon said she hopes city government “can operate more like a business” with a new mayor and the recent hiring of Matthew Kibbon to replace the now-retired City Administrator Jim Hawks. “The citizens must realize for there to be any financial relief, government must re- duce spending, which can be achieved by a more efficient and smaller government as well as citizens taking per- sonal responsibility for some of their needs,” she said. » Ward 2: Sales taxes are “a very equitable way to spread that burden” borne by property taxes, Agler said, especially because out-of-town visitors and shoppers also pay it. User fees for more city services also should be considered, he said. Volz said “we need to manage the city bud- get critically” and expand the property tax base “by continuing to grow our population in a desired di- rection.” But “we are saddled with this (tax) structure” un- til the Legislature provides property tax relief, he added. » Ward 3: “It’s my belief that in examining the >Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4

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