Your Grand Island Area Chamber of Commerce has an interest in candidate positions on issues of importance to the business community.
Informed voters are the best way to ensure quality leadership for our city, county, schools, and legislature. We encourage you to read the unedited responses to a short questionnaire we sent to all of the candidates and then exercise your right to vote on Tuesday, May 10th.
Read the candidate's responses below, or click here for a downloadable PDF.
MAYOR
Question 1 - What is the #1 issue facing the Grand Island/Hall County area and what steps would you take to address this issue?
DOUG BROWN
The inability to fill vacant positions at the Grand Island Police Department. A month ago, we had 11 vacant positions, today we have 13 vacant positions. The current Mayor said he supports the Police Department but we are short almost 1 entire shift and getting worse.
He has recommended some programs but as always, we hear nothing of results. We need to have a sit-down with current police force personnel and find out why they are leaving by retiring early or finding different positions and see what we can do to retain them and bring new dedicated police from other cities to our fine city to work.
One Example: In the Military we offered our people Selected Reenlistment Bonus (SRB) to sign a contract to stay 4 to 6 years after their term expired, they sign a contract get a bonus. The bonus is given at a percentage a year so if they sign for 4 years, they would receive 25% the first year and the rest next three years in equal payment. This could entice them to stay and they could use the bonus for a down-payment for a house. We could use the Million Dollars we saved this year from all the vacant positions to pay for the SRB program. We just need to communicate with the current Police Officer and find out what it would take, be proactive on this not reactive to this problem, let’s solve this problem before it becomes worse.
ROGER STEELE
Continuing with Grand Island’s remarkable progress on economic growth is the #1 issue. As Mayor I will:
- continue with an historic amount of public works which lays the foundation for the future
- save your tax dollars by being a strong advocate for lower taxes
- continue with the redevelopment of the Veteran’s Home Campus for affordable housing
- complete the CHI St. Francis medical clinic on Capital Avenue which creates good paying medical jobs
- support the continued funding of Grow Grand Island which has proven to be vital to economic development
- support funding the improvements for Husker Harvest Days
- go “above and beyond” to help the State Fair succeed
- oversee the operation of the Heartland Events Center to attract entertainment and visitors when it is transferred to the City in December, 2024
- ensure that we have a strong Police Force to maintain law and order in our community.
JULIE WRIGHT
Grand Island needs a renewed vision of our future. Yes, Grand Island is making progress. But our neighbors are moving much faster. Grand Island is losing the race. As your Mayor, I will help spur a bold direction for our great city, leading us to the forefront of progress and innovation in Nebraska and across the Midwest. We need a renewed energy that inspires our young to stay, our grown to return, and for all to call Grand Island their home with pride. My entrepreneurial spirit drives me to create a community that works for all of us, not just some. Creative solutions, bold strategies, and saying “yes” far more than “no” is what we need. It will take each and every one of us, UNITED to make Grand Island a great place to call home.
Question 2 - With the low unemployment rate in the area, what role, if any, should city and county government play in ensuring an adequate workforce is available to meet employers’ needs?
DOUG BROWN
With the continued support of GIPS and the Pathway Institute for Training, High School Students are being trained in various fields, Medical, Industrial, Pilots and other Technical Occupations. This will allow them to enter the work force as soon as they graduate with little or no training and receive a decent income to start their careers and life. The same goes with CCC and their work force training programs, the added bonus is we have people from other communities come here to attend CCC and we need to attract them to Grand Island so they stay upon completion.
ROGER STEELE
As Mayor I will promote an adequate workforce by:
- promoting our quality of life with great parks, great entertainment, great shopping and great restaurants
- supporting the Cooperative Internship Program with Wayne State College which will bring employees to Grand Island
- advocate for the renewal of LB840 funding for the Economic Development Corporation which has proven to be successful by investing approximately $7,000,000 which has created approximately $37,000,000 in annual wages for Grand Island
- continue devoting time to economic development and job creation by visiting businesses and industries, attending presentations by trade groups and raising Grand Island’s profile as a “open for business” city in the state, the Nation and internationally
- continue with my work in imaging Grand Island as a city of “essential workers” which put us on the map as a city that works
- continue promoting our image because it is vital to our economic success!
JULIE WRIGHT
Good news... Our people are working. Bad news... We are creating far more jobs in our market than we can handle. With a casino, new and expanding businesses, our employers are in for a harsh future. As your Mayor, I will work diligently to build strategic growth in Grand Island to balance our supply and demand in the workforce.
Secondly, we need to quickly bolster childcare options in Hall County. Since 2020, nearly 20 daycare facilities have closed in Grand Island. We now live in a “childcare desert.” For every 100 children that need childcare, we only have room for 25 of them. Parents are struggling for care, and in-turn struggling to keep jobs. With the help of state and federal funds, public and private partnerships, we can increase the availability of accessible and reliable childcare, allowing so many to get back to work and better their quality of life.
Question 3 - What role will your organization play in developing needed housing for Grand Island/Hall County?
DOUG BROWN
We need affordable housing for all incomes. At a minimum wage of $15.00 an hour workers can’t afford $800.00 to $1000.00 or more a month for rent. We will seek out Federal/State Grants and Programs to build affordable housing to rent and buy. Find support with local builders to build housing using current TIF Funding for affordable condominiums and townhouse that they can rent or buy as starter homes.
ROGER STEELE
During my term as Mayor we have implemented innovations to make housing more affordable and available, such as:
- authorized the use of Tax Increment Financing to support 1,164 housing units
- modified zoning regulations to make it easier to build houses, increase the types of housing built and help control the cost of new housing
- implemented the R3-SL zoning district which allows for smaller residential lots and makes it easier to build townhouse and row house properties
- encouraging more mixed use development combining both residential and commercial uses by allowing the option for residential development in areas like the Conestoga Mall
- changing street widths and parking standards to decrease the cost of development in residential and mixed use developments
- embarking on a new Comprehensive Development Plan that will allow residents to envision the future and explore how we can bring ideas from other cities around Nebraska and the country into our community.
JULIE WRIGHT
We have great businesses offering significant positions with no labor force available. And how do we recruit new professionals when there is no place for them to live? Grand Island needs to add 1,361 new homes between 2020 – 2024 to keep up with projected growth. At our current pace, we will have only finished 718 units (53%). What about the homes we already have? Over 1,000 homes in Grand Island are known to be vacant. Empty. The solution to our housing problem doesn’t have to just be “new.” We need to motivate vacant homeowners, allowing builders to revitalize already-existing neighborhoods.
I will work to provide financially-responsible avenues to increase the building pace. We need to make it possible for more builders to contribute in an already financially-tight construction market. I will bring city government and builders together to provide housing that is attainable for all stages of life.
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COUNCIL WARD 5
Question 1 - What is the #1 issue facing the Grand Island/Hall County area and what steps would you take to address this issue?
ADAM CONDON
I think one of the issues is all of the businesses needing people. That is not the city’s responsibility to find businesses people to hire. I have friends that are looking for jobs, they have been applying for jobs at many places, however, not one offer of employment as been offered.
Also it is not the government’s job to provide a living for the citizenry. I think the best way forward is a hands off approach. Government never really ever solved problems. Government tends to create problems, then as a solution government makes more and different sets of problems.
DOUG LANFEAR
The number one issue currently facing the city council will be creating a budget, in this age of inflation, which does not greatly increase property taxes. Operating costs for the city are bound to increase faster than most people’s income. After four years as a county supervisor, listening to tax protests, I see how property taxes have become a burden for some people. Taxes eat away at the disposable income which would normally spent in our local economy. Elderly on a fixed income just above the homestead exemption limit and young families and singles, these are the most hurt.
Question 2 - With the low unemployment rate in the area, what role, if any, should city and county government play in ensuring an adequate workforce is available to meet employers’ needs?
ADAM CONDON
I think that the government keep a hands off approach. For the same reason as I have already stated with government making a mess of everything it gets involved in.
DOUG LANFEAR
Maybe the best question today would be, how do you retain a workforce. This is mostly a problem for business. My thinking is focus on the young, those under 40. When I say young, I mean not only singles but young couples and especially young families.
Currently, GIPS and local community colleges have started doing an excellent job of teaching needed job skills.
The city could help by assisting in creating a culture and social institutions which would improve the quality of life for the younger generation.
I hesitate to say this because it sounds like socialism, if the city could find a way to provide dependable, reasonably priced daycare, it would go a long way in attracting a new workforce.
Question 3 - What role will your organization play in developing needed housing for Grand Island/Hall County?
ADAM CONDON
Government needs to stay out of the housing market.
DOUG LANFEAR
This is a problem which falls on local builders and landlords. In the past, I have heard complaints that new houses and apartments were of pour quality and not affordable. I understand about the increase in building costs and if a good idea came along, I could back it.
I have seen that drainage is still a problem for this city, specially in new developments. A basement with water kills property value. Providing good drainage and wells to lower water levels in new developments Is definitely an area the city could help.
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HALL COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Question 1 - What is the #1 issue facing the Grand Island/Hall County area and what steps would you take to address this issue?
JANE RICHARDSON — DISTRICT 5
I believe the number one issue facing Grand Island/Hall County today is balancing the budget/fiscal strength. Speaking from the county perspective, the last three to four years of balancing the budget have been difficult to say the least. The combination of flat or declining property tax revenues, along with large increases in our health insurance coverage (sometimes 20-25% ea. yr.) and also large increases in salaries due to our new designation of “Metropolitan Statistical area” has made balancing the budget extremely tricky. Add to that some unfunded state and federal mandates and it becomes almost impossible. Last year the county relied on the inheritance tax fund for the balancing act and that cannot become our regular practice. The Legislature determined this year that they will begin to phase out the inheritance tax. Therefore, eventually Nebraska will no longer have an inheritance tax and that revenue stream will be lost. The county is desperately trying to avoid operating with reduced workforce and therefore a decline in services offered. The county needs new tools to create revenue; hopefully the new casino will bring in some much needed financial assistance to the county.
Creative solutions in health insurance coverage will be considered, possibly on the benefits side provided to insureds. The incoming ARPA funds could help as well; although some of those have already been earmarked for a sewer line at the airport as well as premium pay for employees. Both of these are very important uses and hopefully we can continue to use ARPA funds for specific designated projects that qualify for the funds. With Covid in our rear view mirror (hopefully for good) possibly an economic uptick is on the horizon as there appears to be no one single clear path to address this issue; however, a combination of several different steps could certainly help in the future.
RON PETERSON — DISTRICT 7
I believe the number one issue is providing affordable housing and keeping the property taxes as low as possible on those properties.
Question 2 - With the low unemployment rate in the area, what role, if any, should city and county government play in ensuring an adequate workforce is available to meet employers’ needs?
JANE RICHARDSON — DISTRICT 5
The city and county should take an active role to ensure adequate workforce can be attracted and retained in order to meet employers’ needs. Grand Island/Hall County need to be attractive to potential employees. Quality of life issues need to be improved. One way this could be done is by better utilizing our events center and the state fair buildings. Citizens and potential employees who are considering relocated to our area, need quality entertainment and not only during the county and state fairs. Workforce planning could also be done with more efficient utilization of the Career Pathways Institute and possibly Central Community College. We need to “grow our own” and give them incentives for staying the Grand Island. Employers need to be aware of the highly trained individuals who are attending and graduating from these schools as well as surrounding colleges/universities when considering sufficient employees with the correct skill set required for the position. The Nebraska Career Scholarship Act recently passed the Legislature this year. This Act funds scholarships of $10,000 to $25,000 per year as part of a cohort program that aims to retain interns after the completion of their studies to help address area workforce needs. Our Grand Island Area Chamber of Commerce has partnered with Wayne State College. Students in the program can obtain scholarship funding and also a stipend for housing options. This is an excellent program to help alleviate some workforce issues and encourage young people to relocate to the area.
RON PETERSON — DISTRICT 7
The county is limited on things we can do, but we should provide an environment that encourages development and keeps the process as streamlined as possible. That includes new development of subdivisions outside the city of Grand Island like are being started in Doniphan.
Question 3 - What role will your organization play in developing needed housing for Grand Island/Hall County?
JANE RICHARDSON — DISTRICT 5
The Hall County Housing Authority (HCHA) is a governmental entity established under state law, by the County of Hall, with a mission of providing affordable housing to the residents of Hall County. The Housing Authority fulfills that mission through the operation and management of the federally subsidized Public Housing and Section 8 Programs. The Hall County Housing Authority currently includes 391 one, two and three bedroom apartments and scattered site homes. Rent is based upon 30% of the family’s gross income and income restriction do apply. Grand Island/Hall County needs to continue to incentivize new construction of affordable homes.
RON PETERSON — DISTRICT 7
As I said, the county is limited but we need to find ways to provide incentives and streamlined processes to encourage such development.
