Lancaster County Council
Only one of the three Lancaster County Board of Commissioners seats up for election this year features a contested primary.
County Commissioner Deb Schorr of Lincoln, who holds the District 3 seat, faces challengers Travis Filing of Panama and Matthew Schulte of Lincoln in the Republican primary. The top two voters for the South Lancaster County seat will qualify for the general election.
In District 1, which covers central Lincoln, incumbent Sean Flowerday of Lincoln, a Democrat, and Cameron Hall of Lincoln, a Republican, will both qualify for the general election.
The same is true in Northwest District 5 where Democrat Rick Vest of Lincoln, the incumbent, will advance with Republican Jason Krueger of Lincoln.
The five-person council manages county funds, oversees county property, adopts annual budgets, administers several programs established by state law, as well as sets tax levies and salaries for elected and appointed county officials. .
Commissioners are elected for four-year terms and typically meet twice a week, at 9 a.m. Tuesday for a televised business meeting and 8:30 a.m. Thursday for a staff meeting.
Commissioners are paid $50,609 per year.
Editor’s note: Candidate Travis Filing did not respond for the Voter’s Guide.
Deb Schorr
Age: 60
Address: 6730 Hickory Crest Circle, Lincoln
Occupation: Lancaster County Commissioner
Political party: Republican
Website: DebSchorr.com
What experiences qualify you for this office?
I have a background in finance and banking, government service as an aide to Governor Kay Orr, and as a fundraiser in the nonprofit world. I will continue to be a conservative, business-oriented voice on the county council. My years of service bring important knowledge, perspective, and connections to local, state, and federal leaders. The influence and relationships I have built over the years are extremely valuable and will move Lincoln and Lancaster County initiatives forward.
What are the top three issues facing the county and how would you address them?
Property tax relief, infrastructure funding and workforce development are issues I have prioritized. Property valuations continue to rise due to the tight housing market, so the tax should be reduced accordingly. We need to seek other funding mechanisms for the improvement and construction of roads and bridges other than property taxes, including public-private partnerships. It is important to put more emphasis on job training programs and work readiness skills to help people prepare for employment and help employers who are currently struggling to fill vacancies.
How do you think the county’s share of funds yet to be allocated from the federal American Rescue Act plan should be used?
Funds should be spent on capital construction, renovation expenses, and technology updates. Priority should be given to allocating one-time funds so that there is no ongoing cost to the county. Otherwise, we are forcing local taxpayers into a future financial commitment. The pandemic has highlighted the need for increased services for people in crisis. I support funding for social service agencies to provide more services in the areas of domestic violence, food insecurity, substance abuse, and mental health issues.
In recent years, the county council has had to decide whether to allow large poultry farms and solar farms to operate in the county. How would you balance the interests of landowners and the economic benefits of factory farms against the economic and environmental benefits of alternative energy companies?
Issues of community sentiment versus private property rights are always contentious. Tough decisions are made to balance the rights of landowners to choose what to do with their land with the interests of neighbors who have strong opinions. There are dozens of meetings with neighbors, hundreds of emails/phone calls, research with planning/zoning experts, and hours of public testimony. Green power generation is important to many voters, so the views of those not directly affected by the facility are also a factor.
What can the County Council do to help meet the needs of juvenile justice, particularly for young people in crisis and those who have long stays in detention awaiting treatment?
I support alternatives to detention to keep young people out of the juvenile justice system in the first place. We need to work closely with community behavioral health service providers to provide more inpatient treatment beds for youth with complex mental health issues so recovery can begin sooner with less time spent in custody. A new facility specifically for youth in crisis to provide services and stabilization time is needed, and the county has committed $5 million in ARPA funds for construction.
If elected, what will be your top priorities and why?
I will lead on financial responsibility; cut the tax rate, set spending priorities based on conservative principles, and oppose unfunded state mandates. We will continue to invest in infrastructure, increasing spending on roads and bridges. County engineering funding has increased 40% in seven years and we have reopened 25 bridges in five years. I will focus on growing our economy; expanding high-speed Internet, reducing red tape for businesses, promoting public-private partnerships, and supporting tourism bringing visitors to Lincoln.
Matt Schulte
Age: 42
Address: 8501 Pinehill Lane, Lincoln
Occupation: Nonprofit Executive Director at Youth for Christ/Campus Life
Political party: Republican
Website: voteschulte.com
What experiences qualify you for this office?
I have long been concerned about county issues, as evidenced by my volunteering with the county prison system and my service with the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative Collaborative. My school board experience has shown that even though I’m a strong Republican, I can work well across the aisle.
What are the top three issues facing the county and how would you address them?
* Escalating taxes – the County Board has increased its budget by 178% over inflation over the past 10 years. The county needs to curb this massive spending spree.
* Roads and Bridges – Any remaining ARPA funds should be directed to infrastructure needs. The government has already distributed too many documents.
* Juvenile Justice Reform – Teens in prison need better and faster placements to get them out of jail and into group homes.
How do you think the county’s share of funds yet to be allocated from the federal American Rescue Act plan should be used?
Roads and bridges. Infrastructure has generally been underfunded. The government has already distributed too many documents during COVID. The remaining local dollars should be issued for infrastructure.
In recent years, the county council has had to decide whether or not to allow permits for large poultry farms and solar farms to operate in the county. How would you balance the interests of landowners and the economic benefits of factory farms against the economic and environmental benefits of alternative energy companies?
I am in favor of expanding the use of alternative energy sources; however, recent solar and wind farm projects in Lancaster County are extremely problematic. They infringe on property rights, limit county growth, and have lined the campaign accounts of the commissioners who passed them.
What can the County Council do to help meet the needs of juvenile justice, particularly for young people in crisis and those who have long stays in detention awaiting treatment?
I have volunteered at the Lancaster County Juvenile Detention Center for over eight years; I care deeply about juvenile justice issues. The county needs more halfway house beds and more spaces for immediate placements to get them out of jail and into group homes.
If elected, what will be your top priorities and why?
* For the people – I will defend our freedoms. I’m pro-life, pro-public safety, pro-business, pro-voter security, and pro-voter ID.
* Eliminate unnecessary expenses – I will fight to keep overhead costs low and minimize the burden of property taxes.
* Infrastructure – We cannot continue to neglect outdated roads and bridges.
