Five apply for vacant Gage County Board position

BEATRICE – Five persons are seeking a vacant Gage County Board position following the death of long-time supervisor and State Senator Dennis Byars. He served several terms at both levels of government and was in mid-term as a supervisor when he passed away, earlier this month.

Gage County on Thursday released the names of those who have applied.  One of those seeking the 4^th District position is Byars’ wife, Janet Byars, a current member of the Beatrice District 15 Board of Education and retired Beatrice Board of Public Works employee.

Also seeking the board vacancy is former Beatrice Mayor, John Bartels, a retired school counselor in the Beatrice Public Schools.  David Swavely, retired from Neapco Manufacturing, previously served on the Gage County Board and has also applied for the position.  

Ashley Mason, a recent unsuccessful candidate for Beatrice Mayor, has also applied. She was eliminated in last week’s four-way primary race for the mayor’s post. 

A fifth candidate seeking the Gage County 4^th District Board position is Lawrence Fossler, who recently retired as an employee of the Gage County Highway Department. 

Gage County Clerk Dawn Hill says interviews of the candidates are scheduled for Wednesday, May 25^th in the county supervisors’ room at the courthouse.   The interviews will start at 1:15 p.m., with the order to be randomly determined.

Officials are working toward naming a new supervisor by the end of the month, to fill out the remainder of the 4^th District term....through January 2^nd, 2025.