BEATRICE – The new Mayor for the City of Beatrice is emphasizing a teamwork approach to getting goals accomplished as he starts his term.
Bob Morgan was sworn into office Monday night….along with City Council members Terry Doyle, Duane Ruh and Mike McClain. New councilman Dave Eskra could not be in attendance at Monday night’s meeting and will be sworn in later.


Morgan thanked Mayor Stan Wirth and Councilmen Rick Clabaugh and Joe Billesbach for their service the past several years. He congratulated those who won elected terms.


"I believe communication and customer service is important to each ward...and encourage the two in each ward to build a strong working relationship and work together as a team for your ward. I also believe in solving issues in a ward to be done at the lowest level. To that end, I will encourage someone with a challenge, to start with their council representative in their ward."


Morgan said prior to city council meetings….on the Thursday before each Monday meeting….he will invite one member of each ward to be involved with the mayor and city administration on helping to set the agenda….to ensure input from each ward. Restricting the Thursday meetings to one member of each ward prevents the council from running afoul of public meetings law by not reaching a quorum.


"I guess it's my hope that we can move Beatrice forward in a teamwork environment. I'm excited for the next four years. I think we've done a lot of great things in the last four, last eight years."


Morgan says he plans to call a work session of the city council in January…which will be a planning meeting….an opportunity for the council to have input on what goals needs to be accomplished. He says those suggestions will cover annual goals, those for the coming biennial budget…for a four-to-seven-year period…including longer range ideas that may not yet seem possible.


"Everything is associated to what we can afford and not afford. But, this will at least help us and will help Tobias and all the department heads kind of focus around what the city council is thinking. I think that's a great way to at least get us started off thinking about how we can continue to improve. I really look forward to the next four years. I think we've got some great adventures ahead...we got some big things to do....you look at Lincoln Street, you look at our landfill, we've got a number of projects that are going to need a lot of work. But, I think we're all up to the challenge....that's why we ran."


The council work session will be on January 23rd. Morgan encouraged citizens to express their interest in committee, commission or board positions that will come up, for appointment, throughout his term.