FAIRBURY - Now that a new county commissioner has been sworn in and installed, one of the board’s first orders of business in the new year is to elect a chairperson who will facilitate every weekly meeting for the rest of the calendar year. 

Now that Danielle Schwab has been sworn in and taken her seat as the newest member of the Jefferson County board of commissioners, the new-look trio began their first meeting as a unit by electing a new chair of the board. Departed commissioner Gale Pohlmann served in this role last year by coincidence, and the role would have come up for discussion even if Pohlmann had been reelected.

But with him gone and that role vacant, the group elected Mark Schoenrock to the position on Tuesday morning in their first meeting as a trio. He's served in this annual role many times in nearly a decade of service on the board, but it’s a move that gives a group that has a new face on the board for the first time in more than eight years a bit of familiarity to start this term off.  

This week Schoenrock released a statement about his election to the role, saying in part: "The three commissioners bring different life experiences and points of view to the board and although we will not always agree on all of the issues, we share the common objectives of understanding our citizens’ concerns, always being accessible to them, bringing the best county services to them in the most cost efficient manner, and being transparent in all of our actions."

Longtime board member Michael Dux was elected to serve as vice-chair, and all three members will serve on administrative boards and committees of various organizations across the county.

Commissioner Schoenrock’s message has been reprinted in full below. 

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I would like to thank my fellow commissioners for having the confidence in me to serve as the Jefferson County board chairman for 2025.  I would like to thank Commissioner Dux for his many years of service on the board and to congratulate Commissioner Schwab in her election and swearing in.  I look forward to serving our citizens with both of you and all of our county officials in this new year 2025. We bring different life experiences and points of view to the board and although we will not always agree on all of the issues, we share the common objective of understanding our citizens concerns, always being accessible to them, bringing the best county services to them in the most cost efficient manner, and being transparent in all of our actions. As Abraham Lincoln stated long ago, let us dedicate ourselves to the principle that this is a government of the people, by the people and for the people. Let us never forget that we are public servants, here to serve those who had the confidence in us to elect us to these positions. 

I am very proud of our Jefferson County team.  We have so many talented and dedicated Jefferson County team members who serve the public daily.  Our board will always be dedicated to ensure that you have the resources you need to provide the best quality service to our citizens.  

By far the biggest challenge facing us is to continue to provide top quality county services to our citizens in the most cost efficient manner possible.  As I have relayed to Governor Pillen and many members of the Legislature, the cumulative cost of services provided by Jefferson County, as it has for our families and businesses, due in large part to irresponsible federal government spending, has increased nearly  20% in the past four years. Our tax asking has increased by 12% in that same period.  Our citizens do not want to see any of these essential services cut, and on the other hand do not want to pay more in taxes.  We will work hard to address that challenge as a county board, as all of county government, and working with Governor Pillen, the Legislature, and our federal congressional delegation.  I remain committed to maintaining that same high level of service across all of county government, and working hard to find the most cost effective means to continue to provide those services, never forgetting that our revenues come from the hard work of our citizens. 

I am very proud of our board’s service with the many other organizations that daily provide essential services to our citizens.  In my case, I serve in leadership capacities for the Nebraska Association of County Officials, Blue Rivers Area Agency on Aging, Public Health Solutions district health board, and Blue Valley Community Action.  Commissioner Schwab will be serving on Southeast Nebraska Development District, Region V Systems and Apace.  Commissioner Dux will be serving on LB 840 committee and Twin Valley RC&D.  Each of these organizations provide essential services to Jefferson County citizens and it is vital that Jefferson County has a place at the table and is ably represented in each. 

With a firm reliance and trust in God to protect and guide us, let us now go forward, roll up our sleeves, and do the people’s work.