Dinnel resigns position; county seeking names to fill his seat

With the deadline for a recall petition due June 1, Duane Dinnel turned in his resignation as Chase County District 1 Commissioner to Chase County Clerk Wendy Moe May 31.
Recall efforts were started by Amy Gittlein this April.
In the filing form, Gittlein stated the following as her reasons for initiating the recall:
“Constituents of District 1 are being poorly represented. There is an inability to share and voice concerns regarding District 1 to Duane Dinnel in a safe or trustworthy manner without receiving recourse from him or suffering from untruths being spread regarding their concerns.”
Gittlein said in a Letter to the Editor May 10 that half the 187 needed signatures had been collected in the first week.
With Dinnel’s resignation, Moe said Gittlein did not turn in the petition June 1.
Dinnel said he had no comment on his resignation.
Now it’s up to Chase County Treasurer Rebecca Bernard, Attorney Joel Burke and Moe to find a replacement.
Applications must be turned into Moe at the Clerk’s office before 4 p.m. June 23.
Applicants must be registered voters in District 1 and will go through personal interviews with Bernard, Burke and Moe who intend to fill the position by July 14.
The selected applicant will finish out Dinnel’s four-year term, which will end in 2025.
Dinnel defeated Republican incumbent Chuck Vette in the primary election in 2020 then ran unopposed in the general election that fall. His term began in January 2021.

Officials accepting applications for vacancy

■ Editor’s note: The following is a press release issued by the county.
    Citizens interested in filling the vacancy on the Chase County Board of Commissioners may submit a letter of application in care of Chase County Clerk, Wend Moe, P.O. Box 1299, Imperial NE 69033 or clerk@chasecountyne.gov.
    All submissions must be received by Friday, June 23, 2023 at 4 p.m. Along with the letter of application, applicants must include the address of their residence. All submissions will be made public. A candidate must be a registered voter and a resident of Chase County Board District 1. District maps are available at the clerk’s office.
    Prior to personal interviews, applicants will be reviewed by Rebecca Bernard, Chase County Treasurer; Wendy Moe, Chase County Clerk; and Joel Burke, Chase County Attorney.
    Pursuant to state law, vacancies on a county board are to be filled by the county treasurer, county clerk and county attorney. The appointment process shall consist of a review of the applications, personal interviews, a public meeting will be set and a decision is expected to be made on or before July 14, 2023. The appointee to this position will serve the remainder of the current term and the position will be on the ballot in 2025. The term for county commissioners is four years.
    County boards have legislative and administrative duties. The primary responsibilities include the management of county funds and adoption of the budget; oversight of county property; setting of tax levies; and the establishment and maintenance of county roads, as well as the administration of several programs established by state law. The Chase County Board of Commissioners meet the second and fourth Tuesday of each month.
    For additional information, contact the Chase County Clerk’s Office.