Two are battling to be city of Imperial’s next mayor

    Two candidates, Craig Loeffler and Duncan Einspahr, are  campaigning to be Imperial’s next mayor, replacing Dwight Coleman, who did not seek reelection after three terms and 12 years in the office.
    Per city code, the mayor of Imperial receives $5,200 annually.
    Below are five questions posed to each candidate and their responses. Biographical information on each is also included. Questions were generated by staff at The Imperial Republican.
    Next week: Imperial City Council candidates.

    1) What do you see as the role of Imperial Mayor?
Einspahr: The mayor’s duties and powers are outlined in section 1-104 of the City of Imperial Municipal code. Going beyond that, I think the role of the mayor is to serve the public. I believe the mayor should represent and promote the city of Imperial, ensure city operations function as lean and efficiently as possible, and most importantly bring people together. I’ve had conversations with numerous people during my campaign, and a common theme is frustration concerning the lack of cooperation. As mayor, I pledge to be actively engaged with other community leaders to foster new ideas and utilize our collective resources.
Loeffler: The mayor should be the voice of the residents of Imperial. The most important qualities of every mayor are excellent communication and leadership skills and being willing to make the necessary, albeit unpopular at times, decisions for the better of the whole community. I believe a good leader can work with anyone, listen to everyone and be beholden to no one. They should oversee, guide and hold accountable all departments. In these difficult financial times, the mayor must also be willing to pinch the nickels and dimes when needed and be fiscally responsible with taxpayers’ money.
    2) Where do you stand on the way Imperial deals with unkempt properties? Explain why you support the current nuisance system and/or what you’d do differently?
Loeffler: This is a very tough topic where on one hand we don’t want to be told or to tell someone what to do with their property! We also don’t want someone deciding the value of our property if we are trying to sell it or rent it out. Think about the things you notice when you pull into another town when traveling. When I travel to other communities, I notice how clean the town appears and how green the parks and lawns are. I look to see how vibrant the business district is.  I’m sure everyone else looks for those things, too. The appearance of a community has a big impact on whether someone decides to move to and invest into a community. Some may feel nuisances and ordinances are trivial, but they are necessary if we desire to continue to grow. The city’s nuisance program is set up to be fair and to give each property owner due process, and that process requires a significant amount of time that would take away from the important police work of the officers. The city has tried other options in the past and it’s more cost effective and fair to hire the development district that has the most experience abating nuisances in the state and someone that is detached and not making subjective decisions about their neighbors.
Einspahr: I am not in favor of the way the City of Imperial currently deals with nuisances. Currently we outsource that responsibility to WCNDD. Traditionally this was the responsibility of the Imperial Police Department and there is no reason they can’t fill that role now. Currently, nuisance violations for unkempt properties etc. are mailed to the offender. I would be in favor of an officer meeting that person and having a conversation, which would more than likely result in the violation being taken care of right away. Then there would be no need to go through a bureaucratic process.
    3) Are you supportive of keeping an Imperial Police Dept. in place and why?
Einspahr: In the short term, yes. As a Deputy Sheriff, I work with IPD officers frequently and think they serve an important role. If elected mayor, I would support discussion moving toward a different model several years down the road. There are reasons rural departments are disappearing across Nebraska and being absorbed into county law enforcement agencies. They are expensive. In fiscal year 2022-2023, the IPD budget is slated to grow to around $562,000. By comparison, the Sheriff’s Office budget in the same fiscal year is $437,450, not including the jail or communications center. A law enforcement contract with the county could potentially save the city approximately $300,000 a year. I would support exploring this option.
Loeffler: Yes, I am very much in support of keeping our city police department! We have a fine group of veteran officers who truly care about our community and are happy raising their own families here. These officers are committed to the safety and growth of our community and are personally invested into our community. Our officers volunteer throughout our community and take pride in their jobs protecting our loved ones and property.  They run calls from dog complaints to assaults. Jago, our K-9 unit, is used throughout the community and our neighboring towns, at the schools and for educational purposes. I truly think it is ridiculous to think of defunding the city police in this day with what is going on around us. Imperial is a safe community with a low crime rate, and the community policing and police presence of our IPD officers are a large part of that. And I would ask other neighboring communities who have made the choice to get rid of their local control and see how their response times are and how happy they are with that choice. I have spoken with a lot of people the last few months and there is no sentiment to get rid of the police. Nor do I plan to. I value good law enforcement and I know our community supports it, too.
    4) Describe your community involvement and how that experience will aid you as Mayor?
Loeffler: I believe volunteering in your community is an investment into your community that everyone should do – and is the reason we have a thriving community. I have been involved in my community for many years from volunteering with Emergency Management, 10 years with the Imperial Volunteer Fire Department and the past 10 years as a volunteer EMT on Imperial EMS. I was vice president for four years and recently was elected president of Imperial EMS this year. Through the years volunteering for these different entities, I have learned patience and sharpened my leadership skills and my ability to listen to and work with anyone. I have also formed important relationships with people from across the community. Through these I have also learned that when times get tough, I won’t turn and run. I will take it head on and get the job done for my community.
Einspahr: My job as a Deputy Sheriff keeps me very busy and deeply involved with the community. I frequently deal with complex issues related to poverty, addiction and abuse. I have also been able to develop deep and meaningful relationships with individuals who have suffered traumatic events but have managed to positively move forward. These experiences will aid me as mayor by providing a wealth of knowledge to draw from regarding many issues our community faces. I have also been engaged in intense public discourse for more than half a decade. This experience will aid my demeanor as mayor. I intend to be transparent, responsive, informed and approachable.
    5) If elected, what would you like to see happen in Imperial during your first term?
Einspahr: There are several things I would like to see happen in my first term. I want to see property taxes and sales taxes decreased, and the city budget under control. I would like to see increased and improved cooperation between the city and numerous other entities like the chamber of commerce, the tourism board and the fair board, just to name a few. I would like to see the development of a plan to deal with the city’s housing situation. If we want our children to settle down in Imperial and raise their families here, they need places to live and work.
Loeffler: I am confident under my leadership Imperial will continue to grow and strengthen as a community. I’d like to take my experience from the city council and continue developing our housing market with more homes being built with grants and private contractors allowing our community to grow. I believe new homes is one answer to our housing crisis, allowing upward mobility of tenants in some of the older houses to purchase new homes to open the availability of older, more affordable homes to be available for first time home buyers and rentals. I like to see main street thriving with buildings full and new growth out in our Cornerstone property. I will work toward a budget that is not overtaxing to the property owners while still providing all the services the community needs and desires. Affordable power, water and sanitation are always at the top of the list. And I would like to have a safe, clean and prosperous community where we thrive together.