Five Names, Four Seats on City Council Ballot

Voters will have a full list of hopefuls on the ballot for Sidney City Council.

The council is designed with four seats including the mayor, and there will be six names on the ballot. However, Tony Jones, one of the five vying for a four-year seat, has withdrawn his name from the race. Jones said in a telephone call with the Sun-Telegraph he was offered a position outside of Sidney.

The decision occurred after the deadline for the ballot. He said he contacted Cheyenne County Clerk Beth Fiegenschuh as soon as he could. His name is on the ballot but he will not be accepting the position.

The three council seats are four-year terms and a two-year term. Brandon Bondegard, Paul Strommen, Brad Sherman and Marva Ellwanger are vying for 4-year seats on the five-member city council and Roger Gallaway is seeking the two-year term.

Marva Ellwanger — Ellwanger (Marva P. Ellwanger on the ballot) is currently serving on the city council, completing the term vacated by Joe Arterburn. If elected, this will be her first four-year term. Ellwanger was appointed to complete Joe Arterburn’s term when he resigned and is seeking a four-year term. She was sworn into office in February of this year. She and her family moved to Sidney 21 years ago.

“I am seeking a seat on the City Council because I believe every Sidney citizen has a voice and wants to be heard and be honestly represented. I have an open door policy and want to know your concerns,” she said.

One of her concerns is bringing the past and the future together.

“The sign leading into Sidney reads ‘Small Town Values.... Big Time Opportunities.’ How do we get back to that? How do we bring opportunities to Sidney? Where will the employees live once they get here?”

She added economic development is a missing piece of Sidney’s plan.

“We need a dedicated, experienced person in this position. That is the first step to bringing opportunities to Sidney. We as a council need to help our city manager in his quest to fill this position,” she said.

She added there are areas in Sidney that are ready to build on. Possibilities for funding include the State of Nebraska Department of Economic Development, Rural Workforce Housing and TIFFs and private investors.

Public transparency and disclosure are important for the council to serve the community. She said public disclosure and transparency are needed for the citizens of Sidney.

Ellwanger says it is important to be involved in the community.

“I was raised to believe that if you see a need that you can help, you help. Since moving here I have taken that to heart. In the last few years I have been involved with many local and state boards and committees, which include Cheyenne County Chamber of Commerce, Sidney Historical Preservation Board, Cheyenne County Visitors Committee, Cheyenne County Historical Society, Sidney Boot Hill Restoration Committee, and Nebraska Historical Foundation Board of Trustees. I believe that this gives me a unique understanding of not only the issues in Sidney, but ways of helping,” she said.

Tony Jones — Jones ( listed on the General Election ballot as Tony Jones) seeks to bring positive progress to the Sidney community. He wants to be involved in something great while making a positive impact with his knowledge and experience.

“My motivation coincides with my values and morals,” he said in an earlier interview.

He sees honesty, dedication and reliability as essential to help people of any stage in life to have a good quality of life.

“I am very detail oriented and require all the facts before making any decisions. I feel I am people oriented, a good listener, and open minded. With my work experience and knowledge, I will bring a lot to the table,” he said.

He sees challenges as a constant part of life, and for every problem there is a solution.

Brandon Bondegard — ( listed on the General Election ballot as Brandon Bondegard) Bondegard is seeking a city council seat because he wants to see Sidney grow with better opportunities for its residents.

“I want the younger generation to be able to stay/return to this town, as well as encourage prospective residents to move here,” he said.

He also wants to see more support of small businesses, family-oriented activities and community involvement.

He says if elected he will bring a fresh perspective to the council, and he wants to make sure residents’ voices are heard.

“I will not be afraid to challenge others when I feel that a better decision can be made,” he said in a previous interview.

He said he would like to see the City’s visions re-evaluated into achievable goals.

He was born and raised in Lodgepole and has lived in Cheyenne County for more than 40 years, including 11 years in the city of Sidney. He works as a grain inspector for Kansas Grain.

Paul Strommen — ( listed on the General Election ballot as Paul Strommen) Strommen is currently serving on the Nebraska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission as a commissioner in Sidney. He and his wife moved to Sidney in 2013.

“I decided to run for City Council to help foster the growth of this community,” he said. “It is already a strong community that I hope to help make even stronger. There is so much untapped potential here.”

He said there could be a stronger connection between the City and the recruiting industry, as well as the City and Cheyenne County departments.

“I would like to see some positive changes and collaboration; we can accomplish much more in our region if we can work together to form positive relationships,” he added.

Economic development and housing are two issues he sees facing Sidney.

“We have some younger people investing in, and starting up, local businesses, but we need more. Locally owned smaller businesses give our community members the opportunity to buy locally,” he said.

He said housing needs to be developed as the City seeks businesses to utilize downtown storefronts, and the Cabela’s corporate building. He said to be market competitive for businesses to locate in Sidney, the city needs to be able to offer housing that will support the labor force.

“This is an area that we as a community must come together and focus on,” he said.

He added Sidney has space that is surveyed and plotted for housing development. Sidney is also a short commute to Cheyenne, Wyo., Denver, Colo., and North Platte with two major railroads, a highway system and Interstate 80 and Sidney has its own airport.

He sees communication as a vital part of moving forward.

“Something I’ve learned over the past 50 years of my life is that you cannot help anyone if you do not stop and listen to what they have to say. One of my greatest assets is that I not only listen but I ask questions so that I can better understand the issue,” he said.

Transparency and public disclosure have become topics of discussion lately.

“I feel transparency is important because people need to understand what is going on in their government. Taxpayers should have access to information that helps them be a more informed citizen and help them understand how and why their money is being spent the way it is,” he said.

He feels he has the qualifications to foster and manage issues before the city.

Brad Sherman — ( listed on the General Election ballot as Brad Sherman) Sherman is completing four years on the Sidney City Council. He brought his family to Sidney in 2007 and has lived and served in the community since.

“In 2018, when I originally ran, I wanted to do my part in helping Sidney survive the loss of Cabela’s. I quickly found out that this community has many resilient citizens dedicated to keeping their families and businesses in Sidney. I watched as people and businesses reinvented themselves to not only survive but thrive here. This had made me want to take an active part in working with community leaders to grow Sidney into a place where we can proudly raise our children and enjoy the amenities many cities our size don’t have,” he said.

He said the No. 1 issue facing the city is housing, followed by creating opportunities for high school graduates to remain in Sidney, through secondary education opportunities including trade schools or entry level positions in businesses that are already looking for help. He also wants to see the parks and trails continue to expand and tie the city together.

“I really believe we have the talent and resources right here in Sidney to make all three of these priorities a reality,” he said.

He also sees public disclosure and transparency as an important part of public service.

“Honesty is always the best policy regardless of your position. My phone number is 249-2321; I would love to answer questions. Leave a brief message if you don’t get me on your first try. I spend a lot of time on my phone,” he said.

He has been on the United Way of Western Nebraska board for nine years, Teammates for eight years, City Council for four years and member of the Sidney Elks Lodge for three years. He is also part of the Sidney E3 group, community planning steering committee and Sidney Lighting Committee. He manages UPS operations in Sidney, Alliance, Chadron, Scottsbluff and Ogallala.

“My beautiful wife Michelle, three childen and four grandchildren all enjoy Sidney and want to continue to see it be an example of what living in Nebraska means. Reminder, my phone number is 249-2321. Let’s talk about how we can work together for Sidney.”

Roger Gallaway — ( listed on the General Election ballot as Roger Gallaway) Gallaway has served on the City Council, including as mayor and vice mayor; Sidney Planning Commission member, and as Sidney Housing Authority member. He has lived in Sidney for about 31 years. He believes in being involved in the community he lives in.

“I believe that if you think you can offer ideas on how to make things better, you should work to be involved. I believe in all this community has to offer, and all that it can be,” he said.

Some of the issues he sees Sidney facing include infrastructure (including streets, electrical, water, storm water), taxes and economic development.

“With infrastructure, you have to make sure planning is being done that first and foremost insures existing assets are being maintained, and then that ample work is being done to plan for/address future needs before they become problems. Costs associated with all of these types of projects are astronomical. The ½ cent sales tax has helped tremendously with projects such as Elm St, 13th St., the expansion of the storm sewer system from 13th St. to 10th St., and the diversion of storm water around town. We are making gains, but much work remains to be done,” he said.

He says economic development is a “hyper-competitive arena” that needs constant work to show the community’s assets.

“It is imperative that the city provides direction and resourceswhile working tirelessly in this area,” Gallaway said.

He added it is equally important to be collaborating with other entities that are working toward the same goal. He said leveraging LB840 funds has assisted in expanding businesses. He added that while the City of Sidney accounts for only a small portion of a property owners tax bill, but it must make sure that the money is spent wisely.

“It is a delicate balance between frugal fiscal responsibility, and still providing the level of services and amenities people expect in their community. It’s important to look for creative solutions where the city can get the most “bang for the buck,” he said.

He said he supports public disclosure and transparency in local government, for the sake of the community and democracy.

“People have a right to know how their taxes are being spent, and the plans of their city government. Adding to that, I would encourage others to become involved, whether it is through office, numerous committees, and organizations.” he said.

Gallaway calls himself a working man whose only agenda is to represent the interests of the citizens.

“I think the most important skill for a council person is to listen, whether you agree with a person’s position or not. Only by listening can you really appreciate the multiple aspects of an issue, which helps you to better develop and refine your thoughts and ideas in ways that work to benefit all of us.”