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RANDOLPH – Four residents are vying for two open seats on Randolph City Council.
Voters will fill in the circle next to the names of their top two choices on the primary ballot, choosing between Brandon Backhaus, Todd Greiner, Kayla Korth and Tom Wiese. Here’s a look at all four candidates: Brandon Backhaus
Backhaus hopes to pick up right where he left off if elected to Randolph city council.
He previously served one term on the council, 2018-22. He found he missed being a part of the action on the council and decided to run for the position again.
“I was also involved in a majority of the Floodplain project and with that winding down I am looking forward to seeing empty buildings turn into businesses,” he said.
Although there are no major issues currently, infrastructure is always a concern with dated water and sewer pipes as well as some street maintenance needed.
“Those repairs come with a hefty price tag and you can’t just do one or the other,” Backhaus said. “The challenge is sticking to the budget and drawing new business into town to increase revenue to be designated to those projects without raising taxes.”
Not everyone in town will be happy with all of the decisions made, he said.
“You just need to find the right balance of common sense and be transparent,” Backhaus said. “When things don’t go a certain way, I will not remain anonymous.”
Backhaus has lived in Randolph for 13 years, graduating from Randolph High School in 1999. He has three children and is active in the Volunteer Fire Department.
He is the sales manager for Eagle Distributing of Nebraska. ***
Todd Greiner
Greiner wants his children and his grandchildren to be proud to call Randolph ‘home.’
“If we are not actively trying to move Randolph forward and resting on our laurels, we are going backward in my opinion. There is currently a lot to be proud of in Randolph and there is also much more we can do together,” he said.
For years, city council candidates have focused on dilapidated properties and buildings in Randolph which remains an issue, he said.
Another Cedar County community has successfully used Tax Increment Financing to not only build up business and industry but also demolish properties that are dilapidated.
“I’m not saying this exact model would work for Randolph but the general idea could work,” Greiner said.
He is employed as a deputy with the Cedar County Sheriff’s Office which allows him to work in all of the communities in the county.
“I am able to see they face many of the same issues Randolph does,” Greiner said. “I am able to see how they handle these issues and can observe some ideas that have worked and others that have not.”
Greiner previously served as Randolph Police Chief 2015-2017 and currently volunteers for the Randolph Volunteer Fire Department.
He is married to Megan and they have three sons: Jude, Nash and Rex. ***
Kayla Korth
Kayla Korth hopes her trustworthiness and priorities resonate with voters who make their voices heard by ballot.
Those two priorities are: ensuring the city is spending money wisely to sustain economic growth, and looking at current ordinances to improve the overall appearance of town.
“I have the passion for continuing to push toward the growth of Randolph by ensuring those who live and work here are valued and heard,” she said. “I am a very approachable candidate and look forward to hearing from you to help lead discussions at the city council level.”
Korth said she’s the ideal council member because she can speak confidently on all topics yet also able to step back and see all the issues through various lenses.
“I am looking toward the future with high expectations of what we can achieve together,” she said.
Korth works as a speech language pathologist at Educational Services Unit 1 and works as needed at Providence Medical Center, Wayne. She is a volunteer EMT with Randolph Rescue, and has lived in Randolph all of her life. She is married with three children. ***
Tom Wiese
Wiese considers himself a citizen not a politician and perhaps that makes him a city council candidate worth considering.
“Since I’ve lived here my whole life, I feel like I could be a good voice for the community,” he said of his reason for running for city council. “I wanted to be more involved.”
Wiese said he isn’t different from any of the other candidates and that any of them would do a good job as a city council member. The only issue he’s currently concerned about is maintaining the city streets.
He’s currently a member of the city’s planning commission and has worked with the city in the past to provide drone video footage of the community to apply for grants. He’s an Air Force veteran.
Wiese works as a FedEx contractor, working for the company for 12 years and managing a fleet of 25 drivers for the last seven.
He’s married to Candace and the couple have two children.
