Vern Barrett, of rural Ceresco, has announced he will run for the District 21 legislative seat, which includes northwest Lincoln, northwest Lancaster County and southern Saunders County.
NANCY HICKS / Lincoln Journal Star | Posted: Monday, October 29, 2007 7:00 pm
Vern Barrett, of rural Ceresco, has announced he will run for the District 21 legislative seat, which includes northwest Lincoln, northwest Lancaster County and southern Saunders County.
That seat is now held by Sen. Carol Hudkins, who cannot run for re-election because of term limits.
Barrett, a University of Nebraska-Lincoln professor, says he believes his many years of leadership experience, working with organizations and communities, will be an asset to the Legislature.
Barrett, 68, is a professor of leadership in the UNL Department of Agriculture, Leadership and Communications, and works on community development issues through UNL extension services.
In 1997 Barrett was a leadership consultant to the governor of the Bio-Bio Province in Chile, an experience that gave him some insight into government operations, he says.
“I was there as a trainer, helping them be better leaders. And I was learning as well,” he said.
Barrett said he is a coalition builder and a listener and will be listening to voters during the campaign.
His district is a mix of demographics and includes small towns and part of Lincoln, farmers and acreage owners, wealthy and moderate income Nebraskans.
“I’ve got to spend time listening to what those diverse needs are,” he said.
Barrett says he is a fiscal conservative who believes that government can do a better job of serving all the people.
Some of the challenges are education funding, services for an increasing number of senior citizens, allocation of water resources, provision for equitable health care and property taxes.
Barrett is a member of the UNL Academy of Distinguished Teachers. He was also a leadership consultant to universities in Chile and Mexico.
His memberships include the International Leadership Association, Association of Leadership Educators, the National Association of Community Development Extension Professionals, and the Nebraska Cooperative Extension Association.
Barrett and his wife, Nancy, live in rural Ceresco, where they have raised six children, according to a news release from the candidate.
At least one other candidate, Tami Soper, has announced intentions to run for the District 21 seat. Both Barrett and Soper are Democrats. State senators are elected on a non-partisan basis, but the two parties often encourage candidates and participate in campaigning.
Reach at Nancy Hicks at 473-7250 or nhicks@journalstar.com.