Cole runs with vision on livelihoods for young people

NEBRASKA CITY – Charles Cole of Otoe is running for Otoe County Board’s first district seat as a farmer, parent, businessman and write-in candidate.

Cole, 62, is a manufacturers representative who sells commercial heating and cooling equipment. He worked previously with the Otoe County board to replace two boilers at the Otoe County courthouse. By providing the specifications so Otoe County could write a grant, Cole helped the county avoid paying nearly the entire cost itself.

He is currently in the process of locating his manufacturing office and warehouse for Control Temp Inc. to the Village of Otoe and hopes to see many other businesses doing the same.

Cole: “There are some things that I see that we can help change or help better Otoe (county) My campaign slogan is ‘the change we need.’ It’s not to change Otoe, it’s actually to improve Otoe (county).”

He has served on the Otoe County Planning and Zoning Board and says current zoning regulations are geared toward bringing business here.

Cole: “I’d like to see us bring more business in here to keep the young people that grow up here that go to the university and then they stay in the city of Omaha or Lincoln or move out of state, I’d rather see them come home here.”

 

Cole: “In the industry that I work in, I think we need to bring more businesses here that will support our agricultural – like food and beverage, pharmaceutical.

 

"Those companies are in Omaha, Columbus, and, as I travel throughout Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota and Missouri I see all that and I’m like ‘why don’t we have that in Otoe County?’

As someone who works with engineering and architectural communities he hopes to provide leadership Otoe County needs to retain and attract business

Cole: “I think the other thing is it’s not just the zoning board guys, but it’s the county commissioners reaching out on the level of the state government and the federal government trying to encourage business to come here.”

Cole also offered his support to the Syracuse Rural Fire Department’s ballot request for a levy increase. He said it’s a small portion of what it takes to provide the service we receive.

He said rising fuel costs only is enough to exhaust their budget.