NEHAWKA – Ballots to fill three vacancies on the Nehawka Village Board are expected to be in the mail beginning Jan. 22.

Secretary of State Bob Evnen scheduled the Feb. 13 election at the village’s cost after board members Jason Jackson, Robert Sorenson and June Bennett resigned.

Remaining board members Tim Dineen and Ian Begemann are not able to conduct village business without a quorum and are not even authorized to write checks out of village accounts.

Dineen said the resignation of water operator Tim Nichols this fall has left him and board member Begemann in the position of turning a valve twice daily to keep the village’s water system flowing.  They are also operating a village truck for snow removal. Both men are also volunteer firefighters and Dineen said there have been a rigorous demand for hours during recent winter weather.

Candidates for a seat that expires this December are Chad Kruger and former board chairman June Bennett

Candidates for two seats that expire in 2026 are Matthew Anson, Patricia Neu and Wyatt Staben.

When contacted Monday, Bennett did not remark on her decisions to resign and then file for election.

 

Dineen said her resignation came at the beginning of a village board meeting where the agenda included hiring a new water operator and reviewing applications to fill two vacant seats on the board. He suspects that Bennett was motivated to derail the village board to prevent a vote on the new townsman and new board members.

The resignation meant the board could not reach a quorum, so it could not hire a townsman to help with the water and snow removal, nor could it appoint members to fill the board vacancies. The situation has also left the board without the signature authorizations needed to properly meet payroll obligations.

In addition to the cost of a special election, Dineen said Bennett’s resignation cost the village a security grant that was intended for the water plant.