Nebraska

Retirements hitting Nebraska legislative staff hard

Published

2 years ago

November 29, 2022

Retirements hitting Nebraska legislative staff hard

Martha Stoddard
Omaha World-Herald

Rep. Mike Flood of Nebraska congratulates Clerk of the Legislature Patrick O’Donnell on his service to Nebraska and upcoming retirement.

It’s no secret that Nebraska authorities will probably be going by way of numerous modifications on the prime in coming weeks.

Gov. Pete Ricketts will depart after eight years because the state’s chief elected official. Fourteen state senators will wrap up their time within the Legislature, whereas two others left after the final legislative session ended — a turnover of almost one in each three legislative seats.

Much less well-known are the numbers of longtime legislative staff departing, a part of a wave of retirements among the many behind-the-scenes individuals who maintain the Nebraska Legislature functioning. Many have spent near 4 a long time working for the Legislature and a number of other have held key positions.

With them goes a whole lot of years of expertise in state legal guidelines and lawmaking, state companies, the state funds and legislative operations.

“It’s going to be fairly devastating so far as institutional information strolling out the door,” mentioned Sen. Mark Kolterman of Seward, who’s on the finish of his eight years within the Legislature. “We’re simply at sort of a crossroads proper now.”

These leaving embrace Patrick O’Donnell, whose 45-year tenure as clerk of the Legislature has made him the nation’s longest-currently serving legislative clerk. He introduced that he’ll retire on the finish of the 12 months.

Patrick O’Donnell, the outgoing clerk of the Nebraska Legislature, poses for a portrait on the Legislative Chamber in Lincoln.

JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star file photograph

His longevity is exceeded by solely two different legislative clerks or secretaries, lengthy since retired, who served 48 years apiece, in response to the Nationwide Convention of State Legislatures.

Liz Hruska would be the newest in a string of legislative fiscal workplace veterans to name it a profession. Her retirement comes after 39 years with the fiscal workplace and signifies that 10 of the workplace’s 12 analysts can have retired since 2018. The overall contains former director Michael Calvert, in addition to the person who succeeded him as director, Tom Bergquist.

This 12 months’s retirees additionally embrace Janice Satra, who has been authorized counsel for the Legislature’s Government Board for 34 years by way of a number of chairmen, and Invoice Marienau, authorized counsel for the Banking, Commerce and Insurance coverage Committee, and Kate Allen, authorized counsel for the Nebraska Retirement Programs Committee.

Longtime administrators of three different legislative divisions retired lately — state Ombudsman Marshall Lux, Revisor of Statutes Joanne Pepperl and Nancy Cyr, director of analysis. That leaves solely the efficiency audit division and not using a current change in management.

Sen. John Stinner of Gering mentioned the departures will have an effect, significantly given the position of time period limits. Beneath a constitutional modification handed by voters, state senators are restricted to 2 consecutive four-year phrases in workplace.

Meaning each election brings a big quantity of turnover and most state senators can have six years or much less of expertise when the session after the election convenes. Solely those that return to the Legislature after sitting out 4 or extra years can have greater than six years of expertise.

“We’re diminished,” mentioned Stinner, who’s on the finish of his two phrases. “We’ve misplaced that long-term information. The place can we get our institutional information now? The foyer? Trial and error?”

Speaker Mike Hilgers of Lincoln additionally pointed to the part-time nature of the Legislature. Senators are paid $12,000 a 12 months, plus per diem bills in the course of the session, which suggests most should earn a residing or have a supply of earnings in any other case.

“If you’ve obtained a part-time Legislature, numerous senators lean closely on their employees,” he mentioned. Hilgers is resigning from the Legislature halfway by way of his second time period after being elected lawyer common.

As speaker, Hilgers mentioned he relied on O’Donnell for steering on many points. O’Donnell knew each the regulation and the historical past in relation to quite a few legislative questions. However many lawmakers have benefited from the expertise of longtime committee clerks, legislative aides, analysis analysts and different less-heralded staff.

Data stored by the legislative accounting workplace present {that a} complete of 12 legislative staff have retired or introduced plans to retire this 12 months. One other 30 retired from 2019 by way of 2021.

These numbers match inside state and nationwide traits as an increasing number of of the newborn boomer technology reaches retirement age. Boomers have been born between 1946 and 1964, making the oldest ones 76 years outdated. Some 10,000 of them attain retirement age daily.

Analysis printed by the St. Louis Federal Reserve Financial institution discovered that the variety of retirees within the U.S. started rising in 2008, when the primary boomers reached age 62 and will begin drawing Social Safety. The share of retirees within the inhabitants was comparatively steady at about 15.5% then, however had reached 18.3% by February 2020, the eve of the pandemic, and hit 19.3% by August 2021.

Regardless of the current turnover in key employees positions, Hilgers, Stinner and Kolterman all expressed confidence that the Legislature will handle simply advantageous.

Stinner mentioned the fiscal analysts employed to interchange those that retired lately have proved “very succesful.” Whereas they don’t know as a lot historical past of the state companies and their budgets, they’ve introduced new expertise to the job, particularly in regard to know-how.

“I’m very snug with the individuals who have been employed,” he mentioned.

Kolterman, who chairs the Retirement Programs Committee, famous that Allen had loads of legislative expertise however no explicit experience with retirement regulation when she grew to become the committee authorized counsel 13 years in the past. She discovered, and he expects the newly employed staff will achieve this as nicely.

Hilgers mentioned he is assured that the brand new Legislature and its employees will handle simply advantageous, noting that the replacements employed to date have included “numerous proficient folks” who’ve been doing good work.

“The method at all times has its ups and downs,” he mentioned. “There’s a studying curve, however we haven’t missed a beat.”

Nebraska state senators 2022

Ray Aguilar

Joni Albrecht

John Arch

Carol Blood

Eliot Bostar

Bruce Bostelman

Tom Brandt

Tom Brewer

Tom Briese

Machaela Cavanaugh

Robert Clements

Jen Day

Wendy DeBoer

Myron Dorn

Steve Erdman

Mike Flood

Curt Friesen

Suzanne Geist

Tim Gragert

Steve Halloran

Ben Hansen

Matt Hansen

Mike Hilgers

Robert Hilkemann

Dan Hughes

Megan Hunt

Mike Jacobson

Kathleen Kauth

Sen. Mark Kolterman

Steve Lathrop

Brett Lindstrom

Lou Ann Linehan

John Lowe

John McCollister

Terrell McKinney

Adam Morfeld

Mike Moser

Dave Murman

Patty Pansing Brooks

Rita Sanders

Julie Slama

John Stinner

Tony Vargas

Lynne Walz

Justin Wayne

Matt Williams

Anna Wishart

Robert Dover

Mike Jacobson

Kathleen Kauth

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Related Topics:Analyst Boomer employee Featured john stinner Legislature mark kolterman mike hilgers Politics staff state state government Work

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Nebraska

New Nebraska OC Dana Holgorsen on learning offense, tough love for wide receivers

Published

5 hours ago

November 20, 2024

Press Room

New Nebraska OC Dana Holgorsen on learning offense, tough love for wide receivers

LINCOLN, Neb. (WOWT) – In the two weeks since arriving on campus, Dana Holgorsen has spent most of his waking hours in the Huskers facility and film room.

In addition to prepping for Wisconsin, Nebraska’s new offensive coordinator said he is still learning the offense and players’ names. As for why he would want to take on such a gargantuan task midseason?

“I was bored,” he said with a laugh in his first time speaking to reporters. “I was slated to go back to Fort Worth on Sunday night and [Matt] Rhule called and said I need your help.”

While Holgorsen’s appointment officially runs through the end of the regular season, Rhule has stated he hopes the former Houston and West Virginia head coach stays in Lincoln. For now, Holgorsen is just focused on getting up to speed.

“I don’t know what December is going to look like, I don’t know what January is going to look like. I don’t care,” he said. “100 percent of my focus is trying to get our offense better to where we can win against Wisconsin Saturday.”

Holgorsen didn’t need to be here long to know the perimeter blocking needs work.

“There’s some good sized kids out there,” he said, identifying Janiran Bonner, Isaiah Neyor, Jahmal Banks and Carter Nelson by numbers only. “These guys are big bodies. I’m like ‘Why are you not blocking worth a crap on the perimeter?’ It’s embarrassing. First thing I said to them is that if you don’t start blocking out there, you’re not going to get the ball thrown to you. This past week was our best perimeter blocking of the season.”

Wisconsin has won 10 straight meetings with Nebraska, including four straight in Lincoln. An end to those streaks would finally give Nebraska win No. 6 and bowl eligibility for the first time since 2016.

“It’s shocking to me that it’s been that long that a program like this hasn’t been to a bowl game,” he said. “Doesn’t make any sense to me. But it is where we’re at. We tried everything we could to win that game last week, and we had a chance still. We’ll do everything we can this week and we’ll have a chance to.”

After Wisconsin fired OC Phil Longo over the weekend, Holgorsen will now be the veteran offensive coordinator Saturday against the Badgers.

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Nebraska

First impressions of Dana Holgorsen, his new perspective and IDGAF Honesty

Published

13 hours ago

November 19, 2024

Press Room

First impressions of Dana Holgorsen, his new perspective and IDGAF Honesty

Dana Holgorsen, the new offensive coordinator and playcaller of Nebraska football, took the stage on Tuesday for his first media availability since he arrived in Lincoln.

Unsurprisingly, if you have followed Holgorsen throughout his career especially during stops as head coach at Houston and West Virginia, the Huskers’ new OC gave point-blank honesty and matter-of-fact thoughts on the players in the building. Those evaluations were based solely on game film, practice reps and, as it should be, football-exclusive factors.

Afterward, Inside Nebraska’s Zack Carpenter and Tim Verghese jumped in front of the camera to break down Holgorsen’s first game calling the shots on offense against USC, what his next one against Wisconsin could or will look like, and a breakdown of his press conference interview.

Watch their analysis – plus the Holgorsen interview in its entirety – in the video links below and on the Inside Nebraska YouTube channel. Subscribe to our channel for FREE to get even more daily content on all things Nebraska. Listen to the audio version on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

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Nebraska

How to Watch Nebraska Women’s Basketball vs. North Alabama: Preview, Breakdown, TV Channel

Published

21 hours ago

November 19, 2024

Press Room

How to Watch Nebraska Women’s Basketball vs. North Alabama: Preview, Breakdown, TV Channel

The No. 20 Nebraska women’s basketball team put out a statement in its first road trip of the early 2024-25 season. Behind a school-record 20 three-pointers, the Huskers destroyed South Dakota in a 113-70 thrashing at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls on Saturday.

Four NU players put up double-digit points, including a team-high 23 from five-star freshman Britt Prince in her second game after returning from injury. She was an outstanding 10-for-13 from the field with four assists. Reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Year Natalie Potts added 22 points with seven rebounds while Alexis Markowski (14), Kendall Moriarity (13) and Kendall Coley (12) also added to the stat sheet.

Nebraska shot over 63% from the field and went 20-for-34 from deep in a performance that will keep the Huskers’ confidence riding high going into Tuesday’s contest at home.

Here’s all you need to know as NU welcomes in North Alabama for a week night matchup.

How to Follow Along

Matchup: No. 20 Nebraska (4-0, 0-0 B1G) vs. North Alabama (2-2, 0-0 Atlantic Sun)

When: Tuesday, November 19

Where: Pinnacle Bank Arena, Lincoln, NE

Time: 7 p.m. CST

Watch: B1G+

Listen: Huskers Radio Network and Affiliates

Mar 2, 2015; Waco, TX, USA; Texas Tech Lady Raiders head coach Candi Whitaker on the sidelines during a game against the Baylor Bears at Ferrell Center. Baylor won 75-65. Mandatory Credit: Ray Carlin-Imagn Images / Ray Carlin-Imagn Images

North Alabama Scout

Head Coach: Candi Whitaker | 1st Season | 233-224 (.510) Career HC Record | 7 WNBA Draftees, 2x DII NCAA Tournament Appearances | Past head coaching stops at Missouri Western (DII), Texas Tech and UMKC.

2023-2024 Record: 12-18 (8-8 Atlantic Sun, T-6th) | 1x Third Team All-ASUN, 1x ASUN All-Freshman Team | Did not qualify for the postseason.

All-Time Series: First meeting.

Fun Fact: North Alabama head coach Candi Whitaker is no stranger to the Huskers, despite it being the first meeting between the two programs. The starting point guard for Texas Tech during her playing days, Whitaker led the Red Raiders to a pair of victories over Nebraska. In 2001 Tech won 66-50 and followed up with a 99-57 thumping of NU in 2002.

Key Additions: Charity Gallegos, G, Sr. (Cal-State San Marcos) | Jazzy Klinge, F, Jr. (Johnson County CC) | Sarang West, G, Jr. (Allen CC).

Key Departures: Alexis Callins, G, Gr. (Union) | Allie Craig Cruce, F (Eligibility).

Outlook: It’s a new era for North Alabama women’s basketball in just the school’s third season as part Division I and the FCS after coming up from Division II. UNA did not renew the contract of former head coach Missy Tiber, who led the Lions to a 172-147 record over 11 seasons.

Instead, athletic director Josh Looney brought along his hire from Missouri Western Candi Whitaker. Looney hired Whitaker at MWSU in 2019, in which she led the Griffons to an overall record of 100-47 with an Division II Elite Eight Appearance in 2022, 2024 MIAA Regular Season Championship and 2024 MIAA Coach of the Year. Whitaker also brings key experience as a head coach at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (two postseason appearances) from 2006-12 and Texas Tech–her alma mater– where she averaged just over 10 wins a season.

The Lions are .500 early in Whitaker’s first season, beating UT Martin (66-63) and South Alabama (71-62) while losing to Tennessee Tech (73-64) and a most recent trip to Kansas (81-64).

Only two players averaged double-digit points last season and both Alexis Callins (Union) and Allie Craig Cruce (graduated) are both gone from the roster. However, the Lions returned most of their roster that went 12-18 in 2023-2024. Give credit to Whitaker, who unlocked the abilities of Cameron Jones (10.5 PPG) and Emma Kate Tittle (9.3 PPG) who were the bottom two scorers from last season.

Cal-State San Marcos transfer Charity Gallegas has been leading the way with 11.3 points per game with Clutter (7.8 PPG), Katie Criswell (6.8 PPG) and India Howard (5.8 PPG) all adding help. Transfer forward Jazzy Klinge has also provided four points and two rebounds per game off the bench. She came in from Allen Community College where she was a first-team NJCAA All-American last season.

For a program trying to find its footing in the Division I scene, a hire like Whitaker should spell confidence moving forward. However, it could be a painful couple years before seeing the rewards. A 10th-place voting in the ASUN preseason poll points toward a rough season, and the Huskers will most likely be their second consecutive blowout loss for the Lions.

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MORE: What Will it Take for Nebraska Football to Turn the Corner?

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