Johnson: I will work hard for Ward 2

By Don Bowen/Fremont Tribune
Friday, Aug 07, 2009 - 10:44:49 am CDT

Dean Johnson is ready to go to work for the people he represents.

“This is a real honor,” said Johnson, who was appointed July 28 to the Fremont City Council by Mayor “Skip” Edwards to fill the unexpired term of Mary Marsh, who resigned June 30 as she continues to battle an illness.

“I think I can do a really good job on the council,” said Johnson, 77, as he sat down at the home he shares with his wife, Caralee, for an introductory interview. “I will work hard for the people of Ward 2, but I don’t see myself as only representing the people of this ward. There are a lot of things that need to be finished.”

Included on that list are the downtown street and sidewalk improvements that were approved earlier this year, extending the levy along the Platte River south of the city around the west side so the Washington Heights subdivision and Christensen Business Park are taken out of the flood plain and the U.S. Highway 77 bridge over the Platte River.

“That bridge was supposed to be done this year,” he said. “When the DOR (Nebraska Department of Roads) said it wasn’t going to be done this year, it took everyone by surprise.”

Johnson also serves on the Lower Platte North Natural Resources district, and he is a Lower Platte North representative on the Nebraska Association of Natural Resources Districts Board of Directors.

He said he supports continued use of Ronin Pool and supports Keene Memorial Library.

“Kids on the west side don’t really have anywhere else to go to swim,” he said. “Kids here have a long way to go to get (to Splash Station). The pool on this side of town has a lot of kids. I can go by there and see lots of kids. That needs to stay open.”

Johnson said he has been a proponent of public libraries most of his life.

“We have a beautiful library here,” he said. “I’ve used it a lot. When I used to travel, I would get books on tape. We always attend the annual book sale (of the Friends of the Keene Memorial Library). I think the remodeling should be done. We have a beautiful library, but it should be done.”

Keene Memorial Library director Ann Stephens has said the two-story, 40-year-old building is too cramped and more space is needed for the library to function properly.

Johnson’s activities started decades ago.

A 1950 graduate of Fremont High School, Johnson served four years in the U.S. Navy, signing up first before the start of the Korean War.

After his military service, where he was involved in 39 combat missions, he began his work that eventually moved him and Caralee to Lincoln; Sedalia, Mo.; Kansas City, Mo.; and Cleveland as the corporate auditor for Sherwin Williams Co.

“I always liked bookkeeping,” he said. “Even when I was in high school I liked bookkeeping.”

When he worked in Kansas City, he and a secretary worked the budgets of 250 stores.

“We didn’t have computers back then,” he said. “We used to run a lot of adding machine tape.”

In Sedalia, Johnson was active in the Sedalia Jaycees and the Chamber of Commerce. He said he served a term as president of the Jaycees in his first campaign seeking office.

“We moved eight times overall he said,” he said.

“But we always considered Fremont home,” Caralee answered.

When Johnson retired from Sherwin Williams in 1991, the couple decide to build a home on North Nye Avenue on a property they had bought as much as 10 years earlier.

Not long after they settled into their new Fremont home, Johnson was asked to run for the NRD seat that he currently has.

“I was asked to run for it,” he said. “Chuck Folsom had the seat, and he wasn’t going to run the next year. He interviewed me and asked me to run. Others interviewed me, too. I’ve run for re-election every four years, and I’ve only had one opponent.”

Johnson said he plans to run again for the NRD seat when it comes up again in 2010, but this year he plans to run for secretary of the state NRD board of directors.

“I like the projects that we do where you can see results,” he said. “We do a lot with flood control, weed control; the dam is really exciting. Water is a big thing. We issue well permits.”

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fremonter
Aug 7, 2009 12:48 PM
dont know mr. johnson but its all probably just the same ole good ole boys baloney. he may work hard but what about all the other politicians? NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING
Joseph P. Sokolovsky
Aug 7, 2009 1:50 PM
Mr. Johnson, I have but one question that I am sure you wanted to 'accidentially' overlook - where do you stand on the Illegal Immigrant Ordinance that is currently being reviewed by the Nebraska Supreme Court?

I assumed since you were picked by the Mayor...that you are against the proposed Ordinance, right?

Thanks for listening and have a great weekend.
Sad Fremonter
Aug 7, 2009 1:59 PM
another puppet for ole skippy!!!
Fremont 3s Negative People
Aug 7, 2009 5:45 PM
wow, could you commenters stir up any more drama and conspiracies?

I'm sure he did not "accidentally overlook" that issue. He wasn't exactly discussing his stance on every single issue. And frankly, not every person thinks that stupid immigration drama is quite as important as some people.

that's right, you don't know him, give the man a chance.
Bryan
Aug 7, 2009 7:19 PM
For one people should have known who was in the pick before Skippy just picked who ever he wanted! There is only one reason that he picked this guy! We have to vote these guys right out of here and get some new blood on this city council that will finally take this town in the direction that it needs to go! Not sitting Idle as a Bedroom town! This town is going nowhere!
Nancy
Aug 8, 2009 10:37 AM
Yesterday I wrote a post voicing my views on having such an elderly man on our council. I also asked some direct questions to him, like his views on the immigration policy, getting jobs to this town and issues I deemed more important than sidewalks in downtown that end up costing us money instead of making us money. For some reason (I beleive because I do not feel he is the right one for the job) Mr Buffington has not printed my post. I find it so crazy that if you disagree with the opinion of the paper you will not get your post printed, but many others who are derogatory and downright spiteful are printed over and over. Are these people your friends Tracy? Is the fact that I am not a personal friend the reason I was not printed? Or because my opinion does not match yours? I did not say anything derogatory against Mr Johnson, I just felt if he was going to be on the council he should answer some more questions and let us know what his positions are, all of them, not just the safe ones.
To Nancy
Aug 8, 2009 12:30 PM
Nancy:
Searching our records we find no comments that were posted or deleted from you on Firday, Aug. 7, 2009. However, we did find the following post:

Nancy on 08/04/2009 08:46:15 said:

"As much as I am not impressed with Skip's choice, Leslie Carter is not the golden child who should have gotten this by default. Personally, I really don't care for her politics, but on a practical level she has her home up for sale. Why would you appoint someone who may move out of her ward when her house sells? Only to have to appoint another. I am curious is to why someone like Brad Schiermeyer was overlooked. He would have made an excellent candidate as well as Kisby and both are young enough to make it through a term. From what I understand Mr Johnson's health is not the best and at 77 if health does not interfere he will be 80 by next election. That scares me. There are too many handpicked council people now. Why the secrecy? What was Skip afraid of? Skip has served this town well over the years but it is now time for him to step down. His health is not the best and neither is his judgement. He needs to leave this office now while he still has his dignity."

Perhaps this is the one you were thinking that was not posted. It also is possible through a computer error either on our end or yours that the comment never arrived into our system.

If comments follow our guidelines -- whether I like them or not -- they get posted.

Thank you,
Tracy Buffington, Tribune editor
Beat goes on
Aug 9, 2009 9:11 AM
Mr. Johnson's interview confirmed it and very clearly - More of the same good ol' boys club. Skippy's do as you are told discount coffee bunch expands.
Fremont continues on the road to nowhere.
Ever wonder why one person wants more than one government position????
Watch closely and learn.
Fremont needs a new Mayor. A person who can lead,a person who can think and has a vision. Elderly prople appreciate the status quo.
Instead the council has a Mayor who proudly admits he knows nothing about computera, the internet or technology. And now a councilman who has vast experience with adding machine tape.
Skip continues to protect his do nothing ego.
Library needs more room?? No one mentioned it when the city dumped the former junior high facilities for next to nothing!
Nancy
Aug 10, 2009 11:27 AM
To Tracy Buffington:
Actually the blog I posted asked Dean Johnson to clarify his position on issues here in Fremont such as immigration, bringing in jobs and other issues other than the cosmetic ones of new sidewalks in downtown. I said that I beleived he truly beleives he is going to do good for ward 2 but I personally thought 77yrs old was too old for being an effective member of the council. One more thing I asked was if he beleived like many Fremonters he was appointed by friendship and party line and if that could interfere with him being effective. I personally think there were choices better than Mr Johnson and friendship should not have been a factor in Skip's choice. I listed a number of questions I felt Mr Johnson should answer if he was to be on our council, not just glide over them.