Minden meets its new town board members

It was out with the old and in with the new last week as the Minden Town Board said farewell to longtime board members Bruce Jacobsen and Ray Wilson and welcomed their replacements.

The board selected John Stephans and Steve Thaler from a pool of 18 applicants to take over Jan. 1. Their recommendations were approved unanimously Dec. 4 by Douglas County commissioners.

Wilson and Jacobsen, who each served 24 years, were precluded from re-election when Secretary of State Ross Miller ruled they exceeded voter-approved term limits. The decision came too late for anyone to seek election in November.

Board members Ross Chichester, Bob Hadfield and Dave Sheets are to be replaced in two years.

"This is an unexpected, unanticipated and unwelcome retirement of a couple of our town members, men of vision and men of courage," said George Keele, the town's lawyer.

Wilson and Jacobsen thanked their fellow board members and families for support during their long tenure.

Wilson said he checked with the Library of Congress and was told the Minden board set a record for the longest-serving elected body in the country.

"This is the best small town in the country," he said.

Jacobsen reminded the audience that his mother Betty and father, the late Sen. Lawrence E. Jacobsen, both served on the town board.

"I've never lived anywhere else," he said. "We aren't going anywhere. The Town of Minden is all of ours heritage."