By Canon Rath
North Platte Post
NORTH PLATTE, NEB – The 41st Governor of Nebraska Jim Pillen made a stop in North Platte Thursday morning alongside with new members of his cabinet. The governor made an appearance at the North Platte-Lee Bird Regional Airport and the event was held in the Lee Bird Airport Conference room. Members of his cabinet that was with him included Nebraska Department of Transportation Director Vicki Kramer, newly appointed State Broadband Director Patrick Haggerty, and new Department of Economic Development Director K.C. Belitz.
Governor Pillen opened remarks about how blessed he is to be the 41st Govenor of Nebraska. Governor Pillen was sworn in on January 5th, 2023, as he replaced former Governor Pete Ricketts. “Just one, I am extraordinarily privileged to be the 41st governor of Nebraska, I still get choked up and get goosebumps when I try to express it’s a privilege beyond words,” said Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen. “There's a number of extraordinarily moments and experiences in first 9 months since the election.” After making his opening remarks, Pillen then transitioned towards different issues that are going on in the state of Nebraska.
During his remarks about issues going on in the state, the governor talked about property taxes, road conditions, infrastructures, improving mental health are just a few that he talked about. He also went in more depth about his three new 5 star recruits he calls and what each Indvidual can bring to their position. Newly appointed State Broadband Director Patrick Haggerty hasn’t officially started his new position but was traveling with Pillen and the team during the fly around event. “This gives me an opportunity to come back home, not on the job yet but I have been working with this federal program the office has been created around for some time now on the private side,” said State Broadband Director Patrick Haggerty. “I think I bring a lot of experience and I’ve worked in multiple states so I can bring models but were going to do what's best for Nebraska.”
K.C. Belitz, who is the new Department of Economic Development Director, has only been on the job since Wednesday, and wants to bring the state together as a team. “We need to be doing more as a team, so I want you all to know that your state government and this cabinet Team Pillen is interested in doing work together,” said Department of Economic Development Director K.C. Belitz. “Us Nebraskans, we love our silos, but we are going to create a few less here with state government and that’s a big deal.”
Lastly, Nebraska Department of Transportation Director Vicki Kramer who was also in attendance today has been working on the job for 6 months now with Governor Pillen. Kramer, who is a Nebraska native has worked in public service for a long time and uses Nebraska roads to travel. “Spent my career in Nebraska and traveling the roads and knowing the system and working from federal to state government,” said Nebraska Department of Transportation Vicki Kramer. “I know highway 83 is a big topic here and it will finally get some work done, working through these projects that matter to the communities is what we are focus on.”
After all Governor Pillen and his three cabinet members were done with their introduction, they opened the floor to questions from the attendees at the event. The group answered all the questions that were asked. North Platte was stop #2 for Governor Jim Pillen and his team on Thursday for his connecting Nebraska state fly around event. The governor stopped at five cites and ended his day in Wahoo.