Insurance & HR Committee (Chair)
Court Committee (Chair)
Building & Grounds Committee (Member)
Technology Committee (Member)
It is amazing what you can accomplish if
you do not care who gets the credit.
Harry S. Truman
No man is good enough to govern another
man without that other's consent.
Abraham Lincoln
Scroll Down to View These Topics:
Jump to
District 7 Map
Jump to
County Board Functions
Many people have expressed their
appreciation for my past involvement in community issues before the Kearney
City Council, the Community Redevelopment Authority, and the Buffalo County
Board of Supervisors. The next few years hold many challenges. It is imperative
that public officials receive accurate and complete testimony in order to make
fair decisions. I would like to be part of the process and believe I can serve
most effectively as a member of the County Board.
I have always endeavored to bring a high level of knowledge, honesty and
integrity to my work. I will commit to learning the job in order to provide my
best-effort contribution to the Buffalo County Board of Supervisors on behalf
of the people of District 7.
Just
as I was born and raised in Kearney, so was my father before me—and his father
before him. In fact, Walter W. Barney came to Kearney in 1886 and established
our first family business in 1888. We have long served clients throughout
Buffalo County, and I continue to do so.
My wife, Linda, is from Chicago. We met while she was an Air Force Nurse, and
we were married when I returned from a combat tour in Southeast Asia. Following
my ten years active duty in the Air Force we returned to Kearney in 1977 to
raise our children. Linda is an RN and has been employed at St. John’s Center
for 15 years. Our older son, Chris Barney, F.S.A., is an Associate Actuary for
Allstate Financial in Chicago. Younger son Captain Eric Barney is a
bioenvironmental engineer for the U.S. Air Force.
Responses to questions from the Kearney
Hub newspaper are reproduced below:
Hub: "How closely should Buffalo
County's new zoning laws be enforced?"
Greg Barney: "The zoning ordinance is a work
product developed over two years. There will be a learning curve, and there
will be modifications. It is important to establish a fair and uniform
enforcement process to assure equal treatment to all citizens."
Hub: "What opportunities do you believe
are there with other counties or governmental units in Buffalo County to
cooperate and save tax dollars?"
Greg Barney: "The County already participates in
several interlocal agreements. Certainly, the participation of Buffalo County
in the new District Health Administration should become a leading example of
cooperation and sharing of services between counties. It may be possible to
explore additional cooperative purchasing by county, city/county or multi-county
units if tax savings result. However, we should also consider the value of
purchasing products from local producers who employ local citizens and pay
local taxes."
The Candidate
Forum sponsored by neighborhood associations requested responses to the
following questions:
Forum: "What role do you see the County
Board of Supervisors playing in the future development of the City of
Kearney?"
Greg Barney: "There
are many different types of roles that an individual or a group can have. For example,
a parental role. Or, a role in a stage play.
I think it is important to appreciate that the County Board is concerned with
development over all of Buffalo County and its communities, not just Kearney.
However, as the largest and fastest growing community, Kearney's development
will create increasing opportunities for cooperative planning between city and
county departments. Roads, agricultural, industrial and residential
development, Public Health Administration, Fire Protection, Disaster Planning
and Law Enforcement are all important to development in both municipal and
rural areas.
In one sense, the County Board has a role as a facilitator to coordinate and
assist in City development activities. At the same time, there is a role as a
moderator to review and assess benefit and value to the County as a whole. As
elected officials, County Supervisors have a fiduciary responsibility for the
County and not the City."
Forum: "What do you consider to be the
most important issue facing Buffalo County and the City of Kearney and how
would you address that issue?"
Greg Barney: "There
are at least two issues that seem equally important to me.
First, roads and traffic
congestion appear to be of major concern to many people. Rural roads need to be
maintained or improved, and the growth of communities also impacts the
commuting corridors. We will need even more communication and coordination
between city and county road requirements and long term planning.
Second, taxes and tax avoidance are also very important. While I favor
well-planned development, I think we need to take a harder look at tax
exemptions and tax incentives in the future. In Buffalo County we have a
wonderful environment for prospective business and industry: excellent
educational facilities and an educated workforce with a Nebraska work ethic, an
easier commute than that found in metro areas, lower costs and safer living
conditions. If we take care of our own people and maintain this environment, I
think we need to give away less in tax incentives. Finally, we need to make
sure that County agencies work hard to operate efficiently in the current
economic environment so that tax dollars stretch as far as possible."