The Nov. 4 election comes at a time when the Lancaster County Board is in mid-stream on construction of a new jail.

Investing $65 million in a new jail is not the sort of thing that is going to make a politician popular with voters. Credit the incumbents Larry Hudkins and Bernie Heier, who both support the jail, with willingness to make tough decisions.

The current jail is overcrowded. The county is spending more than $1 million a year sending prisoners to other jails. If no action is taken, the county faces the possibility of state intervention for failure to meet state standards.

Heier and Hudkins have deep institutional knowledge of the local criminal justice system. They have spent considerable time studying and implementing alternative forms of sentencing. They have examined different jail design options.

The circumstances and timing of this election should compel voters to give the edge to the incumbents who set the jail construction plan in motion.

County board members currently are elected in a hybrid district system. All voters in Lancaster County will be able to vote on Nov. 4 in the races for seats representing District 2 and District 4.

Both Hudkins and Heier face creditable opponents. Hudkins faces Barbara Baier, currently a member of the Lincoln Public School Board. Baier would step down from that post if elected to the county board. Heier faces Nancy Intermill, who has a grant-writing business and has been attending county board meetings.

Hudkins

Despite his length of service — he has been on the county board since 1987 — Hudkins still displays freshness and enthusiasm when he delves into the nuances and details of issues facing the county board.

A farmer, Hudkins is known for protecting the interests of rural Lancaster County residents. A Republican, Hudkins considers himself as frugal with tax dollars.

The Journal Star editorial board occasionally has looked askance at Hudkins’ indefatigable support for the Lancaster Event Center despite cost overruns and years of red ink. Now, however, Hudkins considers himself vindicated, as the center is finally in the black, drawing visitors from outside the county and benefiting the local economy.

Heier

Although he has been a farmer since 1985, Heier previously had hands-on experience in the criminal justice system as a state probation officer. He also was dean of the Omaha School for Boys.

That experience serves him well on the county board. About 60 percent of the county budget is devoted to public safety, including the jail, county attorney, public defender and related expenses.

A Republican, Heier says his priorities include responsible budgeting, support for the Juvenile Attention and Assessment Center and support for alternative programs to incarceration for qualified adult offenders.