Ott, Burgess officially voted in as county commissioners

YORK – LeRoy Ott and Joe Burgess have been officially voted in as county commissioners.

​Ott is currently the commissioner for District 2. He was appointed to fill a vacancy in that district and then filed to run for election. He was the winner in the Primary Election on the Republican ticket – the only partisan ticket in May for this race – and advanced to the General Election as the only name on the ballot. He received 1,253 votes on Tuesday. There were 23 write-in votes.
Ott is retired after 25 years as a co-owner of Fillman Insurance, and currently works for the City of York. He said he wanted to run for office as he “simply wants to serve the people of York County four more years and help make York County run efficiently as possible.”
During the campaign process Ott was asked how he felt about county spending. He said, “I do not feel the people would like having their services cut. I do believe the county could be more innovative in creating revenue without creating new or higher taxes. The state eliminating some unfunded mandates would be a great place to start. If the county could create more revenue in rural areas it would help.”
He was asked why he wants to serve the county in this capacity, and he responded, “Your question is my answer. Because I want to serve. I have always served my community. I served as a baseball coach for 25-plus years for kids from across the county. I have served on the York Parks and Rec Advisory Board for 15-plus years. I served on Emmanuel Lutheran School Board for 10 years. I have served on various church boards. I have served as a CASA volunteer for seven years. It’s what I do, it’s who I am. Growing up I was told by two very wise men, Jack Vincent and Tommy Toms, if you’re not helping your community, you are hurting it. I want to help.”
Burgess filed to run for the District 5 commissioner seat and won the Republican nomination last May. As there were no other candidates from other political parties, his name appeared alone on the General Election ballot. He received 1,187 votes on Tuesday. There were 21 write-in votes.
Burgess graduated from York High School last May. He is currently attending the University of Nebraska to study chemical engineering. He has also worked as a lifeguard for the City of York during the summer, as well as in the areas of mowing lawns and working construction.
As part of an interview prior to the election, he talked about how he lived in Kirkland, Washington, for 16 years before moving to York in 2022. His father, Troy Burgess, grew up in York. And his grandfather, Roger Burgess, worked at Cornerstone Bank for decades.
When asked what prompted him to file his candidacy for this position, Burgess said, “I have always been interested in history and government. I have read a lot about both. Many of the founding fathers of our nation were involved in government at a very young age. Several experiences helped me to realize that the government was made of real people and it was something I could participate in and have a positive impact on my community. One of these experiences was Boys’ State, where I was a committee chair and part of the legislature. Attempting to pass laws and work together with all these different people was frustrating, but also fascinating. We had the opportunity to hear two Nebraska State Senators talk about their jobs and some recent issues. I have no personal agenda, but I do have a genuine interest in learning about county government and serving my community. I believe my youth, enthusiasm and energy will be a great asset to the county board.”
Ott and Burgess will be sworn into office in January, with Ott taking the oath for the second time and Burgess taking the oath for the first time.