Courthouse nepotism more myth than fact

Cheryl Newman is always waitin' at the window with a smile in my opinion.
She is always one of the first to jump up and get me on my way.

is this clarification an endorsement by the telegram now that there is some competetion growing for the treasurers position ... and, I have never seen anyone "jump up and get me on my way" in that office and I don't have a clue who Cheryl is, or if she has ever been on duty when I have been in the office, but nobody in that office smiles or waits at the window ... in my opinion. It's time for a change, rather the telegram wants to endorse it or not!!

Ya no one smiles and it feels like no one wants to wait on anybody. It is like "we" are bothering "them". And "we" have to go in there. It is a dreaded errand. Would be nicer if everyone was a little more friendly in that place.

To so.... we must not be in the treasurer's office at the same time. I'm always greeted with a smile and the employees are very helpful!! Perhaps if you walked in the office with a positive attitude, you might have a better experience. These employees are not the elected officials who made the decisions to raise your vehicle or real estate taxes, etc. In addition, these employees unfortunately bear the brunt of public criticism over these issues. I make the conscious choice to treat the courthouse employees with respect and I am in turn respected for my business.

Why is this a story??? I don't get the point.

Maybe they smile and get you on your way when the "Telegram reporter" is in line in front of you, but there is nobody in the courthouse who "smiles and gets you on your way" when there is not. What a bunch of rude and discourteous people work there. At least 95% of them. They are always too busy visiting amongst themselves, taking breaks, or on the phone to help! What a joke!!! Our tax dollars at work!!

Maybe if a new treasurer was elected we would see a more renewed spirit in the office. No more of "the good ole girl club"

I do not think that when she was hired by the Treasurer's office 19 years ago, that Cheryl Newman was related to the Newman family.

I however do think that I am starting to get the distinct aroma of politics.

It has been my extreme pleasure to have had switched from Platte Co. to Polk Co. in Osceola NE. The ladies there are so sweet, and ready to help you in anyway! Heck, there's even a basket of candy!! Sure don't miss the sour pusses at Platte Co. Court House

i used to deal with the polk couty courthouse and now have to work with the schuyler courthouse once in a while. The difference between them and Platte. wow...you wouldn't know it until you go in there,. I just dealt with the schuyler courthouse a couple months back and even made a comment about them being so friendly compaired to columbus and she made comment that they get that alot. Columbus is not nice, i dread and regret having to go in there when i do. I just want to scream and tell them to wake up be nice and get different makeup. yuck!!!!! all new faces need changed not just a few...

Those ladies are never friendly and courteous! I absolutely hate going there. I now go to Butler County.

I do quite a bit of research at the courthouse and spend a fair amount of time in a few of the offices. As a outsider looking in I see a lot of things and I can tell you this. I see a large percentage of the visitors to the court house with a attitude towards the employees. For example it is not uncommon for a person to slam down their checkbook when licensing their car or paying their tax bill. It's not the employees fault that you bought a car and now have to pay sales tax on it or you're a day or two late and now have to pay a penalty on your taxes. If you don't like the tax rates talk to your county board or city council,they're the ones who set the taxes, not the employees.

What is the objective here? I have never heard of nepotism in the courthouse nor do I care. Could someone from the telegram please justify this waste of space of an article? As for the unfriendly people that work there, again, who cares? I like the ladies up there and rarely have a problem. Have any of you ever had a bad day?

Excuse me, but maybe the Telegram should a better report job!!! they know of only 2 family members employed by Platte CO. Offices... Hellooooo!!!
The "last employee" hired in the Treasure's office is a {niece} to Ms. Newman.... and I believe the Sheriff's office has a daughter besides his wife employed... then we are told by Newman no one applied.. well maybe no one even knows there was a job in that office. to apply for except her daughter-in-law! How "nice" to employee your family members... I do not agree it is good policy to have family members in the same office. Maybe if you are running your own "private business" that is your chose, but not in a Public business where the Taxpayers are paying the wages... Hellloooo again~~ ~ WHO IS YOUR BOSS! The old saying you rub my back and I will rub yours... well there ya go folks...
I hope we get some Fresh Faces interested in (all) our Public Platte Co. Offices at election time.... We need new blood.. Come on folks.. a Treasure .. who has been there 40 years a Sheriff that has been there 25 yrs... These people think they own these jobs.... Wake Up... People become "Power Hogs" after to many yrs .. This is "Not there "OWN PRIVATE BUSINESS"... but this is how they run it....
Lets Clean our Court House in 2010 !

I have never had an issue with the workers at the Platte County Courthouse being mean or not friendly. See I learned a long time ago that people will be as friendly to you as you are to them! I have also learned that as a general rule the people that wait on you have no control over the rules or why things are done a certain way, so getting mad at them is not going to help the matter at all. I would like to thank all the workers at the Platte County Courthouse for the assistance!

Once again, this goes to prove the point that the majority of people in Columbus/Platte County who work for the "government" think that they are above and beyond. Columbus is a community that is ridden in smobs but can't seem to figure out how to make positives in our government. We need to use Platte County as a model of "WHAT NOT TO BE LIKE!" Plain and simple, they are a bunch or people who again think that they are "HOLIER THAN THOU!" Glad to see that ex-employees are chiming in and telling the truth and pointing the facts out! Thank-You to those people and am jealous that your community co-workers are positive and friendly!

To: Fam members in Platte CO. Offices.

I can't speak to the niece in the Treasurer's office, but there isn't a daughter of the Sheriff at the Sheriff's Office and the Sheriff has been employed at the Sheriff's Office for 25 years but has only been "the Sheriff" for about 16 years. Not a real long time to have a job. Zavadil has not been Sheriff since 1984, he began his time in office in 1993. It's on the Sheriff's Office website.

My guess is the Telegram ran the article because on these comments posts, nearly every article about the courthouse has claims of officials hiring their family members.

As to your claim that Mrs. Newman didn't let anyone know there was a job open that's why her daughter in law got the job, there are laws on requirements to posting government jobs.

Maybe you should do a better, "report job".

What about nepotism at the Platte County Jail??!! Ted Pocwierz is the person in charge and his son, Paul and his niece, Lindsay also work there. It is impossible NOT to favor your family members. How fair is this???!! I'm glad I work at a company that does not allow family members to work directly under one another. It's a good policy...one that should be seriously considered when hiring at the county level.

I cant really say that I have encountered rude clerks at Platte Co Courthouse, but I cant really say that I have felt overly welcomed either. Anyways, that is really all beside the point. I have heard from other people that they do dread going there because of the rudeness. The stories that I have heard were rather uncalled for.

With that being said, I am a firm believer in a smile goes a long way. First off, with my experience in customer service, if you come to the courthouse with a sour attitude yourself, you probably wont be treated the way you would like to be treated. A smile can be contagious and this needs to come from both the clerks at the courthouse and those citizens of Platte Co that need to pay their taxes.

The lesson for the day - have patience with one another as pointless bickering will not get you anywhere.

To those of you making negative comments about the courthouse employees. Have you ever thought about addressing the heads of the respective offices rather than hiding behind your anonymous blogs on this site?

Sorry ladies. The consensus is correct. In all the years I went to the Treasurer's office, I was treated kindly once. I will send kudos to the ladies in the Assessors office. They were always friendly and helpful, and didn't act like you were inconveniencing them.

Now I deal with the offices in Lancaster county, and even they are friendly.

I wouldn’t go so far as to say that they are the most pleasant people. But then again, I can’t remember a time when I was overly thrilled to be there either. As far as them being rude…., I don’t really care. They can’t deny me service just because they feel like it. As long as I mind my manners, I have a right to be there and have my business tended to. They do the job. What else were you looking for…, the Platte County Masseuse?

I find it funny that so many people talk so tough on these blogs, yet they cry about their fragile little feelings being hurt because some lady at the courthouse didn’t tell them how wonderful they are.

I don’t give a damn if the entire courthouse is related. As long as they do the job they’re being paid to do, I got my money’s worth. They don't get paid to like me, and quite frankly I couldn't care less what they think. And I am sure some of them feel the same way about me.

To Realist (of which is far from reality):

You cannot make a lump classification about ALL workers for Platte Co. There are bad employees in every county of every state, you are not in the worst county of this USA.

Do you find yourself "HOLIER THAN THOU!"? Who to you is NOT "HOLIER THAN THOU!"? On another post, you were unearthed of your bad attitude against the Christian community in Columbus particulaly of the Catholics when Beth Augustine wrote in her Letter to the Editor. Your comment at that time was that everyone was "HOLIER THAN THOU!" upon correcting your sheer ignorance of Christian faith.

Now you lump all workers for Platte Co. into the same boat and critize them. You just cannot do that. There are good and bad in every organization. I bet if you try and get to know these people that you claim are all "HOLIER THAN THOU!" you might be surprised. Before you make such a claim, see if it is at all possible to have a greater understanding of the situtation.

Here is some advise, when met with a less than positive attitude in the professional environment, go ahead and kindly call them out on it. It will stop and make them think that having a bad attitude wont make the sun shine on them too bright. Keeping a postive attitude yourself makes for a happier setting altogether.

We will address the issue of the heads of these county offices come election day 2010.... The heads of these offices have alot of taxpayers for their boss's.. and we
are watching..... so yeah.... positive is probably a "Good-Thing" in their position's.
As far as negative comments.... well if ya can't stand the "HOT-Water" ya better get out'a the pot!!!!
As for a reporters job, that's not my JOB !
16 yrs and 40 yrs are way to long for one person to control an office and employees .. as I said this is not a private run business.
These Blogs are an excellent way for people to express themselves... and yes we still have "Freedom of Speech!"
America has woke up not only on the National level but Local and County levels also..

I worked around most of these people every day and if you give respect you get respect! So what if you didnt get a damm smile, your tax dollars didnt pay for one! You got your damm tags for your car or whatever it was you needed! As long as those people are doing their jobs what does it matter? If you want a smile go to Hy-vee and if you want it your way go to BK! Oh and just for your 10-78 you have your favoritism all wrong at the jail! For all of you people crabbing about the current employees for the county, if the jobs were open would you really apply? Bet not! Those employees have to put up with alot of S...! I give them a pat on the back! Find something better to cry about in life, I can think of plenty! Have a nice day! :)

Now the jail is full of people that are related!its just crazy how so much family members get hired there! Now that would be a story for someone to look into!

All you people that are so worried about your local treasurer better get your heads out of your..........and start focusing on the big picture. You need to start worrying about cleaning out our US senators and folks in Washington DC. Those are the folks eroding your way of life. I wonder how many of you go into work with smiles on your faces and if you do when you get there how many of the people you work with have smiles on their faces. These folks working at the courthouse are people to and aren't as perfect as the rest of you commenting about the way you are treated, grow up.

I think the point of this article was point out that nepotism or what people believe to nepotism is alive and living in Columbus. Now the example used really don't fit the article! I mean let's think about it Mrs. Zavadil work in her job before her husband was elected. Should she had quit when he was elected no, and it not really nepotism because Her husband didn't hire her!!!!!!!!!! Now Cheryl Newman being hired 19 years ago, well that means 11 year after electing Mrs. Newman she hired her Daughter-in-law. Cheryl is always very helpful and friendly. Viewing this as nepotism is subjective. Why after 19 years is it worthy of being a front page story?
Nepotism does exist in Columbus so maybe another story needs to be done on where nepotism actually exists!

I am in agreeance, i absolutely dread having to go to the court house, it doesn't matter which part i have to go to the whole building and employees in general are down right rude and hateful, and yes they ALL act as if we are interupting them, they are always without a smile, to busy to give a rats behind, i agree clean out the court house bring in some new faces and happy ones at that, i also agree Columbus is the most rudest place i have ever lived or visited, not only do the court house employees need to learn some manners i agree that 95% of Platte Co, need to take on the same lessons, ole saying monkey see monkey do, FYI lesson for the day, it takes more muscles to frown then it does to smile, So lets brighten up Platte co once and everyone smile, a smile goes a long ways and heck you may even feel good turning them frowns upside down, also this was waste of space for this article to be published besides it isn't going to matter what one or two people say anyhow, we need to come together as a community and make our concerns show, We are the city of POWER and Progress, let just see how much power we can give and how much progress can be made.(5 mins of my time i'll never get back)

I can give zavidil a pass because he did not do the hiring, but hiring your relation such as Newman did is never acceptable. I am sure the position was not advertised correctly 19 years ago and I am very positive she has had preferential treatment in her job over the years as well.

God Bless the United States, And Thank God we can vote People out of Office, I suggest my fellow Platte County Citzens we Excute our Rights come Election Day and Vote Everyone out From the Judge's to the Treasurey, These people think they are above the Election process, you watch and see how they begin to squirm as we get closer to Election Day and how they try to use the media to make them look like they are doing us a Favor, We are there Boss they serve the people of Platte County they are servants not Lords, time to vote some young and vibrant people who actually will smile at you and treat you respectfully. Im tired of Going in there and seeing a bunch of over smug faces, they gossip and talk behind peoples back and it starts from the Top down, I want Change for the Better.

I have to put in a good word for the folks at Butler County...they are very, very pleasant to deal with!

My experience with rudeness is the dude in the motor vehicle license department. What an attitude! I really dread going there and taking my kids for their licenses, etc. He has RUDE written on his forehead.

Don't complain unless there is a clear double standard with pay or treatment compared to family members or close friends.

I worked at Nebraska Public Television and we were hiring a new boss. We went through the search process 2 times, interviewed 3 candidates each time, but then the search committee decided there wasn't a viable candidate. ...So they relabeled the job title with 80% of the original duties and gave it to the general manager's unqualified friend with an $11000 raise. Shortly after, our new boss took 5 of us in a conference room and said, "We're getting rid of 2 of you but we're not telling you for a month" I ended up walking out on that job.

Been gone a while, but for 15 yrs I worked for a lawn and landscape co. in Columbus. Everyone on this post is complaining about 2 offices. I will tell you this, the office run by Kelly Feehan at the Platte Co. courthouse, was The Most Friendly and Professional and Informative I have ever had the pleasure of using. Thank You Kelly and Staff.

I think that's a fantastic idea let's vote every single one out and fire the rest. That way those public servants can take your jobs in the private sector and you can all work at the courthouse and deal with yourselves! It's not so easy putting up with the public and their "I'm your boss because I'm a taxpayer attitude" Try it sometime! Without me buying stuff at Walmart, Walmart would not exist, does that make me your boss?

To NE2TX:

I agree the folks at the Extension office are friendly. That's because most of their clients are seeking answers, (What bug is eating my begonias?) Whereas, the Treasurer's office deals with people forking over their hard earned money, and many grumbling about it.

My unqualified opinion is if you did an "office swap" and put the extension folks in the treasurer's office and the Treasurer office staff in the extension office, in two years Kelly Feehan would be grouchy, too. (no offense Kelly).

For Sure there is a Problem in the Court House.. Look very closely at Everyone running for Public Office..in 2010 That is where we decide! And if you chose to be a candidate remember If the Heat is to Hot.. Stay out of the Fire... Yes there seems to be nepotism's there.. This again is NOT A PRIVATE BUSINESS.. you can not compare Walmart to the Court House... We do not elect who runs Walmart daaaaaaaa !
When you work with the public, yes you do need to put your best effort forward, I have worked with public, and my employer expected a friendly face and welcome to his clients and that was part of the job. Remember this is not an easy type of place to work... so think before you work for the public if you can not do your best.?!#?

If nepotism at the courthouse is more myth than fact, then why did the Telegram write a story about it in the first place? And then why did you put it right up at the top of page 1? Slow news day or what?

All the Telegram ended up doing is giving the ignorant and uninformed wingnuts like "so...", "Realist", and rob g the opportunity to blather on and show the just how little they really know about the subject. It's real easy to claim that Marietta Newman practiced nepotism 19 years ago yet the person who made that claim hasn't submitted a thread of evidence to support that claim. Worst of all, he can't even spell the name of our county sheriff correctly...it's Z-A-V-A-D-I-L. The nepotism law permits the hiring of relatives provided the position is properly advertised and other qualified applicants are given equal consideration.

To "M": the employees of the county jail are hired by a civil service commission. Ted Pocwiercz is not involved in the process. Do your homework!

Some of the people posting their comments about this story really need to get a clue and a life.

Is it just me or does everyone get crabbier the older they get?

Heck, I just admire anyone who can actually work everyday with their mother-in-law!

To Way to Go Telegram:
The hiring process at the jail looks "fishy" to me....I still think there is some inside story there and that it is NEVER a good idea to work for your uncle, father, or any close relative!! I can see NO benefits to this situation for their coworkers. Uncomfortable for those who do not get this favoritism, but have to face it everyday. Think about it.