Phares right kind to get University back on track

We're parochial enough to wish that someone from our immediate area could have been selected to replace David Hergert on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents, and there were several qualified applicants.

State Sen. Tom Baker of Trenton, Stewart Minnick of Cambridge and Kathy Wilmot of Beaver City all threw their hats in the ring, as did McCook Mayor Dennis Berry, before he withdrew his name.

But we believe Robert Phares of North Platte will serve this district well, and will have a good chance of winning election to the seat this fall, if he chooses to run.

Not to discourage any of other interested parties to try to get on the ballot.

"I'm a very pro-life person," Phares told The Associated Press. The quote is in reference to the stem-cell research issue, which Hergert used to defeat incumbent Don Blank of McCook.

Just how important that was to Dave Heineman, only the governor knows. Pressed, Heineman said his position on embryonic stem-cell research mirrored that of President Bush, who recently vetoed expanded federal funding of such research.

But we hope the decision wasn't based on just one issue.

Phares has plenty to offer.

Elected mayor of North Platte at age 28, Phares served until 1976, and ran unsuccessfully for governor.

Born in Atlantic, Iowa, and raised in North Platte, he received a bachelor's administration in 1962 from Kearney State College, now the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Owner of a financial planning and services firm in North Platte, he has also been a member of the University of Nebraska President's Advisory Council for several years.

His civic service includes serving as past president of the League of Nebraska municipalities and president of the North Platte Chamber of Commerce, as well as many other activities.

"We could not have asked for a more qualified, capable person to ethically serve," Gov. Dave Heineman said in introducing Phares. "He has vast knowledge of the issues facing our towns, farm and ranches, and has earned a strong reputation from many years of engaged and active service at every level of civic leadership."

After the Hergert debacle, Phares is the right kind of person to help get the university back on track.