HASTINGS, Neb. – Bill Hitesman is a former college President and is campaigning to become the next Hastings Mayor.

Hitesman is an Iowa native and has a master's degree in Higher Education Leadership from Iowa State. 

He moved to Hastings in 2002 to become the President of the Central Community College Hastings Campus, where he worked from 2002 to 2019. He retired in 2019. 

We asked Hitesman six general questions about his mayoral campaign, and here are his responses.

Why did you want to run for Mayor?: "I've been retired for five years, so this was an opportunity to get back. I've always been involved in the community, and I felt this was a good time to get in and run for mayor. With things going on right now, it seems like things have been a split community, and I feel with my skills and leadership, I think I have a lot to offer."

What qualities do you have that make you fit as a mayoral candidate?: "I'm a positive person, and I believe in this community. When I moved here, I fell in love with the community. I think one of the other skills I have is I'm involved in the community, I get out and meet people, and I would be a strong voice and a strong advocate for Hastings."

If elected, what is your biggest issue about Hastings that you would address?: "One of the biggest issues I think is just looking at how do we come together as a community? How do we come together with the city council and establish a vision, establish priorities, and move to the future, and move together? I hate to bring up the old overpass, but it seems like that's been a thorn in the side. Whether you believed in it, whether you didn't, to me it's immaterial. I think we have to look at that and say let's learn from our past, but let's move forward to the future."

What's the best part about living in Hastings?: "My favorite thing about Hastings, it's just an excellent community to live in. I think there's a lot of great parks, we've got the YMCA that's being rebuilt, we have the softball complex, we have three excellent high schools. There's too much positives to be dwelling on negatives."

Being transparent as an elected official is important. How will you be transparent?: "My whole life my philosophy has been in the positions of leadership, "Open door." I would be there and available for people. Transparency means to me, we're open and honest with each other, it doesn't always mean we always agree with everything, but how do we work through the differences to come together."

Why do you deserve the vote of Hastings residents?: "Please vote on the 14th. There's five good candidates, and this is an opportunity for people to voice who they fell can take the community, lead the community, and work with the city council. I hope people vote in my favor because I think I have a lot of skills, I think I have a lot to offer the community, and those skills have been with me for many, many years."

The top two vote getters in the May 14 primary election will advance to the general election in November.

View our other Hastings Mayor Profiles here: