Metro Community College board selects Frederick Uhe as new member

The Metro Community College board Tuesday night chose Frederick Uhe, Sarpy County’s director of tourism, to fill a vacant seat on the 11-member board.

Uhe will replace Michelle Nekuda, who moved out of District 5 and had to step down. Almost all of Sarpy County falls within District 5.

Nekuda was a longtime board member, having been elected in 2012 and reelected in 2016. Metro board members are not paid for their service.

When a member resigns, the board takes applications and ultimately votes on the replacement. Uhe, of Papillion, received six votes, the number needed, in the fourth round of voting. He edged out Darling Handlos of Bellevue. Handlos is an immigration paralegal at a law firm.

Besides Handlos, William Forsee of Bellevue and Gene Kelly of Papillion were in the final four Tuesday. Nine people applied for the role and five were culled from competition by the board earlier this summer.

Uhe served on the Metro board as an appointed replacement in 2005-06 but was beaten in the general election in 2006 by Steve Grabowski. Grabowski remains on the board and is currently chairman.

Uhe will have to win in the general election next year to serve a four-year term, from 2021 to ’24.

Metro enrolls about 26,000 for-credit students a year. The two-year college generally serves Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge and Washington Counties.