NORFOLK, Neb. -- The Northeast Community College board of governors race is heating up as both candidates talk about issues needing to be addressed by the college.

Tim Miller, who has spent nearly four decades as a faculty member at the college, is running against incumbent Dirk Petersen, who’s held the office since 2011.

One of the big points of focus for Petersen is focusing on how faculty can prepare students for the workforce.

“Making sure that we have the right training for people to fill in the workforce needs that we have in northeast Nebraska and the state of Nebraska," Petersen said.

He emphasized the importance of efficiency in leadership comparing it to a business.

“I talk about running it like a business," Petersen said. "If you run it like a business, you do the things you need to do to make the business successful.”

But Miller says the focus should not be on a business-model especially with kids at the college dealing with repercussions of the pandemic.

“With the COVID gap coming, it’s going to be very challenging for faculty to be able to adapt to that wide variety of student and student types," Miller said.

A key piece for Miller’s campaign is strengthening the relationship between faculty and the board.

“There aren’t a lot of those friendships with board members and faculty anymore and I think that’s to the detriment of the institution," Miller said.

Petersen has gained endorsements from District 1 Rep. Mike Flood, Gov. Jim Pillen, and some local candidates in mayoral candidate Shane Clausen and District 19 candidate Jeanne Reigle.

“I have spent 37 years as an educator at Northeast,” Miller said. “I’ve learned what works and what doesn’t work. I know where the efficiencies are. I know where you can have shortcuts and where you can’t take shortcuts.”

Both will look to November as they compete for the district which represents Norfolk.

Dirk Petersen is an investor of Flood Communications and News Channel Nebraska.