Nebraska Northwest Development Corporation

September 2015
Newsletter
Published
Quarterly 090115
NEBRASKA NORTHWEST DEVELOPMENT
from the Director’s Desk_______________________________________________
Take a good look at our business community. In
case you think there is never any progress in Chadron,
here's a list of new buildings, projects,
remodeling, and façade updates that
have taken place in the last few years
or are in the process today. Some
actions are not as visible as others, but
improve the safety and functionality of
businesses.
Some are brand new
buildings, some are significant remodels and expansions. All are investments
in our community. Business owners
have invested in improving their appearance, the city
and college have invested in infrastructure and bricks
and mortar, the voters have ok'd the investment in our
recreational offerings with an improved swimming facility as well as funding large infrastructure projects- all to
move our community forward.
The risk we take to try and list everyone who has
made an investment recently is that we might unintentionally leave someone off the list. Please do not take it
personally and let me know if I have missed something!
IMPROVEMENTS - This includes those activities
that range from sprucing up with a fresh coat of paint,
to new interior décor, to repurposing the use of a
vacant building or all of the above:
Bauerkepers, Inc., Pizza Hut, Arby's Eagle Chevrolet,
Game Changer, County Kitchen, Chadron Glass, The
Daily Grind, Pink Nail Salon, Farm Bureau Insurance,
GMC of Chadron.
SIGNIFICANT REMODELING - this includes
expanded buildings, gutting and remodeling or otherwise changing:
Big Bat's, Morford's Decorating, Bomgaar's, Owen
Dental, First National Bank of Chadron, Metal
Products, Farmer's State Bank, Panhandle Event
Center, Wild's Bar & Grill, Tommy's Car Lot, Manna
Systems, Buettner Construction, a Pocketful of Rye,
Escaramuza, Sears, Sturdevant's, and Western
Community Health Resources (old clinic building).
DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION - this includes
those businesses awarded grants to make
changes/improvements to their historic façade, upper
story, ADA accessibility and building code compliance.
Some of these changes aren't as visible to the eye, but
are critical to the functionality and safety of the businesses:
Old Pace Theatre building (owned by Chadron Glass),
The Bean Broker, Business Connection, Outlaw Printers,
A Posh Affair, Tada! Studio, Consuming Fire, TLC Salon,
Gramberg's building (soon to be a photography studio.).
NEW STRUCTURES - this includes the new construction of buildings, businesses in the past 5 years:
Maverik, Ace Hardware, Hibbetts, Maurices, Security
First Bank, Lambert Dental, Ron's Repair, Blome's Office
Building, CSC's Chicoine Center, Student Housing,
Rangeland Center and Ag Pavilion, and Taco John's (ok,
this one may be more than 5 years ago).
And in addition to that there is the new storm water
system and improved street scape downtown, a newly
paved parking lot, new sidewalks and street all the way
from Main to Pine on First street, and the new street
north of US Highway 20 on Ash St. There's the new hospital, additions to Prairie Pines and countless other projects I've probably forgotten to mention. These investments represent 10's of millions of dollars invested right
here in our community by our citizens (both public and
private).
We've had new businesses start up, businesses
change hands and expand their product lines. Calls
come in inquiring about one opportunity or another every
week! In 2016 we will begin the long awaited project of
rebuilding US Highway 20 through Chadron from Spruce
Street to Pine Street - including new sidewalks, street
lights and concrete surface. Chadron is on the move and
is moving in the right direction. We are poised for growth
and more will be coming.
And along with these changes, we have some businesses that the current owners would like to sell - either
for retirement income, or because they wish to move on
to something else. Contact me today if you would like to
hear about these great business opportunities, right here
in Chadron.
Heartland Expressway Association board members, Scottsbluff Mayor Randy Meininger and
State Senator John Stinner met with Governor Pete Ricketts to discuss future funding for the fourlane highway.
HEA meets with Governor Ricketts
s
everal members of the board of directors
for the Heartland Expressway
Association (HEA) sat down with
Governor Pete Ricketts last month to further discuss ways to fund the remaining Nebraska portion
of 4-lane highway that is designated as the
Heartland Expressway.
The Governor has voiced his support in the
past, and challenged the group to think of cooperative ways to propose public policy ideas and
funding ideas that he could support. While he has
not been in favor of increasing taxes to pay for
new roads, his recently named Director of
Department of Roads, Kyle Schneweis, has implemented some innovative savings which can be
passed on to cities and counties for road maintenance.
Board members and elected officials must be
brought into the discussion to build support for
additional innovations. HEA has begun exploring
the possibility of working in conjunction with
another highway advocacy group known as 4
Lanes 4 Nebraska. This group headquartered in
Northeast Nebraska has formed to advocate for
the completion of the original expressway system
passed by the NE Legislature in the 1990's which
would connect each city of a certain size to a 4lane highway or Interstate. HEA is considering a
recent invitation to place someone in nomination
for their board of directors. HEA is funded by the
cities, counties, organizations and businesses
along the route, so we are mindful of our commit-
ment to them to first, and foremost work on our
expressway. Many feel this alliance would be beneficial at the state level as we fight to maintain the
funding for Build Nebraska Act projects (including
some of the money for the next phase from Alliance
to the L62A junction). If we hope to have impact on
the Nebraska Legislature we need to work together
with other like-minded groups. HEA can bring considerable 'clout' to such a statewide organization, as
we represent a federally designated high priority corridor, which is part of a larger international corridor
called the Ports to Plains Alliance.
HEA will be meeting with our three Western
Nebraska state Senators the end of the month to
discuss the same issues, and determine if there is
something HEA can do to help them in advocating
policy changes or additions. Sen. John Stinner, a
long time supporter of the project also attended the
meeting with Governor Ricketts, and is scheduled to
speak at the upcoming Ports to Plains annual conference in Williston, ND. He will serve on a panel along
with the Director of Transportation for the state of
North Dakota and the Executive Director of Ports to
Plains (representing Texas policy initiatives) to share
each state's innovative funding solutions in light of
waning federal funding. HEA appreciates all support
from Western Nebraska State Senators in our efforts
to fully fund the Heartland Expressway.
Pine Ridge Wild Turkey
Hunt October 7-8
F
or the 6th year in a row, NNDC will be hosting the
Pine Ridge Wild Turkey Hunt next month.
October 7-8, we will host business leaders, corporate sponsors and elected officials to a VIP hunt on
private land. We use the venue for 2 important activities: sharing our endless variety of natural resources
with folks from outside of our area in an effort to promote the visitor industry and to expose potential business clients, acquaintances, prospects and policy
shapers to the opportunities in our area for business
locations and expansions. It is a long term commitment
to building relationships which will hopefully bring dividends down the road in exposure and site selection.
The committee has increased the level of intent to
recruit new business and is looking for invitees who can
make that happen. We are convinced the effort has
already produced increased networking opportunities to
solve problems and issues that can be addressed by
elected and appointed officials. Our thanks go out to
Leadership Development
Dawes Applications Due Soon!
County
It's time again to consider
Entreprenuer
& Leadership
sending an employee (or
signing up yourself!) to the
leadership development
program we call
DELTA, the Dawes County Entrepreneur and
Leadership Training Academy.
The cost is $375 and includes a 2 day trip to Lincoln
to visit the Legislature and meet the Governor.
Training Academy
Photo by Justin Haag, Nebraska Game and Parks
the gracious land owners who allow access to the
property, as well as often acting as the guide for our
visitors. The corporate sponsors and hunters fees
pay for the event so that no regular budget dollars
are used for this event.
NNDC Board of Directors 2015
Matt Reeves.............................................President
• Outlaw Printers
Larry Yates.......................................Vice President
• First National Bank of Chadron
Clint Lecher .............................................Treasurer
• Eagle Chevrolet
Philip Jensen ...........................................Secretary
• Great Plains Communications
Mark Werner ...................................Board Member
• City of Chadron
Jake Stewart ...................................Board Member
• Dawes County Commission
Bryce Landen..................................Board Member
• NPPD
Courtney Terrell...............................Board Member
• The Grind
Rick Koza........................................Board Member
The application is attached and you can call the
NNDC office for more information if you need it.
• Chadron State College
Kerry Bailey.....................................Board Member
• Edward Jones
Ed Kuhnel .......................................Board Member
• City of Crawford
“Like Us” on Facebook!
Address is:
https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages
/Nebraska-Northwest-DevelopmentCorporation/168528639830938
Or Visit Our Website at:
www.nndc.chadron-nebraska.com
NNDC is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Rob Bila ..................................................Ex Officio,
• First National Bank of North Platte
Past President
Wayne Anderson ...................................Ex-Officio,
• City Manager
STAFF
Deb Cottier, Executive Director Nebraska Northwest
Development Corp.
706 West 3rd Street
Chadron, NE 69337
432-4023 (work)
• 430-5959 (cell)
Return to: NNDC, 706 W. Third St., Chadron, NE 69337