Area residents gave a warm welcome Thursday afternoon to U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse, who spoke during a town hall meeting in Neligh.
The "listening session" was held at the Neligh Mill State Historic Site. The first-year senator explained his political views to residents and answered questions concerning the EPA, Planned Parenthood, Obamacare and much more. Watch the entire meeting online The Republican senator resides with his wife and three children in Fremont, Nebraska and commutes weekly to Washington D.C. for Congress. He does this because he believes his children should be raised in Nebraska where there are cornfields. "If you don't grow up detasseling corn, I don't know how you get character," Sasse said. He is a strong pro-life supporter and made his opinions known about removing federal funding for Planned Parenthood. He calls the organization an "abortion industry that's trafficking little baby parts." "You almost can't find anyone, anywhere who agrees that. Yes, the government should be subsidizing this industry," Sasse said. He is also not a believer in Obamacare. Instead, Sasse said he thinks the government should only be responsible for a few things, including national security, and the state and county governments should cover the rest. Sasse said, "Washington ought to do a small number of the most important things." He also spoke about his concern of Iran becoming a nuclear state and against how the Federal Government has been handling foreign affairs in the Middle East. A sufficient number of recall petitions have been verified in the recall of all of Neligh City Council members, forcing a special election this fall.
According to Antelope County Clerk Lisa Payne, "164-plus" signatures have been verified in the recall attempt of Dale Wilkinson, Ted Hughes, Stephanie Wanek and Leonard Miller. Payne said 163 was necessary. The special election is estimated to cost taxpayers $5,000, according to Payne. According to Nebraska Revised Statute 32-1306, the City Council will now have between 30-75 days to schedule the special election. Payne said she will now send letters to the council members telling them enough signatures have been verified to force the special election. Bernadine Hughes and Merlin Mortinson, both of Neligh, picked up the petitions on July 16 and had 30 days to collect the necessary signatures and turned them in Aug. 14. Petitioners turned in 196 signatures for Hughes, 196 for Wilkinson, 195 for Wanek and 191 for Miller. However, no signatures were submitted to recall Hartz. According to the original affidavit filed, Hughes and Mortinson began the recall attempt due to “continued support/vote to approve the annexation ordinances has been done with repeated admissions that he/she has no idea what the future costs and revenues will be to the taxpayers of Neligh. This pattern of political conduct is alarming and sets the stage for future harm to the people of Neligh and to the business sector.” The annexation was officially approved in July, two days before the petitions were picked up by Hughes and Mortinson. ![]() Neligh-Oakdale was given the honor of kicking off the Nebraska State Fair on Friday morning as the first marching band to perform during the 11-day annual event. "The band has taken great strides this week, and this looks to be a very dedicated group this year," Metschke said. 'We have a young drumline, but they are really doing well." The Warriors will march through the Grand Island fairgrounds at 10 a.m. Friday. View or download the parade route Elkhorn Valley's marching band will also perform at the state fair. The Falcons are slated to march Wednesday, Sept. 2, at 12:45 p.m. Metschke said Neligh-Oakdale students will leave for Grand Island at 7 a.m. on Aug. 28. Students will need to bring money for lunch/snacks and for any activities/entertainment they partake in at the fair. The bus will leave to return at 1 p.m. Numerous criminal cases were heard Wednesday morning at Antelope County District Court in Neligh.
Jeremy Jones, 25, was present with attorney Pat Carney. A plea agreement was reached which dismissed four of the seven alleged counts. Jones pleaded guilty to two counts of terroristic threats, which are Class IV felonies and one count of resisting arrest, which is a Class 1 misdemeanor. Jones requested that his bond be lowered from 10 percent of $75,000. Carney explained that Jones had recently had a child and had "missed a milestone." The state, represented by acting Antelope County Attorney Joseph Smith, resisted the bond reduction. The court continued the bond at 10 percent of $75,000. Jones was released into the custody of the Antelope County Sheriff's Department. His sentencing is scheduled for October 28 to commence at 9 a.m. Arraignment for Julie Lierman on charges of alleged child abuse will be continued on October 28. Drew Steskal, 25, appeared in court on drug related charges. He is charged with one count possession of methamphetamine a Class IV felony, one count driving a motor vehicle without an interlock device a Class 1 Misdemeanor, and one count possession of drug paraphernalia, an infraction. Steskal entered not guilty pleas for all three counts. Pretrial was set for October 28 at 9 a.m. and jury trial will be held on November 16 at 9 a.m. Bond continued at 10 percent of $10,000 and he was remanded to the custody of the Antelope County Sheriff's Department. Steskal is also currently facing charges in Holt County for theft by unlawful taking in an alleged three-county theft spree. Gordon Davidson accepted a plea agreement in district court. He pleaded guilty to criminal attempt: theft by unlawful taking, a class IV felony. It was alleged that Davidson stole a vehicle on the night of June 25. According to him, his intentions were to return the vehicle. "It was early in the morning, about 3:30. I was tired and took a pickup," he said, "I parked and locked it with no damage. I intended to return it to the owner in the morning." He said he was arrested before he had a change to do so. The court ordered a Pre-Sentence Investigation (PSI) and set the sentencing for October 28th. Davidson asked to waive the PSI and continue with sentencing, which the court overruled. The bond was reduced from 10 percent of $5,000 to 10 percent of $2,000. Considering that Davidson is currently on probation for a theft in South Dakota, Judge Mark Johnson stressed that Davidson cannot leave the state of Nebraska, and must remain at his father's residence in Ewing and keep his curfew. Jacob Thramer appeared at a Show Cause Hearing for Failure to make payment. Thramer is currently being held in Antelope County Jail on charges of possession of methamphetamine and disturbing the peace. The matter will be continued on February 24. Mathew Wood appeared with his attorney Brad Montag. Wood pleaded not guilty to terroristic threats and the use of a weapon to commit a felony in June. A motion for discovery and a motion to take depositions were sustained by Judge Mark Johnson. Montag asked for a continuance and the pretrial is set for October 28. Pretrial for Danielle Alt was continued for September 30. Michael Hurlbert, 60, was advised of his statutory rights in district court. He is being charged with driving under the influence, 4th offense aggravated, which is a Class III Felony and driving without a license which is a Class IV felony. He had trouble understanding the court proceedings so a competency examination will be ordered, and he is scheduled to appear for further arraignment on October 28th. On Wednesday morning, Darryl Lierman, who remained mute at his district court appearance earlier this month, withdrew the not guilty pleas which were entered on his behalf.
Lierman, 49, of Neligh, faces 10 felony charges - three counts of first degree sexual assault of a child (class 1B felonies); three counts of third degree sexual assault of a child; and four counts of child abuse (class IIIA felonies). His court-appointed attorney, Ron Temple, made a motion to withdraw the not guilty pleas that were entered by the court on Lierman's behalf. Acting Antelope County Attorney Joe Smith had no objections. Judge Mark Johnson sustained the motion and said "as it stands, the defendant now has no pleas." Temple filed several other motions, including the motion to appoint a second counsel. Temple said he needs more help on this case with research and other details and requested the appointment of Fritz Bartell from his office so Bartell can be compensated for his time. Temple argued that the prosecution has help from Joe Smith and he has "nobody." Smith objected, stating that, "This is not a capital case. It doesn't take two people." He said although Abler is receiving assistance from him as a second attorney, it is on a voluntary basis. The judge appointed Bartell at a rate of $75 per hour and asked Temple to "be reasonable" with his time since taxpayers are paying the bill. A motion to quash was also filed by Temple due to the dates on the complaint against his client. "My motion goes to the issue of the time alleged in the various counts," he said. "There are different time periods from a nine-month window to a one-year window." Temple said the time frame was too large, making it difficult for him to use an alibi defense, which he said may be an important defense for his client since he is an over-the-road truck driver and is gone for long periods of time. The judge asked him what would be an acceptable time frame from the defense's perspective. "A 30-day or 60-day window or perhaps even a 90-day window would be sufficient," Temple said. Smith argued that the alleged sex with the child began when she was 11 years old and occurred over a period of time. He also stated that by limiting it to a one-year window is actually "in favor of the defendant." Judge Johnson took the motion under advisement. The judge sustained motions to take depositions, with the exception of one of the alleged victims, and also releasing the CAC video recording of the alleged child victim to the defense attorney. Lierman's bond will remain at 10 percent of $200,000 and he was remanded back into the custody of the Antelope County Sheriff and ordered to have no contact with anyone under the age of 18. Temple said Lierman's 14-year-old son has already been allowed to visit him in jail and requested that he be allowed to continue his visits. Smith said he had no objections to the visits as long as they were done through the monitoring system at the Antelope County Jail and the judge agreed. Lierman's pretrial conference was scheduled for October 28 at 9 a.m. and the trial date was set for November 16. Antelope County Sheriff Bob Moore debunked rumors Wednesday morning, stating there was not an escape attempt from the Antelope County Law Enforcement Center. In fact, there was not an incident at all at the jail.
Rumors surfaced Wednesday morning about a possible escape at the jail, but that is completely unfounded according to the sheriff. "All inmates are present and accounted for," Moore said. "We did not have an escape or any incident at all last night. We have hourly inmate checks, and everything was and is fine here. Nothing happened." Stakeholders in the Neligh-Oakdale district should expect a 13 percent increase in the district’s property tax asking this year, which comes on top of an 11 percent increase in land valuations.
Although preliminary numbers from Tuesday’s budget workshop indicate the levy will see a slight decrease - 98 cents last year to 97.5 cents this year - the overall tax asking is expected to increase by over a half million dollars. One cent of the levy represents over $57,000 in property taxes for 2015-16 thanks to valuation increases. “I was hoping to not to have to increase the levy is what I had in my head,” said board member Kenny Reinke, who serves as chairman of the Budget and Finance Committee. “But that’s the way it has to play out. With the (money) we’re losing in state aid, it’s just a bad situation.” Board members met at the workshop Tuesday night in preparation for setting the levy and tax asking at the September regular meeting. Due to work obligations, vice president Brad Higgins was the only member unable to attend, which president David Wright said was unfortunate considering his experience. With his six years, Higgins has more board experience than all of the other five members combined. Interim Superintendent Bill Kuester began the budget talks by explaining that the district lost over $314,000 in state aid, which leaves Neligh-Oakdale with just $15,187 in aid. Another additional cost for the district this year is nearly $60,000 in insurance paid to support staff thanks to Obamacare. Wright asked if that was a one-time cost to the district, but Kuester said Neligh-Oakdale will have to pay insurance for its support staff every year and to expect that number to increase as premiums rise over the years, just like it does with faculty benefits. Kuester estimated Neligh-Oakdale’s overall expenditures will increase this year to $6,688,391. That’s a 5 percent increase from a year ago. It includes $185,000 for cash reserve and $64,000 to protect the budget authority, which allows the budget to increase annually at a level approved by the state. The board is also increasing the amount of money going toward building improvements. Although the building fund levy is nearly identical to what it was last year (13.7 cents then and 13.6 proposed now), more taxes will be paid now since valuations increased. Last year, $707,071 was levied for the building fund while this year $776,823 is expected to be levied. On the flip side, the board decreased its tax asking for the Qualified Capital Purpose Undertaking Fund (QCPUF). This is a 10-year bond that has seven remaining years and was originally used for a new HVAC system in the 1930s building. The board could have asked for up to 5.2 cents for QCPUF but instead discussed 3.5 cents (it was 5.1 last year). This portion of the levy can not only be used for paying back the QCPUF bond but additional funds levied also can be used for other energy- and life-saving improvements, such as new windows, HVAC or kitchen improvements. Board members wanted to keep the QCPUF levy at a level allowing them only to pay back the bond and did not discuss using it for other impending projects. Board members spent a considerable amount of time looking for ways “to soften” the levy. Reinke said he considered putting less money in the building fund while Wright said he was looking at ways to cut the general budget, which is primarily faculty, staff and administrator salaries and insurance benefits. At the end of the meeting, board members agreed with the levy and tax asking presented by Kuester. Board member Ryan Koinzan said he hopes that the building fund can decrease in a couple of years to lower property taxes since he said that is the only place he sees where cuts can be made in the future. The Neligh Volunteer Fire Department’s fleet became a little stronger last night with the delivery of a new pumper tanker to replace a 40-year-old model.
Second Captain Ryan Lichtenberg said the department, which serves both the city and rural district, has officially replaced its 1975 Chevy tanker with a 2015 Fyr-Tek. The pumper tanker arrived in Neligh on Monday night, and firefighters have already trained with the new rig, which is now in service. The new pumper tanker has a Freightliner chassis, holds 3,000 gallons of water and pumps 750 gallons per minute, Lichtenberg said. It also has a 180-degree swivel for dropping water into the drop tank. “It has a lot more pumping capability, so if one of our other trucks go down, we’ll be able to use this as a backup,” Lichtenberg said. “When the doors go up, this one will be the first tanker out to that fire and it’ll bring more water than we could before. We're thankful to have this new truck.” Lichtenberg, along with committee members Sam Funk, Ray Branstiter and Nate Soper, asked for input from other firefighters and visited other departments before creating the specifications for the new tanker. The 2015 Fyr-Tek will carry 1,000 more gallons of water than the 1975 model, bringing Neligh’s total water capacity to over 10,200 gallons when all trucks are on scene. Funk, who is third captain of the Neligh department, said they started creating the specifications in May 2014 and placed the order in November 2014. Funk said at the time, Smeal was not building tankers of this specification, although the company now builds them in Wisconsin. “We wanted a company from Nebraska, so that limited it to two companies,” Funk said. “Fyr-Tek was able to meet our specifications for the best price. They’re a small company, but they do great work.” Funk said besides having more water available, the truck offers safety features that keep the department compliant with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), including a vehicle data recording system that monitors the drivers. “We have to meet certain standards for a fire apparatus,” Funk said. “The truck is set up like this for NFPA standards. That’s why we couldn’t just buy a fertilizer truck.” Chad Sitorius, Fyr-Tek president, said his company has built a lot of tankers since they started in 1998 and was pleased with Neligh’s model. “This tanker was custom built for Neligh, and it is one of the bigger trucks we build,” Sitorius said. “The truck is totally NFPA compliant and has all of safety features they requested.” Lichtenberg said because the tanker pumps 750 gallons of water per minute, it is officially recognized as a pumper truck. That makes three pumpers on the Neligh fleet, which helps residents’ maintain a low Insurance Service Organization (ISO) rating. ISO establishes the fire protection rating for the community on a scale of 1 to 9 with 1 being the best and is directly related to the insurance premiums paid by local residents and businesses. The City of Neligh has an ISO rating of 4. “This will maintain our already low ISO level,” Lichtenberg said. “For a small community like Neligh to have an ISO rating of 4 is pretty good, compared to a community like North Platte that has a 4.” Lichtenberg said equipment is just as important as having well-trained firefighters. He said firefighters are as reliant on equipment as they are each other. “We have 45 great firemen, and this is a tight organization that works together well. When you have good equipment to work with, you work harder for each other,” he said. “We have good equipment because we have a supportive community. We really do appreciate all they do to keep us safe as we try to save their structures.” While the fate of the Neligh City Council remains uncertain, Mayor Joe Hartz is asking residents to remain positive and to help the community move forward through this difficult time.
"Moving forward is where we need to go, not moving backward," Hartz said Tuesday afternoon. "Growth is never easy, so this is where the council is hoping to be a positive factor in this and move Neligh forward." A recall attempt against Hartz failed as no petitions were turned into the Antelope County Courthouse by the deadline of August 14. However, enough signatures were turned in against all four of Neligh's council members to require County Clerk Lisa Payne to go through the verification process. As of August 25, Payne has not released any official statement regarding the signatures. She has 15 days to verify the signatures. The recall attempts were due to the city council approving the annexation of areas to the east and west of Neligh along Highway 275. The final approval was July 14, and signatures began being collected July 16. "We started out talking about community and what a great place Neligh is to live, and I think that has even gotten stronger," Hartz said. "The annexation was passed. While some people were against it, there were a lot of people who supported the council and myself regardless of whether they were for or against it. I find it very gratifying with the number of cards and letters sent from those who were behind us." Hartz said decisions are not always easy, but the council did what it felt was best for the community. And that's why the council is taking the stance it is now, which is to stay positive about the community. "The council is being positive and isn't trying to throw anyone to the wolves. They are staying positive," he said. "Bomgaars is getting started, we've seen TIF work as money is going to be appropriated to pay for the waterline. The landowners on the way to Bomgaars won't have to pay for it, so they actually get a freebie even though their taxation may change. We're seeing the taxes in the city being lowered." Hartz said the city budget will be released soon for 2015-16 and the property tax asking for the City of Neligh will be lowered. He said it's the third straight year property taxes have decreased for residents and businesses. The council will approve the budget at the Sept. 8 meeting. Also at that meeting will be discussion on moving forward as a community. "The council members don't want to talk about the recall itself; they want to talk about how to move forward," he said. "If citizens of the town decide they want to go a different direction, then that's up to them. But the council is very positive and still looking ahead to the future and feel like they are doing the best they can. That's the most they can do, and they're four excellent people." Hartz also said he's received a lot of questions about how signatures were gathered for the recall and whether there will be an investigation or charges filed. That, he said, has nothing to do with City officials. "There have been questions about the recall, but this has nothing to do with us," he said. "These are things that the state of Nebraska will take care of if there has been anything that is inconsistent with the system. Whatever happens with the petitions, that is taken care of by the state." Hartz said he recognizes people in the community are angry about the recall. If enough signatures are verified, there will be a special election that will cost about $5,000. Hartz asked residents not to take out their anger on the businesses in Neligh. "We need to support our businesses. If someone needs an irrigation, go to Tri Valley Irrigation. Go to our implement dealers. We need to gather together to support our businesses and help them during this. Maybe there is something we can do with our marketing to help them," he said. ![]() If you have concerns about our state, you have an opportunity to discuss them with U.S Senator Ben Sasse on Thursday, August 27. The "listening session" will be held at the Neligh Mill State Historical Site at 12:30 p.m. Sasse is Nebraska's junior senator, only having been elected in 2014. Antelope County News is planning to live stream the event on our website for those not able to make it. Representatives from all three organizations from Neligh and Clearwater were on hand Monday night to welcome Lauren Sheridan-Simonsen on board as the Assistant Economic Development Director.
Sponsored by the Neligh Chamber of Commerce, a Business After Hours event was held at the Neligh Legion to welcome her to the new role with the communities. Sheridan-Simonsen is officially a City of Neligh employee, but through an inter-local agreement, she also is working toward economic development for the Village of Clearwater and to assist the business community through the Neligh Chamber of Commerce. "I'm excited to be a part of this exciting time in Neligh where we have the opportunity to showcase our community for all the incredible things it has to offer," Sheridan-Simonsen said. "Working with the business community in Neligh to keep a portion of the millions of dollars that leave our community is a goal that should be attainable because of the great local businesses we are blessed to have." Sheridan-Simonsen has lived in Neligh for several years and is based at the Neligh Economic Development/Chamber office on Second Street, where she works beside Economic Development Director Greg Ptacek. "I'm extremely excited to welcome Lauren to our team. In the past three weeks, she's hit the ground running and had started to build strong foundations for several new projects," Ptacek said. "Lauren's primary focus will be community development and growing the Neligh Chamber of Commerce. Her rapport and drive will help her accomplish a lot for Neligh." The Antelope County Zoning Board voted to change the wind regulations Monday morning.
The setback was changed to 1000 ft. for participating land owners and a 2000 ft. setback for non-participating land owners. The setback would be from the nearest corner of the residence to the nearest corner of the wind tower. According to Zoning Administrator Char Carpenter, it was originally a 1000 ft setback for everyone regardless of participation. ![]() Antelope Memorial Hospital would like to invite you to their Fall Health Fair on Wednesday, August 26. It will be located in the AMH front lobby from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. There will be health screenings, free drawings and giveaway prizes. There will be free skin screenings from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. by Roger Rudloff. Exercise tips for all ages and educational talks by AMH providers will also be available. Other AMH Lab Specials include CBC, TSH, chem and lipid panel that will be available for $40 from 6 a.m. to 12 p.m. Individuals taking these labs will need to fast for twelve hours beforehand. The other lab special will be a PSA for men for $25. There will also be several free AMH specials including blood pressures, on-site glucose, BMI and body fat percentage as well as fruit and healthy snack ideas. The AMH Stations will include, surgery, home health, respiratory therapy, wellness, pharmacy, weight loss, farm safety, cardiac rehab, car seat safety, PR diabetes education, dietary and radiology with new 3D breast imaging. Midwest and AMH Ambulance Service, Hilltop Drugs Etc., Wanek Pharmacy, NENAAA, Eye Physicians, PC, Creekwood Chiropractic, Foot Care and LifeNet will all be in attendance. ![]() An Athletic Kickoff BBQ will be hosted by the Neligh-Oakdale Booster Club on Wednesday, August 26. Fall, winter and spring athletes in grades 7-12 and their families are invited to attend. The event will begin at 6:30 p.m. in Neligh's Riverside Park. The booster club will serve beef sandwiches, drinks, tableware and condiments. Grades 7, 9 and 11 are asked to bring desserts; grades 8 and 10, side dish. Access into Neligh-Oakdale will be restricted as of Sept. 1 when all cards will be activated.
Interim Superintendent Bill Kuester said the Board of Education addressed the process to be used for issuance of access keys to the main gym and weight room during the April meeting. It was decided that as of Sept. 1, all key access to the main gym and weight room will be deactivated, with the exception of staff and volunteer coaches. He said a yearly $10 fee will need to be paid at the high school office before the new access keys will be checked out. Volunteer coaches will need to let Linda Wilkinson know that they are volunteer coaches for the upcoming year, as the key will be deactivated until she is notified by the volunteer coach. How much do you know about worker compensation? Tuesday, Aug. 25, is your opportunity to learn more over your lunch hour.
The Neligh Chamber of Commerce hosts a "Lunch & Learn" each quarter. James Zielinski of Creekwood Chiropractic will go over details about worker compensation from Noon until 1 p.m. on Tuesday at the Neligh Public Library. Lunch will be provided for those attending. This class is free for members of the Neligh Chamber of Commerce and their employees. There is a $5 fee for non-members, which covers the cost of your lunch. All attendees must RSVP to Brandon Doke at 402-887-4842 by Monday. Taxpayers should expect to receive a decrease in property tax asking from the City of Neligh for the third straight year.
City officials met at a special meeting Thursday to make budget adjustments before setting the levy and official property tax asking for the next budget cycle. The current fiscal year ends Sept. 30, so the 2015-16 budget must be approved next month. Although no official numbers can been released since adjustments are still being made, it appears the City's property tax asking will drop for the third straight year in what would be a nearly 20 percent decrease since 2012. The final documents will be published by local media the first week of September and available for public review on the Antelope County News. The City Council will formally approve the 2015-16 budget during its September regular meeting. The City of Neligh's valuation increased by nearly $10 million from 2014 to 2015, which will lead to a levy decrease, according to budget requests from the various city departments. That means with Neligh's larger tax base, most residents and businesses will pay less in property taxes to the City of Neligh in 2015-16. Neligh dropped its levy by 5 1/2 cents for 2014-15 and is expected to decrease the levy by double figures for 2015-16. That amount will also be published the first week of September, prior to the City Council meeting. The City of Neligh is in a similar situation in 2015-16 as it has been in the past several years due to possible grants, which become a shift in money. That means the budget may show an increase in expenditures due to grant money but it will not actually be an increase in city spending. The City has applied for a Downtown Revitalization Grant. Because no money can be used without first being budgeted, the 2015-16 budget will include about $400,000 for that project. However, if Neligh does not receive the grant, the money will not be used from the budget. Bomgaars was officially given approval Thursday for a project that nearly doubles the size of its Neligh store, which is the smallest of all of the company's 69 locations.
According to Bomgaars officials, the 8,400-square foot expansion would have been impossible without funding assistance from tax increment financing (TIF) for its water line. The issue facing Bomgaars, according to Dave Meyer - senior vice president/chief operating office of Bomgaars’ corporate office in Sioux City - was being required to install fire sprinklers in the building. Meyer told the City Council at a previous meeting there was not enough water pressure to run a fire sprinkler system. The TIF will assist Bomgaars with extending that water line. It fits the requirements as a TIF project because it will also serve public need, not only private. A TIF is not a grant; it is a low-interest loan that will be paid back over a 15-year period. Bomgaars will pay $12,520 annually, which is an increase of $7,622 to be captured to pay for the water main. TIF funding comes from property taxes from the project itself, not from other people’s taxes. Basically, the taxes only exist because of the project itself. After approval earlier this month from the Re-development Authority and the Planning Commission, the Neligh City Council extended the final stamp of approval at Thursday's special meeting. The motion was made by Ted Hughes and seconded by Stephanie Wanek. It passed unanimously. On June 24, Torrey Wingert, vice president/CFO of Bomgaars, sent a letter to Neligh officials stating, “Without this TIF, our development project would not be economically feasible and would not occur. We understand that there are no assurances as to the amount of the TIF or if the TIF will be approved.” Meyer said they plan to have the new space in use after the holidays. Several other resolutions were also adopted during the special meeting. The City Council adopted a resolution to declare a portion of Neligh blight and substandard. This area is located along the western corridor of Highway 275. Keith Marvin of Marvin Planning Consultants told the Council that Neligh now has 19.1 percent blighted. He recommends no more than 35 percent. Another resolution approved was for the redevelopment plan for the City of Neligh. The City of Neligh saw the biggest increase in taxable valuation of any community in Antelope County in 2015.
According to valuations certified Tuesday by Antelope County Assessor Kelly Mueller, Neligh’s total taxable value increased $9,696,475 from last year. However, not all of that valuation is considered "new" growth for Neligh. New growth is actually about $4.6 million. Mueller said that figure is the real property and personal property growth for the City of Neligh. Valuations For Areas Not Annexed Much of Neligh’s increase, Mueller said, was due to an update in cost manuals used in assessing property and also with the newly annexed areas. The cost manual update affected all property in the county. In comparing the property not affected by annexation, that valuation grew by $934,456. Mueller said last year, Neligh valuation increased about $215,000. She said even without the annexation, Neligh would have seen one of largest growths in the county. “All of the houses were increased even if they didn’t do anything because we changed cost manuals this year,” Mueller said. Neligh’s overall valuation increased by about 18 percent, as compared to the 13 percent increase for all of Antelope County. Valuations For Annexed Areas Factoring in the newly annexed areas, the City of Neligh’s total taxable valuation increased by about $7.5 million. Mueller said that increase includes Farmers Pride Co-op, which is valued at $4.75 million. That property saw an increase of $3.77 million in valuation due to growth and new construction. Neligh's three implement dealers - Kayton International, Green Line Equipment and Reinkes - make up nearly $1 million of valuation or about 13 percent of valuations of the annexed areas. Neligh’s Levy So what does the increase in tax valuations mean for residents and businesses in the City of Neligh? City Clerk Dana Klabenes said city officials are working on their budget for next year, and the valuations are a factor in the mill levy. The City of Neligh both lowered its levy and asked for less property taxes last year as compared to the previous year. Public documents show the City asked for $476,742 for 2014-15, compared to $507,263 the previous year. The levy also decreased from .968 to .893 this year. ![]() A new priest will be installed for two Antelope County churches on Wednesday. Father Christopher Onuoha began his duties at the parishes of St. Francis of Assisi in Neligh and Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Tilden in June. Fr. Onuoha will be officially installed as pastor by Archbishop George Lucas during Mass on August 19 at 5:30 p.m. at St. Francis in Neligh. Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception statue, located outside the rectory, will be blessed after mass. A dinner, furnished by the ladies of St. Francis, will follow. Parishioners from both churches are invited to attend. He became an ordained priest in 2006, but that wasn't always his plan. The firstborn of seven children, Fr. Onuoha was raised in Nigeria. Although his father encouraged him to become a priest, it wasn't in his plans at the time. He graduated in both Microbiology and Medical Technology at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Soon after, he was invited to Spain by the University of Cordoba for post-graduate research studies in Microbiology, and later moved to the United States with the intention of continuing his studies. But God eventually changed his heart. "The priesthood issue, always there, resurfaced strongly years later on my arrival in the Unites States, when friends and acquaintances would tell me that I clearly had a vocation to the priesthood, but I did not always agree," Fr. Onuoha said. "I struggled for years to answer God’s call. I was afraid; I was running from God. But where could I run to? Finally, a friend encouraged me to make an 8-day silent, directed retreat with the then Intercessors of the Lamb; this nailed it all for me." He was a religious with the Intercessors of the Lamb until it dissolved in 2010. Fr. Onuoha also began priestly studies and seminary formation at Kenrick Seminary and Saint Louis University, Missouri. He was ordained in June of 2006 and assisted in several Omaha parishes, most recently as the associate pastor at Saint Cecilia Cathedral in Omaha. "Priesthood has been so fulfilling for me," Fr. Onuoha said. "I could not imagine a greater gift from the hand of Almighty God. I have come to realize I was created for this. Priesthood is my path to holiness. The greatest discovery of priesthood for me is that 'God is love.' He called me to the priesthood because He loves me." He has conducted numerous conferences on family healing and, after four years of writing, hopes to publish his first book, "Healing You and Your Family Tree: A Contemplative Approach to Personal and Generational Healing," by this October. Fr. Onuoha said it focuses on how to slow down and be attentive to God's presence and actions within us. The book is intended to teach how to identify and remove blocks to self-knowledge, and live more fruitful and fulfilled Christian lives. Visit his website for details: www.familyprayerministry.com. Cross country records are typically set during the season but, this time, the Neligh-Oakdale team set a record during the summer.
Coach Rick Eickholt said his team logged a total of 966 miles during summer conditioning this year, which is a team record. "The girls had four individuals who totaled 100 miles or more," he said. "Brittany McConnell had 100 miles exactly, Rachel Higgins had 122 miles, Courtni Heckert recorded 133 miles, and Kasi Grosserode amassed a total of 201 miles. Four individuals with a total of 100 miles or more is a team record, as well as Kasi’s total of 201 miles." Eickholt said senior Austin Miller led the boy's team, running a total of 70 miles. The Neligh-Oakdale cross country team concluded its summer conditioning program last week and began practice on Monday. He said a total of 12 total high school athletes logged miles during the summer, with one athlete yet to finalize their total mileage. The junior high also had several participants that logged miles during the summer with 7th grader Griffin Claussen leading the way with 83 miles. Six other junior high runners will turn in their totals when school resumes on Wednesday. High school summer conditioning participants: 12-Devon Breuer 12- Ethan Kallhoff 12- Austin Miller 11- Jayda Chance 11-Kasi Grosserode 11- Brittany McConnell 11- Alexis Jensen 11- Kayla Wright 10- Courtni Heckert 10- Rachel Higgins 9- Cole Belitz 9- Beau Murray A Neligh Man was given a prison sentence in Holt County District Court.
According to Holt County Attorney Brent Kelly, on August 8th, Jacob J. Grim, a 23 year old Antelope County man was sentenced by the Holt County District Court to a minimum of two years and a maximum of four years in prison. Grim was convicted of burglarizing a building in North O’Neill in early 2011. Grim was originally sentenced to a term of probation. His probation was revoked following proceedings initiated by the Department of Probation and the Holt County Attorney’s Office. County Attorney Brent Kelly commented “While I hate to see a young man, with a young family, receive a lengthy prison sentence, we simply have to take a hard line on thieves and burglars in our county. By repeatedly breaking the rules, and by not honoring his agreement to follow the terms and conditions of his probation, Mr. Grim put himself in a very unfortunate position. I hope his case will serve as a reminder to other probationers that they need to take their obligations very seriously.” Due to a team effort, new wall mats were recently installed at Neligh-Oakdale's Elmer Lindahl gymnasium thanks in part to a generous donation from the school's booster club.
At last year's booster kickoff barbecue, then-president Jennifer Pellatz asked parents for ideas and suggestions on what they could help improve at the school. The one thing that really stuck with parents was new mats in the gym. There were several reasons for the mats, Pellatz said, from safety to school pride. Jeff Kerkman asked parents at the meeting what they see when they walk into the school. Where are the Warrior heads, he asked? Then-Superintendent Kim Lingenfelter told parents that faculty had cited school pride as a concern, and they were working on ways to build pride. The booster club wanted to help. "We asked parents to dream. What can we do to help," Pellatz said. "Kim got the mats on the lobby floor, and we started working on the gym mats." Angie Belitz went to work researching mats and seeing what other schools had. Wherever the Warriors played, Belitz looked at mats and asked questions. She looked at options, pricing and thickness of mats. "This was a collaboration of boosters helping in a variety of ways," Pellatz said. "From fundraising to research, this was a team effort to get to this point." Current booster club president April Knust said the organization donated half of the funds necessary for the new mats while the district paid for the other half. Total cost, she said, was $5,363. Knust said the Neligh-Oakdale Booster Club works hard all year to raise money for various projects to benefit student-athletes and is very appreciative of the support received from parents, the community and local businesses. The booster club will host a BBQ for parents and student-athletes on Wednesday, April 26, to discuss fundraisers for the upcoming school year. Businesses or individuals who would like to become boosters and donate to the organization are encouraged to contact Knust, Pellatz, Amy Wright and Heather Dawson for more information. Knust said there are sponsorship levels but any donation is appreciated. Neligh-Oakdale students will be allowed to occupy the basement classrooms and cafeteria/multi-purpose room on the first day of school.
Interim Superintendent Bill Kuester said Deputy State Fire Marshal Sean Lindgren approved occupancy this afternoon. "The basement of East Ward passed the state fire marshal's test, so students can occupy the old gym and basement for our first day of school, which is Wednesday," Kuester said. |
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