3/11/2009 9:01:00 AM City, county, school, college meet to talk
Darin Epperly/Daily NewsDr. Bill Path, president of Northeast Community College, outlined the college's priorities: finishing a welcome center, raising funds for a nursing college and building a satellite campus in South Sioux City.
Elected officials and staff from the city, county, school and college sat around a table for the first time together Tuesday in Norfolk to talk about projects and their visions for the future.
"The idea is for information to be shared by elected officials . . . how other entities may be better able to partner with you,' Mayor Sue Fuchtman said in opening the wide-ranging discussion.
City Administrator Al Roder then talked about city sales tax for the month of February being at the highest February level since 2005, calling that revenue source "still very solid.'
He moved on to the new study of space needs for city administrative offices, discussed streets slated for improvement around Norfolk and outlined the five goals enunciated by the city council following a recent retreat.
In no particular order, the goals are writing a comprehensive parks and recreation plan, enhancing city parks and athletic fields (including an aquatics center at Memorial Field), organizing an arts and culture committee, fostering economic development and pursuing another location for city offices.
Next up was Dr. Bill Path, president of Northeast Community College, who described three of the college's priorities - a new welcome center for students under construction, the fund-drive to build a nursing college on campus and building a satellite campus with partner Wayne State College on 57 acres donated by South Sioux City.
The $5.5 million welcome center should be ready by fall.
The South Sioux City commuter campus is the first in the nation, he said, involving a 50-50 partnership between a community college and state college. The campus, which should open in 2011, will benefit from $500,000 earmarked for it in the federal omnibus bill now before Congress.
A nursing college through the University of Nebraska Medical Center also has $760,000 for it in the omnibus bill and should be open for fall semester 2010. Construction bids were so favorable that the fund-raising goal was lowered from $12.9 million to $11.9 million, he said, with about $1.4 to $1.5 million still to be raised.
Dick Johnson, Madison County engineer, said the projected completion date for the new multi-county probation office in Norfolk is June 30. A contract to three-lane Victory Road near the ethanol plant should be let in 45-60 days now that drainage issues are close to being resolved.
Plans are proceeding to move Nucor Road a half-mile to the south, parallel to the existing road, to link up with Highway 35 and Highway 81. The first phase will be building the road from Highway 35 past Nucor Steel to tie into Victory Road on the east side of the ethanol plant, Johnson said. He didn't give a timetable for the project.
Dr. Marlene Uhing, superintendent of the Norfolk Public Schools, spoke of progress being made in the school system, including the establishment of academies to focus on academics and preparing students with 21st century skills.
Roder then proposed collaborating to bring students from the Union of Youth in Northfield, Minn., where Roder was city administrator, to Norfolk for a weekend to meet with youths in the community. He also talked about working with the local TeamMates program, which mentors youths, and enhancing economic development efforts.
Path suggested working collectively on legislative matters and even joint trips to Lincoln to lobby senators. That led Fuchtman to tell people of the regular Thursday morning phone call at the Chamber of Commerce office with Sen. Mike Flood of Norfolk to discuss developments.
The group concluded by talking about making their joint meeting an annual or semi-annual affair.
