NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM SEWARD, NEBRASKA NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, at 7:00 P.M., in the Municipal Building of the City of Seward, located at 142 N 7th Street, the City Council will hold a public hearing concerning an application to the Nebraska Department of Economic Development for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) – Economic Development (ED). The City of Seward, Seward, Nebraska (“City”), located in Seward County, Nebraska, is proposing to receive a $1,015,000 Community Development Block Grant (“CDBG”) grant from the Nebraska Department of Economic Development (“Department”) for a portion of the costs of a public facilities infrastructure street improvement in the City, namely, to extend Worthman Boulevard from Pine Street to the proposed Business property western boundary, constructing approximately 1,800 linear feet (LF) of new 2-Lane street, sidewalk, storm sewer, and water/wastewater extension (the "Project"). The Project will principally benefit a start-up dairy processor, DARI Processing, LLC (the “Business”), a Nebraska Limited Liability Company, which plans to construct a new facility in Seward, Nebraska. Twenty-nine (29) full time equivalent (“FTE”) jobs will be created as a result of the Project, primarily benefiting low to moderate income (LMI) persons. The Business will maintain the new FTE job positions for a period of at least one year. All employees will be paid at least $19 per hour which includes a benefits package. The total street infrastructure Project cost is estimated to be $2,598,000 -- funded by the $1,015,000 in CDBG funds and matched by $1,000,000 in City funds and a Nebraska Department of Transportation Economic Opportunity Program grant of $583,000. The City will use $10,000 of the CDBG grant funds for administrative expenses and $5,000 for construction management expenses. The Department will conditionally grant $1,000,000 to the city, which will be forgiven after the Business achieves job creation, job maintenance, and other loan requirements. The Project is unlikely to result in displacement of residents, farms, or businesses, and should be completed within thirty months. Although not part of the CDBG Project, the Business will purchase a 38-acre parcel from the city and construct a new 236,000 square foot plant to be used in dairy production and located within the 300-acre City-owned industrial park called the Seward/Lincoln Regional Rail Campus. The Business will ultra-high temperature (UHT) process milk, which will be packaged into Aseptic Shelf Stable products for Domestic and International markets. The City of Seward is anticipating a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) application from the Business to support their various public improvements related to the project. The grant application will be available for public inspection at the City Clerk's office located at the City Hall of Seward, 537 Main Street, Seward, NE 68434 during regular working hours. All interested parties are invited to attend this public hearing at which time you will have an opportunity to be heard regarding the grant application. Written and oral testimony will also be accepted at the public hearing scheduled for 7:00 P.M., November 5, 2024 at the Municipal Building, located at 142 N 7th Street, Seward, NE 68434. Written comments addressed to the City Clerk at City Hall, at 537 Main Street, Seward, NE 68434 will be accepted if received on or before Friday, November 1, 2024. Individuals requiring physical or sensory accommodations, includ¬ing interpreter service, braille, large print or recorded materi¬als, please contact: Derek Bargmann, City Clerk, City Hall 537 Main Street, Seward, NE 68434, (402) 643-2928, no later than 12:00 noon, on Friday, November 1, 2024. Accommodations will be made for persons with disabilities and non-English speaking individuals provided that three business days’ notice is received by the City of Seward. SCI — October 23, 2024 ZNEZ
