By Lori Shriner, for the Seward County Independent
By a margin of 351-61, Utica voters renewed the investment of a fraction of sales tax revenue for economic development on Nov. 5.
The vote renews a 10-year allocation of 0.5% of the village’s 1.5% local sales tax for development projects in the community. Under Nebraska’s Local Option Municipal Economic Development Act, or LB840, communities must refresh this kind of endorsement at least every 10 years.
This 10-year period will begin June 1, 2025.
A number of provisional ballots were also recorded for the Utica election, but not enough to change the margin on this issue.
“We are very, very satisfied with that vote because, again, we can continue with the development of business in our town,” Village Board Chair Jim Swanson said Nov. 6.
Swanson said he would have liked to seen higher voter turnout and attendance at a pre-election informational program about LB840, but is satisfied with the numbers.
“I think a lot of people understand what the LB840 does for the town,” he said.
He said one of the village’s next priorities will be to bring a café back to the area.
“I’m working on something, but whether it goes or not, I don’t know,” Swanson said.
In recent years, LB840 funding has been designated for downtown beautification, rural workforce housing, local shopping incentives and opening of a grocery store.
Utica, Milford and Seward are among more than 80 Nebraska communities using the program to improve their communities. Seward voters renewed their LB840 allocation in a special election earlier this year.
Also on the ballot, three people were elected from a field of four to serve on the Utica Village Board. The unofficial election results are: Nickalas J. Bloebaum, 292, McKenzie Parr, 263, Swanson, 257, and Randy Steinhausen, 242.
Utica chooses board members
By Hanna Christensen, scireporter@sewardindependent.com
Nickalas J. Bloebaum, McKenzie Parr and Jim Swanson were elected serve on the Utica Board of Trustees as a result of last week’s election.
Four candidates were on the ballot, and voters could fill in the bubble for three of them. Bloebaum received 292 votes, Parr received 263 votes and Swanson received 257 votes. The other candidate, Randy Steinhausen, got 242 votes.
Parr said she felt honored and humbled when she woke up to the news of her election, and she is excited to serve the village.
“My dad was actually on the town board many years ago, and he actually recently just passed away, so I kind of wanted to follow in his footsteps,” Parr said. “But, aside from that, I also just wanted to be more involved in my community and be a voice for people, so that everybody can feel like they can be heard in town.”
Parr said her first priority as an elected official will be to figure out how to get new pipes for the north side of town so residents no longer have to experience black water.
Swanson has been on the board for about the last 30 years. This term, he plans to focus on economic development, infrastructure and getting a cafe established again. There are also several things the board had on the back burner recently that he hopes to make progress on, including the completion of the swimming pool.
“There are a lot of things that we need to work on,” Swanson said. “It’s not just a sit around and twiddle your thumb job.”
Swanson said he is appreciative that the citizens of Utica have confidence in him, and he will continue to do the best he can.
Bloebaum decided to run for the board because he has ideas for the betterment of the village and has experience working for the city of Seward and as a trustee for a church school and child development center.
He said being elected felt surreal, and the truth of it did not fully sink in until he began getting calls of confirmation.
“The biggest thing will be just the kids and the future here for Utica, that (the village) stays clean and stays up to date and ready for the next generation,” he said.
Goehner votes for three
By Alejandra Fernandez, reporter2@sewardindependent.com
In Goehner, village trustees are elected during statewide general elections, which occur every two years falling on even-numbered years.
During this year’s election, four names were on the ballot and the top three vote recipients – Thomas Anthony, Shawna Agena and Clinton Bialas – will now serve on the board. Trustees serve a four-year term, with elections staggered to ensure continuity on the board.
Bialas has been living in Goehner since 2017 and has since bought a house in the village and plans on spending the rest of his life there. Born in Seward, he has never moved out of the county and cares deeply about community issues.
“I consider myself very community oriented,” Bialas said. “I know a lot of people in Goehner.”
A village trustee serves the community as a representative. Their duties include participating in meetings, legislative functions, financial oversight and administrative appointments. These responsibilities serve to ensure the trustees abide by Nebraska statutes and effectively manage village affairs while upholding the interests of the community.
Bialas has been on the board for the last four years and also currently works with the fire department, alongside his construction career.
During his time with the board, he has made decisions pertaining to water issues and streets, and during this term as village trustee he hopes to look more into the water that serves the town with improving the wells and working on other improvements and finding other solutions.
