Council Ensures Employees Will Be Paid After Recall Election

It was business as usual Tuesday for the Neligh City Council with little mention of Thursday’s special election where all four members are facing a recall attempt.

The only time the recall was mentioned was when action taken by the council to ensure city employees would be paid should all council be recalled. 

According to documents, the recall effort is due to the council members supporting the annexation of areas on both the east and west sides of Neligh. Besides the council members, opponents of the City Council members are also targeting Neligh’s economic development actions.

Coincidentally, on the agenda was action a Phase I funding for the city’s downtown revitalization grant to improve Neligh’s downtown business community. Neligh is one of eight communities that was recently awarded Phase I funding by the state to develop a plan for Neligh.

The Council approved Mayor Joe Hartz to sign the grant from the Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED), the contract with Miller and Associates to assist with the planning stage and the receipt of the DED release of funds letter upon legal review.

The City of Neligh’s special election will take place Thursday at Grace Lutheran Church. Residents will have until 8 p.m. to vote. 

Although annexation has long been talked about in Neligh, it took place following a request by Bomgaars to be annexed into city limits in order to receive assistance as the company expands the Neligh store, nearly doubling its size.

In other business on Tuesday, a special designated liquor license was approved for the American Legion for the Neligh Young Men's Club Novemberfest on Nov. 7. This will be a beer and wine tasting event. Only those 21-and-over will be allowed entrance with an admission ticket.

The Council approved a pledge of $2,500 from the lottery fund to CORE, contingent upon an award of a grant and a housing project in Neligh.