It's Official: City Of Neligh Declares Annexation Approved

It’s official: Annexation of two areas has been approved and declared for the City of Neligh. 

At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, members unanimously approved both ordinance 578 and 579 on their third readings to expand city limits to both the east and west of Neligh.

Motions to approve both ordinances were made by Ted Hughes and both were seconded by Stephanie Wanek. The motions both passed on a unanimous roll call vote, 3-0. Dale Wilkinson was absent due to illness. 

Prior to the vote, city attorney James McNally read the ordinances for the third time.

About 35 people attended the meeting.

Annexing various areas has been discussed in Neligh for some time but took a more serious turn this spring after Bomgaars requested annexation. Bomgaars is planning to start a 8,400 square foot addition this month and have the new space in use after the holidays. In order to qualify as a TIF (tax increment funding) project, the business must be located inside the City of Neligh. 

On June 24, Torrey Wingert, vice president/CFO of Bomgaars, sent Neligh Economic Development Director Greg Ptacek a letter 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.”

Ryan Bolinger, project manager for W.A. Klinger, told the City Council in March that water was the most important aspect for the expansion. He said Bomgaars is currently using a septic system and could continue that way.

“We would need some kind of agreement that says at some point the water line will be brought,” he said. “Without having the water, the state won’t let us build."

On Monday, the Neligh Re-Development Authority unanimously approved developing a memorandum of understanding with Bomgaars to allow preliminary construction to begin prior to TIF being approved. The approval was contingent on annexation being passed by the City Council, which became official Tuesday. 

A public hearing for TIF was set for Bomgaars was set for Aug. 20 at  7 p.m.