PCDC Business Journal, January 2016

Volume 11 Number 1
| Winter 2016
Phelps County
Business Journal
PO Box 522
Holdrege, NE 68949-0522
Return Service Requested
A QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER HIGHLIGHTING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN PHELPS COUNTY, NEBRASKA
EXPANDED BUSINESSES NOW OPEN ON WEST 6 & 34
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TAKE A LOOK
Voters Make
Future Bright
With Approval
Phelps County
INSIDE Business Journal
TAKE A LOOK
INSIDE
1
New Business
2
Road Work Completed
3
Housing Solutions
4
Assisting Entrepreneurs
5
Opportunities & Education
6
Business Happenings
7
Inspiring Talent
Save The Date!
PCDC Annual Meeting
Thursday, February 18
5-7 p.m.
Holdrege Country Club
Celebrating Our Volunteers!
With the help of many volunteers
in 2015, Holdrege voters became
informed about the importance of the
LB840 sales tax and overwhelmingly
approved renewing the tax in a
November election, ensuring a strong
future for the county. Join us for fun,
food and fellowship as we celebrate
our volunteers at the annual meeting.
Investors, volunteers and the
general public invited to attend. Please
RSVP to PCDC at (308) 995-4148.
In the spring of 2015,
PCDC began mobilizing
volunteers and
planning an educational
campaign to renew
the LB840 half-cent
sales tax for economic
development for another
15 years.
Throughout the
summer and early fall,
volunteers helped with
parades, created a
video, visited neighbors
in a door-to-door
educational campaign,
called voters, put
up flyers and talked
endlessly about LB840.
These efforts paid off!
In the November 10
mail-in ballot election,
Holdrege voters
renewed the LB840 tax
for another 15 years and
the 40-40-20 economic
development plan by
a landslide vote with
83 percent of voters
favoring the plan and
tax, which is expected to
generate more than $8
million.
PCDC would like
to thank voters and
volunteers for helping
ensure a brighter future
for Phelps County.
New Orscheln’s More Visible
A new expanded Orscheln’s store opened November 2 in
west Holdrege, and customers couldn’t be happier.
“I love it,” said Dennis Nelson of Holdrege, who shops at
the store nearly every day. “It’s big. The selection is better,
and the aisles are wider.”
Store Manager Mike Liljehorn said foot traffic and sales
have both increased since the store moved to its new
33,000-square-foot location on Highway 6 & 34. The store
was previously located a block south of the highway in an
8,000-square-foot building.
“Just being more visible has helped us a lot, not being
tucked back in behind,” Liljehorn said.
He has noticed more customers from the McCook and
Cambridge areas in the new store.
Orscheln’s sells lawn and garden supplies, pet and
livestock products, automotive and sporting goods, clothing,
boots, outerwear, toys, tools, farm supplies and some food
products. The new expanded space has allowed for larger
hunting, hardware, pet food and clothing selections.
“What we’ve noticed is a lot of people struggle to find
some kids clothes in town, and we’ve got some, so that
helps out,” Liljehorn said.
The new Orscheln’s store employs 22 people, which
The new expanded Orscheln’s store created space
for a larger inventory of hunting, hardware, pet food
and clothing selections.
Liljehorn said is three more than at the previous location.
The Holdrege location is one of 20 Orscheln’s stores
in Nebraska, and Liljehorn estimated it is about the fourth
largest in the state. The Moberly, Missouri, based store was
recruited to Holdrege by PCDC in 2003 and was one of the
first businesses to benefit from PCDC’s revolving loan fund.
A grand opening celebration for the new store is planned
for April or May.
Remodeled Runza Entices More Customers
One week after the new
Orscheln’s store opened,
an expanded Runza store
opened a few blocks east.
Runza Store Manager
Nicolle Vanderlinde said a
crowd was waiting when
the store at 319 Nobes reopened Nov. 9 at 6 p.m.,
and customers have been
steady since that time.
“Runza has been part of the Holdrege community since
1986. We are proud that franchisee Walt Catlett and his
family invested in our future and appreciate the patience
of our customers throughout the process,” said Donald
Everett, Jr., president of Runza National.
The new expanded restaurant seats 58 people compared to the previous location that seated about 40. The
new construction also made it possible to extend the drivethrough lane to allow more cars into the lane at one time.
The old Runza store was demolished in April to make
way for the new modern-looking restaurant that features a
more private dining area and larger restrooms.
“They really like the new look,” Vanderlinde said of the
customers reactions.
Although she didn’t have official numbers of increased
customers, Vanderlinde said the Runza staff is making
more chili and larger batches of Runza filling than previously. They also have seen an increase in school bus
customers. The store employs between 15-20 workers.
DQ
Collaborate
and Promote
DOLLAR GENERAL
Inspire
Detours Disappear, New Streets Open
Executive Director
Monica Boyken
Project Coordinator
Alli Donohue
Administrative Assistant
Stacy Pafford
Officers
Fred Diedrichsen - President
Phil Hinrichs- Vice President
Karen Benjamin - Secretary/Treasurer
Board of Directors
Tim Anderson
Bob Dahlgren
Michele High
Grant Hinze
Reed McClymont
Thomas Nutt
Tim Rehm
Doug Stevenson
Jim Wiser
502 East Avenue, Suite 201
PO Box 522
Holdrege, NE 68949-0522
ph (308) 995-4148
fax (308) 995-4158
Residents of Holdrege can finally travel through
town without dodging detours.
Construction was completed in November
on a new Highway 6 & 34 east entrance to the
city. Business owners in that area were glad to
have traffic cruising in front of their businesses
again and to have a beautiful new highway and
sidewalks with decorative brick.
When visitors enter Holdrege from the
east, they now see a “thriving and prosperous
looking community,” Holdrege Area Chamber of
Commerce Executive Director Carol Rapstine
said. “When you pull into a rural town with a
highway full of cracks and potholes, you get
the sense that no one cares, no one is doing
anything to make improvements. So for Holdrege,
it’s clear to see that we are a community that is
working very hard to make improvements and
keep our community looking up-to-date, clean and
attractive. This makes people want to come here
to visit, shop, eat and maybe even move here.”
The highway was closed from the east edge of
Holdrege to East Avenue beginning in April.
Dale Geiselman, co-owner of Napa Auto Parts,
said he learned to appreciate his business’s prime
location on the highway.
“When it’s gone, it makes a big difference,” he
said. “We are grateful to have the highway open
again so we have some traffic going through.”
The chamber coordinated a grand re-opening
celebration of the highway Nov. 9-13. Businesses
offered free meals, prizes and specials throughout
the week.
Rapstine said the next phase of the 6 & 34
project has now been pushed back to the spring
A downtown sidewalk and lighting
project began in October with the
reconstruction of sidewalks on West
Avenue between Fourth and Fifth
streets and the installation of new street
lights.
Chamber Director Carol Rapstine
said work was a little behind schedule
as 2015 ended, and crews were
planning to start work on East Avenue
between Fourth and Fifth Avenues in
the spring of 2016 and finish before
Swedish Days.
East and West Avenues between
Third and Fourth Avenues are now
scheduled to be completed in the
summer of 2016.
The City of Holdrege and a state
grant funded this part of the project,
while PCDC provided funding for the
first phase, facade improvements.
of 2018.
She said business owners should start
preparing now for that project by setting aside
funds for additional advertising campaigns and
specials that will draw customers in to their stores
and restaurants.
Construction also began on a project to
repave 11th Avenue from Burlington to Arthur last
summer, and that project wrapped up as 2015
ended.
Iron Horse Update
For more on PCDC: GrowingPhelpsin5.com
For newcomers: JustThePlaceNebraska.com
For businesses: phelpscountyne.com
Those Blasted Signs installed
a sign on PCDC’s 134-acre
business and industry park in
December. The sign is another
tool for marketing the land,
which is available for any new
or expanding business. The Iron
Horse land is west of Holdrege
near Allmand Bros. For more
information on the site, visit
www.phelpscountyne.com.
Newsletter Editor - Kristine Jacobson
Please send news releases, news tips
and story ideas to
krjacobson@q.com
or call (308) 995-5561
2
Downtown Update
Phelps County Development Corporation
Winter 2016
and Recruit Talent
New Partnership Connects Students to Careers
The Phelps County Development
Corporation is partnering with the
Nebraska Cooperative Extension to
offer a new program to area ninth
graders to expose them to future
career choices.
The Connecting the Dots
program has been offered in
other counties across Nebraska
and is designed to help students
“connect the dots” from ninth grade
through postsecondary study to the
workplace. Students complete a
Kuder career exploration test prior to
registering to determine their career
interests.
PCDC Project Coordinator
Alli Donohue said the goal of the
program is expose kids at an early
age to careers and encourage
them to starting thinking about the
educational steps to reach that job.
fields.
“This gives them a chance to
discover what they are good at and
pursue careers in those areas,”
Donohue said.
At the event, students will
n Experience a “real life”
simulation to learn how their high
school choices impact their post
secondary study and their workplace
experiences.
n Learn more about their favorite
careers.
n Learn about the importance of
networking as they begin to prepare
for their careers.
n Build work readiness skills
including resume building and
interviewing.
n Complete personality
inventories to relate to future jobs.
“It also offers an opportunity for
local professionals and businesses
to demonstrate how each career
cluster is represented in Phelps
County and that there are local
jobs for almost all of the possible
career paths they are considering,”
Donohue said.
The program is intended to
complement the Holdrege Area
Chamber of Commerce Career Fair
on April 6 that invites sophomores
from a wider area to Holdrege to
introduce them to potential future
employers and careers in Phelps
County.
The program uses the standard
Career Cluster Wheel that identifies
16 career “clusters.” After student
strengths are determined, they
will have the chance to visit with
employees working in those actual
This program is made possible in
Phelps County through funding from
PCDC.
The Connecting the Dots Program
will take place March 30 for students
in Holdrege, Loomis and Bertrand.
2015 YELP (Youth Engaged in Leading Phelps)
Graduates. Front from left, Alyssa Miller, Holdrege; Bailey
Porter, Holdrege; Brooke Rademacher, Loomis; Adyson
Furlong, Bertrand; Back from left, Emily Salisbury,
Holdrege, Austyn Perez, Holdrege; Carli Huston,
Holdrege; Kristine Edgren, Bertrand. Not pictured:
Treianne Park, Loomis; Mattie Thompson, Loomis.
Teens Learn About Leading, Serving
Ten Phelps County high school students learned about
leadership and serving the community in the 2015 YELP
program. The teens met monthly to learn from community
leaders, and they will now be putting to use the skills they
learned for individual community service projects.
Some of the projects include a band mentor program for
middle school students, a kids art program, improvements to
the Holdrege swimming pool, a summer reading program for
Loomis students, a community art festival and an adopt-agrandparent program at Christian Homes.
The 2015 program was coordinated by the University of
Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Phelps and Gosper Counties, the
Holdrege Area Chamber of Commerce and the PCDC. Many
businesses also contributed to sponsor the students.
Students Encouraged to Apply for High Demand Jobs Scholarships
Students interested in returning to Phelps
County after college or trade school may want
to consider applying for a special scholarship to
help fund their education.
The Phelps County High-Demand Jobs
Scholarships are offered to anyone interested
in studying to work in fields that struggle to
find employees, such as manufacturing and
production, engineering technology, diesel
Winter 2016
mechanic technology, welding, electrical,
agriculture, medical fields or other construction
or maintenance trades. Preference will be given
to students studying at a technical or trade
school less than 2 years in duration.
In 2014, 13 Phelps County students received
scholarships ranging from $2,000-$2,500. In
2015, nine students received scholarships
ranging from $1,000-$6,000.
Phelps County Development Corporation
The scholarships are funded through
LB840 sales tax funds and private donations
from PCDC’s Prosperity Project fund-raising
campaign and by a grant from the Phelps
County Community Foundation.
Students interested in applying for the
2016 scholarship need to apply by February
16 through the Phelps County Community
Foundation web site.
Fall 2013
7
7
Business Updates
Housing Solutions
New Duplexes to Provide Housing for Professionals
Phelps County Shows Generosity
The Phelps County Community Foundation’s
give2Grow event on Nov. 19 resulted in
$688,000 in donations to area non-profits,
proving once again the generosity and culture of
giving that exists in Phelps County.
The foundation is ranked as the fourth largest
Nebraska foundation based on total assets
(of the 12 Nebraska community foundations
that belong to the Council on Foundations).
It awarded $250,000 in scholarship to 112
students in 2015 and annually gives more than
$200,000 in grants to area organizations.
The foundation celebrates its 40th
anniversary in 2016 and will also be moving
from its current location to a new location at
424 Garfield to make room for its growing staff,
which now includes four employees.
New Community Guide Published
PCDC has released a new Holdrege community guide that will be used as a recruitment tool
and as a resource for local residents.
The 36-page publication contains information about local
businesses, schools,
churches and recreation opportunities as
Holdrege
well as data like labor
COMMUNITY
N E B R A S K A
GUIDE
pool statistics and
tax information that
would be pertinent to
potential new businesses or industry.
JustThePlaceNebraska.com
PhelpsCountyNE.com
Economic Development
Certified Community
The Nebraska Public Power District offers free
assistance to the towns it serves to create community guides. The Phelps County Development
Corporation took the lead on making it happen
locally over the past year thanks to the information gathering skills and time of PCDC Administrative Assistant Stacy Pafford.
Pafford began work on the project in June of
2014 and gathered photographs and statistics
during the past year.
A previous community guide had been published in 2010.
An online version of the guide is available at
www.phelpcountyne.com and can be updated
with small changes as they occur. NPPD suggests a full update to community guides every
two years. Hard copies of the guide are available
in the PCDC office.
6
First State Bank Remodel Complete
A lobby and office remodel has been completed at the First State Bank of Holdrege. Branch
president James Arnold said the remodel, which began in July, included creating new
customer service offices and moving the teller area so that tellers can serve both walk-up
customers and drive-through customers from the same area. All ag lenders are also now
located on the main floor so customers won’t have to climb stairs to see their bankers.
The grays, oranges, browns and greens in the new lobby match a mural in the bank that
was created by Holdrege native Jane Wilson. The bank lobby also displays a new bronze
sculpture called “Hometown,” created by Holdrege native George Lundeen.
Naylor Starts Online Newspaper
Bridal Isle Updates With Grant
Carrie Naylor, owner of the Bertrand Herald,
has started an online newspaper for Phelps
County, The Phelps
County Independent.
Naylor said she
started the new online
publication in the fall of
2015 after noticing that
Phelps County did not
have an online news
source.
“I wanted to be able to put the news up so
everyone can read it free of charge and give
advertisers an opportunity to feature their businesses,” Naylor said. “People need information.”
The PCI website will include community
happenings; social, business, farm and ranch
and government news; editorials; public notices;
obituaries; academic and sports news; and state
news pertaining to Phelps County.
Naylor is originally from Lexington and has
worked at newspapers in Lexington and Cozad
in pagination, ad design and other departments.
The newspaper can be found at www.phelpscountyindependent.com.
The Bridal Isle in Loomis now has an updated
exterior to match its new interior redesign
thanks to a facade improvement grant through
the Phelps County Development Corporation.
Phelps County Development Corporation
Owner Karla Axtell, who purchased the longtime Loomis business a year ago, said thanks
to a PCDC grant, she was able to spruce up
the exterior of her business by adding four new
awnings, pillars, new signs, new siding to create
a uniform look to the exterior, new first-floor
windows and lighting.
“It’s absolutely beautiful,” Axtell said. “I love it.
I’ve had lots of good comments about it.”
PCDC provided the $15,000 grant, and Axtell
matched it to complete the project.
“It’s a huge blessing,” Axtell said. “We are so
thankful for it.”
The facade improvement grants were made
possible through LB840 sales tax funds.
The store sells dresses for brides, wedding
parties and proms, and offers tuxedo rentals
and accessories, such as shoes and jewelry. It
is located in downtown Loomis.
Winter 2016
When BD Plant Manager Chuck Mix moved
to Holdrege in 2014, he said finding a home was
challenging.
“There was not near enough opportunities to
look at many homes,” Mix said.
Plus, he was looking for two homes since his
in-laws were moving to Holdrege as well. And,
he was seeking a newer home to lessen his
wife’s mold allergy symptoms.
Luckily, Mix was able to find a house for his
in-laws that he heard about by word of mouth
the day before it went on the market, and they
snatched up a new duplex on Valerie Drive in
the new Lincoln Place Development.
But now, when Mix is seeking to hire other
professionals at BD,
he sees the housing
problem continue.
“I know there’s a lot
of people who work for
me at BD who live in
Kearney just because
they can’t find anything
here that’s move-in
ready and nice,” Mix said.
The goal of a new six-unit housing
development on Burlington Street will be to
provide upper management housing to keep
new employees from living out of town due to
lack of a places to live in Holdrege.
“We are seeing a higher rise in folks
commuting than we are actually living here
and working here,” said Capri Chapman,
Executive Director of the Holdrege Development
Corporation. “That’s a concern our agency has,
and we’d like to keep our people here. It’s going
to help the growth of our town and the taxes
coming in here.”
Chapman said HDC purchased two lots at
1007 Burlington Street for $10,000 from the City
of Holdrege to construct three duplexes. The lots
are located across the street to the west of the
Labor Study Shows Commuting Trends
A 2011 labor study conducted for Phelps County showed the following statistics:
WORKERS COMMUTING INTO COUNTY:
44 percent of employees in Phelps County commuted to work from other counties
TOP COUNTIES COMMUTERS DRIVE FROM:
6.2 percent from Buffalo County (263 jobs)
4.5 percent from Harlan County (192 jobs)
3.8 percent from Kearney County (163 jobs)
29.5 percent from other counties (1,250 jobs)
old Washington School.
Chapman plans to apply for a grant to obtain
partial funding for the units through a new
Workforce Housing Initiative grant through NIFA
(Nebraska Investment Finance Authority).
If all goes as planned, Chapman said they
could break ground on new housing complex
in the late summer or early fall of 2016. It is yet
to be decided if the duplexes will be rentals or
rent-to-own properties.
“They can go ahead and rent from us and
still give themselves time enough to see where
they would want to live in Holdrege, whether
they would want to build a place or buy an older
home that’s already existing,” Chapman said.
Chapman said she has consistently heard
from leaders at BD, Allmand Bros and PMHC
that finding housing for professionals they are
trying to recruit is a roadblock they are facing.
Chapman said many of these managers
ultimately rent in Kearney and may end up living
there permanently and commuting to Holdrege.
This workforce housing initiative rounds
out the current HDC housing projects being
developed in Holdrege. The HDC is also
currently offering lots for sale for single-family
homes with no income restrictions (Prairie
View), low-income rental units (Windhaven), and
duplexes (Lincoln Place).
WINDHAVEN ESTATES
Construction has officially begun on the new
Windhaven Estates project on the south side of
the Prairie View Addition on 12th Avenue.
McElhinney Builders is constructing the
16 units (eight duplexes). The first units are
expected to be completed by Feb. 1. The
target market for Windhaven rentals is working
families. All renters would have to apply
for residency and fall under certain income
guidelines. Monthly rents would range from
$425-$615.
PRAIRIE VIEW ADDITION
Construction has begun on the first new
home in the Prairie View Addition east of Lincoln
Street. And, construction on a second home is
expected to begin soon. Chapman said of the 15
lots in Prairie View, nine are still available. Lot
prices range from $28,500-$38,600, and there
are no income limits or restrictions.
Bertrand Receives NIFA Grant to Study Housing Study Needs
The Village of Bertrand has received a grant
to study the community’s housing needs.
Lori Ferguson, housing consultant with the
South Central Economic Development District,
said her agency will conduct the study for
Winter 2016
Bertrand with the help of a grant from NIFA
(Nebraska Investment Finance Authority).
Ferguson said SCEDD will study the existing
housing and conduct a community needs
assessment. The study will include surveys
Phelps County Development Corporation
that will be completed by Bertrand residents, a
“windshield” assessment of existing homes and
collaboration with the Bertrand Village Board
and the Bertrand Housing Authority. A final
report is expected by late 2016.
3
Inspiring Entrepreneurs
Retention Strategies
EDGE Gives Boost To Local Businesses
Aspiring brew masters, a professional
organizer and two owners of a local clothing
boutique are among the participants of the
2015 EDGE class.
Business in Motion started as a way for
Phelps County entrepreneurs to set aside time
from the daily grind of running a business to
network, set goals and plan for the future of their
businesses.
Mark Kraus, who moved to Holdrege in
December 2014, changed his business plan
from a four-page document to a 40-page
detailed plan after taking the class.
“He was talking about how if you are going
to do a business, you have to do what you love
and put your passion into it and do it in the right
way,” Kraus said. “I’ve always thought that, but
it’s good to hear someone who is successful
saying that.”
Kraus said networking and making new
connections was another benefit to attending
the program, especially since he is a recent
transplant to the area. He is originally from
Michigan, served in the Marines and was living
in California before coming to Holdrege for a
job at BD.
“We moved here to be part of a small town,
and we want to be able to contribute to that
and to help the town to grow and be a place
that people want to come to,” Kraus said.
Other business owners took the class to
improve an existing business.
Kendra Huston, owner of Solutions, said
she started her business in 2002, but it has
changed and evolved over that time. She
now specializes in helping clients organize,
re-arrange, decorate and create systems
for calming the chaos for a more peaceful
environment.
“I think for a creative person, at least for
myself, the business side doesn’t come as
4
Learn, Network at Business in Motion
Are you a business owner who wants to
learn more about time management, marketing
or other issues your business may be facing?
Glean knowledge from other proprietors and
learn from a national business program at
PCDC’s monthly Business in Motion meeting.
From business plans to marketing advice,
networking and hearing from successful
community leaders, EDGE (Enhancing,
Developing and Growing Entrepreneurs)
participants agreed that the 12-week class has
given them the tools to grow and improve their
businesses.
Kraus and his brother-in-law, Jason Hines,
are owners of Lost Way Brewing Company and
are hoping to open a brewery in Holdrege.
Kraus said he particularly enjoyed hearing
from Central Valley Irrigation owner Monty
Vonasek.
PCDC OFFERS EDUCATION & FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
The group meets on the second Tuesday
of each month at 8:30 a.m. at Fourth Avenue
Coffee, 612 E. 4th Ave.
Stacey Wendell, left, and Margaret Kring operate Divine and My Fair Lady Fashions at 410
West Ave. in downtown Holdrege. Both participated in the 2015 EDGE class.
naturally, yet it’s vital,” Huston said.
She said the class forced her to create a
mission statement for her business, which was
beneficial for her.
“I think it would
give any business
a good foundation
of knowledge to
help them with their
business,” Huston
said.
Margaret Kring,
owner of My Fair
Kendra Huston
Lady Fashions, and
her business partner,
Stacey Wendell, owner of Divine, operate their
business together under the same roof at 410
West Ave. in downtown Holdrege.
Wendell has a degree in business and has
a background in interior design and other
businesses. A few years ago, she started
selling jewelry that she designs at My Fair Lady
Fashions.
In January 2015, Wendell moved to the
Bertrand area and purchased the accessory
and jewelry portion of Kring’s business. She’s
also added women’s fashion shoes and
children’s clothing to her offerings.
Phelps County Development Corporation
Wendell said she enjoyed the support and
connections she made with the other EDGE
class participants and particularly enjoyed the
seminar on marketing.
“It was good for learning all the business
aspects from the finances, to your marketing,
to your purchasing,” Wendell said of the class.
Kring had previously taken the EDGE class
but took it a second time and learned new
information because of the different presenters
this time.
“I haven’t had a lot of business classes in
high school or college, so anytime I can take a
class like this I am always learning something,”
Kring said.
She said the class also opens doors to the
many resources available to small business
owners.
Other local 2015 EDGE class participants
were Carrie Naylor, Bertrand Herald and
Phelps County Independent; Barb Malm, NAS
Realty; and Elisha & Brian Steinbach, Fourth
Avenue Coffee.
The EDGE class is a program of the PK
Partnership. PCDC is one of the sponsors of
the program. PCDC Program Coordinator Alli
Donohue was the program manager of EDGE
this session.
Winter 2016
Wendell Connell, partner in Edgren Building,
said he has been attending the Business in
Motion meetings because he appreciates the
feedback and knowledge he gains from the other
business owners.
“It is a good resource for small businesses
in rural areas because you can come together
and bounce ideas off of each other,” Connell
said. “You get real time feedback because
you are talking to other people who live in this
community.”
He said even though some of the discussions
might center on a retail business, he can always
find something that applies to his serviceoriented business as well. He has gained
valuable knowledge about marketing and using
social media from the
group and feels the time
spent at the meetings is
valuable.
“If you take the time to
work on your business,
then it will grow,” Connell
said he has learned. “If
you don’t take the time, it
will stagnate.”
Carrie Naylor, owner
of the Bertrand Herald,
said that as a newcomer
to the county, the group The Business in Motion group meets on the second Tuesday of
helped her to learn and the month at Fourth Avenue Coffee. Pictured from left are local
to network.
entrepreneurs Wendell Connell, Kris Shaver, Elisha Steinbach,
Carrie Naylor, Barb Malm and Tina Wiese. (photo provided by Carrie
“It was nice to get
Naylor)
together with other
people in business in
of business owners in multiple downtowns and
the community and get to know them and learn
rural communities at the same time.
about their businesses,” she said.
PCDC Project Coordinator Alli Donohue said
PCDC recently contracted with the Jon
the local group will prioritize the 2016 topics at
Schallert Destination University and will begin
its meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 12.
offering its online trainings to Business in Motion
attendees.
Donohue said all Phelps County business
Destination University was created in 2006
by The Schallert Group when they were asked
by the Kansas Main Street Program and Main
Street New Jersey to create an affordable online
training program that could reach thousands
owners are invited. She encourages business
owners to make a commitment to the group with
regular attendance to maintain group cohesion.
There is no charge, and free coffee is provided
to attendees.
Loan Fund Grows, Increasing Ability to Help Businesses
In the past 12 years, the Phelps County
Development Corporation has loaned $2 million
to 24 businesses through its revolving loan fund.
In 2002, the local option municipal sales tax
for economic development had generated just
shy of $40,000. PCDC put $36,000 of it to work
in 2003 by issuing two loans, one for a startup
and the other to attract a new business.
By 2009, the PCDC board had set up a
mechanism to set aside some funds specifically
to build the size of the reserves. Between the
savings plan and the interest on loans, the
fund is over $800,000. Today, about $670,000
is available in cash and ready to loan to
Winter 2016
businesses.
The loans fill a gap between what a bank will
loan and what a business needs to proceed with
a project or to just get started.
In the past, business owners have secured
PCDC loans for technology updates, remodels,
start-up costs and succession planning. The
loan fund helped renovate the Sun Theater,
remodel Dairy Queen and construct a new Ag
West Commodities headquarters in Holdrege at
the former location of the Tower Motel.
The revolving loan fund can lend up to 50
percent of a project’s total cost, and owners
must provide at least 10 percent equity. The
Phelps County Development Corporation
loans must be repaid in 10 years for fixed assets
or 5 years for other assets. The interest rate
on the loans is at least 4 percent, but no higher
than half the bank’s interest rate.
Businesses considering applying for a loan
through the revolving loan fund should first
contact their local bank before contacting
PCDC. If a bank is unable to fund the entire
project, that’s where PCDC’s revolving loan fund
can help.
The loan fund is made available through the
local-option sales tax, also known as LB840.
For more information about the loans, please
call Alli Donohue at PCDC at (308) 995-4148.
5
Inspiring Entrepreneurs
Retention Strategies
EDGE Gives Boost To Local Businesses
Aspiring brew masters, a professional
organizer and two owners of a local clothing
boutique are among the participants of the
2015 EDGE class.
Business in Motion started as a way for
Phelps County entrepreneurs to set aside time
from the daily grind of running a business to
network, set goals and plan for the future of their
businesses.
Mark Kraus, who moved to Holdrege in
December 2014, changed his business plan
from a four-page document to a 40-page
detailed plan after taking the class.
“He was talking about how if you are going
to do a business, you have to do what you love
and put your passion into it and do it in the right
way,” Kraus said. “I’ve always thought that, but
it’s good to hear someone who is successful
saying that.”
Kraus said networking and making new
connections was another benefit to attending
the program, especially since he is a recent
transplant to the area. He is originally from
Michigan, served in the Marines and was living
in California before coming to Holdrege for a
job at BD.
“We moved here to be part of a small town,
and we want to be able to contribute to that
and to help the town to grow and be a place
that people want to come to,” Kraus said.
Other business owners took the class to
improve an existing business.
Kendra Huston, owner of Solutions, said
she started her business in 2002, but it has
changed and evolved over that time. She
now specializes in helping clients organize,
re-arrange, decorate and create systems
for calming the chaos for a more peaceful
environment.
“I think for a creative person, at least for
myself, the business side doesn’t come as
4
Learn, Network at Business in Motion
Are you a business owner who wants to
learn more about time management, marketing
or other issues your business may be facing?
Glean knowledge from other proprietors and
learn from a national business program at
PCDC’s monthly Business in Motion meeting.
From business plans to marketing advice,
networking and hearing from successful
community leaders, EDGE (Enhancing,
Developing and Growing Entrepreneurs)
participants agreed that the 12-week class has
given them the tools to grow and improve their
businesses.
Kraus and his brother-in-law, Jason Hines,
are owners of Lost Way Brewing Company and
are hoping to open a brewery in Holdrege.
Kraus said he particularly enjoyed hearing
from Central Valley Irrigation owner Monty
Vonasek.
PCDC OFFERS EDUCATION & FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
The group meets on the second Tuesday
of each month at 8:30 a.m. at Fourth Avenue
Coffee, 612 E. 4th Ave.
Stacey Wendell, left, and Margaret Kring operate Divine and My Fair Lady Fashions at 410
West Ave. in downtown Holdrege. Both participated in the 2015 EDGE class.
naturally, yet it’s vital,” Huston said.
She said the class forced her to create a
mission statement for her business, which was
beneficial for her.
“I think it would
give any business
a good foundation
of knowledge to
help them with their
business,” Huston
said.
Margaret Kring,
owner of My Fair
Kendra Huston
Lady Fashions, and
her business partner,
Stacey Wendell, owner of Divine, operate their
business together under the same roof at 410
West Ave. in downtown Holdrege.
Wendell has a degree in business and has
a background in interior design and other
businesses. A few years ago, she started
selling jewelry that she designs at My Fair Lady
Fashions.
In January 2015, Wendell moved to the
Bertrand area and purchased the accessory
and jewelry portion of Kring’s business. She’s
also added women’s fashion shoes and
children’s clothing to her offerings.
Phelps County Development Corporation
Wendell said she enjoyed the support and
connections she made with the other EDGE
class participants and particularly enjoyed the
seminar on marketing.
“It was good for learning all the business
aspects from the finances, to your marketing,
to your purchasing,” Wendell said of the class.
Kring had previously taken the EDGE class
but took it a second time and learned new
information because of the different presenters
this time.
“I haven’t had a lot of business classes in
high school or college, so anytime I can take a
class like this I am always learning something,”
Kring said.
She said the class also opens doors to the
many resources available to small business
owners.
Other local 2015 EDGE class participants
were Carrie Naylor, Bertrand Herald and
Phelps County Independent; Barb Malm, NAS
Realty; and Elisha & Brian Steinbach, Fourth
Avenue Coffee.
The EDGE class is a program of the PK
Partnership. PCDC is one of the sponsors of
the program. PCDC Program Coordinator Alli
Donohue was the program manager of EDGE
this session.
Winter 2016
Wendell Connell, partner in Edgren Building,
said he has been attending the Business in
Motion meetings because he appreciates the
feedback and knowledge he gains from the other
business owners.
“It is a good resource for small businesses
in rural areas because you can come together
and bounce ideas off of each other,” Connell
said. “You get real time feedback because
you are talking to other people who live in this
community.”
He said even though some of the discussions
might center on a retail business, he can always
find something that applies to his serviceoriented business as well. He has gained
valuable knowledge about marketing and using
social media from the
group and feels the time
spent at the meetings is
valuable.
“If you take the time to
work on your business,
then it will grow,” Connell
said he has learned. “If
you don’t take the time, it
will stagnate.”
Carrie Naylor, owner
of the Bertrand Herald,
said that as a newcomer
to the county, the group The Business in Motion group meets on the second Tuesday of
helped her to learn and the month at Fourth Avenue Coffee. Pictured from left are local
to network.
entrepreneurs Wendell Connell, Kris Shaver, Elisha Steinbach,
Carrie Naylor, Barb Malm and Tina Wiese. (photo provided by Carrie
“It was nice to get
Naylor)
together with other
people in business in
of business owners in multiple downtowns and
the community and get to know them and learn
rural communities at the same time.
about their businesses,” she said.
PCDC Project Coordinator Alli Donohue said
PCDC recently contracted with the Jon
the local group will prioritize the 2016 topics at
Schallert Destination University and will begin
its meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 12.
offering its online trainings to Business in Motion
attendees.
Donohue said all Phelps County business
Destination University was created in 2006
by The Schallert Group when they were asked
by the Kansas Main Street Program and Main
Street New Jersey to create an affordable online
training program that could reach thousands
owners are invited. She encourages business
owners to make a commitment to the group with
regular attendance to maintain group cohesion.
There is no charge, and free coffee is provided
to attendees.
Loan Fund Grows, Increasing Ability to Help Businesses
In the past 12 years, the Phelps County
Development Corporation has loaned $2 million
to 24 businesses through its revolving loan fund.
In 2002, the local option municipal sales tax
for economic development had generated just
shy of $40,000. PCDC put $36,000 of it to work
in 2003 by issuing two loans, one for a startup
and the other to attract a new business.
By 2009, the PCDC board had set up a
mechanism to set aside some funds specifically
to build the size of the reserves. Between the
savings plan and the interest on loans, the
fund is over $800,000. Today, about $670,000
is available in cash and ready to loan to
Winter 2016
businesses.
The loans fill a gap between what a bank will
loan and what a business needs to proceed with
a project or to just get started.
In the past, business owners have secured
PCDC loans for technology updates, remodels,
start-up costs and succession planning. The
loan fund helped renovate the Sun Theater,
remodel Dairy Queen and construct a new Ag
West Commodities headquarters in Holdrege at
the former location of the Tower Motel.
The revolving loan fund can lend up to 50
percent of a project’s total cost, and owners
must provide at least 10 percent equity. The
Phelps County Development Corporation
loans must be repaid in 10 years for fixed assets
or 5 years for other assets. The interest rate
on the loans is at least 4 percent, but no higher
than half the bank’s interest rate.
Businesses considering applying for a loan
through the revolving loan fund should first
contact their local bank before contacting
PCDC. If a bank is unable to fund the entire
project, that’s where PCDC’s revolving loan fund
can help.
The loan fund is made available through the
local-option sales tax, also known as LB840.
For more information about the loans, please
call Alli Donohue at PCDC at (308) 995-4148.
5
Business Updates
Housing Solutions
New Duplexes to Provide Housing for Professionals
Phelps County Shows Generosity
The Phelps County Community Foundation’s
give2Grow event on Nov. 19 resulted in
$688,000 in donations to area non-profits,
proving once again the generosity and culture of
giving that exists in Phelps County.
The foundation is ranked as the fourth largest
Nebraska foundation based on total assets
(of the 12 Nebraska community foundations
that belong to the Council on Foundations).
It awarded $250,000 in scholarship to 112
students in 2015 and annually gives more than
$200,000 in grants to area organizations.
The foundation celebrates its 40th
anniversary in 2016 and will also be moving
from its current location to a new location at
424 Garfield to make room for its growing staff,
which now includes four employees.
New Community Guide Published
PCDC has released a new Holdrege community guide that will be used as a recruitment tool
and as a resource for local residents.
The 36-page publication contains information about local
businesses, schools,
churches and recreation opportunities as
Holdrege
well as data like labor
COMMUNITY
N E B R A S K A
GUIDE
pool statistics and
tax information that
would be pertinent to
potential new businesses or industry.
JustThePlaceNebraska.com
PhelpsCountyNE.com
Economic Development
Certified Community
The Nebraska Public Power District offers free
assistance to the towns it serves to create community guides. The Phelps County Development
Corporation took the lead on making it happen
locally over the past year thanks to the information gathering skills and time of PCDC Administrative Assistant Stacy Pafford.
Pafford began work on the project in June of
2014 and gathered photographs and statistics
during the past year.
A previous community guide had been published in 2010.
An online version of the guide is available at
www.phelpcountyne.com and can be updated
with small changes as they occur. NPPD suggests a full update to community guides every
two years. Hard copies of the guide are available
in the PCDC office.
6
First State Bank Remodel Complete
A lobby and office remodel has been completed at the First State Bank of Holdrege. Branch
president James Arnold said the remodel, which began in July, included creating new
customer service offices and moving the teller area so that tellers can serve both walk-up
customers and drive-through customers from the same area. All ag lenders are also now
located on the main floor so customers won’t have to climb stairs to see their bankers.
The grays, oranges, browns and greens in the new lobby match a mural in the bank that
was created by Holdrege native Jane Wilson. The bank lobby also displays a new bronze
sculpture called “Hometown,” created by Holdrege native George Lundeen.
Naylor Starts Online Newspaper
Bridal Isle Updates With Grant
Carrie Naylor, owner of the Bertrand Herald,
has started an online newspaper for Phelps
County, The Phelps
County Independent.
Naylor said she
started the new online
publication in the fall of
2015 after noticing that
Phelps County did not
have an online news
source.
“I wanted to be able to put the news up so
everyone can read it free of charge and give
advertisers an opportunity to feature their businesses,” Naylor said. “People need information.”
The PCI website will include community
happenings; social, business, farm and ranch
and government news; editorials; public notices;
obituaries; academic and sports news; and state
news pertaining to Phelps County.
Naylor is originally from Lexington and has
worked at newspapers in Lexington and Cozad
in pagination, ad design and other departments.
The newspaper can be found at www.phelpscountyindependent.com.
The Bridal Isle in Loomis now has an updated
exterior to match its new interior redesign
thanks to a facade improvement grant through
the Phelps County Development Corporation.
Phelps County Development Corporation
Owner Karla Axtell, who purchased the longtime Loomis business a year ago, said thanks
to a PCDC grant, she was able to spruce up
the exterior of her business by adding four new
awnings, pillars, new signs, new siding to create
a uniform look to the exterior, new first-floor
windows and lighting.
“It’s absolutely beautiful,” Axtell said. “I love it.
I’ve had lots of good comments about it.”
PCDC provided the $15,000 grant, and Axtell
matched it to complete the project.
“It’s a huge blessing,” Axtell said. “We are so
thankful for it.”
The facade improvement grants were made
possible through LB840 sales tax funds.
The store sells dresses for brides, wedding
parties and proms, and offers tuxedo rentals
and accessories, such as shoes and jewelry. It
is located in downtown Loomis.
Winter 2016
When BD Plant Manager Chuck Mix moved
to Holdrege in 2014, he said finding a home was
challenging.
“There was not near enough opportunities to
look at many homes,” Mix said.
Plus, he was looking for two homes since his
in-laws were moving to Holdrege as well. And,
he was seeking a newer home to lessen his
wife’s mold allergy symptoms.
Luckily, Mix was able to find a house for his
in-laws that he heard about by word of mouth
the day before it went on the market, and they
snatched up a new duplex on Valerie Drive in
the new Lincoln Place Development.
But now, when Mix is seeking to hire other
professionals at BD,
he sees the housing
problem continue.
“I know there’s a lot
of people who work for
me at BD who live in
Kearney just because
they can’t find anything
here that’s move-in
ready and nice,” Mix said.
The goal of a new six-unit housing
development on Burlington Street will be to
provide upper management housing to keep
new employees from living out of town due to
lack of a places to live in Holdrege.
“We are seeing a higher rise in folks
commuting than we are actually living here
and working here,” said Capri Chapman,
Executive Director of the Holdrege Development
Corporation. “That’s a concern our agency has,
and we’d like to keep our people here. It’s going
to help the growth of our town and the taxes
coming in here.”
Chapman said HDC purchased two lots at
1007 Burlington Street for $10,000 from the City
of Holdrege to construct three duplexes. The lots
are located across the street to the west of the
Labor Study Shows Commuting Trends
A 2011 labor study conducted for Phelps County showed the following statistics:
WORKERS COMMUTING INTO COUNTY:
44 percent of employees in Phelps County commuted to work from other counties
TOP COUNTIES COMMUTERS DRIVE FROM:
6.2 percent from Buffalo County (263 jobs)
4.5 percent from Harlan County (192 jobs)
3.8 percent from Kearney County (163 jobs)
29.5 percent from other counties (1,250 jobs)
old Washington School.
Chapman plans to apply for a grant to obtain
partial funding for the units through a new
Workforce Housing Initiative grant through NIFA
(Nebraska Investment Finance Authority).
If all goes as planned, Chapman said they
could break ground on new housing complex
in the late summer or early fall of 2016. It is yet
to be decided if the duplexes will be rentals or
rent-to-own properties.
“They can go ahead and rent from us and
still give themselves time enough to see where
they would want to live in Holdrege, whether
they would want to build a place or buy an older
home that’s already existing,” Chapman said.
Chapman said she has consistently heard
from leaders at BD, Allmand Bros and PMHC
that finding housing for professionals they are
trying to recruit is a roadblock they are facing.
Chapman said many of these managers
ultimately rent in Kearney and may end up living
there permanently and commuting to Holdrege.
This workforce housing initiative rounds
out the current HDC housing projects being
developed in Holdrege. The HDC is also
currently offering lots for sale for single-family
homes with no income restrictions (Prairie
View), low-income rental units (Windhaven), and
duplexes (Lincoln Place).
WINDHAVEN ESTATES
Construction has officially begun on the new
Windhaven Estates project on the south side of
the Prairie View Addition on 12th Avenue.
McElhinney Builders is constructing the
16 units (eight duplexes). The first units are
expected to be completed by Feb. 1. The
target market for Windhaven rentals is working
families. All renters would have to apply
for residency and fall under certain income
guidelines. Monthly rents would range from
$425-$615.
PRAIRIE VIEW ADDITION
Construction has begun on the first new
home in the Prairie View Addition east of Lincoln
Street. And, construction on a second home is
expected to begin soon. Chapman said of the 15
lots in Prairie View, nine are still available. Lot
prices range from $28,500-$38,600, and there
are no income limits or restrictions.
Bertrand Receives NIFA Grant to Study Housing Study Needs
The Village of Bertrand has received a grant
to study the community’s housing needs.
Lori Ferguson, housing consultant with the
South Central Economic Development District,
said her agency will conduct the study for
Winter 2016
Bertrand with the help of a grant from NIFA
(Nebraska Investment Finance Authority).
Ferguson said SCEDD will study the existing
housing and conduct a community needs
assessment. The study will include surveys
Phelps County Development Corporation
that will be completed by Bertrand residents, a
“windshield” assessment of existing homes and
collaboration with the Bertrand Village Board
and the Bertrand Housing Authority. A final
report is expected by late 2016.
3
DQ
Collaborate
and Promote
DOLLAR GENERAL
Inspire
Detours Disappear, New Streets Open
Executive Director
Monica Boyken
Project Coordinator
Alli Donohue
Administrative Assistant
Stacy Pafford
Officers
Fred Diedrichsen - President
Phil Hinrichs- Vice President
Karen Benjamin - Secretary/Treasurer
Board of Directors
Tim Anderson
Bob Dahlgren
Michele High
Grant Hinze
Reed McClymont
Thomas Nutt
Tim Rehm
Doug Stevenson
Jim Wiser
502 East Avenue, Suite 201
PO Box 522
Holdrege, NE 68949-0522
ph (308) 995-4148
fax (308) 995-4158
Residents of Holdrege can finally travel through
town without dodging detours.
Construction was completed in November
on a new Highway 6 & 34 east entrance to the
city. Business owners in that area were glad to
have traffic cruising in front of their businesses
again and to have a beautiful new highway and
sidewalks with decorative brick.
When visitors enter Holdrege from the
east, they now see a “thriving and prosperous
looking community,” Holdrege Area Chamber of
Commerce Executive Director Carol Rapstine
said. “When you pull into a rural town with a
highway full of cracks and potholes, you get
the sense that no one cares, no one is doing
anything to make improvements. So for Holdrege,
it’s clear to see that we are a community that is
working very hard to make improvements and
keep our community looking up-to-date, clean and
attractive. This makes people want to come here
to visit, shop, eat and maybe even move here.”
The highway was closed from the east edge of
Holdrege to East Avenue beginning in April.
Dale Geiselman, co-owner of Napa Auto Parts,
said he learned to appreciate his business’s prime
location on the highway.
“When it’s gone, it makes a big difference,” he
said. “We are grateful to have the highway open
again so we have some traffic going through.”
The chamber coordinated a grand re-opening
celebration of the highway Nov. 9-13. Businesses
offered free meals, prizes and specials throughout
the week.
Rapstine said the next phase of the 6 & 34
project has now been pushed back to the spring
A downtown sidewalk and lighting
project began in October with the
reconstruction of sidewalks on West
Avenue between Fourth and Fifth
streets and the installation of new street
lights.
Chamber Director Carol Rapstine
said work was a little behind schedule
as 2015 ended, and crews were
planning to start work on East Avenue
between Fourth and Fifth Avenues in
the spring of 2016 and finish before
Swedish Days.
East and West Avenues between
Third and Fourth Avenues are now
scheduled to be completed in the
summer of 2016.
The City of Holdrege and a state
grant funded this part of the project,
while PCDC provided funding for the
first phase, facade improvements.
of 2018.
She said business owners should start
preparing now for that project by setting aside
funds for additional advertising campaigns and
specials that will draw customers in to their stores
and restaurants.
Construction also began on a project to
repave 11th Avenue from Burlington to Arthur last
summer, and that project wrapped up as 2015
ended.
Iron Horse Update
For more on PCDC: GrowingPhelpsin5.com
For newcomers: JustThePlaceNebraska.com
For businesses: phelpscountyne.com
Those Blasted Signs installed
a sign on PCDC’s 134-acre
business and industry park in
December. The sign is another
tool for marketing the land,
which is available for any new
or expanding business. The Iron
Horse land is west of Holdrege
near Allmand Bros. For more
information on the site, visit
www.phelpscountyne.com.
Newsletter Editor - Kristine Jacobson
Please send news releases, news tips
and story ideas to
krjacobson@q.com
or call (308) 995-5561
2
Downtown Update
Phelps County Development Corporation
Winter 2016
and Recruit Talent
New Partnership Connects Students to Careers
The Phelps County Development
Corporation is partnering with the
Nebraska Cooperative Extension to
offer a new program to area ninth
graders to expose them to future
career choices.
The Connecting the Dots
program has been offered in
other counties across Nebraska
and is designed to help students
“connect the dots” from ninth grade
through postsecondary study to the
workplace. Students complete a
Kuder career exploration test prior to
registering to determine their career
interests.
PCDC Project Coordinator
Alli Donohue said the goal of the
program is expose kids at an early
age to careers and encourage
them to starting thinking about the
educational steps to reach that job.
fields.
“This gives them a chance to
discover what they are good at and
pursue careers in those areas,”
Donohue said.
At the event, students will
n Experience a “real life”
simulation to learn how their high
school choices impact their post
secondary study and their workplace
experiences.
n Learn more about their favorite
careers.
n Learn about the importance of
networking as they begin to prepare
for their careers.
n Build work readiness skills
including resume building and
interviewing.
n Complete personality
inventories to relate to future jobs.
“It also offers an opportunity for
local professionals and businesses
to demonstrate how each career
cluster is represented in Phelps
County and that there are local
jobs for almost all of the possible
career paths they are considering,”
Donohue said.
The program is intended to
complement the Holdrege Area
Chamber of Commerce Career Fair
on April 6 that invites sophomores
from a wider area to Holdrege to
introduce them to potential future
employers and careers in Phelps
County.
The program uses the standard
Career Cluster Wheel that identifies
16 career “clusters.” After student
strengths are determined, they
will have the chance to visit with
employees working in those actual
This program is made possible in
Phelps County through funding from
PCDC.
The Connecting the Dots Program
will take place March 30 for students
in Holdrege, Loomis and Bertrand.
2015 YELP (Youth Engaged in Leading Phelps)
Graduates. Front from left, Alyssa Miller, Holdrege; Bailey
Porter, Holdrege; Brooke Rademacher, Loomis; Adyson
Furlong, Bertrand; Back from left, Emily Salisbury,
Holdrege, Austyn Perez, Holdrege; Carli Huston,
Holdrege; Kristine Edgren, Bertrand. Not pictured:
Treianne Park, Loomis; Mattie Thompson, Loomis.
Teens Learn About Leading, Serving
Ten Phelps County high school students learned about
leadership and serving the community in the 2015 YELP
program. The teens met monthly to learn from community
leaders, and they will now be putting to use the skills they
learned for individual community service projects.
Some of the projects include a band mentor program for
middle school students, a kids art program, improvements to
the Holdrege swimming pool, a summer reading program for
Loomis students, a community art festival and an adopt-agrandparent program at Christian Homes.
The 2015 program was coordinated by the University of
Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Phelps and Gosper Counties, the
Holdrege Area Chamber of Commerce and the PCDC. Many
businesses also contributed to sponsor the students.
Students Encouraged to Apply for High Demand Jobs Scholarships
Students interested in returning to Phelps
County after college or trade school may want
to consider applying for a special scholarship to
help fund their education.
The Phelps County High-Demand Jobs
Scholarships are offered to anyone interested
in studying to work in fields that struggle to
find employees, such as manufacturing and
production, engineering technology, diesel
Winter 2016
mechanic technology, welding, electrical,
agriculture, medical fields or other construction
or maintenance trades. Preference will be given
to students studying at a technical or trade
school less than 2 years in duration.
In 2014, 13 Phelps County students received
scholarships ranging from $2,000-$2,500. In
2015, nine students received scholarships
ranging from $1,000-$6,000.
Phelps County Development Corporation
The scholarships are funded through
LB840 sales tax funds and private donations
from PCDC’s Prosperity Project fund-raising
campaign and by a grant from the Phelps
County Community Foundation.
Students interested in applying for the
2016 scholarship need to apply by February
16 through the Phelps County Community
Foundation web site.
Fall 2013
7
7
Volume 11 Number 1
| Winter 2016
Phelps County
Business Journal
PO Box 522
Holdrege, NE 68949-0522
Return Service Requested
A QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER HIGHLIGHTING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN PHELPS COUNTY, NEBRASKA
EXPANDED BUSINESSES NOW OPEN ON WEST 6 & 34
Learn more news about business and
development in Phelps County by signing
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TAKE A LOOK
Voters Make
Future Bright
With Approval
Phelps County
INSIDE Business Journal
TAKE A LOOK
INSIDE
1
New Business
2
Road Work Completed
3
Housing Solutions
4
Assisting Entrepreneurs
5
Opportunities & Education
6
Business Happenings
7
Inspiring Talent
Save The Date!
PCDC Annual Meeting
Thursday, February 18
5-7 p.m.
Holdrege Country Club
Celebrating Our Volunteers!
With the help of many volunteers
in 2015, Holdrege voters became
informed about the importance of the
LB840 sales tax and overwhelmingly
approved renewing the tax in a
November election, ensuring a strong
future for the county. Join us for fun,
food and fellowship as we celebrate
our volunteers at the annual meeting.
Investors, volunteers and the
general public invited to attend. Please
RSVP to PCDC at (308) 995-4148.
In the spring of 2015,
PCDC began mobilizing
volunteers and
planning an educational
campaign to renew
the LB840 half-cent
sales tax for economic
development for another
15 years.
Throughout the
summer and early fall,
volunteers helped with
parades, created a
video, visited neighbors
in a door-to-door
educational campaign,
called voters, put
up flyers and talked
endlessly about LB840.
These efforts paid off!
In the November 10
mail-in ballot election,
Holdrege voters
renewed the LB840 tax
for another 15 years and
the 40-40-20 economic
development plan by
a landslide vote with
83 percent of voters
favoring the plan and
tax, which is expected to
generate more than $8
million.
PCDC would like
to thank voters and
volunteers for helping
ensure a brighter future
for Phelps County.
New Orscheln’s More Visible
A new expanded Orscheln’s store opened November 2 in
west Holdrege, and customers couldn’t be happier.
“I love it,” said Dennis Nelson of Holdrege, who shops at
the store nearly every day. “It’s big. The selection is better,
and the aisles are wider.”
Store Manager Mike Liljehorn said foot traffic and sales
have both increased since the store moved to its new
33,000-square-foot location on Highway 6 & 34. The store
was previously located a block south of the highway in an
8,000-square-foot building.
“Just being more visible has helped us a lot, not being
tucked back in behind,” Liljehorn said.
He has noticed more customers from the McCook and
Cambridge areas in the new store.
Orscheln’s sells lawn and garden supplies, pet and
livestock products, automotive and sporting goods, clothing,
boots, outerwear, toys, tools, farm supplies and some food
products. The new expanded space has allowed for larger
hunting, hardware, pet food and clothing selections.
“What we’ve noticed is a lot of people struggle to find
some kids clothes in town, and we’ve got some, so that
helps out,” Liljehorn said.
The new Orscheln’s store employs 22 people, which
The new expanded Orscheln’s store created space
for a larger inventory of hunting, hardware, pet food
and clothing selections.
Liljehorn said is three more than at the previous location.
The Holdrege location is one of 20 Orscheln’s stores
in Nebraska, and Liljehorn estimated it is about the fourth
largest in the state. The Moberly, Missouri, based store was
recruited to Holdrege by PCDC in 2003 and was one of the
first businesses to benefit from PCDC’s revolving loan fund.
A grand opening celebration for the new store is planned
for April or May.
Remodeled Runza Entices More Customers
One week after the new
Orscheln’s store opened,
an expanded Runza store
opened a few blocks east.
Runza Store Manager
Nicolle Vanderlinde said a
crowd was waiting when
the store at 319 Nobes reopened Nov. 9 at 6 p.m.,
and customers have been
steady since that time.
“Runza has been part of the Holdrege community since
1986. We are proud that franchisee Walt Catlett and his
family invested in our future and appreciate the patience
of our customers throughout the process,” said Donald
Everett, Jr., president of Runza National.
The new expanded restaurant seats 58 people compared to the previous location that seated about 40. The
new construction also made it possible to extend the drivethrough lane to allow more cars into the lane at one time.
The old Runza store was demolished in April to make
way for the new modern-looking restaurant that features a
more private dining area and larger restrooms.
“They really like the new look,” Vanderlinde said of the
customers reactions.
Although she didn’t have official numbers of increased
customers, Vanderlinde said the Runza staff is making
more chili and larger batches of Runza filling than previously. They also have seen an increase in school bus
customers. The store employs between 15-20 workers.