The city of Broken Bow played host to Nebraska Lt. Governor Joe Kelly and his wife Susie Friday, August 29. Kelly was in town at the invitation of the Broken Bow Chamber of Commerce for a ribbon cutting and open house at the recently completed apartment complex developed by MW Real Estate Investment Group. However, the event became an all-day affair, displaying Broken Bow’s newest subdivision, renovated school, child care facilities and tourist attractions. Kelly’s impression was, in a word, “Impressive”.
CEDC and City present Eagle Crest Subdivision
The morning started with City Administrator Dave Schmidt and CEDC Executive
Director Scotti Ross presenting Broken Bow’s new housing development, the Eagle Crest Subdivision. Schmidt and Ross provided an overview of the development at Schmidt’s office, followed by a visit to the site in-person.
Ross stated housing construction should soon start on-site, with one new home expected by the end of the year, and several more within three years. Up to 18 new homes are currently under discussion with various developers, Ross noted.
Schmidt told Kelly that thanks to the way in which funding has been arranged for the development, the burden on tax-payers will be nothing, as property owners will take on paying down the tax increment financing (TIF). Regarding home values in the development, Shmidt noted that lots will be purchased with an agreement that the final valuation will not be less than $300,000.
Broken Bow shows off new and newly renovated school facilities
Moving on to the Broken Bow Middle School/High School complex, Broken Bow Superintendent Darren Tobey lead a tour of the facility beginning at the newly-built, “safe
and secure” entry area. Tobey noted that once the school day begins, the new front entry will be the only one open to enter and exit the building.
New Career and Technical Education (CTE) facilities made a big impression on Lt Governor Kelly. Tobey described how the new and expanded automotive, woods, welding and food preparation facilities are helping increase the number of students that are a part of these programs as well as the diversity of the programs themselves.
The new gym and former Broken Bow Middle School Building, which will now exclusively house the performing arts, were shown off as well. Tobey pointed out that renovating a 1938 building came with a host of code issues to be addressed, with a new elevator, plumbing and electrical work completed and $350,000 spent on asbestos removal.
Kelly noted at the end of the school tour that it seemed everyone had adapted very well during this period of renovation, and that schools are an important indicator of what a community is doing overall.
Ribbon Cutting and Open House for 8-plex housing development
Following a tour of Precious Angels Daycare’s new facilities and lunch at Kinkaider Brewing Company, the group was on to the ribbon cutting for Broken Bow’s newest eight-unit apartment complex. The new three-bedroom apartments, constructed by Chris Myers of MW Real Estate Investment Group and Kyle Wolf of Sandhill Custom Carpentry, is already nearly full.
Myers was highlighted as the driving force behind nearly 150 new housing units constructed in Broken Bow since 2020. Myers noted though that the current project would not have gotten off the ground without funding administered by the CEDC from both local sources and the State of Nebraska Department of Economic Development’s Rural Workforce Housing Fund.
Ross indicated the CEDC had received $400,000 as a part of the Housing Fund, and met that with more than $400,000 of local funding invested to use on this and similar projects. Ashley Gurlach, present from the Department noted this was a great example of using the program to fund new housing in rural areas.
Kelly agreed, stating, “When they put together the workforce development funding mechanism, this is the best example you can find in the state of what it was for, and what it can do for a community.” He praised Broken Bow for finding solutions to issues found in communities across the country, getting them fixed, and moving forward.
Red Barn and Sod House end the day
On the way out of town, the Kellys made sure to stop at the Sandhills Journey Scenic Byway Visitor Center. Volunteers Rick Maas and Mike Evans were on hand and provided an in-depth tour of the center’s features, including a first-hand description of how the house was built layer-by-layer from sod cut right on site.
When asked to sum up his time in Broken Bow, Kelly had nothing but praise for a town that is building for the future while maintaining its past.
“There are studies we keep looking at that show that Nebraska kids now…by a bigger percentage than in a long, long time, want to stay in Nebraska and want to stay in their home towns,” Kelly said. With new housing, childcare, and school facilities, alongside preserving Custer County heritage, Kelly seemed confident Broken Bow would continue to grow moving forward.
