KIMBALL -- The City of Kimball intends to make strides in economic development for the town by creating a nonprofit corporation.

The City Council met with the Board of County Commissioners earlier this month to discuss partnering to create such an organization; however, the county commissioners decided in their meeting Tuesday morning that they will not move forward with a partnership.

Mayor John Morrison says the city plans to move forward on their own. 

“We can start making decisions about the board we want to set up [and] specifically how we will fund it,” Morrison said. 

A possible funding option is the LB 840 economic development tax should the public vote to approve it, which the city plans to include on the ballot next November.

If the public does not choose to pass it, Morrison said the city council can include it in the budget of whichever fiscal year they’re prepared to move forward, as well as use funds from the existing LB 840 fund. 

The goal is to create a department with a director and an assistant as a separate entity from the city where their whole goal is to find ways to grow Kimball whether it be finding grants or networking with locals who have connections outside of town to bring in small businesses. 

“We have ample opportunity to do something with the spaces downtown,” Morrison said. “We need an optometrist, plumber, electrician – so if we can encourage that kind of stuff. We definitely want to find ways to help the existing businesses in town as well.” 

Morrison and other city council members said it will take at least a year to get things in order before the funding is needed.

County Commissioner David Hottell said in the joint meeting that this is not a good time to create an organization like this and should be tabled for another year. 

“This whole deal is to get more people and business into Kimball, but by adding to those taxes right now, that’s going in the completely wrong direction to me,” Hottell said. 

Council Member Creg Pike said in response, “We can’t afford to wait another year, we need to draw people in now.” 

County Commissioner Elyse Lukassen reiterated Hottell in that it’s not the right time to put money toward economic development. 

“I’m not going to say we don’t need this, because we do, but it’s an uphill battle,” she said. 

In the 18 months as the Economic Development Coordinator for the City of Kimball, Lukassen said she regularly contacted 300-500 businesses looking for those interested in coming to Kimball, and she received the same response of “It’s Kimball; it’s not growing.” 

“I don’t see a reason to spin our wheels right now until we have truly seen some growth,” she said. 

Morrison said, “You’re always going to say it’s too hard of a task, we can't accomplish it ... it’s always going to be too hard to fix because we’re so far behind; this town should’ve been growing eight years ago and it hasn’t.” 

County Commissioner Rich Flores, who was in favor of the partnership, added: “When we talk about economic development, it's an investment. Every year we wait to tackle a good economic development department, it puts us behind.”