Commissioners Open Fairgrounds Water Project Bids

The Cheyenne County Board of Commissioners opened sealed bids submitted for work on the water system at the fairgrounds Monday morning.

The county is seeking to upgrade the water system at the fairgrounds with the ultimate goal of replacing the water infrastructure, Ben Schmitt said in an earlier commissioners meeting. Schmitt is a registered mechanical engineer with Farris Engineering in Sidney. The project will be done in two phases. The first phase is focused on the water main at the east side of the property. The second phase is contingent on success with the first phase. In the July meeting, the second phase was defined as a possible loop around the north side of the facility at a “significant cost.”

Two bids were submitted. R & T Excavating and Best Plumbing, both of Sidney. R & T Excavating proposed $84,065 for Phase 1, and $113,334 for Phase 2. Best Plumbing submitted a bid of $68,380 for Phase 1 and did not address Phase 2. Schmitt, present at Monday's meeting, said Best's bid is lower, but their unit prices are higher. Schmitt suggested contacting both companies to ensure the bids are as intended.

The decision on the bids was tabled until the special meeting scheduled for Sept. 23.

In other business, the commissioners approved annual inventory for Buildings and Grounds, the Road Department, county-owned property and election. The commissioners also approved a resolution reauthorizing petty cash funds, and a cost allocation plan from Sequoia Consulting Group.

Economic Development Director Melissa Norgard updated the commissioners on activity in the county. Norgard confirmed that MMP Enterprises has withdrawn from Sidney. Until recently, the Canadian company has been in talks with Bass Pro/Cabela's to purchase the No. 1 corporate building. That plan changed when the Cabela's Distribution Center north of Sidney was closed and became available. MMP was one of the stops made by Gov. Pete Ricketts on a recent economic development tour in the Sidney area. At the time, MMP was forecasting a staff of 300 over three years.

“We are super disappointed,” Norgard told the commissioners.

She said the change is a result of factors outside of the City of Sidney and Cheyenne County's control.

Norgard said the property reverts back to Bass Pro/Cabela's and will be marketed to other prospective businesses. Bass Pro/Cabela's and the City are looking for a new investor for the corporate building.

She said the take-away is that while Sidney did lose more than 1,000 jobs, the community has recovered 430 to date. She said the region will bounce back, but it will not be overnight.

The commissioners also met as the Board of Equalization Monday. At issue, Manmohan Patel, representing the Fairfield Inn Suites in Sidney protested the assessed valuation of the hotel. The board of equalization met with county assessor Mel Keller, special legal counsel David Wilson, appraiser, and Darrell Stannon and Patel by conference call. Patel objected that the loss of Cabela's negatively affected the value of his property. Stannon said depreciation is not part of the consideration when appraising business property. Patel also objected to the appraised value of the land.

“I reviewed the land. His land is valued exactly as all the other hotels in the area,” she said.

At the end of the discussion, the commissioners acting as the Board of Equalization voted to accept the valuation with no change.

Returning as the board of commissioners, two funding requests from the Visitors Committee were approved; $1,000 for the Annual Cruise 'N Class Car Club Show, and $7,000 for the Sidney Oktoberfest. Both grants are reimbursements up to the stated amounts.

The board also discussed the concrete construction project for Road 115 near Love's Truck Stop, approved the Annual Certification of Program Compliance to Nebraska Board of Public Roads Classification and Standards, and received a report on road work activity.