Council Approves Highby Funding Agreement

The Sidney City Council Tuesday approved an agreement with Highby Outdoors for funding to assist with purchase and renovation of a building in Sidney.

The building is 232 Greenwood Road. The City entered into a contract with the State of Nebraska for Site and Building Development Funds. The funds are awarded to the City. The City then will be used to assist Highby Outdoors with purchase and renovation of the building. The grant is for $150,000. When the grant is awarded to the City, the City will then award it to Highby Outdoors.

The City also entered into a contract with Highby Outdoors. The contract requires Highby Outdoors to stay in business at this location for at least 24 months. Norgard said the contract with Highby Outdoors is to ensure that if the company does not succeed, the City will be paid back for the grant.

When asked about the progress of the company, councilman Roger Gallaway said it is “closer and closer every day.”

In other business, the Historic Board applied for and was awarded a 2018 Certified Local Government grant from the State Historic Society and Historic Preservation Office. The grant is for development of a mobile-based guide of historic assets in Sidney.

Norgard said the City will be subscribing to an app service that offers reasons for a traveler to stop off of the interstate. The two app services being considered have more than 30,000 downloads each. It will also help in market research.

“This will be geared toward historic assets,” Norgard said.

The council also approved a new Applebee’s manager for their liquor license, announced vacancies on the Airport Authority Board and the Historic Preservation Board.

The Council also received a report from Finance Officer David Scott. Scott said he is confident the city will experience a decline in sales tax this year.

City Manager Ed Sadler said in his report that there are more people moving into Sidney. He stressed the numbers are new residents, not Sidney residents moving to new homes. Sadler said there have been 57 new residents in the last five weeks.

“These are new customers for us. They continue to come from all over the place,”he said.