Falls City, NE--Prime Choice

























     

City of Falls City

From the Mayor's Desk

Rodney P. Vandeberg


Welcome to all!

 

March 7, 2008

While we cannot lose sight that the Rulo Bridge issue is an enormous undertaking and that I in no way want to leave any false impressions, your Mayor is pleased with our Tuesday and Wednesday trip to Washington, D.C.!  In fact, if you really want to know how I fee, I am absolutely ecstatic with our "day on the hill," and I can't wait to share it with you!

First, it is important to mention that this issue is now a three-state project...Missouri, Nebraska and Kansas.  We call ourselves the "Tri-State Corridor Alliance," and I am so pleased that our trip included participants from all those states!  I would also interject that the majority paid their own expenses, including your Mayor.  FYI, I will list the participants below:

  • David Duncan, Mayor of Mound City, MO.

  • Karl and Laura Forehand.  The Forehands live in Big Lake, MO, and Karl is an executive with the ethanol plant in Craig, MO.

  • Steve Roberts.  Steve is the owner of Country Cabin and is Chairman of the Brown County, KS, Board of Commissioners.

  • Charlie Radatz.  Charlie is Chairman of the Tri-State Corridor Alliance.

  • Chuck Whitney.  Chuck is the Executive Director of Falls City EDGE.

  • Mitch Glaeser.  The Bridge is Mitch's idea and he is our guiding force.

  • Renee Bauer.  Mitch's executive assistant.

  • Rod Vandeberg.  Mayor of Falls City, NE.

(The Coalition paid visits to the offices of Nebraska Senators Ben Nelson and Chuck Hagel,  Nebraska Congressman Jeff Fortenberry, Missouri Senator Kit Bond, Missouri Congressman Sam Graves and  Kansas Congressman Jerry Moran.)

 Now, what are we asking for?  First, we need $1,500,000.00 to do the design phase of the new bridge and that needs to come from a combination of sources.  That combination includes a joint Federal request from Missouri and Nebraska for an "earmark" of $1,200,000.00, which Congressman Graves has agreed to and which, I believe and hope, Congressman Fortenberry will join in.  Congressman Moran of Kansas has also agreed to be supportive of this request.  Next, we need $150,000.00 each from Missouri and Nebraska Departments of Transportation.  My understanding is that the "earmark" request is in process, and I suppose the state funding is contingent on the "earmark" first being approved. 

Finally, it is our intention to ask for funding of the new bridge as part of the "2009 Highway Bill," which is obviously a ways off and can take a year or longer to pass.  Our hope being that we can eliminate the "2014 or later" build date we are now hearing and replace that with a specific commitment. 

Having said all of the above, I repeat that our task is huge, but one that can and will happen at some future point.  And for reasons of safety and life and death, we must make it happen as quickly as possible...and that is exactly what we are attempting to do!!

ALSO....

  • Falls City has the finest infrastructure of any community in the State of Nebraska...including ownership of its own gas company, power plant and recently completed state-of-the-art $5,000,000 waste water treatment plant.  Falls City also has an excellent water supply!

     
  • Falls City is located in the heart of America!

     
  • Falls City has excellent retail stores and all professional and medical services!

     
  • Falls City has an excellent public school system and an outstanding K-12 Catholic School!

     
  • Falls City has wonderful people with an excellent work ethic!

     
  • Falls City has a proven record of investing for the future and in its citizens...and WE ARE OPEN FOR BUSINESS!!

 

Sincerely,

Rodney P. Vandeberg

Mayor of the City of Falls City

      
  [Home]       [Top of Page]