County aids economic plan

COLUMBUS -- The Platte County Board of Supervisors agreed Tuesday to provide a letter of support to the Columbus Economic Council in its pursuit to help Columbus become a Nebraska Economic Development Certified Community.

David Bell, co-chairman of the Columbus Economic Council made the request telling the supervisors their support would add an important piece to the application packet the council is preparing.

“Becoming an Economic Development Certified Community helps a community gain points in many grant applications processes and programs,” Bell said. “This designation will become even more important in the future as more and more communities compete for grant dollars.”

Information on the state’s economic development Web site notes that certification indicates a community’s dedication and leadership and vision for attracting new people, jobs and new businesses and industries to their areas.

“Certification positively positions the community for economic development opportunities and shows that its ready to grow and market itself for business and industrial development,” Bell said.

In other action the board approved a resolution of support for an entrepreneurial grant request by Matt Gotschall, president of Central Community College-Columbus.

“The next grant will be up to $75,000, and we expect ours to come in at about $67,000,” Gotschall. “The money won’t be available until 2009, but now is the time the application is due to the state.”

The board rejected a request by Lynette Stec to rescind a resolution designating a trail road as an access road to a land locked property in rural Monroe.