10/31/2025
Important Community Meeting on Economic Development Proposal – Your Voice Matters!
Public Meeting: Monday, November 3 at 8:00 AM
Cheyenne County officials are considering forming a private Economic Development Corporation (EDC) that would take over much of the county’s economic development work. This private entity could receive public funding and have major influence over how local business growth and development resources are managed. However, since it would be a private corporation, decisions, spending, and operations could be less transparent, limiting the community's ability to monitor or influence what’s happening with taxpayer dollars.
Below is a simple breakdown of what’s happening, as many may not fully understand the impact of this decision:
POTENTIAL BENEFITS:
• Faster Action: The EDC could act more quickly and flexibly than government offices.
• Private Investment: It might attract private investment and outside grant funding.
• Specialized Focus: The EDC could provide specialized expertise and focus on business recruitment.
POTENTIAL CONCERNS:
• Lack of Transparency: As a private corporation, it wouldn’t be required to follow Nebraska’s public-records or open-meetings laws. That means Freedom of Information (FOIA) requests would not apply, and the public could have limited access to its decisions, spending, and operations. EDIT TO ADD: Sarah Sinnett: "We've identified case law that states any entity that is doing work on behalf of a municipality is actually subject to all the same regulations regarding reporting of information when requested, regardless of whether or not taxpayer dollars are used. This case law was delivered to the paper after the last meeting. So the statement that this would cause less transparency is not accurate."
• Taxpayer Funding: There could be significant taxpayer funding or multi-year contracts with limited oversight.
• Duplication of Effort: It might duplicate or replace work already being done by county or regional economic groups.
Meeting Details:
Cheyenne County Commissioners Meeting at the County Courthouse: 1000 10th Avenue, Sidney, NE 69162
Monday, November 3, 8:00 AM
Bottom line is that this proposal could change how economic development decisions are made in Cheyenne County. Residents are strongly encouraged to attend, ask questions, and ensure that transparency and accountability remain part of the process before any final decision is made.
One Final Thought: This is an extremely important issue, and the public needs to be heard on it. But if you are getting on social media platforms and arguing, blaming people, or making accusations? Whommmp whommmp! You are not actually accomplishing anything. If you actually care about the outcome, then you need to show up. Period. GO TO THE MEETING. Just having people present makes a statement. EDITED TO ADD: This is not a meeting where questions can be answered. You may get 1 or 2 minutes to state your concerns, and they will go on record, but because of Open Meeting Act rules, it is statements only, no questions. "Questions may not be answered during county commissioner meetings in Nebraska primarily to ensure that all discussions and potential actions on an issue occur in a properly noticed, public setting, as required by the Nebraska Open Meetings Act."
If you don't want to speak, then quietly hold a sign, either for it or against it, but make sure you let your opinion be known. If all the seats are taken, stand along the wall, or in the hallway, JUST BE THERE. It doesn’t matter if you are for it or against it, if you don’t participate in the process, then don’t complain later.
Be part of the conversation, not just a spectator.
