Bill Heitz and U-Haul have been synonymous in Alliance for 56 years.

That changes today (Wednesday), as Midwest Farm Service-Alliance takes over the operation.

Del and Lorna Penlerick were investigating a way to expand their business, and taking over the U-Haul franchise was not a complicated yes when they were approached to consider the idea.

“Over time we learned that Bill was looking to slow down,” Penlerick said. “Steve McDonaugh, our outdoor power equipment manager, will oversee the U-Haul operation for us.”

Penlerick says he knows he has big shoes to fill.

“There will be a little bit of a transition period, but Bill has been very gracious in helping us out,” he added.

Those needing the services of U-Haul may begin stopping at Midwest Farm Service-Alliance at 1107 Flack Avenue to rent the familiar orange and black trailers and trucks.

       The Chadron city council has approved on a 4-2 vote a 5-year professional services agreement with Burbach Aquatics for a project to enclose the city swimming pool.

While the agreement covers the project from feasability and conceptual study…which Burbach will do for free…to construction, the city can decide at any point not to move forward. A referendum on moving to construction would be held after the initial study is done.

The 5-year provision means Burbach has the right of first refusal through February 2018 to continue if the council puts the pool project on hold, then decides later to resume work.

City Manager Wayne Anderson says Burbach expects to complete the feasibility study in about 2 months, coming to Chadron several times and meeting with the pool committee that recommended his hiring.

Speaking in favor of the agreement and the pool project were Sherie Blome…who read a letter of support from the Chadron Wellness Committee…and Barb McCartney…a teacher, water aerobics instructor, and coach of the Chadron Sharks swim team.

Both addressed the benefits of an enclosed pool to the community, and emphasized that the contract with Burbach committed the city to only the portion of the project that would determine what was actually being proposed for construction and put a firm price estimate on it.

Voting against the agreement were Mayor Karin Fischer and councilman Levi Grant. Fischer had expressed concerns about contract language for several weeks and said later in last night’s meeting that she just didn’t feel comfortable enough to move forward at this time.

Grant and the one member of the public to speak against the pool idea…retired physician Dr Robert Penor…both focused on the construction side of the proposal, questioning the possible cost, spending priorities for Chadron, and the timing with the upcoming vote on extending the city’s LB-840 sales tax.

Councilman Paris Fisher…no relation to the mayor…says he shares some of those concerns…saying “the timing stinks,” but strongly supports the agreement with Burbach as a way to find out if the city can afford the project.

During last night’s discussion, Fisher suggested amending the agreement to make it clear no fundraising activities for the pool project would begin until after the LB-840 vote.

City Manager Wayne Anderson…who agreed that “the timing stinks”…says Burbach never intended to start that phase until after he completes the phase-1 study, which should be finishing up about the time of the vote. The referendum election would likely be no earlier than late summer or early fall.

The Chadron city council has set an April 30th election on 15-year half-cent LB-840 economic development sales tax and accompanying plan for using the revenue. The tax would begin October 1st, 2014…the day after the city’s existing LB-840 tax expires.

80% of the revenue would go toward city infrastructure projects, beginning with the planned $4-million dollar upgrade and expansion of the storm sewer system. 13% would go toward community development and 7% for community betterment projects.

The split is similar to the one for the current LB-840 tax, which earmarks 75% of the revenue to help pay for the new nearly 3-year old Chadron Community Hospital.

Dr John Gamby…the only member on the council when the original LB-840 tax was approved to help fund the new Chadron Community Hospital…cast the only vote against the new version.

Gamby called for a longer time after the end of the current tax before a new one began, especially with the city looking at a possible project to enclose the city swimming pool.

He also complained that past councils and administrations had failed to hold to the pledge of the city’s original 1-cent sales tax that the money would be evenly split between infrastructure and property tax relief.

City Manager Wayne Anderson told Gamby that he’d gone back and checked city records about the 1-cent sales tax and had discovered the actual split was 85-15 for property tax relief, the formula used in preparing the Chadron budget for at least the last decade.

A man who’s been recruiting current and retired service members for Chadron State College the past two years has been named the school’s interim Vice President for Enrollment Management and Markets.

Jon Hansen fills, at least on an interim basis, the post held by CSC President Dr Randy Rhine before being named first interim and then permanent president last year.

Hansen is a retired Army officer with over 22 years of executive leadership, including 10 at state colleges and universities in Nebraska, Illinois, and South Dakota, and who was an ROTC professor of military science for CSC and 3 other schools in the Black Hills.

Dr Rhine says he’s “thrilled” to bring aboard someone with Hansen’s background and knowledge of Chadron State, and confident Hansen will help the school reach its objectives for the coming year. In addition to his regular duties as vice-president, Rhine plans to use Hansen on special projects and initiatives from the president’s office.

Hansen, in turn, says he’s proud to continue his service to the college and excited about the opportunity to lead the CSC Enrollment Management Team…calling them “great folks who care a great deal about helping students and the college.”

He says “continuous improvement, teamwork, and hard work” will will allow the school to continue to grow its enrollment. .

Hansen and his wife, Laura, have been married for 20 years and have three children at home: David, Jon W. and Elizabeth.

An Alliance man got an extra special Valentine’s Day gift this year as he won over a million dollars on a slot machine at the Prairie Wind Casino on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota.

Gordon “Bud” Thompson says he was waiting for his wife of 60 years, Donna, after they’d been playing for a while on Valentine’s Day when he decided to try a few spins on a progressive machine…the 3-reel stepper “Freedom Rings.”

Commotion ensued, but Thompson says he didn’t realize what had happened right away…and was ecstatic when he learned he’d won a million dollars…$1.037, 375.93 to be exact.

A loyal customer of Prairie Winds for the past 18 years, Thompson says a family meeting will decide how they spend the month…adding that his wife, 3 sons, 12 grandchildren, and 17 great-grandchildren are extremely excited and amazed by his over a million dollar win.

Alliance City Manager J.D. Cox says city Staff needs to have a clear direction on the future of the Alliance Community Garden, located on the east side of 2700 Big Horn Avenue, so he has requested the city council discuss the issue at its upcoming Thursday night meeting.

“For years the garden was operated with the understanding that little or no staff involvement would be required,” he said. “Yet, for the last couple of years, I noticed the hours of City staff time being spent at the garden.  Last year, I learned that the City was incurring substantial costs in water, so we moved to curtail this fact and it was shared with Council.”

Cox says additional concerns are:

• Numerous complaints have been received concerning the site being unsightly, overgrown and not properly maintained;
• With the push/demand for housing, this is a prime location for such (not a garden);
• Last year, the gardening group was close to not being able to pay their water bill and was able to  be resolved without argument at the eleventh hour; and
• Last year, Council agreed to establish a temporary board to oversee operations; that board has ceased to exist, unless it is either reauthorized or codified into perpetuity.

Cox says there are several options, including:

• Leave Community Garden in the same location & operationally unchanged;

• Leave Community Garden in the same location & change the operations (different management);
• Move Community Garden to another City location;
• Close Community Garden and allow to be run privately without City involvement.

Other locations identified include:

• West 10^th Street, near the City’s 10^th Street Substation
• Homestead Addition

Cost to Move:

• Investments have previously been made to install water services
• Estimate to establish water services at a new location – 3 Services X $6000/service is approximately $18,000.

Thursday night’s council meeting begins at 7 p.m., and will be televised live on Charter Cable Channel 6.