Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Sen. Hardin Sponsored Bill To Help Panhandle Communities Handle Growth
Members of the Unicameral's Government, Military, and Veterans Affairs Committee listen to Sen. Brian Hardin, front right, explain the fundamentals of LB712 and answer their questions. A delegation from Kimball represented the community, some offering their own remarks regarding the measure than would provide the Panhandle with assistance to handle the missile project.
The Unicameral's Government, Military, and Veterans Affairs Committee heard proponents and neutral comments Feb. 23 on LB712, which would allocate a $26 million grant to aid Kimball and the surrounding areas. LB712 was sponsored by Sen. Brian Hardin from the 48th District, which includes Kimball, Banner and Scottsbluff counties.
In anticipation of the upgrade of the Minuteman III missiles to the Sentinel system, the funds would be used on infrastructure, water, wastewater system, child care, electric upgrades, health care facilities, transportation and schools. Approximately 3,7000 contract workers will come to the area for the 10-year project increasing the local population by 155%.
Kimball, population 2,258, will be the home-base camp for the defense project.
Local residents and officials testifying in favor of the bill were city administrator Annette Brower, City Council members Christy Warner and Gabe Ingram, and County Commissioner Carl Stander.
Kimball High School seniors Angel Helms, Hannah Schildhauer, Madison Ebeling and Keara O'Brien also testified.
Today, 150 missile launch sites and 15 missile alert facilities dot the tri-state area of Nebraska, Colorado and Wyoming, with 80 missile launch sites and nine missile alert facilities in the Panhandle. The Minuteman I sites were built in the 1960s, and they were updated to Minuteman III sites.
In response to an email about the possible dates for a committee vote, Hardin said, "I do not know when it will go through Executive Committee. Those tend to be guarded timelines with very short notice – by the committee in charge. In this case, that's the Government Committee. I've received no notification of an imminent decision from them."
