Trailblazer
2007 Project Highlights
Career Day Expo
The twelfth annual Career Day Expo program was another success with 1,150 students from 38 area schools in attendance.
The event was held at Central Community College campus in Hastings with many volunteers assisting from surrounding communities. The primary focus of the program was to make youth aware of career opportunities available in rural Nebraska and reduce the out-migration of graduating seniors.
Thirty-six different occupational booths were available for hands-on experience. Each student selected four different sessions to visit.
Partners:
- Central Community College
- Hastings Chamber of Commerce
- South Central RC&D
- Trailblazer RC&D
Funding:
- RC&D TA – $1,000
- Other – $8,000
Twin Valley Weed Management Area
The Twin Valley Weed Management Area Coalition made tremendous strides this past year in addressing invasive weed control on the Republican River channel, as well as on Harlan County Reservoir. LB-701 funding provided us with $772,500 to address weed control. 1,100 acres of spraying was completed on the river channel and 750 acres was
sprayed above Harlan County Dam. Funnding will also be provided for mechanical
removal of debris (log james) from the river channel and deep disking of some islands.
Additional grant funds will be applied for next summer for additional spraying above Harlan County Dam.
Partners:
- Lower Republican Natural Resources District
- County Weed Districts
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Nebraska Department of Agriculture
Funding:
- NE Dept. of Agriculture – $17,316
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – $20,000
- Lower Republican NRD & Tri-Basin NRD – $13,000
- LB-701 funds – $772,500
- RC&D TA – $10,000
Business Succession Workshop
Over forty business professionals attended a Business Succession Workshp in Nelson, NE this past summer. Small business means big things for rural Nebraska towns. All
businesses will transfer at some stage of their life cycle. Two out of three firms lack a written strategic plan for business transaction, and most companies have no plan of any kind. This worksho provided a coordinated team of professionals to help business owners move forward with a positive comprehensive approach, a well-reasoned plan and a buy/sell agreement that works for all parties.
Partners:
- Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City
- Fillmore County Economic Development Corporation
- Thayer County Economic Development Alliance
- Center for Rural Affairs – REAP
- South Central Economic Development District
- City of Nelson
Funding:
- RC&D TA – $1,500
- City of Nelson – $1,000
- Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City – $2,000
Used Tire Collection
The Trailbalzer RC&D Council hosted seven collection sites this past summer to collect used tires. Qualtities received at each site were:
Alma 76 ton
Hildreth 68 ton
Nelson 116 ton
Blue Hill 124 ton
Geneva 80 ton
Hebron 78 ton
Harvard 92 ton
Total 634 ton
Grant funding was provided through Department of Environmental Quality. This was the second collection event that the RC&D has hosted in the last three years.
Partners and Funding:
- Farmers Co-Op Association – $800
- Lower Republican NRD – 200
- Little Blue NRD – 200
- NE Dept. of Enviormental Quality – $56,426
- Each County – 400
- RC&D TA – $2,000
Household Hazardous Waste Collections
The Trailblazer RC&D received a $23,600 grant from Department of Environmental Qualtiy to host their third hazardous waste cleanup within the last six years. One collection site was selected in each of the seven counties within the RC&D area. Each county had a used oil mobile tank, which was acquired from a previous grant through DEQ, on had to collect the oil.
A tremendous amount of volunteers’ help was required for each site. Farmers
Union Cooperative partnered with the RC&D providing lunches and protective
clothing. Over 23 tons of material was collected.
Partners:
-
Department of Environmental Quality
-
Farmers Union Cooperative
-
Respective County Commissioners
-
DEQ – $23,600
-
RC&D TA – $5,000
-
Farmers Union CO-OP – $2,000
-
Local In-kind – $12,000
-
RC&D TA – $10,000
Fiscal Year ’07 Completed Projects
Career Day Expo
Red Cloud Ag Day Expo
Household hazardous Waste Collection
Twin Valley Weed Task Force
Business Succession Workshop
Used Tire Collection
Workforce Development Workshop
Webster County Rural Cleanup
Annual Banquet
Community Imput Survey
On-Going Projects
Bostwock Irrigation District
South Central Health Alliance
REAP
Scenic Byways – Heritage Highway 136
Legalizing Hemp
Career Day Expo – FY’08
Water Jamboree
Highway 6 Byway
South Central Economic Development District
South Central Vision Task Force
Republican River Riparian Project
Republican River Habitat Initiative
Meth Awareness Task Force
Business Beyond the Farm
Annual Banquet
Noxious Weed Task Force
Ethanol Coalition
Harlan/Furnas Economic Coalition
Youth Retention
Community Tree Program
2009-2012 Plan of Work
Thayer County ATV Trail
Women’s Wilderness Weekend