Mayor Bindle offers support for new electrical line

FALLS CITY – State Sen. Julie Slama proposes $29 million in American Recovery funds for a grant that would help build out electrical transmission lines to cities of the second class.

Falls City Mayor Shawna Bindle said the city is excited to have Sen. Slama’s support for LB 977.

Bindle: “Falls City has run into roadblocks getting businesses into Falls City. We are right at the end of the transmission line and until we increase that power we are not able to attract the businesses that we need.”

Economic developers  say the city has 320 undeveloped acres near a convergence of the Union Pacific and BNSF railroads, but can only provide a fraction of the electrical power that some business prospects require.

Sen. Slama said the economic development grant would encourage public power companies to build  electrical transmission lines to serve areas outside of major population centers.

Bindle said infrastructure is  great use of ARPA funds.

Bindle: “We have a great board of public works and they do a great job, we just have a large dollar amount that we need to spend to upgrade our infrastructure in totality.”

The city council recently approved a $183,000 upgrade to a power-generation engine at the city’s electric plant. The upgrade will automate a dual-fuel engine installed in 1981.

Bindle: “Our job as elected officials is to secure the future of Falls City and we need to secure power for Falls City 100 years from now. Some of these upgrades we make will benefit citizens of the future.”

Bindle said the city is doing its part to modernize, but needs state support to capitalize on its rail center asset.