(Falls City, Nebraska – November 23, 2009) Falls City was a host community on a regional tour hosted by the Lincoln Area Development Partnership (LADP), of which EDGE is a member, on November 12^th, 2009.  The motor coach tour, which made stops in Syracuse, Falls City, Auburn, and Nebraska City, included 12 business recruiters from the Nebraska Department of Economic Development and 10 economic developers from throughout the 10 county Southeast Nebraska LADP region.  Beckie Cromer, Executive Director of EDGE, coordinated the Falls City visit which included a 60 minute trip through the community and included stops at Community Medical Center, the industrial park, and the Grand Weaver Hotel.  The tour included strategic commentary emphasizing Southeast Nebraska Communications Fiber to the Home project, the reliable, competitive utilities provided by the City of Falls City, and local incentives options including Tax Increment Financing. 

Mayor Rodney Vandeberg and EDGE President Kevin Malone participated in the tour as well and each offered comments about Falls City’s future which includes a paved road to the municipal airport, a new recreation complex, and future infrastructure and housing developments.   Mrs. Cromer noted, “It’s important to keep our partners at the State level abreast of the progress being made in Falls City so they can keep Falls City top of mind when working with business prospects.  The tour gave us the opportunity to showcase our industrial park growth, quality of life improvements, emerging downtown district, and quality school systems.” 

Nebraska Department of Economic Development’s mission is to increase employment opportunities and capital investments in Nebraska and their business recruitment team now has first hand knowledge of the advancements being made in Falls City.   The tour gave EDGE the opportunity to promote Falls City as a business and industry destination for national and international companies.

The new Community Medical Center in Falls City will begin (began) seeing patients this (Monday) morning.
A year-and-a-half of construction culminated Sunday afternoon with a dedication service under a big tent pitched in the parking lot of the 20-million dollar facility on the north edg of Falls City.
The ceremony included prayers, music, the raising of the American flag, and speeches by local and state political leaders – including State Senator Lavon Heidemann, Lieutenant Governor Rick Sheehy, and Mayor Rod Vandeberg.
Hospital Board Chairman Roger Merz said the decision to build a new hospital was made about five years ago, and he thanked the community for its financial support for the new medical center.

Hospital CEO Ryan Larson says a lot of people – including hospital staff – worked hard to complete the project.  Larson noted in his prepared remarks that many staff members spent several hours outside their normal work schedule preparing their departments for the move into the new hospital. He outlined some of the amenities that will benefit patients.

The new Community Medical Center will open officially at 7:00 Monday morning.
Larson says they’re planning an open house for Thursday, December 17th, after last week’s scheduled open house and public tours were cancelled due to the snow storm.

 Full Board Meeting – 11:30 a.m. – First National Bank

The sign posted in the entryway of the Ames True Temper plant in Falls City says, “Safety Has No Quitting Time.” That’s a message plant employees and managers have taken to heart. The facility, located in the Falls City Industrial Park, has been recognized by the company for its safety record.
Dan Yurovich, Ames True Temper’s Senior Vice President of Operations, was at the Falls City plant Tuesday morning to talk to employees about the Camp Hill, Pennsylvania-based company’s safety efforts.
Yurovich touted the company’s employee welfare program and its new corporate safety program, which was started this year. That aims to reward the company’s facilities for their safety efforts. Yurovich presented the plant with a trophy for its safety record…which is now at 1,183 days without a lost time accident, and more than 500 days without a recordable accident.
Plant Manager John Martin says they’ve made safety a priority.  Falls City nearly lost the Ames True Temper plant a few years ago, but Martin says work has picked up recently.  The Falls City plant manufactures mainly striking tools – such as axes and sledges. With the plant now making axes, Martin says it will be a challenge to maintain the impressive safety record.  The Ames True Temper plant in Falls City currently runs two regular 10-hour shifts, Monday through Thursday.

• November 19th – Full Board Meeting at 12:00 p.m.
• November 20th – Marketing & Sales Committee Strategic Planning Meeting at 11:30 a.m.

The EDGE annual banquet will be held January 6, 2010 at the BPO Elks Club.  The evening will start at 6:00 p.m. with a social hour, dinner at 7:00 p.m. with the annual meeting to follow.