Garden County Nebraska

GardenCoNe.com

Oshkosh, Lewellen, Lisco

Mayor: Cynthia S. Talley 305 West 1st Street, Oshkosh NE 69154 Phone: (308) 772-3686 email CTalley@gardencone.com

January 11, 2006

Happy New Year Garden County!

I have had many questions about the Welcome Center, “What is it?” So, here is a summary.

Garden County Welcome Center, located on Highway 26 in Oshkosh, Nebraska is the gateway outpost to the treasures of Garden County and the Nebraska Panhandle. When we talk of the Welcome Center, it truly is the “center” of activity and information for the entire county. The structure will be sustainable architecture using locally produced straw bales. The erection process would be reflective of our rural heritage, similar to a barn raising complete with community participation and celebration. The complex would include: Ogallala Aquifer Education, Public Restrooms (clean and available 24/7), RV parking, Truck/Car Parking, Conference/Education Space, Decks to enjoy the natural beauty of the area, Hiking/Biking trails around the perimeter of the property with the vision that in the future they will lead toward the North Platte River Refuge, a General Store (featuring items not currently available locally that the traveler/nature enthusiast could need as well as Nebraska Culture and Art), and finally a staffed information center that would give visitors access and direction to all the opportunities Garden County and the Nebraska Panhandle have to offer.

The Welcome Center is your one stop shop to all Nebraska Panhandle destinations. From scenic tours to hiking, bird watching to hunting, history to today’s agritourism, the center will get you where you want to go.

Letters will be sent to alumni, and fund raising events will be taking place in the future. More grant funding will be sought out. I have recruited an expert in fund raising and grant writing to help with this project. I am very excited to have her on board.

Good news from our financial auditing team who was in the Hall the week after Christmas. I was a little apprehensive about my first audit. The auditors were very impressed with the structural changes that have been developed. Job descriptions, chain of command, segregation of duties, the system of checks and balances regarding my position and the overview I have been doing on a weekly basis. They didn’t see any issues that needed correcting. LeAnn had all the ducks in a row for them. She did an excellent job. The audit went very smoothly because of her efforts. The process was an affirmation of the hard work that has been taking place.

What else am I working on? I have been researching sustainable agricultural cycles since June of last year. I have had meetings with researchers and have been developing a plan of attack. Argitourism, which is allowing people to come and taste what farm/ranch life is like, hunting and birding, are all value added crops to our crops. Now, the question is, what type of cycles could be developed that would thrive in our environment the way it is without enhancements? I have talked with folks who are involved in the process in other parts of the panhandle to get insight into what they have learned.

It looks like the coffee roastery is a definite yes, and will be coming to our town in the near future. More information will be shared as it develops. The other two businesses are simmering, no large steps have been taken forward. If you know of someone who wants to expand their business or would like to start a business, have them get ahold of me. I will make every effort to match them with resources. The projects that I am working on seem as improbable as eating an elephant. You do know how to eat an elephant, don’t you? One bite at a time. That’s how we will make a bright future for our children and our grandchildren. We’ll move one rock at a time until the mountain is moved. Together.

Remember, this is our community, it will be what we make it.

Your mayor.

Cindee Talley