COMMUNITY FACTSBLOOMFIELD, NEBRASKA
www.ci.bloomfield.ne.us
JANUARY 2004
POPULATION(Official U.S. Census)
2000 2002 Est.
Bloomfield 1,126 1,083
Knox County 9,374 9,082
Labor Market 86,549 84,812
Economic Development DepartmentNebraska Public Power District
Columbus, Nebraska 68601www.nppd.comsites.nppd.com
8 Nebraska Public Power District, 2004
INTRODUCTION
The following pages contain basic information about Bloomfield, Nebraska. This material was compiledby the City of Bloomfield and Nebraska Public Power District in order to promote communitydevelopment.
Additional and more detailed information about Bloomfield may be obtained by contacting any of thefollowing:
Jason Hefner, City AdministratorCity of BloomfieldBloomfield, Nebraska 68718Business Phone: (402) 373-2272Fax: (402) 373-2820Home Phone: (402) 373-2140E-mail: [email protected]
Joe Skrivan, PresidentBloomfield Community FoundationBloomfield, Nebraska 68718Business Phone: (402) 373-2332Fax: (402) 373-2887Home Phone: (402) 373-2330E-mail: [email protected]
Al GuntherBloomfield Community FoundationBloomfield, Nebraska 68718Business Phone: (402) 373-9010Fax: (402) 373-9010Home Phone: (402) 373-4100E-mail: [email protected]
Dennis G. Hall, CEcDEconomic Development ManagerNebraska Public Power DistrictColumbus, Nebraska 68601Business Phone: (402) 563-5534Toll Free: (800) 282-6773Fax: (402) 563-5090Home Phone: (402) 564-3772E-mail: [email protected]
TABLE OF CONTENTS
GENERAL I NFORMATION
LOCATION ............................................................................................................................. 1POPULATION .......................................................................................................................... 1LOCAL ECONOMY ................................................................................................................... 2ELEVATION ............................................................................................................................ 2TOPOGRAPHY ......................................................................................................................... 2HIST ORY ................................................................................................................................ 2
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
MANUFACTURERS ................................................................................................................... 3MAJOR NONMANUFACTURING EMPLOYERS ................................................................................ 3OTHER MAJOR AREA EMPLOYERS............................................................................................ 5ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS .............................................................................. 7
LABOR
LABOR SUPPLY ...................................................................................................................... 9WAGES.................................................................................................................................11UNIONIZATION ......................................................................................................................11FRINGE BENEFITS ................................................................................................................. 12RAILROADS .......................................................................................................................... 13MOTOR ............................................................................................................................... 13
TRANSPORTATION
AIR ..................................................................................................................................... 13WATER ............................................................................................................................... 13ELECTRICITY ....................................................................................................................... 17
UTILITIES
NATURAL GAS ..................................................................................................................... 18OTHER FUELS...................................................................................................................... 19WATER ............................................................................................................................... 19SEWERAGE .......................................................................................................................... 19SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL ....................................................................................................... 19RECYCLING .......................................................................................................................... 20TELECOMMUNICATIONS ......................................................................................................... 21INTERNET ............................................................................................................................ 21POST OFFICE ....................................................................................................................... 21PACKAGE DELIVERY SERVICES ............................................................................................... 21
COMMUNICATIONS
NEWSPAPER ......................................................................................................................... 21RADIO ................................................................................................................................. 21TELEVISION .......................................................................................................................... 21
TAX STRUCTURE
VALUES FOR TAX LEVY PURPOSES – CITY OF BLOOMFIELD .................................................... 23TAX RATE ........................................................................................................................... 23CITY SALES TAX ................................................................................................................. 23LOCAL BONDED INDEBTEDNESS ............................................................................................. 23
Section headings are hot linked within thisFacts Book. Click on the blue text linksto jump to a new section. Clicking on theblue section headings will return you tothe Table of Contents.
LOCAL G OVERNMENT
COUNTY GOVERNMENT ........................................................................................................ 25MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT .................................................................................................... 25FIRE PROTECTION ................................................................................................................ 25LAW ENFORCEMENT ............................................................................................................. 25STREETS ............................................................................................................................. 26BUILDING AND ZONING......................................................................................................... 26REGULATIONS ...................................................................................................................... 26PLANNING ........................................................................................................................... 26
COMMUNITY FACILITIES
SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES....................................................................................................... 27CHURCHES ........................................................................................................................... 32MEDICAL ............................................................................................................................ 32NURSING HOMES .................................................................................................................. 33LIBRARY .............................................................................................................................. 33RECREATION AND PARKS ...................................................................................................... 33HOUSING ............................................................................................................................. 34FINANCIAL .......................................................................................................................... 34
COMMUNITY SERVICES
PROFESSIONAL ...................................................................................................................... 35BUSINESS AND COMMERCIAL .................................................................................................. 35
AGRICULTURE & RAW M ATERIALS
AGRICULTURE ...................................................................................................................... 37RAW MATERIALS ................................................................................................................. 37
CLIMATE
TEMPERATURE, PRECIPITATION, AND HUMIDITY ..................................................................... 38FROST DATA ........................................................................................................................ 38
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GENERAL INFORMATION
LOCATION
Bloomfield is located in the east-central part ofKnox County in northeast Nebraska. East-westNebraska State Highway 84 passes through thecommunity and connects with north-southU.S. Highway 81, 12 miles east. Bloomfield is 53miles northwest of Norfolk; 89 miles west of SiouxCity, Iowa; and 179 miles northwest of Omaha.
POPULATION (U.S. Census)
KnoxYear Bloomfield County1970 1,287 11,7231980 1,393 11,4571990 1,181 9,5342000 1,126 9,3742002 (Est.) 1,083 9,082
County Population by Race andHispanic Origin
White 8,589Total Hispanic 85Black or African American 8American Indian and Alaska Native 667Asian 15Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific 4 IslanderOne race 9,315Some other race 32Two or more races 59
Approximately 86,549 people live in the Bloomfieldlabor market area which is comprised of Knox,Cedar, Pierce, Antelope, Holt, and Boyd countiesin Nebraska as well as Charles Mix, Bon Homme,and Yankton counties in South Dakota.
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LOCAL ECONOMY
Basic economic activities of Bloomfield arefarming, cattle feeding, dairy, hog farrowing andfeeding, egg production, collection services,services, and retailing.
Retail firms in the community reported annual nettaxable sales of $6,866,546 in 2002.Two wholesale firms in Bloomfield distribute sweetcorn and egg products.
A large amount of hay from the area is transportedto dairy farms in other parts of the United States.The Bloom “N” Egg Farm began production in1992 improving the job market and market forsmall grain. Seven large hog operations and manylarge cattle feeders are located within 10 miles ofBloomfield. The First National Bank of OmahaService Center opened its doors in January of 2003,providing 25 new jobs for the Bloomfieldcommunity.
ELEVATION
Bloomfield is 1,756 feet above sea level.
TOPOGRAPHY
The terrain of the area is broken to gentle rollinghills.
The soils are predominantly deep loess. Drainageby the east branch of Brazile Creek and intermittentwaterways is good.
HISTORY
Bloomfield was founded on October 2, 1890. Itslocation was chosen to accommodate the Chicago,St. Paul, Minneapolis, and Omaha Railroad, whichneeded a refueling stop. Mrs. Colin Valentine, wifeof the vice-president of Farmers & MerchantsState Bank, suggested the name “Bloomfield”because of the many wild flowers blooming on theprairie. Many people chose to settle in Bloomfield
because land was cheap. Some land was given tomen who fought in the Civil War as pay becausethe government was short on funds.
Throughout the 1890s Bloomfield was the typicalrailroad town with main street populated by onlyrailroad families. The Bloomfield “Monitor”newspaper began publication in 1890. In 1891 alarge roller mill, elevator, and school were built.Telephone service began in 1898.
In 1918 the first Knox County fair was held inBloomfield and is celebrated annually in August.
The 1956 construction of Lewis & Clark Lake,18 miles north of Bloomfield, and the “Devil’sNest” development on the lake in 1972 havebrought tourism to the area.
In 1973 the Bloomfield businessmen presented aunited campaign to improve the downtown area.Efforts were rewarded by more than 65 businessesmaking improvements in 1974.
Bloomfield celebrated its diamond jubilee in 1965and its centennial in 1990. Bloomfield’s citizenslook toward the future with high hopes for theircommunity.
In 1992 M.G. Waldbaum Company opened an eggproduction facility west of Bloomfield. Thefacility, housing more than four million chickens,employs approximately 160 people.
In 1995 a new community center was constructedwith donated funds. The facility houses the cityoffices, police department, city council chambers,and a community room.
In 1999 a new library was built on the same blockas the community center, adding a contrast of newand historic facilities.
In 2003 First National Bank of Omaha added aservice center to Bloomfield. The service centerserves as a collection agency for the creditaccounts issued by First National Bank of Omaha.They have 30 employees, all from Knox County.
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E CONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
MANUFACTURERS
Company/ EmployeesYear Established Product Market Male Female Union
Bloom “N” Egg Farm Egg processing Regional 94 64 None1992
Bloomfield Monitor Commercial printing Local 1 3 None1890
Sweet Corn Products Co. Corn snacks & bird Regional 3 2 None& No-No Products feeders
1986
MAJOR NONMANUFACTURING EMPLOYERS (employing 5 or more)
EmployeesEmployer Type of Activity Male Female Union
Battle Creek Farmers Co-Op Agri-business 8 1 None
Bloomfield Café Restaurant 3 6 None
Bloomfield Community Schools Education 16 46 NSEA
Bloomfield Medical Clinic Medical 2 9 None
Bloomfield Vet Clinic Animal health 3 6 None
City of Bloomfield Government 6 1 None
Farmers & Merchants State Financial & insurance 4 10 None Bank & Insurance Co.
First National Bank Service Center Credit card collections 5 25 None
Freeman Oil Petroleum 5 1 None
Gary’s Farm Service Feed & seed 5 2 None
Good Samaritan Center Nursing home & 7 90 Noneand Sunset View assisted living
Great Plains Communications Utility 8 1 None
Gerry Miller Implement Implement dealership 11 2 None
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EmployeesEmployer Type of Activity Male Female Union
Giesleman Trucking Livestock hauling 3 2 None
Hefner True Value Hardware store 2 3 None
Herzog’s Feedlot 7 1 None
Horseshoe Hill SEW Hog production 5 1 None
Husker Pig CoOp Hog production 3 2 None
Knox County Feeders Commercial feeding 8 1 None
Knox County Government 4 1 None
Kersten Auto Retail automotive 6 2 None
Marvin’s Market Grocery store 3 7 None
Mr. B’s Convenience store 1 18 None
Nebraska Dept. of Roads Road maintenance 8 0 None
Pinkelman Construction Masonry construction 4 2 None
Poppe Hay Company Hay sales 5 3 None
Precision Agronomy Fertilizer 4 1 None
Region IV Services Services for 12 61 Nonedevelopmentallydisabled adults
Swine “84” Hog production 6 2 None
U.S.D.A. Service Center Gov’t. agri. services 6 9 None
U.S. Post Office Postal services 6 3 None
OTHER MAJOR AREA EMPLOYERS (employing 100 or more)
Employer Type of Activity Employees Union
Hartington, 20 miles
Hartington Telemarketing, Inc. Telephone marketing 109 None
Hydraulic Components, Inc. Hydraulic cylinders & valves 112 None
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Employer Type of Activity Employees Union
Yankton, South Dakota, 30 miles
Alumax Extrusions, Inc. Aluminum extrusion 550 None
Baldwin Filters Automotive filters 100 None
Cimpl’s Meats Food processing 230 None
City of Yankton Government 130 None
Federal Bureau of Prisons Minimum security prison 114 None
First Bank Card Center Credit card processing 270 None
First Dakota National Bank Banking 245 None
Gehl Power Products Construction equipment 105 None
Hastings Manufacturing Co. Auto accessories 110 None
Kolberg-Pioneer, Inc. Convey 250 None
M-Tron Industries Crystals & oscillators 119 None
Morgan Manufacturing Concrete processing equipment 100 None
Mount Marty College Four-year college (Catholic) 135 None
Portec Inc. Conveyors 403 None
Sacred Heart Hospital Hospital services 969 None
Save-U-More Grocery supermarket 400 None
Shur-CoTarps 180 None
South Dakota Human Mental health facility 530 NoneServices Center
U.S. Federal Prison Camp Minimum security prison 114 None
Vishay Dale Electronics Electronic components 382 None
Wilson Trailer Truck trailers 199 Teamsters
Yankton Medical Clinic Medical services 285 None
Yankton Public School System Education 375 SDEA
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EmployeesEmployer Type of Activity Male Female Union
Norfolk, 43 miles
Affiliated Foods Cooperative, Inc. Food distribution 421 109 Teamsters55* 16 *
City of Norfolk Government 136 55 IAFF1* 9 * (firefighters)
Faith Regional Health Services Medical 95 542 None30* 239 * None
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Hydraulic hose, 384 72 Noneindustrial & automatic 25* 26 *
Kendall/Tyco Healthcare Disposable hypodermic 178 260 Nonesyringes & blood collectiontubes, medical devices,breather exercisers &probe covers
Norfolk Iron & Metal Co. Steel products, distribution 163 23 None& steel service center 2* 3 *
Norfolk Public Schools Education 178 582 NSEA
Norfolk Regional Center State psychiatric hospital 350 Total NAPE/AFSCME
Northeast Community College Education 106 120 NSEA(faculty only)
NUCOR Steel Division of Steel angles, rounds, 409 21 UFCWNUCOR Corp & flats
State of Nebraska Government 88 109 None8* 6 *
Tyson Foods, Inc. Boxed beef 1,012 410 None18* 61 *
Vulcraft Division, NUCOR Corp. Steel joists, metal deck, 363 46 Nonecold drawn bar 3* 1 *
Wal-Mart Retail 104 215 None36* 61 *
*Part-time and/or seasonal
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
ORGANIZATIONS
The city of Bloomfield, the Bloomfield CommunityFoundation, Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce,Knox County Development Agency, Great PlainsCommunications, Nebraska Public Power District,and the Northeast Nebraska EconomicDevelopment District work together for economicdevelopment in the community.
The city of Bloomfield’s Economic DevelopmentProgram, established in 2002, uses 40 percent ofthe 1 percent city sales tax for loan to variouseconomic development projects. Thus far all loanshave been 100 percent forgivable.
The Bloomfield Community Foundation is anon-profit organization consisting of ten members
working toward development in and aroundBloomfield. The organization is establishing itselfand is financed primarily on donated funds andassists in the establishment of new businesses andindustries in Bloomfield.
The Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce hasapproximately 65 members. The purpose of thechamber is to promote local businesses andcommunity betterment projects.
The Knox County Development Agency wasestablished in 2002 to focus on countywideeconomic development. Each community in KnoxCounty pays an annual fee based upon populationfor their service. The goal is to unify the countyand market the entire area.
Bloom “N” Egg Farm
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Gerry Miller Implement
Kerstens Auto
Poppe Hay Company
USDA Service Center
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L ABOR
LABOR SUPPLY
A. Employment in the Bloomfield labor market which is defined as the whole of Knox County and thetotal consisting of Knox County plus the contiguous counties of Boyd, Holt, Antelope, Pierce andCedar counties in Nebraska and Charles Mix, Bon Homme, and Yankton counties in South Dakota(12 month average, October 2002 through September 2003, South Dakota data not available):
Nonfarm employment (wage and salary workers) Knox Co Total
Goods Producing* 247 1320Transportation, Warehousing & Utilities 51 435Trade, Wholesale 183 1,144Trade, Retail 362 1,892Information 26 DFinancial Activities 116 667Professional & Business Services 56 DEducational & Health Services 309 DLeisure & Hospitality 123 735Other Services 88 DGovernment 1,129 4,166
TOTAL NONFARM WAGE AND SALARY WORKERS 2,688 13,358Farm Employment* *(Estimate) 1,235 6,627
TOTAL EMPLOYMENT 4,628B. Commuting Out of County 495C. Unemployment 150 747
TOTAL LABOR FORCE 4,777 24,572D. Estimated number of homemakers, seasonal and part-time workers,
and workers who would shift from low-paying jobs who could beexpected to work for industry 3,950
E. Estimated number of county high school graduates annually 167TOTAL POTENTIAL LABOR SUPPLY (B, C, D & E) 4,762
D - Data not available because of disclosure suppression.** Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA); Data for 2000.
A labor survey was completed in 2002; results are available upon request.
WAGE & SALARY EMPLOYMENT
KNOX COUNTY
12-MONTH AVERAGE,OCTOBER 2002 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2003
* Goods Producing consists of Manufacturing and Natural Resources/Mining/Construction
In format ion
1.0%
Trans,
Warehousing, Ut i l
1 .9%
Prof & Bus Serv
2.1%Other Serv ices
3 . 3 %
Financial
A c t i v i t i e s
4 . 3 %
Leisure & Hosp
4 . 6 %
Tot Government
42 .0%
Wholesale Trade
6 . 8 %
Retai l Trade
13.5%
Ed & Heal th Serv
11.5%
Goods Producing*
9 . 2 %
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LABOR POTENTIAL IN THE BLOOMFIELD AREA
POPULATION DATA — 2000 U.S. Census
City of Bloomfield — 1,126Ages 18-24 284 Male and 234 Female
Knox County — 9,374 Ages 25-44 1,049 Male and 1,004 FemaleAges 45-54 660 Male and 619 Female
30-Mile Radius 53,566 (2002)
2000 POPULATION DATA Median
% High % Household School Bachelor’s Effective
Density/ % 65 Yrs Median Graduate Degree Buying Location Sq. Mile & Over Age or Higher or Higher Income (2002) Knox Co. 8.5 23.1 43.0 82.0 14.4 $25,452 Nebraska 22.3 13.6 35.3 86.6 23.7 $35,807 U.S. 79.6 12.4 35.9 84.0 26.0 $38,035
Knox County had 6,140 eligible voters in 2000; 66.5 percent voted in the national election compared to65.2 percent in Nebraska.
SOURCE: U.S. Census, www.census.govSales and Marketing Management, September 2003Statewide General Election 2000 Results, www.nol.org/home/SOS/Canvass2000/gen2000menu.htm
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UNIONIZATION
Nebraska has a right-to-work provision in its constitution. In 2000, 13.1 percent of Nebraska’s manufacturingworkers were members of labor unions compared to a national figure of 14.8 percent. Union membershipin Nebraska is concentrated in the railroad and packinghouse industries.
Labor unions operating in Bloomfield:
Company Union
Bloomfield Community Schools Nebraska State Education Associaton
Approximately 3.5 percent of the nonagricultural labor force (including teachers) in Bloomfield is unionized.There have been no known strikes in Bloomfield.
WAGES
Hourly Wage ($)/PercentileOccupation Title 10th 50th 90th
ProfessionalAccountants & Auditors 13.81 19.77 30.17Engineers
Civil Engineers 13.64 25.14 34.06Electrical Engineers 19.39 25.66 34.53Industrial Engineers 18.18 26.11 36.35Mechanical Engineers 15.62 22.90 34.42
Computer Programmers 12.62 23.21 28.67Computer Systems Analysts 12.56 22.78 33.10Registered Nurses 14.68 19.09 24.98
RetailHotel Desk Clerks 7.22 8.16 10.21Retail Salespersons 7.67 10.12 21.48Truck Drivers-Light or Delivery Services 7.57 10.62 21.03Driver/Sales Workers 6.11 19.34 24.16Stock Clerks & Order Fillers 9.16 10.78 13.60Shipping, Receiving & Traffic Clerks 9.26 12.15 16.96
* Wage information taken from Balance of the State (nonmetropolitan areas)
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Hourly Wage ($)/PercentileOccupation Title 10th 50th 90th
ClericalBookkeeping, Accounting & Auditing Clerks 8.41 10.79 14.27Customer Service Representatives 9.20 11.35 16.27Data Entry Keyers 7.06 10.04 13.55Secretaries, excl. Legal, Medical & Executive 7.70 9.88 12.23Office Clerks, General 7.46 11.15 14.38Receptionists & Information Clerks 6.61 9.83 13.25Telemarketers* 6.25 8.06 9.65
UnskilledLaborers & Freight, Stock & Material Movers, Hand 7.20 9.57 13.30Packers & Packagers, Hand 7.22 9.72 12.74Assemblers & Fabricators, All Others 9.30 12.34 14.49Nursing Aides, Orderlies & Attendants 6.77 8.62 10.91
Semi-SkilledIndustrial Truck & Tractor Operators 9.50 11.29 14.10Truck Drivers, Heavy or Tractor-Trailer 9.70 12.70 20.97Maintenance Workers, Machinery 10.19 13.11 20.51Machine Operators
Lathe & Turning Machine Tool Setters 9.69 12.81 17.09Drilling/Boring Machine Tool Setters* 9.57 13.05 17.86Milling & Planing Machine Setters* 9.86 12.56 16.48Grinding, Lapping, Polishing & Buffing Mach. Oper. 9.24 11.95 14.32Cutting & Slicing Machine Setters, & Operators 7.40 8.58 12.94Cutting, Punching & Press* 8.75 12.37 15.14Multiple Machine Tool Setters & Operators 9.86 13.51 17.49
SkilledAutomotive Mechanics 6.51 12.49 21.66Electricians 12.63 16.63 40.07Industrial Machinery Mechanics 11.84 14.52 17.75Machinists 9.63 13.26 19.12Tool & Die Makers 12.47 16.57 22.79Welders, Cutters, Solderers & Brazers 9.99 12.64 14.56
TechnicalElectrical/Electronic Engineering Technicians 14.01 17.10 21.57Medical & Clinical Laboratory Technicians 8.19 11.79 16.80Computer Operators 9.76 13.20 19.60
Source: Nebraska Workforce Development, Occupational Employment Statistics Program, 4th Quarter2003 wage estimates, Northeast Region, www.dol.state.ne.us/lmiwages/toc000.htm
* Wage information taken from Balance of the State (nonmetropolitan areas)
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RAILROADS
The Nebraska Northeastern Railroad provides thenearest rail service at Osmond, 18 miles south ofBloomfield.
MOTOR
Highways
Bloomfield is served by east-west NebraskaHighway 84. There are no local load restrictions.U.S. Highway 81 is 12 miles east of Bloomfield.Both Interstate 29 and 90 are approximately75 miles from Bloomfield. Highway mileage tomajor cities:
Destination MileageLincoln 179Omaha 179Chicago 615Dallas 740Denver 566Detroit 883Kansas City 360Los Angeles 1,579Minneapolis 389New York 1,389St. Louis 612San Francisco 1,695
Trucklines
Interstate/intrastate trucklines servingBloomfield:
Nearest Terminal/Company Trucks DailyO’NeillK Trucking 1
NorfolkClark Brothers 1
KearneyBrown Transfer 1
Several independent trucking firms contract to haulcattle, grain, hay, and eggs.
Bus Lines
The nearest bus services are provided by JackRabbit Bus Lines in Yankton, South Dakota,30 miles; and Arrow Stage Lines in Norfolk,Nebraska, 53 miles.
Handi-bus service is available for the elderly inBloomfield by the Good Samaritan Center.
AIR
The Bloomfield Municipal Airport, 1-1/2 milessouthwest of the community, has a 2,700-footpaved and lighted runway, tie downs, hangars,telephone, and fuel. A new administrationbuilding and new taxi ways were added in 1999.Four private planes are hangared there. Theelevation is 1,673 feet, the latitude is42°34'78"N and the longitude is 97°40'42"W.
The Karl Stefan Memorial Airport in Norfolk,43 miles (45 minutes), provides air freight, airexpress, and passenger services. Great LakesAirline, with three flights daily, provides a directflight to Denver, Colorado.
The Sioux Gateway Airport in Sioux City, Iowa,75 miles (90 minutes) east of Bloomfield, is servedby one commercial carrier with seven departuresdaily.
WATER
Barge service is available at 19 barge terminalfacilities on the Missouri River in Nebraska. TheSioux City river port is 75 miles east ofBloomfield. These river ports are navigableapproximately eight months per year. TheU.S. Army Corps of Engineers maintains a 9-footdeep, 300-foot wide channel for 735 navigablemiles from Sioux City to the mouth of the MissouriRiver. Commodities transported by towingcompanies are alfalfa pellets, cement, concreteforms, distillers’ dried grain, feed, feedingredients, fertilizer, grain, machinery, molasses,newsprint, nitrogen fertilizer solution, propyleneglycol, rock-aggregate, salt, steel, and twine.
T RANSPORTATION
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Community Bible Church
St. Andrew’s Catholic Church
United Methodist Church
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First Trinity Church
St. Mark’s Lutheran Church
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ELECTRICITY
Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) retailselectricity to the city of Bloomfield. Service issupplied from one local substation at 69,000 volts.The substation, with a 3,750 kVA capacity, isserved from a 115,000 volt substation four milesnorth of Bloomfield and alternate sources areavailable from Belden or Hartington. These linesare connected to NPPD’s statewide 115,000 voltgrid system with a tie to the Western Area PowerAdministration’s facilities at Gavins Point, SouthDakota. Electricity is distributed in the communityby a 4,160 volt wye system.
BASE ELECTRIC RATES (effective 2/1/03)Summer bills run from June - September.
Residential Service (electric water heat):
Customer Charge: $13.00 per month Summer Winter
8.51¢ 6.26¢ per kWh for the first750 kWh used per month
6.98¢ 3.74¢ per kWh for all additional useMinimum Bill: The Customer Charge,subject to applicable Base Rate adjustments.
Customers who are served from distributionfacilities for which NPPD has a Lease Paymentor Debt Service obligation and/or a Gross RevenueTax obligation will have the Base Rate adjusted toinclude such obligations.
General Service:
Customer ChargeSingle Phase $15.00 per monthThree Phase $18.50 per month
Summer Winter9.72¢ 7.56¢ per kWh for the first
1,000 kWh used per month7.75¢ 5.62¢ per kWh for the next
2,000 kWh used per month7.75¢ 5.02¢ per kWh for all additional use
Minimum Bill: The Customer Charge,subject to applicable Base Rate adjustments.
Customers who are served from distributionfacilities for which NPPD has a Lease Paymentor Debt Service obligation and/or a Gross Revenue
Tax obligation will have the Base Rate adjusted toinclude such obligations.
Commercial Electric Space Heating:
Customer ChargeSingle Phase $27.50 per monthThree Phase $32.50 per month
Summer Winter8.40¢ 5.17¢ per kWh for the first
200 kWh per kW ofdemand used per month
3.40¢ 2.22¢ per kWh for all additionaluse
Minimum Bill: The Customer Charge, subject to applicable Base Rate adjustments.
Customers who are served from distributionfacilities for which NPPD has a Lease Paymentor Debt Service obligation and/or a Gross RevenueTax obligation will have the Base Rate adjusted toinclude such obligations.
General Service Demand:
Customer ChargeSingle Phase $60.00 per monthThree Phase $70.00 per month
Summer Winter8.20¢ 5.62¢ per kWh for the first
200 kWh per kW ofdemand used per month
3.25¢ 2.35¢ per kWh for all additionaluse
Minimum Bill: The Customer Charge, subject to applicable Base Rate adjustments.
Customers who are served from distributionfacilities for which NPPD has a Lease Paymentor Debt Service obligation and/or a Gross RevenueTax obligation will have the Base Rate adjusted toinclude such obligations. This rate is also subjectto various adders and discounts depending uponthe customer’s requirements, metering, etc.
NPPD has several off-peak and curtailable servicerates available to qualifying customers.
U TILITIES
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Sample Cost per kWh:
Load CustomerFactor Billed
% kW kWh ¢/kWh1
41 100 30,000 6.5541 300 90,000 6.3641 500 150,000 6.3350 100 36,000 5.9970 300 150,000 5.0950 500 180,000 5.80
1Includes Lease Payment and Gross Revenue Tax.
High Tension Service*:
Customer Charge: $250.00 per monthMonthly Demand Charges (Base Rate
charge per kW):Summer Season: $ 11.00 per kW of
billing demandWinter Season: $ 6.00 per kW of
billing demandSpring/Fall Season: $ 6.00 per kW of
billing demand
Monthly Energy Charges (Base Ratecharge per kWh):
On- Mid- Off-Peak Peak Peak
Summer Season 4.77¢ 3.78¢ 3.03¢Winter Season 2.57¢ 2.06¢ 1.48¢Spring/Fall Season 2.44¢ N/A 1.48¢
Summer Season rate applies to the customer’sdemand and energy use from July 1 throughAugust 31.
Winter Season rate applies to the customer’sdemand and energy use from December 1through March 31.
Spring/Fall Season rate applies to thecustomer’s demand and energy use fromApril 1 through June 30 and September 1 throughNovember 30.
*Industries must take delivery at or be adjacent toa substation and own and maintain the primarydedicated line and any other facilities beyond thesubstation delivery point.
Customers who are served from distributionfacilities for which NPPD has a Lease Payment
or Debt Service obligation and/or a Gross RevenueTax obligation will have the Base Rate adjusted toinclude such obligations.
NPPD has several off-peak and curtailable servicerates available to qualifying customers.
Sample Cost per kWh:
Load CustomerFactor Billed % kW kWh ¢/kWh1
28 150 30,000 7.4628 500 100,000 6.7928 1,000 200,000 6.6592 150 100,000 4.0890 500 300,000 4.0290 1,000 650,000 3.87
1Includes Lease Payment. Does not include GrossRevenue Tax.
The ¢/kWh cost is estimated using the followingassumption concerning the distribution of electricityuse during on-peak, mid-peak, and off-peak periodswhich are specified in the National DataStandards (NDS) adopted by the InternationalEconomic Development Council.
On- Mid- Off-Peak % Peak % Peak%
Summer 31.0 30.2 38.8 Winter 38.2 23.6 38.2 Spring/Fall 54.5 0.0 45.5
Prospective customers should contact NebraskaPublic Power District, (877) ASK-NPPD or(877) 275-6773, www.nppd.com, for furtherinformation regarding electric rates and service.
NATURAL GAS
Natural gas is supplied to the community ofBloomfield by Kinder Morgan, Inc., through atwo-inch transmission pipeline with an operatingpressure of approximately 800-900 pounds persquare inch.
Kinder Morgan is also the distributor of naturalgas within the community, serving534 residential, commercial, and industrialcustomers.
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Natural gas is available for residential andcommercial uses. Availability of natural gas forindustrial uses is subject to individual situations.As specific requirements of an industrial prospectbecome available, information on gas serviceavailability and applicable rates can be obtainedfrom Kinder Morgan’s Service Center,(800) 563-0012.
OTHER FUELS
LP Gas
LP gas is available for residential, commercial, andindustrial uses at Battle Creek Farmers Co-Op.
Oil
Oil is available at Freeman Oil Company andBattle Creek Farmers Co-Op for residential,commercial, and industrial uses.
WATER
The municipal water system in Bloomfield issupplied by three wells, which have an averagedepth of 275 feet. The system has a combinedpumping capacity of 1,200 gallons per minute andan overhead storage capacity of 250,000 gallons.The average daily demand on the system is180,000 gallons, and the historic peak daily demandis 857,000 gallons. The system has a maximumcapacity of 1,978,000 gallons per day. The staticpressure is 93 pounds per square inch and theresidual pressure is 86 pounds per square inch.
Groundwater is available for industrial uses. Thequality of water in Bloomfield does not necessitatea water treatment plant.
The color of the water is clear. The average tapwater temperature varies from 42° in winter to54° in summer.
Chemical Analysis (parts per million)
Nitrates 4.8Fluoride .89
WATER RATES (effective 10/1/03)
Residential, Commercial & Industrial:
Monthly metered rate of $14.00 plus $1.25 per1,000 gallons used
In 2002 the city replaced several feet of two-inchgalvanized pipe with six-inch PVC pipe reducingthe amount of leaks in the system. In 2003 onewell was replaced with a 16-inch column pipe.These $215,000 projects were funded by a loanthrough the Department of Environmental Quality.
SEWERAGE
Bloomfield has a municipal sanitary seweragesystem and a storm sewer system. Thelagoon-type treatment facility has a daily capacityof 401,040 gallons. The average daily flow is100,260 gallons, and the historic peak daily flow is200,520 gallons.
SEWER-USE CHARGES (effective 5/28/03)
Residential & Commercial:
A base fee of $8.00 plus $1.00 per 1,000 gallonsof water used (averaged between the months ofDecember, January, and March)
New piping from the east to the west side of thecommunity was constructed in 2000 along with anew west lift station. This $210,000 project wasfunded by the Department of EnvironmentalQuality.
SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL
Privately owned waste removal services areavailable in Bloomfield. Wastes are hauled to alandfill in Jackson, Nebraska, 65 miles.
SOLID WASTE REMOVAL RATES
(effective 5/28/03)
Residential:
$10.50 per month$ 8.50 per month for senior citizens
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Commercial & Industrial:
By contract with hauler
RECYCLING
Recycling activities for newspaper and aluminumare being carried out through local serviceorganizations.
Goodwill Industries from Sioux City, Iowa, providesa trailer for recyclable items for a week, four timesa year.
Swimming Pool
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TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Telecommunications services are provided in theBloomfield area by Great Plains Communicationswith a digital central office served by fiber.Installation and maintenance personnel are locatedin Bloomfield, an equal access community.
TARIFFED RATES (effective 5/01/03)
Residence Line $17.50 Business Line $27.50
INTERNET
Internet service is provided to the Bloomfield areaby Great Plains Communications NetLink,www.greatplainsnetlink.net, offering DSL andDial-up at 1-800-734-7467. Another provider isCarrol’s Web at (800) 359-2981.
POST OFFICE
The post office in Bloomfield has one mail receiptand one dispatch daily. Postal receipts for the pastfive fiscal years:
2002 $ 330,2752001 $ 320,1502000 $ 315,2001999 $ 305,1801998 $ 302,800
PACKAGE DELIVERY SERVICES
Airborne Express, Pony Express, United ParcelService, Federal Express, and Purolator providepackage delivery and pickup services in Bloomfield.The U.S. Postal Service also provides packagedelivery service.
NEWSPAPER
The Bloomfield Monitor, the local weeklynewspaper, has 1,480 subscribers. Othernewspapers delivered locally include the NorfolkDaily News, Yankton Press & Dakotan, and theOmaha World-Herald.
RADIO
Radio stations carrying local news:
Call Letters Frequency LocationWNAX 570 KHz Yankton, SDKK93 93.1 MHz Yankton, SDWNAX 104.1 MHz Yankton, SDWJAG 780 KHz Norfolk, NEKEXL 106.7 MHz Norfolk, NEKNEN 94.6 MHz Norfolk, NEKMNS 620 KHz Sioux City, IA
TELEVISION
Regional stations carrying local news:
Call Letters Channel LocationKCAU 9 Sioux City, IAKTIV 4 Sioux City, IAKELO 11 Sioux Falls, SDKOLN 10 Lincoln, NE
Cable TV provides viewing on 35 basic, 9 extendedbasic, and 2 premium channels in Bloomfield.
C OMMUNICATIONS
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Great Plains Communications, Inc.
U.S. Post Office
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TAX STRUCTURE
VALUES FOR TAX LEVY PURPOSES – CITY OF BLOOMFIELD
All real property is required to be appraised at its actual value. Agricultural land is valued at 80 percent of itsactual value. Personal property that is used in a trade or business and is depreciable is subject to tax at its“net book value.” All other personal property is exempt from taxation.
Actual Valuation
2001 2002 2003Real Estate $20,180,185 $20,401,143 21,265,471Personal Property 717,283 717,910 741,351Special (railroad & utilities) 633,233 626,193 710,276
TOTAL $21,530,701 $21,745,246 22,717,098
TAX RATE (dollars and cents per $100 of actual value)
2001 2002 2003
Township $0.10977 $0.104900 $0.103047City .69426 .719471 .608096County .21924 .236249 .297052School District 1.06316 1.249969 1.25000Community College .06851 .070000 .081123Educational Service Unit .01830 .018200 .018000Natural Resource District .03912 .037768 .034750Agricultural Society .00370 .003528 .003574
TOTAL $2.21606 $2.440085 $2.395642
CITY SALES TAX
Bloomfield imposes a one percent city sales tax, generating approximately $100,000 annually. In 2002, thecommunity voted to designate 60 percent of the city sales tax to be used for property tax relief and the other40 percent for economic development.
LOCAL BONDED INDEBTEDNESS
As of May 2003:
City—Revenue Bonds $311,600City—General Obligation Bonds $1,214,000School District NoneCounty None
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Original Unpaid Balance Interest Type Date Issued Amount As of 5/03 Rate (%) Date DueRevenue Bonds
Water (DWSRF) 2/12/03 $215,000 $311,600 4.00 2023General Obligation Bonds
Water 1/15/95 & 8/15/97 $700,000 $854,000 5.13 2018 (2 combined)Sewer (CWSRF) 9/25/00 $210,000 $288,300 4.00 2021Various Purpose 7/15/95 $105,000 $71,620 5.73 2008
Bloomfield City Park
Bloomfield Community Center
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L OCAL GOVERNMENT
COUNTY GOVERNMENT
Knox County has 30 townships and is governedby a seven-member Board of Supervisors, electedby popular vote for four-year terms. The 2002-03actual budget was $6,630,000. County zoningclassifications are:
A AgricultureAGT Transitional AgricultureRR Rural Residential
ELO Environmental LimitaationOverlay
MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT
Bloomfield, a second-class city, has amayor-council form of government with a cityadministrator. The 2002-03 budget was $1,200,000.Municipal officials are:
Method TermTitle of Selection of Office
Mayor Elected 4 years Councilmembers (4) Elected by 4 years
District City Administrator Appointed Indefinite
FIRE PROTECTION
Fire protection is provided in the community by a33-member volunteer fire department, 25 memberswho are located in Bloomfield and 8 members areat the “satellite” station in Lindy. The departmentalso provides protection to areas outside the citylimits by operating the rural fire district’s equipmentwithin 390 square miles.
Bloomfield has 53 fire hydrants. The fireinsurance classification inside the Bloomfield citylimits is 7; outside, it is 9. Average annualexpenditures for fire protection during the lastthree years were $33,240 for the city departmentand $40,000 for the rural department.
Equipment in the fire department:
Year Description Housed in Bloomfield 1993 Early response vehicle
with compressed-air foamsystem
Housed in Bloomfield1994 & 1996 750 gal. pumpers,
1,000 gpm2000 & 1999 2,000 gal. tankers1995 Wildland fighting vehicle2000 4-door pickup
Housed in Lindy1980 750 gal. pumper, 1,000 gpm1988 Wildland firefighting
vehicle
Fire losses for the past five years have been:
Year Amount2002 $69,3002001 $32,5002000 $16,1801999 $49,2751998 $118,500
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Police Department
The Bloomfield Police Department employstwo full-time and one part-time officers and onesupport person. The computerized office hasstandard equipment. Average annualexpenditures for the last three years was $110,000.
Sheriff’s Department
The Knox County Sheriff’s Department employssix sworn officers and seven support personnel.The sheriff’s department supports the911 emergency system. Weekend patrol by thesheriff’s department provides protection to existingindustries.
The crime rate per 1,000 population in Knox Countyin 2001 was 5.8 compared to a state crime rate of42.4 and a national rate of 41.6.
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State Patrol
Troop B of the Nebraska State Patrol isheadquartered in Norfolk and serves 23 counties.Two patrolmen are stationed in each city of theneighboring cities of Plainview, Hartington, Neligh,and O’Neill who serve the Bloomfield community.
STREETS
Bloomfield has 21.35 miles of streets, 17.15 milesof which are hard-surfaced with asphalt,bituminus, or concrete. Local load restrictionsdo not exist. Eighty percent of the streets havecurbs and sixty-three percent have sidewalks.
Street maintenance equipment includes streetsweeping and snow removal.
BUILDING AND ZONING
REGULATIONS
Local zoning classifications are:
Community Business DistrictResidential, Single FamilyMedium High DensityCommercial Limited
PLANNING
The city of Bloomfield has a five member planningcommission, each member serves a four-yearterm.
In 1997 the city of Bloomfield adopted acomprehensive plan prepared by J.E.O. of Wahoo,Nebraska.
Knox County Fairgrounds
Schulz Memorial Park (softball fields)
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C OMMUNITY F ACILITIES
SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES
Bloomfield School System
Teacher/ Computer/Type of School Classrooms Students Pupil Ratio Pupil RatioElementary 12 120 1 to 13 1 to 3Jr.-Sr. High School 15 118 1 to 10 1 to 1.8
School District No. 54-0586 in Knox Countycovers approximately 232 square miles and hasan actual valuation of $128,011,225. This Class 3,Type D-1 district is accredited by the state ofNebraska.
The 2002 school operating expenses totaled$3,185,966, with an average cost of $13,386 perpupil. The actual valuation per pupil was $537,862.
Test Results
% Students AverageTitle Taking Test ScoreACT 79 21.5
The elementary school was built in 1962 and has amaximum capacity of 300. The junior-senior highschool was built in 1925 with an addition in 1962and has a maximum capacity of 300. It is estimatedthat all eighth grade students finish high school,92 percent of the graduating seniors pursue acollege degree, and 8 percent of the graduatingseniors enter the job market.
Vocational courses offered in the high schoolinclude trades and industry, vocational agriculture,family and consumer science, and business. Allhigh school curriculum is available through theDistance Learning Program.
College courses available in the community areBiology I, Business I, Political Science, and FHAHome Loans. EMT training is also availablenumerous time throughout the year.
Special Schools
The North Star Services-Bloomfield programprovides community-based services to
developmentally disabled adults. The Bloomfieldprogram is one of seven in a 20-county area ofnortheast Nebraska. North Star’s goal is to providean array of services which promotes growth anddevelopment throughout an individual’s lifetime.These may include both residential and dayservices.
Approximately 73 residents in Bloomfield andsurrounding area are employed by North Star inboth part-time and full-time positions. Staff receivetraining through a cooperative agreement withNortheast Community College with college creditawarded after successful completion. The agencyhas been located in Bloomfield since 1974 and hascontinued to develop its services in a proactivemanner.
Educational Service Unit
Bloomfield is a member of Educational ServiceUnit (ESU) No. 1, which is headquartered inWakefield and serves six counties. Servicesavailable through the ESU include audiology,psychology, physical therapy, occupationaltherapy, transition counselor, inservice, and earlychildhood homebase.
Community College
Bloomfield is part of the Northeast CommunityCollege (NECC) service area. The college,governed by an 11-member elected board, serves20 counties in northeast Nebraska from the maincampus in Norfolk, 53 miles south of Bloomfield.
Enrollment at Northeast Community College for2002–2003 included 7,600 students taking creditcourses and more than 19,000 students takingnoncredit, continuing education classes.
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Northeast offers more than 60 technical, vocational,business, and liberal arts programs preparing thestudent for immediate employment or transfer to afour-year college or university. In May 2003, thecollege awarded 681 diplomas and degrees.Ninety-nine percent of the graduates seekingemployment find jobs soon after graduation.
About one-fourth of NECC graduates choose tocontinue their education, with most transferring toa four-year school. Statistics show that collegetransfer students from NECC do as well as, andusually better, than students who actually startedat a four-year college.
The Business and Industry Division at NECCworks with area industries, retail and serviceestablishments, agriculture, and other agencies inplanning employee development and training. Theprograms can be delivered on-site at the companyor at the state-of-the-art facilities at Northeast.Training is arranged at any time of the day orevening to meet the organization’s special needs.
The Business and Industry Division served127 employers and trained more than6,800 employees through customized training,workshops, and seminars in the fiscal year2002-2003. The division also worked with 28communities on strategic planning and economicdevelopment initiatives. More than 60 individualsseeking to start or expand their business receivedassistance through this division.
The 205-acre main campus includes 16 buildings,including classroom, shop, and lab facilities;library/resource center; Student Center; anActivities Center with gym and theater; theLifelong Learning Center; dormitory for students;and two apartment buildings for student living. Thecollege is one of the best computer-equippededucational institutions in the state. Northeast alsoowns a 566-acre college farm with all facilitiesnecessary for teaching farm operations.Construction is underway to build a new agricultureand technology center to open in spring 2004.
Northeast Community College 2002-2003graduates from these selected programs:
Degree/Program Certificate ConferredOffice Technology AAS 23
1-yr. diplomaComputer Science/MIS AAS 17Electronics Tech. AAS 11Network (CISCO) Certificate 10Administrator AAS 54 General StudiesAcademic TransfersElectromechanical AAS 12
For more information on Northeast CommunityCollege, call (800) 348-9033 or visit the web siteat www.northeastcollege.com.
Lifelong Learning Center
The Lifelong Learning Center at NortheastCommunity College serves the business andprofessional community through a variety of uses.The 20,000-square foot educational wing includestwo distance learning classrooms, a computercenter for software training, and the conferencecenter that can be divided into six rooms andaccommodate up to 700 people. Full technologyand food services are available to make the centera highly desirable location for meetings, trainingactivities, and conferences.
In addition to the associate degree and continuingeducation programs offered through NortheastCommunity College, the Lifelong Learning Centerserves as a clearinghouse for education offeringsfrom Wayne State College, the University ofNebraska, and other public and private institutions.Using state-of-the-art distance educationtechnology and live instruction, nearly20 bachelors, masters, and doctorate degrees areoffered, including computer science andengineering, industrial management systemsengineering, and two MBA programs.
For more information on the Lifelong LearningCenter and its programs and facilities, call thefacility’s coordinator at (402) 844-7246.
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Bloomfield Jr./Sr. High School
Bloomfield Elementary School
North Star Services
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Medical Clinic & Doctor’s Office
Bloomfield Dental Clinic
Bloomfield Good Samaritan Center
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Colleges
Wayne State College (WSC), 60 miles southwestof Bloomfield in Wayne, Nebraska, servesapproximately 3,300 students from throughoutNebraska and Iowa as well as more than 20 otherstates and 18 foreign countries.
At the undergraduate level, WSC offers more than60 nonteaching majors and minors plus 37 variousteaching endorsements in four academic schoolsincluding: Arts and Humanities, Business andTechnology, Education and Counseling, and Naturaland Social Sciences. Masters degrees are alsoavailable in business and education.
2002-2003Wayne State College Undergraduate Graduate
Program Majors Degrees Majors DegreesArt 50 10 — —Business 559 141 50 22Chemistry 83 21 — —Computer Information Systems 79 13 — —Computer Science 41 8 — —Counselor Education — — 73 24Criminal Justice 140 24 — —Curriculum & Instruction — — 50 23Early Childhood 53 — — —Elementary Education 382 61 — —English 59 19 9 2Exercise Science 88 35 12 —Family & Consumer Sciences 52 13 — —Geography 22 6 — —German — 1 — —Graphic Design 55 11 — —Health & PE 59 10 — —History 53 2 3 —Human Service Counseling 87 34 — —Industrial Technology 83 23 3 —Interdisciplinary Studies 3 — — 1Life Sciences 74 16 — —Mass Communications 62 21 — —Mathematics 51 17 5 1Modern Language and Culture 5 — — —Music 33 4 — —Natural Sciences 16 5 3 —Physical Science 2 — — —Political Science 28 6 — —Pre-Professional 100 — — —Psychology 87 12 — —School Administration — — 83 16Social Sciences 41 11 12 2Sociology 35 14 — —Spanish 22 2 — —Special Education 60 8 6 1Speech Communications 53 28 1 —Sport Management/Leisure Services 65 17 23 14Technology 8 2 — —Theatre 20 2 — —Undeclared 437 — — —
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Approximately 45 percent of undergraduate majorin the arts and sciences, 26 percent in education,and 29 percent in business.
Founded in 1891, the college became a StateCollege in 1909. The picturesque 128-acre campusserves as a state arboretum and features awalking/jogging trail, numerous indoor and outdoorrecreation facilities, a renovated and expandedstudent center, state-of-the-art business building,and a new studio arts building.
For more information contact Wayne State Collegeat (800) 228-9972 or visit the website atwww.wsc.edu.
Other Schools
Colleges, universities, and community collegesfrequently attended by Bloomfield High Schoolgraduates:
Community/Collegeor University Mileage
Yankton, SD 30Mt. Marty College
Norfolk, NE 53Northeast Community College
Wayne, NE 60Wayne State College
Vermillion, SD 57University of South Dakota
Sioux City, IA 89Morningside College
Omaha, NE 179Creighton UniversityUniversity of Nebraska at Omaha
Lincoln, NE 179University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Kearney, NE 211University of Nebraska at Kearney
CHURCHESNumber of
Denomination ChurchesCatholic 1Community Bible Church 1Evangelical Lutheran Church of America 1Lutheran, Missouri Synod 1United Methodist 1
MEDICAL
Clinic
The Bloomfield Medical Clinic is staffed daily bya general practitioner, a nurse practitioner, and aphysician assistant.
Hospitals
The Lundberg Memorial Hospital in Creighton,21 miles from Bloomfield, has a capacity of30 beds. Facilities include a laboratory, X-ray room,recovery room, intensive care unit, inhalationtherapy, and swing beds. Services include Lifeline,home health, outpatient surgery, physical andrespiratory therapy, prenatal classes, socialservices, ultrasound, and CAT scans. Specialtyclinics include EEG and nerve conduction study;Knox County Immunization Clinic; orthopedic;OB-GYN; vascular; podiatry; cardiology; urology;mammograms; pulmonology clinics; mental healthclinic; MRI; and ear, nose, and throat. LundbergMemorial Van Service provides demand responsiveservice with a lift-equipped van to the communitiesof Bloomfield, Creighton, Center, Verdigre, Wausa,Niobrara, Winnetoon, Orchard, and Brunswick aswell as Holt County.
Rescue Squad
Bloomfield has 25 certified Emergency MedicalTechnicians (EMT). Three are First Responders,21 have their basics, and 1 is a paramedic. Thesquad covers about 342 square miles and respondsto approximately 190 calls per year.
The Bloomfield Ambulance Service has one unit--a2002 Ford E456 Braun. The unit has advancedlife support equipment including a defibrillator withpacing and cardio version capabilities, IV suppliesand medication to treat cardiac, diabetics, seizures,OB, overdoses, behavioral and respiratoryemergencies, and pain control along with stabilizingequipment, pediatric equipment, mass casualtyincident preliminary plan and equipment, and the“Jaws of Life.”
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NURSING HOMES
The Bloomfield Good Samaritan Center (BGSC)opened in 1963 and has had many additions. Thecenter, with a capacity of 75 beds, is certified forMedicare and Medicaid and approved by theVeterans Administration. Inpatient/outpatient;physical, occupational, and speech therapies areprovided in the state-of-the-art D.J. NagengastRehabiliation Center This progressive center offers24-hour nursing care, IV therapy, respite care,adult day care, Meals-on-Wheels, and preschoolfor three and four year olds to add someintergenerational activities.
LIBRARY
The Bloomfield Public Library, built in 1999 withdonated funds, is open 27 hours a week withthree employees. The library, governed by aLibrary Board, also has a Library Foundation. Thecomputerized library contains more than16,000 pieces of material including books,magazines, audios, videos, and DVDs available tocheck out to area patrons. In 2002 more than11,500 items were checked out. Ten computerswith Internet access are available for public usealong with a projector and printer in the technologyroom. A fax machine, copier, scanner, andtwo printers are also available.
RECREATION AND PARKS
Three parks in Bloomfield cover 15 acres. Facilitiesinclude a softball complex, baseball field, tenniscourt, and playground equipment.Two playgrounds have swings, slides, volleyballcourt, basketball court, rest rooms, and camping.
The city parks department has one part-timeemployee and an average annual budget of$19,700. The swimming pool budget averages$26,500 annually.
Bloomfield has facilities for:
Baseball — One ball fieldBasketball — Indoor & outdoor courtsBoating — Lewis and Clark Lake, 20 milesBowling — One six-lane bowling alley
Fishing — Excellent fishing at Lewis andClark Lake (20 miles) and theMissouri River (20 miles)
Golf — One public nine-hole grass greenscourse with clubhouse, sixadditional 9-hole courses within35 minutes
Hunting — Deer, pheasant, turkey, duckraccoon, coyote, rabbit, & squirrel
Softball — Two fields with batting cageSwimming — Heated pool with bathhouseTennis — Two lighted courtsTheaters — Within 40 milesVolleyball — Two lighted sand courts in the park
Annual celebrations include Pork ProducersBanquet in January, Chamber of Commerce boysand girls basketball tournaments in February,3-on-3 basketball Tournament in March, AlumniWeekend and a Community Appreciation Night inJune which includes a barbecue, fireworks onFourth of July, golf tournament and Cattleman’sClub Banquet in July, Knox County Fair in August,and the Home Coming Parade in September.
A community center, built by donations in 1998,houses the city office, council chambers, kitchen,and a 290-capacity main room.
The “Old” Carnegie Library, located across thestreet to the south of the new library, is equippedwith antiques from Bloomfield’s early years.Collections have been donated to the museum inefforts to preserve Bloomfield’s history. TheBloomfield Historical Society maintains themuseum.
Other local attractions include Ashfall Fossil Bedat Royal, 42 miles west, and Gavins PointRecreation Area, 20 miles north of Bloomfield.Devil’s Nest, reported to have been the hideout ofJesse James and other renegades of the past, is anatural wilderness area approximately 16 milesfrom Bloomfield.
The Lewis and Clark Lake and Gavins Point Damare approximately 20 miles from Bloomfield.The dam, built in 1956 by the Corps of Engineers,is one mile long and includes a 664-foot spillway.The lake backs up behind the dam forapproximately 40 miles and is 2-4 miles in width.There are more than 100 miles of scenic shoreline.
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The many recreation areas offer picnic andcamping grounds, rest rooms, drinking water,swimming, boating, fishing, and hunting.
Niobrara State Park, 33 miles west of Bloomfield,is situated at the confluence of the Niobrara andMissouri Rivers. Fifteen modern housekeepingcabins, a campground (69 pads with electricalhookups), drinking water, modern rest rooms,showers, dump station, picnic tables, and grills awaitvisitors. This picturesque park is home to anabundance of wildlife including white-tailed deer,wild turkeys, beaver, muskrat, and mink as well asmany birds from the majestic eagle to the tinychickadee. The park has a swimming pool,horseback trails, three boat access areas, andpaddleboat rentals. Other activities include boating,fishing, swimming, hiking, bird watching, and othernature study. The Niobrara River is well knownfor canoeing and tubing.
Cultural activities are provided by Today 4Tomorrow Club, Ruitans Club, church groups,VFW Club, American Auxiliary, and others.
HOUSING
New Construction
One new home was constructed during the pasttwo years at an average cost of $95 a square foot.
As of August 2003:
Number of Homes on the MarketSingle Family 21
Avg Selling Prices (New and Existing)Single Family Home
3,500 sq. ft. - 4 bedrooms $200,000 2,500 sq. ft. - 3 bedrooms $145,000 1,000 sq. ft. - 3 bedrooms $ 57,000
Number of Single Family Homes for Saleby Price (New and Existing)
Less than $100,000 18$100,000 - $150,000 3
Rentals - Average Monthly Rent3-bedroom home $250 - $300New 2 Bedroom Apartment $200 to $300Apartment Vacancy Rate 25%
It is estimated that 78 percent of the 1,071 homesin the Bloomfield market area are owner-occupied.A large amount of remodeling has taken placeduring the last five years.
Low Cost and/or Retirement Housing
Washington Apartments with 24 low-cost,handicapped accessible housing units were built in1993. Playground and laundry facilities areavailable.
Mainview Apartments was built in 1981 with26 units for the elderly and handicapped. Acommunity room and laundry facilities areavailable.
Bauerly Apartments, built in 1992 and ownedby Four Seasons Apartments, consist of five units,with one unit designated for the handicapped.
Sunset View Assisted Living opened in 2000with 12 units. Services provided include supervisionof medications and daily activities.
FINANCIAL
As of March 30, 2003:
Headquarters reports:
Capital Name Accounts Deposits Loans
- - - - -Thousand Dollars - - - - - Farmers Merchants State Bank
$7,190 $81,688 $62,001 TierOne Corporation
$341,632* $1,186,825 $1,864,995
*Shareholder’s Equity
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C OMMUNITY SERVICES
PROFESSIONAL
Attorneys .................................................................................................. 2Certified Public Accountants ..................................................................... 1Chiropractors ............................................................................................ 1Dentists .................................................................................................... 1Medical Doctors (residing in Bloomfield)
—general practitioners ............................................................ 1Nurse Practitioners .................................................................................... 1Nurses, Registered .................................................................................... 8Optometrists .............................................................................................. 1Pharmacists .............................................................................................. 1Physician Assistants .................................................................................. 1Veterinarians ............................................................................................. 3
BUSINESS AND COMMERCIAL
Agricultural Implement Dealers ................................................................... 1Antique Stores ........................................................................................... 1Apparel Stores—combination ...................................................................... 1Appliance Stores ........................................................................................ 2Auto Supply Parts ...................................................................................... 1Automobile Dealers & Repair Garages ....................................................... 5Bakeries .................................................................................................... 1Beauty Shops ............................................................................................. 4Concrete Ready-Mix Plants ........................................................................ 1Consignment Stores .................................................................................... 1Construction Services & Facilities ............................................................... 2Contractors—carpenters ............................................................................ 5
—concrete ............................................................................... 2—electrical .............................................................................. 2—general................................................................................. 1—plumbing & trenching ............................................................ 2—sand and gravel .................................................................... 2
Convenience Stores .................................................................................... 2Drug Stores ............................................................................................... 1Dry Cleaning & Laundry (pickup service) ................................................... 1Feed & Seed.............................................................................................. 2Fertilizer .................................................................................................... 1Floral Shops ............................................................................................... 1Flying Service ............................................................................................ 1Funeral Homes .......................................................................................... 1Gift Shops .................................................................................................. 4Grocery Stores ........................................................................................... 1Hardware Stores ........................................................................................ 1Industrial Gas Suppliers .............................................................................. 1Insurance ................................................................................................... 3Interior Design ........................................................................................... 1
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Lumberyards .............................................................................................. 1Machine Shops .......................................................................................... 2Meat Markets ............................................................................................ 1Motels ..................................................................................................... 1 (23 units)Motorcycle Shop (ATV) ............................................................................. 1Office Supplies .......................................................................................... 2Outdoor Ornaments .................................................................................... 1Precision Bearings, Chains, Sprockets ......................................................... 3Preschools ................................................................................................. 1Realtors/Auctioneers .................................................................................. 3Restaurants ................................................................................................ 2Second Hand Stores ................................................................................... 1Service Stations (full service) ...................................................................... 1Variety Stores ............................................................................................ 1Welding Equipment ..................................................................................... 3Well Drilling ............................................................................................... 1
Farmers & Merchants State Bank
TierOne Corporation
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A GRICULTURE & RAW MATERIALS
AGRICULTURE
Statistics Knox County State of NebraskaNumber of Farms (2001) 1,065 53,000Land in Farms (acres) 595,537 46,400,000Average Size of Farms (acres) 559 875Market Value of Agricultural Products Sold, 1997 $164,667,000 $9,831,519,000Market Value Per Farm, 1997 $154,617 $191,074Wells Registered, 2001 416 84,061Total Acres Irrigated, 2001 52,000 8,175,000Percent of Farmland Irrigated 9.2% 17.6%Five-Year Average Production of Leading Crops (1997-2001)All Alfalfa Hay 181,600 tons 4,797,600 tonsCorn for Grain 12,192,900 bu. 1,136,440,000 bu.Oats 539,100 bu. 4,274,000 bu.Sorghum 26,700 bu. 46,124,000 bu.Soybeans 2,392,000 bu. 177,240,000 bu.Winter Wheat 13,500 bu. 70,660,000 bu.Five-Year Average
Livestock Population (1997-2001)Cattle on Farms 135,000 6,620,000
Knox County ranked in the top two counties in Nebraska in the production of oats and in the top four countiesin alfalfa hay during the last five years, along with ranking in the top nine counties in the number of beefcows.
SOURCE: Nebraska Agriculture Statistics, 1997-20011997 Census of Agriculture
RAW MATERIALS
Sand and gravel, nonmetallic minerals, are available in commercial quantities; however, there are nometallic minerals in the area.
Cottonwood, oak, cedar, and elm are also available.
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Bauerly Apartments
Mainview Apartments
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C LIMATE
TEMPERATURE, PRECIPITATION, AND HUMIDITY
AVERAGESTemperature Precipitation Humidity
Rain Snow 6 a.m. 6 p.m. Month Min. Mean Max. (Inches) (Inches) (C.S.T.) (C.S.T.)
January 6.2 20.5 33.6 .68 7.4 76 65February 12.7 26.3 37.4 .89 7.6 79 65March 20.6 36.3 44.8 1.85 9.2 80 62April 42.8 49.9 59.0 2.76 3.5 79 52May 56.4 61.5 67.2 3.92 .0 80 53June 66.0 71.2 77.8 4.01 .0 82 55July 68.8 75.9 80.5 3.19 .0 84 56August 68.3 73.8 79.7 3.23 .0 86 58September 55.4 64.3 71.0 2.47 .0 83 54October 45.4 52.4 62.4 1.67 .9 79 52November 23.9 36.1 46.7 1.26 6.3 80 60December 5.7 24.7 32.9 .79 8.0 79 66
Annual 46.6 49.4 52.9 26.69 42.9 81 58
FROST DATA
Average date of last frost in spring ................................................................................ May 15Average date of first frost in fall .......................................................................... September 16Average length of growing season ............................................................................... 124 daysAverage number of “heating degree days” based on a 65o Fahrenheit ................................ 6,676*Average number of “cooling degree days” based on a 65o Fahrenheit .................................1013*Wind speed in miles per hour (annual average) ....................................................................... 12Prevailing wind direction (annual average) ........................................................................ South
SOURCE: High Plains Regional Climate Center, University of Nebraska, 1931-2001, www.hpccsun.unl.edu* Bloomfield data not available, figure represents Creighton, Nebraska data
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Rolling Hills Country Club & Golf Course
Gavens Point Dam & Lewis & Clark Lake,25 Miles North of Bloomfield
