Julie Davis
jdavis@cherryroad.com
Representatives from Cargill and the City of Nebraska City have set up an every-other-week meeting schedule in an effort to resolve the odor issue at Cargill’s Nebraska City processing facility.
Nebraska City Mayor Bryan Bequette and City Administrator Perry Mader provided an update on the odor issue during the regularly scheduled June 2 Nebraska City City Council meeting.
Mader said the company has begun to identify solutions and make changes at the plant.
“They are committed to the environment and to being a good neighbor,” he said.
Mader credited Shelli Stuhr and her commitment to resolving the odor problem during his remarks.
“She has been very faithful to the community,” he said.
Bequette said once Cargill’s long-term solution to the problem has been finalized, representatives from the company will join the council to present their plans. He anticipated their visit within about a month.
Several citizens spoke after the update, and all noted they believed little would be changing soon.
“We heard this 10 years ago,” said Rick Shallenberger, who suggested that Cargill undertake an odor-control project similar to one the City of Nebraska City built at Nebraska City Utilities.
“They are moving slow in taking care of this issue,” said John Barton, who added he had heard similar statements from the company 25 years ago.
Dean Jeanneret said he believed “we are no better off than we were” after attempting to sit on his deck Sunday night, only to be sent inside because of the odor.
Tim Morgan questioned when Cargill was conducting its odor-control monitoring.
“Are they going out in the evening or in the day when it ain’t that bad?” he asked.
Bequette said the Cargill odor problem would be an agenda item at the next regularly scheduled city council meeting on June 16.
In other matters, the council
Approved a request from Nebraska City Tourism and Commerce (NCTC) for the Downtown Summer Movie Series on Saturday nights at the Sunken Parking Lot in the 700 block of Central Avenue;
Approved the reappointment of Jolene Block, Kathy Davenport, and Michael James to the Nebraska City Planning Commission through 2028;
Approved a request from NCTC to hold the annual Treestock Festival in Steinhart Park from Friday, July 4, to Sunday, July 6;
Approved the use of the Sunken Parking Lot for a wresting dual on Friday, June 27, between a team from Nebraska City and a visiting team from Maine;
Approved a Special Designated License (SDL) from Backstreet Bar LLC to host a fund-raising event in the parking lot of the Nebraska City Veterans Memorial Building from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 21; and
Passed Ordinance 3127-25 allowing the use of golf cars on certain city streets.
The next regularly scheduled Nebraska City City Council meeting is set for 6 p.m. Monday, June 16, in the Gary White Memorial Room/Council Chambers of the Rowe Memorial Public Safety Complex, 1518 Central Ave.
