Citizens advisory committee reports downtown improvements and labor-force growth in semiannual PCDC funding review

The Citizens Advisory Review Committee presented the semiannual report on the Holdridge PCDC’s use of local option municipal sales funds covering Jan. 1 through July 31, 2025. The committee reported no discrepancies in PCDC expenditures during that period and summarized recent downtown investment activity. A committee member (not named on the record) said the PCDC has focused on storefront and building-facade improvements and on structural work to allow buildings to be rehabilitated and made attractive for tenants and occupants. The speaker said those efforts aim to boost the city’s ability to attract remote workers and new residents by improving quality-of-life amenities downtown. The committee presentation cited figures from its quarterly economic vitality report, stating that “Holdridge’s labor force has grown by 44.2% over the last year,” and later noted that both employment and labor-force size increased by 4.2% over the past year. The presenter also reported a modest recovery in taxable retail sales and automotive sales, noting an approximate 1.1% increase over the previous year after a rough first two quarters, and attributed soft retail performance in part to a weak farm economy. Committee members invited questions and offered to answer follow-ups; no recorded follow-up questions changed the report on the record. The committee requested council guidance on priority areas for future economic and community development work and urged the city to take a proactive role rather than to wait for state-level initiatives.