EDC reports LB 840 investments and asks for $335,000 operating allocation for FY26

Mary Burley, CEO of the Grand Island Area Economic Development Corporation, presented the EDC’s semiannual report and LB 840 update at the July 29 City Council meeting, reviewing investments, active projects and a FY26 operations request of $335,000 — $20,000 less than the prior year’s ask.

Burley said the city has invested $8,700,000 into LB 840 incentives since the program’s inception and that in the last decade the city invested $4,700,000 that resulted in 243 new jobs in Grand Island. She also reported the broader LB 840 program has supported roughly 1,100 new jobs overall since inception.

Program highlights and active projects

Burley reviewed several active and new projects: Build Grand Island (a revolving construction loan program) has drawn $6,700,000 in award funds to date and is financing single-family and rental homes plus an apartment used for Wayne State interns; Vermeer High Plains received $525,000 in city infrastructure funding (600 linear feet of sanitary sewer, water and roadway) at Platte Valley Industrial Park East; and the YWCA was earmarked $500,000 in LB 840 funding to expand childcare and early education capacity.

Burley also described outreach and marketing work: an influencer visit and filming project (“My Town”) last week and a downtown concert series that averaged about 3,100 adult attendees per Friday night event (attendance figure derived from location-services analytics).

Why it matters: LB 840 funds are city-allocated economic development dollars used for job creation, training and infrastructure. Burley said projects leveraging city investment have unlocked additional grants and private contributions, increasing the public return on the city’s investment.

Budget request and operations

For FY26 the EDC seeks $335,000 in operating support — $20,000 less than the 2025 request — a sum Burley said was arrived at after administrative efficiencies and closer coordination with the Chamber of Commerce. She outlined expense categories including salaries (roughly $160,000, representing about 53% of staff salaries allocated to LB 840 activity), software and a shared customer relationship management/website platform budgeted at $6,000 annually for the EDC’s portion.

No council action recorded

Council members thanked Burley and EDC supporters; no vote on the EDC’s operating request was recorded during the meeting. Council discussion emphasized the purpose of LB 840 funding to make infrastructure investments that reduce barriers for businesses and to leverage city funds to unlock larger private and grant investments.

Ending

The EDC presentation laid out recent LB 840 transactions and the FY26 operating request for council consideration as part of the city’s broader budget process.