Mayor: City video lays out scale of Dempsters cleanup; asbestos removal under way

Mayor Bob Morgan said a 15‑minute video posted to the City of Beatrice Facebook page “shows just how big of a project it is,” documenting interior damage at the former Dempsters facility and ongoing asbestos abatement.

The video, Morgan said, moves through the main building and several outbuildings and highlights the amount of furniture and other material that must be removed before demolition can begin. “You know, people, you know, we're removing the asbestos. We should be probably done with that by the end of this month, except for the roof,” Morgan said, noting roof removal requires different work and sequencing.

Morgan told KWBE that items pulled from the building will be routed either to the construction‑and‑demolition site or to the landfill depending on material type. Because BOSWA is a joint city–county entity, city landfill drops carry a cost that will affect the city’s cleanup budget. “By cleaning that building out, we save significant dollars because the furnishings will go eventually to the landfill and the bricks and mortar will go to the construction demolition site,” Morgan said.

On the condition of the facility, Morgan said the previous owner left the building “an absolute disaster” and that much of the salvageable material has already been taken. He acknowledged some historic timber and other features might be candidates for salvage but said overall time and damage have taken a toll on recoverable items.

The mayor credited city staff (Amanda and Chad) with producing the video and said he has heard several residents tell him they have viewed the clip. He encouraged residents to view the full 15‑minute video to better understand the scale of the upcoming demolition and cleanup work.

Next steps, Morgan said, include completing asbestos abatement where feasible, clearing remaining furnishings and debris, and preparing for demolition; no demolition schedule or final cost estimate was provided on the program.