Beaver Crossing trustees narrowly approve applying for federal CDBG to pursue new community building

The Beaver Crossing Village Board voted 3-1-1 on June 11 to apply for a federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to fund a new community building in the village park that would replace the existing Legion building. Chairman Jerry Zieg renewed the motion after an initial attempt failed for lack of a second; the final vote recorded Zieg, Ray Foreman and Jere Leif as aye, Kaely Eberspacher as nay and Brandon Mares as abstaining.

Karsyn Bredenkamp of the Southeastern Nebraska Development District (SENDD) had presented CDBG funding options and other grant programs that could help finance public works or facility projects and said SENDD could also assist with a grant to update Beaver Crossing’s comprehensive plan, which expires in 2025. Bredenkamp described CDBG as a federal program eligible for projects such as fire halls, community centers or other public works.

Trustees debated the application before voting. Chairman Zieg initially moved to apply for CDBG funds; that motion died for lack of a second. Zieg then renewed the motion and Foreman seconded it, producing the recorded 3-1-1 result. The transcript does not record specific cost estimates for the proposed community building or a timeline for preparing the CDBG application.

The board did not specify a project budget or a timetable at the meeting; next steps beyond the approval to apply were not recorded in the minutes. SENDD and village staff were the only presenters identified as discussing grant options during the meeting. The application process and any required match, engineering, or public hearing requirements were not detailed in the transcript.

The board’s authorization to apply does not constitute award or contract approval; any grant application, award, or project contract would require subsequent steps and approvals.