BEATRICE – With several months before the City of Beatrice finds out about federal assistance, some progress is being made cleaning up the former Dempster Manufacturing Site.

Work has focused on areas away from the part of the plant facing U.S. Highway 77. That’s the area for which the city is applying for up to $4 million in EPA Brownfields Grant support.

Chairman of a City Council Committee addressing the multi-year project, Ted Fairbanks….says citizens can thank the city’s street department and an ambitious group of young hourly employees for work that has been going on largely away from public view.

"There were certain points that the young men who were cleaning this up, the trucks couldn't keep up with them. Jason (Moore's) street crew removed twelve roll-offs and a hundred and forty two dump trucks full of stuff. We haven't touched any of the buildings yet, taken down any of the structures....and we've taken that much stuff out."

The iconic maker of Dempster Windmills and water pumps dates back to 1878, but the plant that’s gone through several ownership changes was last operating in 2015. This past year, an old mechanic shop was demolished. The property is closed, posted and condemned, and the city acquired ownership of the last of eight parcels at the site, in late 2025.

"Vegetation...the root balls are still there...we haven't disturbed any of the soil, but we have cleaned off some of the brush. We've gotten a lot done....but we have a lot to do, yet."

Monday night, the mayor and council reviewed before-and-after photos of the cleanup work so far. The City should know in early May if the Brownfields grant has been awarded for the cleanup. City Council member Dana Hydo points out that would cover part of the demolition.

"This is a piece of the big puzzle, so that people don't....lets make sure that people understand that this isn't going to take every building and take it down."

In March of last year, fire destroyed a central part of the plant that faces the highway. Prior to that, hazardous materials were removed through environmental monitoring….and other items have since been removed.

It’s estimated that the multi-year cleanup could total as high as $11 million. Plans are to turn the site into park and public use space.

 

As of Tuesday (today), residential lots at two newly-planned housing developments in Beatrice go on sale.

City Administrator Tobias Tempelmeyer says the lots go active on the city’s website with a $500 down payment required.

Monday night, the Beatrice City Council approved restrictive covenants for development of homes at the sites which formerly served as Paddock Lane and Lincoln Elementary Schools…now named Corral Crossing and Heritage Heights.

"A minimum of 1,250 square feet of living space on your dwelling unit... if you have a house, a duplex or a townhouse allowed by zoning rights. You have to have a basement with at least one egress window...you don't have to finish the basement. Muted earth tones are used on the exterior. Twenty five percent of the front exterior has to be stone, brick or stucco....something along those lines....a two-car garage. You have to start construction within 90 days of acquiring the lot, and we have prices ready for lots at Corral Crossing."

Applications for the lots are on a first-come, first-served basis through the city’s website or at city hall. Councilman Gary Barnard spoke about formation of the covenants.

"Our committee spent a considerable amount of time on these covenants. They're not perfect. You're not going to find a set of covenants that are going to make everybody happy. We just tried to hit the middle of the road to make most people happy. But, we did put some time in on it, and this is what we come up with."

Also at Monday night’s council meeting, elected officials approved the naming of a new city park to be established on the former site of the Stoddard Elementary School.

The south part of the property along 8th Street will be named A.B. Stoddard Park…..after a Superintendent of Beatrice Public Schools who served between 1917 and 1922.

The school site is under development as new senior apartment housing.

 

Two employees of Midwest Area Refuse Solutions, known as MARS, have been honored for coming to the aid of a lost motorist.

Jeff Creek and Charles Elliot were honored with Meritorious Service Awards by the Mayor and Beatrice City Council Monday night.

Director of MARS, Jason Moore says both men went above and beyond the call of duty, when they came upon a woman frantically waiving her arms as their garbage truck was traveling south of Firth, Nebraska.

"They came by, they pulled over and asked if she needed any assistance. When they did, they noticed that she was shaken and crying and visibly upset. She told them that she was lost...that she was trying to get to her friend's house and that her friend's house was in the Rockford area." (farther south)

The two men had the woman follow their garbage truck back toward Nebraska Highway 41, but the woman then lost contact with them. After meeting up with her again, they tried another solution.

"They decided that it was just best for one of the driver's....Jeff...got in with her...and drove her vehicle from south of Firth to down to the Rockford area...where they were able to drop her off at her destination....at her friend's house."

Moore says that kind of dedication to someone’s safety is not always seen.