Rural Nebraska economic boom/ Urban Decline

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by SCGranny

Whoa, friend!
I wasn't talking about my fears or my perceptions - at all. I was talking about the public perceptions and the resultant trends.

When you are trying to truly advertise, to either mass-market or specific market, you have to be aware of what is going on in the world around you - as well as others - and what the reactions are. When in advertising and promotions, I skimmed 40 newspapers a day, not only local, but national and global, to see what the trends were, who was feeling and responding to what, and why. You also had to determine if it was a fad or a trend. Preparing for Y2K was a fad - preparing for an economic downturn is not. People are becoming more aware that they are living beyond their means, and slowly coming to the realization that they will have to make changes. As an advertiser or a developer, you have to be on the cutting edge of those trends - to have the answers prepared before the questions are asked; to be the answer, to sell the product. If the product is the State as a whole, you had better be aware of what people are looking for - or you'll get left behind with the advertising of 'a great place to take the kids tubing!' when folks are looking for a great place to raise those kids on less.

The world is changing - again. I've lived thru recessions and they are not pretty; the reformations and changes happen in what appears to be a rapid manner, even sudden, but is not.

More things to think about -

What happens when the dollar falls and people from Belgium, China, and the Netherlands come looking for places to relocate? Didn't the Governor of NE just meet with a Chinese delegation two months ago? Didn't you wonder what that was about?

Yes, like the sign on I-95 reads, "Florida's full!" So what's next? Who else is going to be covered up in trailer parks, with retirement communities and high-end subdivisions built right next to the 'best' scenery - the lakes and rivers? Then they of course ordinance those amenities so that only THEY have access? Then what happens to those who use those water resources for irrigation or recreation?

People do not always move to places with the amenities in place. Simply because the land is cheaper if they move to a place and then demand those amenities like malls and parks and playgrounds. They can take a gradual upswing in taxes as long as they don't have to put down so much to begin with - and by doing that they increase their property values over time, turning a $100,000 home into a $450,000 home for resell. Developers are always looking for new frontiers to buy cheap and sell high. What happens to the locals who can no longer afford those high taxes? They sell out.

Nebraska is uniquely situated to take advantage of the new administration's push for diversified power - but the state legislature itself is restricting that growth, by not allowing private-public partnerships, and by letting the power companies control the placement and development. Mind you, I understand and am NOT advocating eminient domain, nor am I saying that there shouldn't be controls in place - but why shouldn't a town be able to form a partnership with the power companies to enhance their ability to grow? The legislature's lack of enthusiasm for opening the door wide to this new technology will cause more private landowners to get ripped off for their 'air rights' being sold to the nice guy who offers them $20,000 - and then sells those same air rights for $200,000. There needs to be some swift, educated, and reasonably fair discussions in the legislature about this before it is too late, and the locals get ripped off by these scam artists.

And finally, instead of trying to lure first this or that small time developer with promises of water and sewer and roads and everything else (paid for by the locals' taxes) - and then ending up with a cheesy development or an empty big box store or warehouse, built by people with stars in their eyes and greed in their hearts, that employ no one over time. There needs to be a cohesive plan in place to make developers pay their own way, not the citizenry.

Grin. I'm not worried. No one will ever listen to me at any level, and everyone else knows best. So I'll just sit on my acreage and smile indulgently... and keep doing as I please. Don't worry - I'm just an old fool, and it could never ever happen here.

Where have I heard that before? Let me think... oh, yeah, I remember now!

Good thoughts SCGranny. I agree with most of your points

[Go Ne]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

Around 80-85% of the population in Nebraska lives in either a metropolitan or micropolitan county with the remaining 15% of the population in rural areas. This is now the highest percentage of people living in urbanized areas since Nebraska first became a state.

Well Micropolitian areas are kind of strange, they include multiple counties often, so my Grandparents in Northern Pierce county, about 25-30 miles north of Norfolk, are included in its Micropolitian Area.

[Go Ne]

Originally Posted by SCGranny

LOL Flatwater.
Want to bet?

I lived in a very rural community. 40 miles away was a resort island. The only reason people came to our county was the hunting... and some of them paid big bucks just to spend a weekend at a 'hunting camp' - a large house with guest houses around it, just so they could go out intot he cornfields and woods and swams to hunt. A few of them that came were developers taking time off. They decided to start putting up developments, so they influenced Wal Mart to put up a store. Then they put up their ' residential communities', and I was involved in national marketing efforts to draw not only residents but businesses. It worked. A small town that had only 800 people grew to 50,000 in just eight years. The town I moved to NE from - with a population of once 1500 when I first moved there - is going to grow to 240,000 in the next seven years. There are malls popping up everywhere - I actually sold my house to a mall developer. So that is the cycle of how it happens... don't ever think that it can't happen in Valentine or Mullen or even Eli, because it can. And if Nebraskans aren't careful, it will. But you can rest assured that I won't be a part of it - because with developers and development comes increased ordinances, increased crime, increased impacts on your water, sewer, electricty, and other utilities, increased taxes - and a sharp decline in your quality of life. But the biggest problem is that newcomers come because - so they SAY - they love the beauty and richness of the area, and the local folk's attitude toward life, and their attitude towards others - and immediately demand that all of that change to suit them.

If most towns in NE stay as they as they are, small, its perfect for me, BUT, I think Northern and Western NE need at least one metropolitian class city. (Will probably never happen but It would be nice.)

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by Go Ne

If most towns in NE stay as they as they are, small, its perfect for me, BUT, I think Northern and Western NE need at least one metropolitian class city. (Will probably never happen but It would be nice.)

Water will always be the limiting factor for much growth at all ESPECIALLY west of the 100th meridian away from the Platte River Valley. Most land is used for agriculture as well as a lot of irrigated acres. No one really knows how long that is sustainable given the fact that the Ogallala Aquifer has declined in the southern Plains. Nebraska is in a good position due to the fact that the aquifer runs much deeper, and with very efficient management it can be a solid renewable resource well into the future.

[SCGranny]

Shhhhh... one of my old gubbermintfriends told me that the next race after oil would be water... too many of the people on the planet, and in our own country, do not have good potable water. And true to form they will take someone else's before they will use new technology to clean up their own.

[midwesterner guy]

*Bump*

Good article. Why is it that folks from Omaha think the rest of Nebraska would dry up and blow away without them?

[Bigg Mann]

Originally Posted by Flat Water 1867

SCGranny,
Exactly what amenities of city life are "right next door" if you are living in Cherry County Nebraska? Does Valentine have a symphony orchestra? Is there a Neiman Marcus in O'Neill? Are there professional sports franchises and five-star gourmet restaurants in Ainsworth? You may be saying to yourself, "Well, who gives a rat's behind about those things?", but I'll tell you who: People who have lived in heavily populated areas. And we have no chance of luring people like that to go live in the middle of nowhere. The quaintness and charm of the quiet life will wear off after a while and those people are not going to be too excited about the prospect of an eight or nine hour round trip drive to Omaha or Lincoln if they want to attend a cultural event at the Orpheum Theatre or Lied Center. We may be able to lure manufacturing factories to rural Nebraska that employ blue-collar, working-class people. More power to us if we can manage that. But attracting corporations that hire highly educated, affluent, white-collar people, or attracting culturally rich, well-to-do retirees to rural Nebraska? Good Luck. You mention the overabundance of cheap property in rural Nebraska. Ask yourself: Why is it so cheap? If there was a heavy demand for that land so people could move to rural Nebraska, it would be more valuable wouldn't it?
I agree: Rural Nebraska can be heaven on earth....DEPENDING on what your interests are. Some people couldn't care less about hunting and fishing, however.
I admire your marketing flair for our state, though!! Maybe you should move to Lincoln and get a job with the State Dept. of Economic Development! Those people can use all the help they can get.

I grew up on a large ranch in southwest NE and as kids we traveled to most every state on vacation. My parents travels every 2 to 3 yrs to several different countries. They drove 200 plus miles to Denver, CO to get their need of major shopping and culture. But they never considered moving to the big city cause country life way outweighted city life.

I am now 50 and will be moving back to that area after 29 yrs of rat race hell living in Denver, CO, Orlando,FL, Indianapolis,IN and many others and missed the Good Life of Nebraska the entire time.

[roots'nbulbs]

I also look back on our way of life, on the farm, when 'we' were kids: summer trips across the Rockies, mainstream church youth group ski trips and retreats in forests, horses in the corral, 4-H programs about creativity and produce, plans for foreign travel, roller skating and movies in town--not to mention our great need for fashion and cool at those events :-) ; keeping exchange students, a really, good school, prioritizing money for education and the endless concerns of extended family and close, close friends. Then, my parents snowbirding while still coming back to enjoy grandkids.


When I reached a certain teen age, I was suddenly aware of condescensions from the outside world about being rural. As I moved into my 20's, I figured out that a Nebraska plains life was only vaguely similar--economically, religiously, and politically--to other rural regions(i.e. Arkansas, Oklahoma, Georgia). So, the criticisms had to be mulled over in my brain before I took them to my heart.

I do not believe, for 10 seconds, that a metro pop. will ever develop this far from I 80. Even if it happened, it's not sustainable. But, having sited how remarkably well we have lived, and adding to that: twittering, facebook, digital TV and whole foods, I also do not believe we will disappear.

Our county has seen a decline in pop.: Kearney is absorbing us. However, the demographics are now including boomers who hunt and fish and are willing to drive, one hour, for events in Kearney. They are building beautiful homes--someone is going to live there.

I wish I could have it all. I'm thinking that if Kearney and GI continue to add retailing, diversity and cultural events, I might have it all: 50-60 miles out from a vital micro-city.

One more consideration. And, I feel strongly about this one so don't give me **&%. I REALLY think we, who are here, need to work on the liveability and beauty of our small towns. Our local coffe shop made a sidewalk cafe with propane heaters. The golf club is building a gazebo for smokers(yeh, yeh, I know......, but it takes the smoke outside) and, the grocer put in a deli with carry out soups. There is original art inside almost every business and there are trees and flowers on Main St. Every spring we have a 'clean up day' where residents can have their old junk collected and then, flat bed trailers haul it to its burial ground. This place is no dump!! There is an
RV campground and a gorgeous walking trail.

I think every small town should be very pretty and comfortable regardless of who or how many are there. That will be a test for the work ethic. It really does not even take a lot of money to "fix up.' But, it sure lifts the spirits of people!!!

And, it will certainly contribute to having a viable population--urban or rural.