NCIP 1999 Report Book - Looking Forward Mead Nebraska

Connection of Project to Community Goals: Mead has been an active member of the NCIP program for six years and through that journey, we completed a community attitude survey, a comprehensive plan, a housing study, school strategic plan and several student driven surveys. The time has come to update Mead's housing study and the community attitude survey.

Project Summary and Goal Attainment: In the spring of 1999, local community volunteer, Pat Scheele was faced with a decision - what project to use as her senior project at the College of St. Mary's in Omaha. Pat being an active community volunteer and the lead on previous survey activities within the community, the choice was not a hard one. The Mead Housing Study was accomplished by Beth Smith, South East Nebraska Development District in 1994. The plan was a good one and realized Mead's need for new housing units. Since that initial housing study was completed there are about 20 new places in Mead to call home. We have seen tremendous growth in both our residential homes but also in businesses. Water Engineering is a new company to Mead as is ABC Building Product. Water Engineering sells water treatment products and ABC, which is currently under construction just outside of Mead, will employee some 75 employees and build trusses for new buildings. Premier Industries, south of Mead, has grown as well. While it was a local employer when began our journey - it has grown and employs even more people now.

So what to do? Pat approached first her professor, who may have been a bit apprehensive - it is a business program but once that hurdle was crossed, the town board would have to buy into the program. The item was placed on the agenda and a roll call vote yielded all yeas. The town board wholeheartedly approved. It would seem like a real win-win approach. Budgets being tight, the town really didn't want to spend another $2000 or so on an update but realized with the community's growth, a study was a next step.

Another area that is ready for update - community attitude survey. Mead's initial community attitude survey is needing an update as well. And MY NCIP kids (Mead Youth) are willing to accept the challenge. Together with Mark Gustafson, school board member, and Diane, active community member, Anneke Gustafson has accepted a leadership role in this effort - the plan is to develop a survey instrument and deliver it with the town newsletter. But two days later the survey will be picked up by students. The town will be divided up into sections to ensure complete coverage.

Both the Housing Study and the Community Attitude Survey will be compiled using Edustat Statistical Software. This will be as professional a job as a consultant would provide. The housing study instrument has been developed and approved both by Dr. Wynn, College of St. Mary's, and by the town board. The original plan to complete the survey in June 1999 was delayed until fall due to Pat's untimely ankle surgery. The project will be completed soon and you'll be able to read about it in next year's NCIP report book. One additional item to note is that for sometime the village board - school board - and local business leaders have agreed that we would like to bring Dr. Ed Nelson to town to help in our next visioning session and we hope that you'll read about that next year as well.

ACTION PLAN Statement Community: Mead
Name of Project: Looking forward

Activity	Target Date	Responsible	Funding
Gain buy in of town board for update to Housing Study	March 1999	Pat Scheele	N/A
Begin Promoting updates to the housing study and survey	June 1999	Village Newsletter	Town Board
Survey instrument developed for Housing Study	March 1999	Pat Scheele	volunteer donated
Community Attitude Survey Instrument developed	October 1999	The Gustafson Family	volunteer donated
Both the survey instruments completed	November 1999	Pat Scheele - lead MY NCIP group for attitude survey	volunteer donated

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