BEATRICE - The Beatrice City Council practice social distancing Monday night, with the mayor and council leaving at least six to eight feet of space between each, during their second meeting of March.

Using the entire school administration building board room, the council took voice votes by roll call. Nebraska Lieutenant Governor Mike Foley was on hand for an economic development presentation to the city. He spoke of the state’s dealings with the coronavirus, and COVID-19. He noted one month ago, he landed in South Korea on a trade mission.

At the time, Foley said, "We thought nothing of it". Now, the coronavirus has become a very fast moving story in the United States.
"It's a big change in our culture, in our economy".

Foley said businesses are already feeling the pinch from the precautions that must be taken with the virus.

"We're going to be in for some rough times in terms of our national economy, as a result of this COVID-19 situation". He said he's sure the country will bounce back, and said it will take communities like Beatrice to lead the way.

Lieutenant Governor Foley was at the city council meeting to recognize the city for being recertified as a Nebraska Economic Development Certified Community, one of forty in the state. He cited success stories of Hendrix Genetics, Landmark Snacks, Exmark Manufacturing and Neapco Components as a few examples.
With the suspension of the Nebraska Legislative session for an indefinite period, left on the table is legislation (LB 720) to expand the Nebraska Advantage Act into an economic development incentive program called the ImagiNE Act.

"They've got about twenty more days of legislative work to do, and this is one of the key pieces of work that they need to get done before they adjourn before the year. We hope they'll get back in session, in very short order".

A plaque recognizing the certification of the community in economic development was presented by Mayor Stan Wirth to Erin Chadwick of Gage Area Growth Enterprise and the new Executive Director of the organization, Trevor Lee.

Lee, from Ord where he worked for Valley County Economic Development, began his new job with NGage, on Monday.