SIDNEY - Four days after News Channel Nebraska first reported on the possibility of disrespect and lack of maintenance at Western Heritage in Sidney, repairs were being made to the campus on Monday.

Best Plumbing in Heating was installing a new furnace and air conditioner unit to one apartment. They also fixed a plumbing issue in another building last week. Before the repair, one tenant said the toilet would overflow, come up through the showers and sinks in surrounding apartments, and leave feces behind on the floor.

More workers could be seen making repairs on the roof of another building, and one maintenance worker was mowing the lawn.

The repairs follow a morning of protests on Thursday where tenants were challenging the "disrespect towards residents and lack of maintenance" across the campus.

Sidney Housing Authority Executive Director Nancy Bentley doesn't believe there's any disrespect towards residents.

She says Housing Partners of Western Nebraska has faced challenges due to the COVID-19 restrictions, completing only emergency work orders from March 16 to July 1 to protect their residents from the virus.

Since then, staff members have been working diligently, employing best practices to adequately ensure their residents’ health and meets their maintenance needs, according to Bentley.

Western Heritage residents are invited to a meeting at 10 a.m. Wednesday in the community building.

The Sidney Housing Authority, managed by Housing Partners of Western Nebraska, took over operations of Western Heritage from the City of Sidney in 2011. They also manage properties in Scottsbluff, Gering, Chappell, Hay Springs and Gordon.