[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Seward as Ch. 1, Art. 15, § 1501, of the 1976 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Sales and use tax — See Ch. 350, Art. I.
[Amended 11-19-2002 by Ord. No. 42-02; 11-20-2012 by Ord. No. 32-12]
A. 
The City Council for the City of Seward, Nebraska approved a proposed plan for ballot language for the City of Seward Economic Development Plan pursuant to the Local Option Municipal Economic Development Act (Neb. RS 18-2701 et seq.) after public hearing as provided by law.
B. 
The proposed plan was submitted to the voters of the City of Seward on November 5, 2002, at the general election by the following language:
"Shall the City of Seward establish an economic development program as described herein by appropriating annually from City sales and use tax a maximum of $75,000 per year for a period of 10 years?"
______ YES
______ NO
The terms, conditions, and goals of the Economic Development Plan as approved by the City Council are summarized as follows:
A. 
Length of time the program will be in existence. The length of time the program will be in existence is approximately 15 years, beginning upon the adoption of an ordinance by the City of Seward within 45 days after voter approval of the Economic Development Program (said ordinance to be in conformity with the terms of such program as set out in the original enabling resolution), and ending on March 31, 2018.
B. 
Years that local sources of revenue are to be collected. Collection of the funds from local sources of revenue for the Economic Development Program shall be for a ten-year period beginning April 1, 2003, and ending March 31, 2013.
C. 
Source from which funds are to be collected. The source from which funds are to be collected will be city sales and use tax.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 350, Art. I, Sales and Use Tax.
D. 
Total amount to be collected for the program from local sources of revenue.
(1) 
The total amount to be collected from the local sources of revenue for the full length of the program for the City of Seward will not exceed $750,000.
(2) 
The total amount to be collected from local sources of revenue each year will equal $75,000 or 10% of the proceeds from the imposition of City sales and use tax in the amount of 1%, whichever amount is less.
E. 
Proposal to issue bonds to provide funds to carry out the Economic Development Program. The City of Seward proposes to issue bonds pursuant to the Local Option Municipal Economic Development Act to provide funds to carry out the Economic Development Program.
F. 
Additional funds to be sought from other non-City sources. Additional funds from other non-City sources will be sought beyond those derived from local sources of revenue.
G. 
Goals of the Economic Development Program. Goals of the Economic Development Program are to create high-paying, quality jobs, attract new capital investment, broaden the tax base, reduce reliance on property taxes and ensure economic stability and vitality for Seward, Nebraska.
The County Clerk, as Election Commissioner, certified to the City that the election results on the economic development ballot were as follows:
For:
1,085
Against:
794
The Local Option Municipal Economic Development Act directs that the City of Seward shall, within 45 days after voter approval, establish the Economic Development Plan by ordinance in conformity with the terms of the program as set forth in Resolution No. 20-02.
There is hereby established an Economic Development Program in conformity with the Local Option Municipal Economic Development Act and the Economic Development Plan approved by the voters of Seward, Nebraska, on November 5, 2002, for the period from the effective date of this chapter to March 31, 2013.
The Economic Development Program shall have an Application Review Board, which shall consist of six residents of the City who shall be appointed by the Mayor and approved by the City Council and serve for terms of three years each; provided that such appointees shall be appointed in such fashion that their terms shall be staggered, and two members of the City Council, appointed by the Mayor and approved by the City Council. Persons appointed and serving on the Application Review Board shall serve without compensation, and shall be held harmless for any and all actions in carrying out their responsibilities and goodwill. The City Administrator shall serve as an ex-officio member of the Application Review Board.
A. 
The Mayor, subject to the approval of the City Council, shall appoint a Citizens Advisory Review Committee of five members, which committee will report to the City Council on its findings and suggestions with regard to the functioning and progress of the Economic Development Plan. The City Administrator of Seward, Nebraska shall, as Program Administrator, serve as an ex-officio member of this committee. The committee shall be appointed and organized pursuant to the Economic Development Plan and the requirements of Neb. RS 18-2715, as it may be amended from time to time. All members shall be registered voters of the City of Seward. No member shall be an elected or appointed City official, an employee of the City, a participant in a decision-making position regarding expenditures of the Plan funds, an official or employee of any financial institution participating directly in the Plan or any qualifying business receiving assistance. At least one member shall have experience or expertise in business finance or accounting.
B. 
The Citizens Advisory Review Committee shall report to the City Council at intervals of no less than six months at a public hearing called for that purpose.
Information given in the course of applying for assistance under the Economic Development Program shall be confidential. The information shall be available only to the Program Administrator, Application Review Committee, and the City Council, for the limited purpose of determining eligibility for assistance under the Plan. Unauthorized disclosure of any business information which is confidential under Neb. RS 84-712.05, as it may be amended from time to time, shall be a Class III misdemeanor. All persons involved in the Program must sign statements of confidentiality regarding all personal and private submittals by qualified businesses.