Norfolk Daily News

Wednesday – April 2, 2008

Numerous communities are working to develop riverfront and water resources these days, but few of them have the advantages that Norfolk has.

That’s the message engineering firms have delivered to the NorthFork Development Board, a task force of community leaders working to promote river development concepts in Norfolk.

Each of the four engineering firms interviewed by task force representatives — in the effort to select one that will draft a master plan for river development in Norfolk — has been effusive in their praise of the logic and practical aspects of the NorthFork development concept.

Calling the river through Norfolk an asset many communities would give much for, board member Lonn Atwood said he was impressed by the stories told by several of the engineers about towns that are spending millions to try to create artificial water features.

None of those could rival Norfolk’s naturally occurring stream with its relatively stable flow, flood control advantages and ease of maintenance, Atwood said.

During its meeting Tuesday, the NorthFork board unanimously agreed to begin negotiations with HDR Engineering of Omaha on cost and scope of a consulting contract to prepare a master plan for river development in Norfolk.

HDR engineers did not just have a bunch of wild ideas. They stressed ideas that were practical and sustainable, Atwood said.

Even though any of the four consulting firms interviewed would have been an excellent choice, Tom Higginbotham, another board member, said he especially appreciated HDR personnel’s focus on private sector ideas and the company’s ability to communicate and sell its ideas.

If negotiations go according to plan on the consulting contract, the document could be finished in six to nine months, board members were told at their Tuesday meeting.

Meanwhile the efforts to raise funds to finance the planning and design work are also showing promise as well.

Darrell Novacek, who is heading up the fund-raising efforts for the NorthFork committee, announced commitments of $54,000 so far toward what he anticipates will be a $300,000 budget need for development of a master plan and other costs associated with putting river development on the map in Norfolk.