The town of Milford has had a lot to be proud of with all the improvements it has made in the last five years.
A strategic planning meeting held on Aug. 26 highlighted those accomplishments plus reviewed the differences in two surveys taken six years apart.
This meeting was done as part of Milford being a leadership certified community designated through the Nebraska Department of Economic Development.
Mayor Patrick Kelley and Jonathan Jank with the Seward County Chamber and Development Partnership started with a slideshow going over the community surveys and how they used those surveys to address what the town needed to work on.
“There’s so much to celebrate,” Jank said . “It was almost overwhelming when we put the slides together.”
Kelley said over the past five years, Milford focused on five areas to improve the town: Increasing housing opportunities, improving recreational opportunities, facilitating increased broadband capabilities, creating an environment conductive to business development and developing a new community center.
Some of the improvements/additions included four new fiber optic internet choices including Allo, the addition of new homes and apartments such as Timber Creek and First Street Flats, the splash pad, two new dorms and a diesel tech building at Southeast Community College, an archery range, the Girls on the Run program, a new daycare center and more.
Along with past projects, Kelley said Milford is working on other projects such as road construction, putting in new swing sets at the park, working on a community center and Main Street Market.
Rick Nelsen with Nebraska Public Power District also reviewed two surveys taken by residents and people who work in Milford, one done in 2018 and the other in 2024.
According to the surveys, more people are living in Milford long term in 2024 than in 2018. 45% of people who answered the 2024 survey said they have lived in Milford for more than 20 years as opposed to 37% in 2018.
The 2024 survey also showed that residents of Milford are more satisfied with the broadband capabilities, education system and the police, fire and rescue services while the water and sewer systems, streets and sidewalks are things residents are less satisfied with.
Milford business owners also said they find it much more difficult to find workers with the skills needed within the community, with 50% of business owners answering that it is difficult to find labor as opposed to 25% in 2018.
The meeting concluded with participants writing down future priorities for the town, which included continuing the increase in housing and working on amenities that improve the quality of life in Milford.
