NNTC holds annual meeting Knievel re-elected to board

One hundred sixty members of the Northeast Nebraska Telephone Company, representing all districts of the cooperative, attended the 66th annual meeting of members and directors on Thursday, Sept. 21, at NNTC facilities in Jackson.

The membership re-elected Dave Armstrong of Newcastle as president (District #1), Tom Stranik of Morse Bluff as second vice president (District #4) and John Knievel of rural Antelope County as secretary (District #3).

NNTC General Manager Pat McElroy told the crowd of about 200 about the push for rural broadband expansion nationwide with the federal government's $42 billion appropriated for rural broadband. The State of Nebraska received $405 million of that money.

"We have been aggressively pursuing state grants to help us build out areas that lie adjacent to our current properties," McElroy told the crowd.

McElroy shared the new areas NNTC is building in now and will be in the next year.

"South of Hubbard, north of Highway 20 near South Sioux, Antelope County and Butler County," he said.

McElroy also spoke of the coffee and happy hour events NNTC has hosted in the last two years. He said getting to meet customers in an informal setting has been rewarding.

"It gave me a morale boost every time I did it, so I thank those who attended those events ... you inspired me and that helps," he shared.

Randi Morton of the Jackson Village Board was called upon by McElroy to accept NNTC's final "Smart Rural Community" designation.

"This signifies from our trade association that we have fiber to the home and fiber everywhere in the village of Jackson. Any business can grow here and anything requiring internet can survive here," McElroy explained.

NNTC officials are grateful for the members from near and far who traveled to Jackson for the 66th annual event.

Parties interested in watching the meeting in its entirety may visit NNTC's YouTube channel at NNTC NET.