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Some businesses in Kearney will soon have access to fiber-optic cables from Time Warner.

In an effort to keep National Marketing Resources, a Kearney business with nearly 140 employees, the Kearney Board of Aldermen approved spending $23,000 for the telecommunications infrastructure. Currently the line is accessible at the Kearney Fire Station, just east of the Missouri Highway 92 and Missouri Highway 33 intersection. The $23,000 installation, approved at the board’s June 15 meeting, will pay for it to run along Grove Street then down Washington Street to

National Marketing Resources, 351 W. Washington St.

The line will be for business hookup only.

“We’ve had a lot of outages on our service,” said Cindy Christopher, property and facilities manager for National Marketing Resources.

She said National Marketing Resources, which uses the telephone as its primary business function, was also wanting to expand its bandwidth.

National Marketing Resources recently jumped from 70 employees to nearly 140 employees, Christopher said.

City Administrator Jim Eldridge said the fiber-optic lines would be an investment to retain National Marketing Resources. Christopher said the city has been working with the company to help it with its telephone needs.

“We’ve just had a hard time,” Christopher said. “Kearney is just not on the road map to telecommunications.”

The new Time Warner line would help, she said.

“For the purpose of showing National Marketing our commitment to keep them in the city,” Mayor Bill Dane said was the reason for paying for the infrastructure. “They are being wined and dined by Liberty.”

That’s true, Christopher said. But with the business growing, she said there are no firm commitments to move to Liberty.

“Those plans are on hold,” Christopher said. “We’re trying to review our options.”

National Marketing Resources has been snatching space on Platte Clay Way near its current location on West Washington Street. It recently secured another 3,000 square feet at the former Kearney Fitness Center building and also office space at several other locations along Platte Clay Way.

“We’re only securing temporary space right now,” Christopher said, noting it’s not ideal or efficient to be spread out in different buildings.

In addition to the phone lines, the city also recently approved an Enhanced Enterprise Zone. The city is awaiting state approval of the zone that could give tax breaks to businesses that move within the set boundaries and make a specified investment.

“It plays into our decision making,” Christopher said.

She said National Marketing Resources has been talking about an 11-acre site in Innovations business park on the west side of Interstate 35, which would be included in the Enterprise Zone. But nothing has been finalized.

Members of the Board of Aldermen questioned paying $23,000 for the phone lines that would currently just serve National Marketing Resources.

Alderman Jeff Couchman asked if the route of the line to be laid could be changed to go along Missouri Highway 92 — where many businesses are located.

“How many people are going to hook up on Grove (Street)?” he asked.

Eldridge said the line would allow for other businesses hook up to it.

Dane said paying the $23,000 for this fiber-optic cable now lays the groundwork for future development.

“I think fiber optics is very important if we’re going to continue to grow in Kearney,” Dane said.

Kearney Editor Kevin M. Smith can be reached at 628-6010 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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