LENRD will attend Flatwater's nitrate forum despite some member's concerns

NORFOLK, Neb. -- The Lower Elkhorn Natural Resource District will attend an open forum on nitrate on March 14.

On Thursday LENRD General Manager Mike Sousek announced he would attend an open forum focusing on nitrates in Nebraska.

The forum, called "Nitrate in Nebraska’s Water Supply – What’s the Risk?" is being put on by Flatwater Free Press, a non-profit newsroom located in Nebraska.

The Flatwater Freepress published a series of articles discussing the forum's topic last year. The articles caused a stir within the LENRD last year, with some members saying the article portrayed the LENRD in a negative light. Those sentiments remained Thursday night, some members suggesting they shouldn't attend the event.

"I don't know," said Jerry Allemna, director. "The way you (Mike Sousek) got treated the first time in the press, I don't think I'd have anything to do with it. That's just my opinion."

Director Scott Clausen echoed a similar sentiment, calling the articles a "hit piece" and claiming Flatwater was biased in its reporting.

"They're pretty biased and I don't think we're ever gonna ever win with this deal," Clausen said. "We have to try, but I think they're pretty biased."

Sousek tried to reassure these thoughts, saying the event wouldn't be a public bashing. Rather the forum would be directed by the public and allow for an opportunity to tell their side of things.

"I really see this as an opportunity to tell the story, correctly, from us without the interpretation of a reporter," Sousek said.

Flatwater's forum will take place March 14, at the Lifelong Learning Center in Norfolk.

The panel will feature Mike Sousek from the LENRD, Dr. Jessie bell from the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s College of Public Health, Northeast Community College agriculture instructor Robert Noonan, and Yanqi Xu the journalist who wrote the articles.