Chambers

Community Overview

Schools

Chambers Public School is proud of its rich tradition of excellence in academics, activities and athletics. The students enjoy the support of parents, community, and an experienced faculty and staff. In addition to a rigorous curriculum, the students have the opportunity to take distant classes as well as in-house college credit classes through Northeast Community College. Approximately 90% of the graduates have pursued post-secondary education. The other 10% take jobs or enter the Military. Graduate surveys indicate that students have been well-prepared for college and the work place. Chambers takes pride in the education they provide to help students achieve the academic, physical, social and emotional foundation needed to become a successful, contributing member of society. Chambers High School has been noted for their outstanding band under the direction of Mr. Duane DeVries and their academic and athletic abilities. Because of the small class size each of the students in Chambers Elementary School receives personal time and attention from the experienced and dedicated elementary staff. A rigorous core curriculum of language arts, math, science, and social studies helps students achieve excellence in and out of the classroom.  Chambers Public School coops with Wheeler Central School in Bartlett for sports.

THOENDEL LEARNING CENTER located in Chambers offers the Davis Dyslexia Correction Program to clients ages eight and older. The one-week, intensive, goal-oriented program is designed for the visual-spatial learner. The program is facilitated by a licensed instructor focusing on techniques, understanding how to resolve confusion with letters, words, and other symbols using their creativity and imagination. Reading exercises eliminate guessing and promote comprehension and improved balance and coordination.

Housing

Municipal Services

Standard building codes are enforced in the Village of Chambers. The O’Neill Public Library, 23 miles away, contains 36,126 volumes and has an average annual circulation of 97,341. The library, with 2,493 patrons, is part of the Nebraska Interlibrary Book Loan Program. Story hour is held during the summer months and other special times during the year. Books and records for the blind are also provided. There are six computers with Internet access available to Library patrons. The Chambers Volunteer Fire Department consists of 30 fire fighters including 11 EMT’s and 1 paramedic. A new fire house was built in 2009 with funds donated by a local resident and many volunteer hours. There are 26 fire hydrants in Chambers.

Tax Structure

Actual Valuation of City: $8,196,469 (Year 2015)

Real Property Tax Rates ($ per $100 of actual value)

Bond Indebtedness

All real property is subject to tax at market value.  Agricultural land is valued at 72 percent of its market value.  Personal property that is used in a trade or business and is depreciable is subject to tax at its “net book value”.  All other personal property is exempt from taxation.

Utilities

Electricity

Electric System Operator

Niobrara Valley EMC

Phone:(402) 336-2803
Website: www.nvemc.org
Email: NiobraraValley@nvemc.org

The Village of Chambers and the rural area surrounding Chambers are served electric power from Niobrara Valley Electric Membership Corporation (EMC), a wholesale power customer of NPPD. EMC provides service at a distribution voltage of 7,200 with 2,550 miles of distribution lines and 13 substations at three voltages of 34,500 volts, 69,000 volts, and 115,000 volts. Service is provided through 95 miles of transmission lines at 34.5 kV and 69 kV. For more information regarding electrical services in the Niobrara Valley EMC service area, contact John Hoke, general manager, O’Neill, Nebraska, (402) 336-2803, JohnH@nvemc.org, www.nvemc.org.

Natural Gas

Water

The water system, serving 100 percent of the village population, has a combined pumping capacity of 1,350 gallons per minute and an overhead storage capacity of 50,000 gallons. The average daily demand on the system is 60,800 gallons, and the historic peak daily demand is 130,000 gallons. The system has a maximum capacity of 770,000 gallons per day. The static pressure is 50 pounds per square inch. The chemical analysis of the water system is within the required limits.

Sanitation / Waste Water

Chambers is served by a four-cell lagoon system designed to serve a population of 375. Two cells were built in 1967 and two were built in 1985. The average daily capacity is 63,000 gallons, the average daily flow is 73,000 gallons, and the historic peak is 167,000 gallons. Improvements to the sewerage system in the next five years include rehabilitating the lagoons at an approximate cost of $1,300,000.

Telecommunications

K & M Telephone provides telecommunications services for the villages of Chambers and Inman with a digital central office in Chambers. DMS 10 switching is available along with DSL. Extended area service is available to Chambers, Inman, and O’Neill.