Sarpy County officials were still studying the Gretna proposal Monday. Sarpy County Attorney Lee Polikov said he would be meeting about it today with Deputy County Attorney Bonnie Moore, who heads the county’s civil division.

In the meantime, he said he is optimistic.

“We’re here to help,” he said.

County Board member Jim Warren, who represents Gretna and is a former Gretna mayor, declined to comment on the proposal.

County Administrator Dan Hoins said the annexation may mean a number of big-budget county projects would instead fall to Gretna. Most notable, he said, is a new interchange at I-80 and 192nd Street. That project is estimated to cost about $12 million total, he said, with the local government sharing a portion of that.

“It’s a huge transfer of responsibility in terms of road projects,” Hoins said.

Vala said Kooistra told him about the annexation plan a few hours before it was announced.

Vala said the city and county have both been supportive of his business, and he appreciated the city giving him a heads-up. But he called the annexation “aggressive” and said it could mean a heavier tax burden for farmers who would no longer qualify for the greenbelt tax break.