State officials, including Gov. Dave Heineman, want to help Gateway Motors in Broken Bow. The dealership is slated to close in September 2010 when its contract with the company expires.

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Heineman expressed frustration with the process recently as he visited Broken Bow.

“To tell you the truth, I’m trying to figure out how closing this dealership helps General Motors,” Heineman said. “It doesn’t.”

During Heineman’s stop, Custer Economic Development Corp. gave him copies of nearly 1,000 letters from local residents in support of the dealership.

The stop at Gateway was part of Heineman’s swing through the state to promote economic development. He vowed to contact General Motors directly on behalf of Gateway Motors.

Heineman indicated he would send his own letter, this one to the chairman of General Motors.

“This impacts a lot of people,” Heineman said. “We need you. We need your jobs and your service.”

Thomas McCaslin, general manager at Gateway, said the dealership is working through an aggressive appeal process with General Motors.

So far, he said, the company has not responded to the appeal.

McCaslin said he knows Nebraska’s other 20 GM dealers set to lose their franchise agreements are finding their own ways to fight GM’s decision. There are 72 franchised GM auto dealers in the state, according to the Nebraska Motor Vehicle Industry Licensing Board.

In the meantime, Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning is threatening legal action against General Motors, accusing the company of trying to circumvent state laws.

Bruning said rural states like Nebraska are already disproportionately impacted by GM’s proposed closing of dealerships.

“My goal is to protect people in rural areas so they don’t have to drive hundreds of miles to get their car serviced,” he said.

Michelle Zlomke is the Managing Editor of the Custer County Chief newspaper.