Opinion

Move to New McCook

Friday, February 15, 2002

I live two blocks from the race track. We move into our house more than 20 years ago. At that time the track was there, but no races. We were told at that time there were no races because they made to much noise and the city had an ordinance against noise. Five or so years ago, the races were started back up again. We were told that the races would be over with at 10 p.m. Now the races go later and there are more nights of races. So, I decided take the advice of people who do not live by the track and move. Now I need more than a Ryder truck because I am moving my house and all. My neighbor to the north comes over and wonders what I am doing, so I explain to him I am moving my house. He said, "Where to?" So, I explained the situation to him of how the city of McCook bought more than 1,100 acres of ground North of McCook. Since I am a taxpayer of McCook, my share is about 3.5 acres, so I am moving my house onto my share (I get first choice).

He inquired about the water up there. I took him into my house and showed him the water leaks in my copper pipes (three in the last five months) due to the nitrates in the current water (it is eating through the copper). Then I showed him tests from the irrigation wells, which we now own and the water up there is better than the water here. So he is starting to move his house creating a New McCook north of McCook.

My neighbor to the west was listening to the conversation and asked about getting my kids to school each day. I explained the current school situation and how the school administration is reducing staff. The current class size in the elementary is about 15 students per classroom. The administration wants to go from six sections to five next year increasing, the class sizes to 18 or more students per classroom. I took my neighbor to North Ward and showed her one of the fourth grade classrooms, which has 23 students in it now. The kids were wall-to-wall with no room to walk. Now the school board is voting in March to add more students to each class. I also showed her the latest statistics, which show an increase in births, which translates into more students in each classroom in three to five years. Given these conditions, there is no room for my kids in the schools, so I will have to home-school my kids. Now I explain to my neighbors in the New McCook, they will pay very little taxes (because there are no schools). My neighbor to the east is a local business man and he liked the idea of low taxes, so he wants to move is business to the New McCook.

With the movement to the New McCook, only the race track and horse arena are left in the city of McCook. My neighbor to the south is a race car owner/driver and was listening to all the conversations going on in the neighborhood. He wandered if he could get the county to move the track and horse arena to the New McCook. We all said, "NO!" because the New McCook will enforce the noise ordinances and the animal ordinances the current city of McCook is ignoring.

Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: