Chamber asks city for 'Snow' promotion

Friday, July 29, 2005

The McCook Chamber of Commerce will be at the McCook City Council meeting Monday night to make a request for $5,000 to $10,000 to market a new Christmas promotion.

According to the city council packet, the Chamber of Commerce is hoping to implement a "Let it Snow" campaign in which customers can have a "free" Christmas if certain conditions are met.

Shoppers will be given a refund of their purchases made during a certain time frame -- if it snows at least a minimum of inches on a specified day.

In a letter describing the program, Chamber Director Pam Harsh explained the promotion and described the success the city of Plattsmouth experienced.

"The community first expected an increase of a mere $600,000 in their sales. They were ecstatic to learn that, in actuality, their sales had increased by $1.4 million more than during the same time period the previous year," she wrote.

She continued: "The City Council of Plattsmouth couldn't have been happier, since their investment of $7,000 had doubled its return in just over 45 days."

The money being requested from the city would be used for marketing costs for the "Let it Snow" promotion. The Chamber plans to market the program in Kansas, Colorado and Nebraska, "that will extend beyond our normal trade area."

The council will also be asked to approve the city's 2005-06 budget on first reading. The total budget of $26,612,973. The tax levy of $0.319044 per $100 remains at the 2004-05 level and a bond levy of $0.026875 used to pay for street improvements will no longer be collected.

As part of the ongoing costs of the improvements being made to the McCook water and sewer systems, the council will also be asked to approve an increase in water rates on first reading. The includes an increase in the ready-to-serve fee from $12 to $14.55, an increase in the charge for 0 to 5,000 cubic feet from $1.35 to $1.637 and an increase in over 5,000 gallons from $1 to $1.21.

The increase is approximately 21 percent across the board.

Sewer rates will also be on the agenda for an increase with a request for a 13 percent increase.

The rates will change from $8.306 for the first 333 cubic feet to $9.385. Each additional 100 cubic feet will be raised from $2.818 from $2.494 for residential rates.

Commercial rates will increase from $12.946 to $14.529 for the first 333 cubic feet and from $2.494 to $2.828 for each additional 100 cubic feet.

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