New city building among ideas for sales tax proceeds

From reserving money for a possible police/fire facility to playground equipment, the McCook City Council will have to decide how to allocate city sales tax dollars from the 2008-09 proposed budget.

The council conducted its first of three budget discussion sessions Monday night at its regular meeting to consider the proposed 2008-09 spending plan. Mayor Dennis Berry was absent from the meeting.

Subsequent meetings will be Monday, July 14 at 6:30 p.m. at City Council Chambers and the following Monday, July 21, at a time not yet determined. The budget will then go through three hearings before it is adopted.

City Manager Kurt Fritsch gave a preliminary overview of the budget Monday night and gave the council several suggestions from city staff as to how to use city sales tax revenue.

About $1.47 million is projected to be available in city sales tax receipts, Fritsch said, including $500,000 carried over from last year. Proposed uses of these funds, that have to be approved by the council, include setting aside $500,000 in a multi-year project to begin the design and initial construction fees of a municipal city facility to house the city police/fire departments and handicapped accessible city offices.

This would include the initial study of developing the former West Ward Elementary school property as a possible site, Fritsch said.

Although nothing has been decided yet, setting aside money for a new facility would start the process.

"We need to start taking care of it now," Fritsch said.

Other possible uses of city sale tax revenue that the council will have to mull over include: $250,000 for street improvements on West I, K and L Streets; $100,000 for playground equipment at Norris Park; $60,000 for walkway improvements at the Jaycee Ball Complex; $75,000 to extend water/sewer lines to the National Guard/Army project at the airport and $25,000 for monument/entry way signs in the city.

The McCook Chamber of Commerce, along with the McCook Leadership group, is working with artist for a pavillion/sculpture at B Street and Norris Avenue, said Fritsch, and offered to work with the city on this project. The entry signs would incorporate a brick outline to tie in with the "On the Bricks" theme the chamber uses.

Directional signs directing traffic to important locations, such as the college or hospital was another suggested use, at $5,000. These signs would be more visible than what is currently used, Fritsch said, and include new signs for the Red Willow Fairgrounds and the Kiplinger Arena.

The Kiplinger Arena is a major pull for the city, he said, drawing up to 50,000 people annually outside of the region and state with their weekly events.

Other ideas for the sales tax were $16,000 for aerator lighting at Barnett Park; $30,000 for pool painting, a $12,000 match for the Senior Center garage and an additional $250,000 that could be carried over for future projects or to be determined by the council.

These funds could be applied toward the McCook Main Street project of decorative lamps on Norris Avenue, Fritsch said.