'Honest mistake' leads to need for annexation

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

The need for the voluntary annexation of 25 feet of county property into city limits was due to an honest mistake, City Manager Kurt Fritsch told the McCook City Council Monday night.

At the public hearing conducted at its regular meeting, Fritsch said the annexation of the property was needed to meet setback requirements required for a farm store's new addition.

After Orscheln's addition was construction, the need for the annexation became apparent, he said.

"It's wasn't the intent of Orscheln's to try to pull one over on us," Fritsch emphasized.

Orscheln's owns the property that needs to be annexed and under a new state law, annexations can go directly to the City Council.

The council approved the annexation and also approved the request to re-zone the annexed property from Agricultural to Highway Commercial.

In other business, the council also approved:

* the application from the McCook Area Chamber of Commerce for a special designated liquor license for a mixer at Wells Fargo Bank on Dec. 3

* a resolution that supports the proposed U.S. Highway 83 expressway project, that would connect Interstate 80 at North Platte to Interstate 70 in Kansas

* the "Miscellaneous Expenditures" ordinance on third reading, that caps at $300 the amount the city can spend on "Years of Service" pins for city employees

And after weeks of the center chair being empty on the city council, Mayor Dennis Berry was welcomed back by the council at the meeting Monday night.

Mayor Berry told the council during Council Comments that he was glad to be back, after taking time off to recuperate from colon cancer surgery.

"I appreciated all the visits, e-mails and cards, " he said, reminding others to get regular colonoscopy examinations.

-- Lorri Sughroue

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