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The council first considered the request at its Nov. 2 regular meeting and members were generally in favor of it, but concerned about several issues, including curfew violations, crowd control and other safety matters. Council members asked organizers to come back with a plan on addressing those concerns.
The event, billed as "First Night," will be a non-alcoholic celebration on Dec. 31 with several activities planned, such as a street dance and a ball-drop from the Keystone Hotel. It will be the first of its kind in the state, organizers said.
The council also will hear an update from the owner of property at 305 East 12, on definite plans for the removal of a mobile home as well as other buildings on the property.
The property was determined to be nuisance property by the McCook Health Board in August and the owner, who does not live on the property, requested additional time to clean it up before legal action was filed.
After the regular meeting, the council will meet in two closed executive sessions, the first for strategy on pending litigation concerning the Romanoff Building, Bison Properties LLC at 204 Norris Ave. The second closed session is for pending litigation regarding the Terry Jessen property at 301 E. Second.
At the Nov. 2 council meeting, the council unanimously approved taking over Jessen's interest in the Romanoff Building for $9,372.08. The building is slated for demolition using a Community Development Block Grant the city was awarded.
Consent agenda items the council can approve in one motion, or pulled for discussion by a council member or member of the public, include:
* reject all bids received for two new 2009 or 2010 three-quarter ton, 4-wheel drive pickup trucks, one each for the city Street and Recycling departments and approve adjusted specifications, in hopes of getting lower bids. The three bids received for each vehicle -- $21,797 from Wagner Ford, $22,377 from Wagner Chevrolet and $22,568 from Janssen and Sons -- were all over the $21,000 budgeted for each vehicle.
Revised specifications include removing electric locks, windows and mirrors as a package and a sliding rear window. The rear window was originally included so a cable for mosquito spraying could run through it instead of a side window.
* approve an easement with the city and Donald Klein, president of Klein's Motor and Electric, so the city has enough room to install and maintain a water main on South Street.
* award the bid for a police package vehicle to Wagner Chevrolet for $19,865, the lowest bid received, for a 2010 Chevrolet Impala police vehicle. The other bid received came from Wager Ford-Mercury for $22,351.
* award the bid for one new heavy duty pitless scale truck scale for the transfer station, to Fairbanks Scales of Omaha for $51,895. The other bid received, from First Shot Scale of Sutherland, was lower at $41,428 but the bid was incomplete and did not meet specifications the city required
* pending approval by the city attorney, approve and authorize the mayor to sign a lease agreement and supplemental agreement between the city and the U.S. General Services Administration. The lease allows the Transportation Security Administration to use 968 square feet in the fire station at a monthly cost of $2,088 or $25,959 yearly.
* approve the requests from the McCook Area Chamber of Commerce for the Christmas Light Parade on Norris Ave. Dec. 5 at 6 p.m., closing the intersection of West C and Norris Avenue following the parade for a Santa Cash giveaway promotion, the flying-in of Santa Clause at the McCook airport at 10 a.m. and the use of a fire truck for Santa's transportation to the parade
* ratify the following mayor's appointments: City/ County Airport Zoning Board -- Steve Keene to fill the remaining term of Brenda McMurtrey and Bruce McDowell to fill the remaining term of Carl Philo, terms expiring November, 2013; Housing Agency -- Shane Hilker to fill the remaining term of Colleen Grant, term expires November 2013.