Items removed, retained in city budget

McCOOK, Neb. — A new police vehicle has been retained but a secondary firing range for the police department has not, in a slighted pared down version of the City of McCook’s 2019-20 budget.

With property valuations just being released today, until those are plugged in, a significant part of the budget is still unknown, City of McCook Nate Schneider told the McCook City Council Monday night at the regular meeting.The Council unanimously approved on first reading the preliminary budget for next year. It will go through a public hearing and two more readings before being set. A public hearing of the city budget is Tuesday, Sept. 3 (with Monday being Labor Day).

New this year in the budget process is the recently passed state law that requires taxing governmental entities, such as city councils, school boards and commissioners, to publish or announce in a public hearing if the taxing entity is getting more in property taxes than the year before.

Schneider said included in next year’s budget is a wage study for $30,000, that will compare job descriptions with other similarly-sized cities; five, 40-hour dispatch positions as requested by the police department; one firefighter/EMT position for $83,000 (salary and benefits) at the fire department so each shift has at least two firefighters on duty and a seasonal worker at the cemetery, at $5,000.

Schneider presented to the council the capital outlay requests that were retained or removed in the 2019-20 budget. This included: Police department, retained: records management system, $21,500, and police package vehicle, $30,00; removed, police package vehicle, $30,000 and secondary firing range, $5,000.

Auditorium: removed, roof replacement, $69,980

Municipal center: mower, removed.

Fire department: retained,SCBA lease, $21,227, turnout gear, $10,000 and extraction equipment, $117,777 ( grants plus a city match). Removed was the AARF vehicle for the airport, $775,000. The $107,000 outdoor warning sirens could be funded with $55,000 safety dividend.

Of the 11 requests from the street department, those retained included the sweeper payment of $34,365, used motor grader, $110,000 and from electric utility payments, a loader for $175,000. A one-time $200,000 to $250,000 payment is expected next year in the electric utility fund because of the way payments are made in the new contract with Nebraska Public Power District, Schneider said.

Ambulance: retained, ambulance lease payment of $31,608

Park: sprinkler at Dillman’s Corner, $4,000. Dillman’s Corner is located at the intersection of West Fifth and Westridge. Pickup, $35,000 and pickup plow, $8,000. Requested but removed included another mower and Barnett Park improvements. Public Works director Kyle Potthoff said the upper shelter house at Barnett Park is not in immediate need of work but he is looking at options concerning replacement/renovation, with possibly a steel building to replace it.

Ballpark, mower rotation, $30,000. The proposed parking lot overlay at the Jaycee Complex at $165,000 was not included in the budget.

The council also discussed using ACE community betterment funds to help pay for a 6 by 8 foot ballistic barrier for active shooter incidents. A fundraiser garnered $5,600 for the barrier; total cost would be in the $12,000 range. ACE funds in the past have been put to use for bandshell renovations at Norris Park, the skate park, demolition of a public nuisance house on West Fourth and toward a match for a bus at the Senior Center. There is $56,000 in the fund.