City gets COVID-19 funding; council reviews audit

From left, former City Councilman Bruce McDowell and Mayor Mike Gonzales take a look at one of the new dispatch consoles at the City of McCook police department, after the City Council meeting Monday night. The department installed two new consoles with seven screens each that can pinpoint the direct location of a 911 call or texts made from a cell phone. The adjustable desks can be modified up and down so dispatchers can stand if they want during their 12-hour shifts. The council and public also viewed the new power cots at the city’s fire department.

Lorri Sughroue/McCook Gazette

McCOOK, Neb. — Like other governmental entities and private companies, the City of McCook also received COVID-19 related funding.

City Manager Nate Schneider confirmed to the McCook Gazette Monday night before the meeting that the city received $650,000 in “Presumptive Payroll” funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The funds were based on hours of first responders, Schneider said, and are discretionary in use. The money was put into the general fund and the city council will decide how to disperse it during the budget process, he said. The McCook Ben Nelson Regional Airport was also awarded $30,000.

How the city spent its money in 2020 opened up the city council meeting Monday night, with a presentation from AMGL CPAs and Advisors, the city’s financial auditors, who reviewed with the council via Zoom the audit report for the year ending Sept. 30, 2020.

Part of the review included per capita costs for the City of McCook versus the per-capita costs in similarly-sized cities, or “recommended.” The top four sources of revenue for governmental activities were sales tax, $340 per capita in McCook ($290 recommended), grants and contributions, $429 per capita ($230 recommended), property taxes, $192 per capita ($254 recommended) and state allocation, $209 ($165 recommended). The higher costs in grants and contributions were due to the $2.2 million awarded in federal grants in 2020 for improvement projects at the airport and north U.S. Highway 83/B Street, the auditor said.

How the city designates its resources on a per capita basis, excluding capital outlay or new equipment, compared to other cities and what is recommended, was also presented. Most per capita costs in McCook city departments came in close to what is recommended, except for the city pool, with $1 spent per capita in McCook compared to $30 per capita recommended. City of McCook City Clerk LeaAnn Doak said this had to do with the pool not being open this year due to the pandemic, so costs for chemicals and payroll were not allocated. The per capita cost of the McCook City Fire Department came in at $142, compared to $70 recommended. That’s because the city’s fire department has a full-time staff of firefighters, in addition to volunteers, hence the higher cost.

What the City of McCook spent per capita in each department, compared to what is spent in other similarly-sized cities, or recommended, were:

Administration, $89, ($90 recommended); cemetery, $26 ($25); ambulance, $12 ($15); airport, $21 ($30); Handibus, $20 ($10); park, $39 ($60); library, $44 ($60); civil defense, $2 ($2); planning, $10 ($20); police, $229 ($220); senior center, $50 ($30); auditorium, $5 ($35), health operating and perpetual care, $76 ($65).

The council had no questions for the auditor and unanimously approved the financial report after the presentation.