City Council reviews new building plans

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Prohaska and Associates presented the City Council with an updated Municipal Facilities floor plan at its semi-monthly meeting, Monday evening at Council Chambers. The prudent layout keeps in mind future expansion of all departments and was the first presented to department heads that included furniture.

Department heads detailed advantages the new facility offered over current accommodations. Fire Chief Marc Harpham pointed out a decontamination room just off the vehicle bays and described how at the current facility decontamination, which includes blood and bodily fluids as well as hazardous materials, takes place in the living quarters.

Police Chief Isaac Brown discussed the ability of the new facility to keep suspects and victims separated as well as a much more accommodating juvenile/sexual assault interview room.

Council members approved a resolution regarding the official ballot language for the Municipal Facilities Election, Nov. 2, 2010. The council will ask for voter approval to construct the new municipal facilities for fire, police and administration. The language included the amount of the proposed bond pledged against the current sales at $3,750,000 for a period of seven years. It calls for no new sales tax or any other tax.

The City Council voted 4-1 to approve a $1 per month sewer rate increase. Councilman Lonnie Anderson was the lone dissenting vote saying, "I have had a lot of people approach me that didn't want the rate increase to go through."

Councilman Aaron Kircher said "No one likes to raise rates but we have to in order to keep a healthy budget. Everything that can be done is being done to keep rates down, I am fully confident in that."

The Heritage Senior Center roof replacement project details were approved and bids set to received by Sept. 2, 2010, at 2 p.m. Council discussed that the project would be funded with this years budget and councilman Aaron Kircher moved that contractors be expected to have the work completed by the end of the 2010 calendar year. The motion was approved.

The recommendation noted probable construction costs in the range of $50,000 to $75,000. A previous estimate presented to the City Council at the July 15, 2010, meeting resulted in the council shifting the project from a half-roof replacement at an estimated $41,000 to the entire roof at an estimated $51,980.

Councilman Kircher's motion that $15,000 be set aside from the ending fund balance for video equipment to stream City Council meetings live online died because no other council member was willing to second it.

"I guess I'll begin the six year process again," Kircher said, referring to the time it previously took to get cooperation from other City Council members to update the city website. "Luckily I am young and I can wait it out," Kircher added.

Terri Shipshock, representing the Hometown Competitiveness Organization, presented the City Council with a proclamation designating the week of Sept. 6-12, 2010, as "Donor Appreciation Week." The members of the HTC are Community Hospital Health Foundation, McCook Community College Foundation, McCook Community Foundation, The YMCA, The Fox Theatre Foundation, Hillcrest Nursing Home Foundation and the George Norris Foundation.

The proclamation was approved with Mayor Dennis Berry saying the HTC "Really improves the quality of life in McCook."

Other items approved on the consent and regular agenda:

* The city staff explained that the initial plan was to rebuild the primary clarifiers, which are used to remove settable solids at the wastewater treatment facility, but recent estimates showed that replacing them with new would be at the same cost. Drawings and specifications were approved and bid date established after a brief discussion and motion to set a 120 day timeframe for the option to build new and 150 day for rebuilt.

* An ordinance was introduced and approved for the adoption of the 2010-11 Fiscal Year Employee Classification Pay Plan. This was the first of three required readings.

* City staff again presented its Fiscal Year 2010-11 budget. It was unanimously approved, for its second of three required readings needed for adoption.

* Maris Construction's request to close West D Street from Norris Avenue to the first alley west for the removal and replacement of sidewalks on the south side of the Keystone was approved. The project will take place Aug. 17-20 and Aug. 23-25.

* City Council approved the third and final reading of an update to the McCook Zoning Ordinance definitions.

* The Chamber of Commerce Heritage Days request for the use of Norris Park for the Arts and Crafts Show and the bandshell for entertainment on Sept. 25-26, 2010, was approved. The request also required the closing of parts of Norris Avenue, G Street and H Street for the parade and Sept. 25, 2010, car show.

* Resolution No. 2010-19 which binds the City to comply will all applicable federal laws in regards to Title VI Civil Rights was approved for adoption. The Title VI Nondiscrimination Program and Agreement were both subsequently approved as well for the Mayor to sign.

* The Chamber of Commerce was approved for a special liquor license for the Heritage Days Mixer at McCook National Bank, 7:30 p.m., Sept. 22, 2010.

* Rock 'N Horse Lounge was granted a special liquor license for the Farm and Ranch Expo at Kiplinger Arena, Nov. 17-18, 2010, 8 a.m. to 12 a.m.

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  • I can understand wanting to keep the McCook site updated (Which it really needs if it wants to look legit by today's standards and be used as a tool to recruit businesses.)...but why the need to spend 15,000 dollars to stream the meetings online. If people have time/ the want to see the meetings they can attend. Unless your going to allow citizens to call in and voice their opinions, there's really no need.

    You can buy a 250 dollar camera to record the meetings and post them up for all to see to the same effect.

    -- Posted by npwinder on Thu, Aug 19, 2010, at 12:39 AM
  • Npwinder, you are correct. That is probably why the majority of the Council, by not making a second to the motion, "voted" no to spending $15,000 on streaming. People can attend the meetings, hear the summary of the meetings on two different radio stations, read the report in the newspaper, later ona different date read the minutes of the meeting in the public notice section of the newspaper, and read all about it online. It would be nice but maybe not needed. An effort is also underfoot to consoldate all the McCook websites so duplication of effort and cost is reduced and make it easier for site visitors to get updated information on McCook.

    -- Posted by dennis on Thu, Aug 19, 2010, at 11:03 AM
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