City of McCook

McCOOK, Neb. — The City of McCook has been informed by the contractor that the armor coating of city streets will begin Monday, Sept. 16. The city requests that citizens who live in these areas remove all vehicles from the streets listed below. Once the oil and gravel are applied on your street, the street will be opened for use...

McCOOK, Neb. -- The McCook City Council will be asked to approve the 2019-20 salary for the city manager on its first reading, at the regular meeting Monday night, 5:30 p.m., at city council chambers at the McCook Municipal Building. The council will also be asked Monday night to approve on its final reading the city budget for 2019-20, and suspending the three-reading rule, increased rates for trash collection...

McCOOK, Neb. — The city has signed an engineering contract to address repairing the air conditioning at the city library. Councilman Jerry Calvin asked at Tuesday night’s regular City Council meeting, during the budget review, as to the status of the library’s air conditioning.The library has been without air conditioning since June, when the system quit working. ...

McCOOK, Neb. — A city purchase that’s been sitting on the books for some time will finally materialize. That’s because the one-time electric utility payment the city receives next year will help pay for the upgrades to the city’s warning sirens. A new agreement with Nebraska Public Power District netted the city an extra $275,000. That money has been earmarked in the 2019-20 budget for a variety of purchases, including the warning siren upgrades...

McCOOK, Neb. — Only one project is scheduled for next year in the 2020 McCook Plan of Street Improvements. Although two were initially slated, the state highway concrete repair at $275,000 and North Cherokee at $493,000, it was decided to commit to one project instead...

McCOOK, Neb. — Increased property valuations, no bond indebtedness and an unexpected revenue payment from electric utilities has boosted the City of McCook’s general fund account. City Manager Nate Schneider reviewed highlights of the 2019-20 budget with the city council Tuesday night, before the council unanimously approved the budget on its second reading. The third and final reading of the budget is Monday, Sept. 16...

McCOOK, Neb. — It’s a purchase the city hopes it never has to use. The McCook City Council approved Monday night at its regular meeting to use ACE funds, up to $6,182, to purchase a portable ballistic barrier for active shooter incidents. Total cost of the barrier is $11,842...

McCOOK, Neb. —A decades-old building that used to be a neighborhood grocery store may see new life as a HVAC business, if a special exception is approved by the McCook Planning Commission. Derek Zipperlen, owner of Veteran Heating and Air Conditioning, LLC, is seeking a special exception to allow an office at 704 E. Third, in an area zoned residential medium density...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook City Council held off on making any kind of decision on the former safety center. With concerns about city equipment stored in a portion of the building and another area leased by the Family Resource Center, the council on Monday night at the regular meeting asked for more information and a detailed plan from James Hegwood, a contractor from Culbertson Neb., who has expressed interest in buying the facility...

McCOOK, Neb. — A McCook woman is claiming $18,000 in damages for sewer charges she’s paid for 32 years, without being hooked up to the city sewer. Kathy Kautz of 1305 East B said in the claim that when sewage backed into her basement on March 27, it was discovered that the house was never connected to the city sewer as a cesspool is used. She is claiming $18,000 in sewer charges since she bought the house in 1982...

McCOOK, Neb. — General revenue to the City of McCook, other than user fees for water, trash and sewer, totals $8.7 million in the proposed 2019-20 budget. Last year, $8.1 million was budgeted. Year-to-date totals of general revenues currently are at $6.3 million...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook City Council approved a bid for next year’s water system improvements that came in over estimated costs and will cost a half million dollars. The council Monday night approved the bid of $582,325.71, the lowest bid, to Myers Construction Inc. of Broken Bow, Neb., for water system improvements on West Fifth and East 14th...

McCOOK, Neb. — A Culbertson contractor is working on plans to revamp the former safety center into restaurants and business space. James Hegwood told the McCook City Council Monday night at the regular meeting that he has been talking with City Manager Nate Schneider on purchasing the former safety center. Showing a design concept to council members, Hegwood said a lot depends on enough parking space in the area...

McCOOK, Neb. — The request from the McCook Area Chamber of Commerce for money from the city has not been included in the city budget for next year - yet. That may change with the public hearing for the city’s 2019-20 budget on Tuesday, Sept. 3. Or, it may not. ...

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. ...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook City Council approved on first reading new ordinances to city law that prohibits the use and possession of vaping products by minors. State law prohibits the use of vaping products by minors but not the possession of them, said McCook City Police Chief Ike Brown at the city council meeting Monday night. ...

McCOOK, Neb. -- McCook Police are seeking information about a missing 17-year-old girl they say is a runaway. According to a Friday press release, Madyson Brunswick, 17, ran away from her McCook home, leaving a note saying she had found a ride to Omaha...

McCOOK, Neb. — Department purchases next year and how to allocate city sales tax revenue are some of the items the McCook City Council may discuss before adopting the 2010-20 budget, at Monday night’s regular meeting, 5:30 p.m. at city council chambers at the McCook Municipal Building...

McCOOK, Neb. — Boutique Air enplanements and deplanements at McCook Ben Nelson Regional Airport were both down for the month of July, compared to last year. It marks the seventh straight month since January that numbers were down at the airport compared to the previous year...

McCOOK, Neb. — Repairs are needed at one of the shelter houses at Barnett Park. At the budget workshop Monday night, the McCook City Council was told that in addition to major work being needed at the Elks tennis courts, the upper shelter house at Barnett Park needs to be renovated or replaced...

McCOOK, Neb. — Water is getting as precious as gold. It’s becoming a precious commodity and nationwide, the question is how long communities will be able to provide and allocate water to cities, said City of McCook Utilities director Jesse Dutcher at the budget workshop Monday night...

McCOOK, Neb. — McCook citizens shared their priorities Monday night at the City Council budget workshop, citing crumbling curbs, a sweltering library, a busy crosswalk and funds for the Chamber of Commerce. Before the McCook City Council dived into its first look at the preliminary 2019-2020 budget, the floor was opened up to citizen input...

McCOOK, Neb. — The good news is the city’s property tax levy will not increase from last year. The not-so-good news is that fees for trash collecting will be bumped up. City Manager Nate Schneider told the McCook City Council at the budget workshop Monday night that although property valuations will not be released from the county until Aug. 20, it appears so far that the city’s property tax levy of .349044 per $100 valuation, the same as the previous year, will remain the same...

McCOOK, Neb. — It is still unknown why the power outage occurred at the City of McCook water treatment plant last week. In response to a question by McCook City Councilman Jerry Calvin at the council meeting Monday night, Jesse Dutcher, Utilities director, said he was alerted about 5:49 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 31, that the power was out at the water treatment plant...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook City Council will get its first look at the initial budget for next year, at the budget workshop scheduled for Monday, Aug. 12, 5:30 p.m. at the city council chambers at the city municipal building. The meeting is open to the public. McCook City Manager Nate Schneider told the council at the regular meeting Monday night that the preliminary budget will be presented at the workshop with city department heads on hand to answer questions about department budgets...

McCOOK, Neb. — More than $200,000 in estimated costs for new construction was seen in July for the City of McCook and in rural McCook, according to the city’s monthly permit record. New building led the way at $132,714, with nine projects inside the city and one outside...

Lorri Sughroue Associate Editor McCOOK, Neb. — The City of McCook will be getting a little extra money from state and federal agencies in a public transportation agreement. The McCook City Council will be asked to approve the supplemental agreement with the Nebraska Department of Transportation to obtain additional state and federal funding, at its regular meeting Monday, Aug. ...

McCOOK, Neb. -- A power failure at the drinking water treatment plant and water wells has forced city officials to ask customers to not use outside water today. The outage caused the storage tank levels to become dangerously low, said Jesse Dutcher, utility director...

McCOOK, Neb. -- A 19-year-old McCook man was taken into custody after allegedly firing a gun at someone in an alley July 13. Hunter J. Koetter, 19, was jailed in connection with the incident. According to the McCook Police Department, a report was received at 6:59 a.m. Saturday, July 13, that someone had shot a gun at individuals in the 800 block of the alley between East Second and Third...

LINCOLN, Neb. – The McCook Police Department has received a grant from the Nebraska Department of Transportation, Highway Safety Office to purchase one in-car camera system and two mobile radar units, according to Mark Segerstrom, Administrator for the NDOT Highway Safety Office...

McCOOK, Neb. — The City of McCook will spray for mosquitoes tonight, beginning around sun down, weather permitting. Although the chemical used is not harmful to people or pets, if you have any concerns please stay indoors. To eliminate prime mosquito habitat, please remove any standing water or unwanted vegetation on or around your property...

Lorri Sughroue Associate Editor McCOOK, Neb. —About 500 people visited the Third Thursday event last month in downtown McCook. In fact, two food trucks at the event ran out of food, McCook Chamber of Commerce director Jamie Mockry told the McCook City Council Monday night...

McCOOK, Neb. — It couldn’t have happened at a worse time: A rendering truck spilled refuse on B Street Friday night, right before the Crazy Days Cruise Night. The accident occurred on the 600 block of B Street and city employees were quickly on the scene, diverting traffic and cleaning up the offal...

McCOOK, Neb. — A McCook City councilman wanted clarification in an application to install an underground fiber optic cable. Specifically, Councilman Jerry Calvin wanted to know the dimensions of an above-ground control cabinet that Great Plains Communications will establish as part of its installation of underground cable for high speed internet for downtown businesses...

McCOOK, Neb. — The regular McCook City Council meeting will be relatively short Monday night, with the heavy lifting coming afterwards in the closed session when the council will evaluate the job performance of the city manager. The meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. at the City Council chambers at the McCook Municipal Building, with a public hearing for a special exception, followed by the consent agenda and one action item...

McCOOK, Neb. — The number of passengers flying to and from the McCook City airport on Boutique Air are looking up for second quarter totals. Boutique Air, the federally subsidized essential air service at McCook Ben Nelson Regional Airport, reported a total of 579 passengers flying out of the airport from April to June. ...

McCOOK, Neb. — While the focus tree of the City of McCook Tree Board's tree rebate program will change in 2020 to the sugar maple, its "focus" this fall remains on ginkgo trees and Kentucky coffee trees. Trees on the tree board's "focus list" short list of rebate trees are native, non-invasive and climatically-suitable trees that tree board members would like to see more of growing along McCook city stress...

McCOOK, Neb. — Fighting fires by air will get a boost from below at the McCook Ben Nelson Regional Airport. The McCook City Council voted unanimously in favor Monday night to approve a lease with the Nebraska Forest Service, Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska, to lease and occupy a parcel of ground at the McCook city airport to aid in the purpose of regional wildland fire suppression...

McCOOK, Neb. — A McCook City councillor and city staff member pulled two items from the consent agenda to be discussed before approval. Consent agenda items are usually approved by one motion, unless pulled for separate consideration. Councilman Jared Muhlenkamp pulled the request from the Prairie Roots Festival Committee for the use of Barnett Park for the the Prairie Roots Festival food, brew and music festival on Saturday, Aug. 24...

McCOOK, Neb., — Two major projects scheduled for the city this summer received the green light from the McCook City Council Monday night, with both running over budgeted estimates. The council approved awarding the bid for the paving project on Ravenswood Road Paving Project to BSB Construction of Curtis, Neb., in the amount of $268,727.25, that being the only bid received...

McCOOK, Neb. — According to city ordinance, the discharge of fireworks in the City of McCook is allowed from June 23 up to July 3 from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. On July 4, fireworks are allowed from 8 a.m. to 11:59. On July 5, fireworks are allowed from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m...

McCOOK, Neb. — The request for a special exception to locate a daycare in a residential area was denied by the McCook City Council Monday night by a split vote. The council first struggled with granting the exception at its last meeting on June 17. “I’ve had a lot of pain in the butt decisions to make on the council but this takes the wisdom of Solomon,” said Councilman Jerry Calvin said Monday night before the final vote was taken. At issue was whether requirements in the special exception were met by the applicant, Amber Massa. Massa applied for the exception to locate a daycare center at 1408 W. Circle Drive, an area zoned medium residential. At the June 17 council meeting, some council members noted their concerns of traffic flow and safety due to the close proximity of McCook Elementary. They postponed making a decision until Monday’s regular council meeting so city staff could review if a special exception could be removed after a certain period of time. City staff has since determined the exception could include a time limitation. Massa and her sister, Whitney Kuhlman, addressed the council and explained that the center would the “starter” location and in the future move to another location. Parents would be prohibited from dropping off their kids for a 15 minute period in the morning and later in the afternoon, high traffic times at the nearby school. Parking would be available in front of the center, in the driveway and also next door, having received permission from the neighbor, they said. Councillor Janet Hepp said the traffic flow problem of getting and out of West Circle Drive is not within Massa’s control and that the special exception request was “the catalyst that brought it to our attention.” Hepp said she had lived in the area and now has a rental property there and knows about the traffic congestion. She proposed a plan where a nearby street could be designated as a one-way street during high traffic times at the school, in the morning and mid-afternoon when students are arriving or leaving. City Manager Nate Schneider told the council that the special exception could be granted if they thought the requirements were met. “My opinion….is if you don’t thinking that A and B (in the requirements) are met, the vote is no,” he said. Requirement A states the special exception would satisfactorily provide for “Ingress and egress to property and proposed structures thereon with particular reference to automotive and pedestrian safety and convenience, traffic flow and control and access in case of fire or catastrophe.” Requirement B concerns “off street parking and loading areas where required, with particular attention to the items in “A,” and the economic, noise glare or odor effects of the special exception on adjoining properties generally in the district. Other requirements, nine in all, concern availability of utilities, screening and buffering, signs and exterior lighting, yard and open space and general compatibility with adjacent properties and with future land use in the McCook Comprehension Plan. Before the final vote was taken, each council member was asked individually if special exception requirements A and B were met. When questioned by Mayor Mike Gonzales as why this was being done, instead of a straight yea or nay vote, Schneider replied it was to have a record of it for the future, with City Attorney Nate Mustion adding it could be used if the final determination was appealed. When asked individually on requirement A, Councillors Jared Muhlenkamp, Calvin and Janet Hepp voted yes, with Mayor Gonzales and Councilman Gene Weedin voting no. On requirement B, Councillors Muhlenkamp, Hepp and Weedin voted yes, with Councilman Calvin and Mayor Gonzales voting no. The council then took a vote on a motion made at the beginning of the discussion by Councilman Muhlenkmap, to grant the special exception. The motion failed by two to three, with Muhlenkamp and Hepp voting in favor of it and Gonzales, Weedin and Calvin voting against.

McCOOK, Neb. — New building in Red Willow County and the City of McCook has reached over $20 million for the year. This was bolstered by last month’s $960,300 in commercial remodels (Black Hills Energy new location), according to the city’s building permit report for June. This construction, outside of city limits, includes new offices...

McCOOK, Neb. — Nebraska’s spring flooding is making an impact on scheduled improvements to the McCook airport, with the project now $292,222 over estimated costs. The initial estimate of $1.3 million for improvements at McCook Ben Nelson Regional Airport, with 90% paid by a federal grant, received only one bid at $1.5 million. With remaining expenses at $88,772 for engineering costs and $9,590 for the Nebraska Dept. of Transportation administration cost, total costs ballooned to $1.6 million...

McCOOK, Neb. — The city’s ball parks and flags along Norris Avenue were cited by two members of the McCook City Council Monday night. At the end of the regular meeting, during “Council Comments,” Mayor Mike Gonzales commented that it’s not been “the best weather” for staff at ballfields because of the amount of precipitation the area has been experiencing...

McCOOK, Neb. — Every kid wants to be a policeman or fire fighter when they grow up. “I just never outgrew that,” said McCook City Fire Chief Marc Harpham. City of McCook Utilities director Jesse Dutcher told the McCook City Council Monday night at the regular meeting that as of Tuesday, Harpham started his 30th year as a paid member of the McCook City Fire Department...

McCOOK, Neb. — A new property/casualty insurance broker for the City of McCook was approved by the majority of the McCook City Council, with one hold-out. Councilman Jared Muhlenkamp was the lone dissenting vote Monday night at the regular City Council meeting in approving Ellerbrock-Norris Insurance as the city’s property/casualty insurance broker. ...

McCOOK, Neb. — An early morning fire at a mobile home has left a family temporarily homeless. The McCook Fire Department responded to a fire call 12:16 a.m. this morning at a mobile home at 1504 West 10th. The family had left the mobile home at around 9 p.m. ...

LINCOLN, Neb. — The McCook Public Library and four other Nebraska libraries will host Nebraska’s Library Innovation Studios next year. The five final libraries join 26 others chosen earlier to use a $530,732 grant to the Nebraska Library Commission by the Institute of Museum and Library Services in partnership with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Nebraska Innovation Studio, Nebraska Extension, Regional Library Systems and local public libraries...

McCOOK, Neb —The McCook City Council will be asked to approve an insurance carrier from Kearney, Neb., for the City of McCook, at its regular meeting Monday, 6:30 p.m., at city council chambers at the McCook Municipal building. After city staff reviewed proposals from four insurance carriers, with three in McCook, Ellerbrock-Norris Insurance, with offices in Kearney, Hastings, Lincoln, and Omaha, Neb., has been recommended by the insurance committee as the city’s property/casualty insurance broker.. ...

McCOOK, Neb. — Federal reimbursements for meals at the Heritage Senior Center will be increased slightly. The McCook City Council Monday night unanimously approved, with other consent agenda items, the contract between the city and West Central Nebraska Area Agency on Aging...

McCOOK, Neb. — Based on concerns of traffic congestion and other factors, the McCook Planning Commission is recommending denial for a special exception for a proposed daycare. The commission will meet Monday, 5:15 p.m. at the city council chamber at the McCook Municipal Building...

McCOOK, Neb. — Any questions about stage curtains and installation can probably be answered by Tracy Burkey. That’s because the administration assistant at the City of McCook was tasked with finding quotes for new curtains at Memorial Auditorium and in doing so, had a crash course in curtain management...

McCOOK, Neb. — A total of $238,000 is estimated to be the cost of three street improvements still scheduled to be completed. A total of six street improvement projects were approved by the McCook City Council this year, at a cost of about $1.2 million. Revenue for these projects is coming from city sales tax revenue at $250,000, used annually to fund street improvement projects, as well as buy-back dollars from the state and additional gas tax money...

McCOOK, Neb. — More than a 30% drop was seen for second quarter totals in Boutique Air passengers embarking and deplaning at McCook Ben Nelson Regional Airport. There were 208 passengers flying out in May, a 7.96% decrease compared to 226 passengers May of 2018. Second quarter totals for passengers flying out were 371 passengers, a 35.59% drop from 2018 second quarter totals at 576 passengers...

McCOOK, Neb. — Agreements with the state concerning a grant to help repair Ravenswood Road were approved Monday night, but only after language changes sought by the state were included. City manager Nate Schneider pulled for discussion from the consent agenda the State of Nebraska, Department of Transportation and City of McCook Economic Opportunity Program Agreement and another, the City of McCook and Next Generation Inc., Economic Opportunity Agreement. ...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook Family Resource Center is getting a new lease on life, literally. In April, Family Resource Center director Kathy Haas told the council the center was losing its current location at a church, due to the church being sold. She asked if the council would consider renting out a portion of the former McCook Safety Center at 526 West B, for the center to use...

lorri sughroue Associate Editor McCOOK, Neb. — With recruiting new businesses identified as top priority, the McCook Economic Development Corp. has hired a company to help with that. The MEDC board signed a one-year, $30,000 contract with the firm, Retail Strategies, to help lure businesses to McCook, according to the March 31 Second Quarter report of the McCook Growth Fund (LB840)...

LINCOLN, Neb. – McCook Ben Nelson Regional Airport and three others will receive Department of Transportation discretionary grants, according to U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer. McCook will receive $562,158 for apron and runway rehabilitation. Eppley Airfield gets $2.8 million for taxiway rehabilitation, Central Nebraska Regional Airport $2.1 million for an aircraft rescue and fire fighting building, and Norfolk Regional / Karl Stefan Memorial Field will receive $738,861 for runway rehabilitation...

McCOOK, Neb. — Although hearing from a few citizens that it was too early, the McCook City Council approved on first reading an ordinance to move up city council meeting times from 6:30 to 5:30 p.m. Councilman Gene Weedin said he had no problem changing the meeting time, but wanted to make sure it could be changed back if needed...

McCOOK, Neb. — New and remodeled building in the city and Red Willow County totaled almost $1 million for the month of May and more than $21 million for the year. When new plumbing for last month is factored in, total estimated building/plumbing costs came to $1.08 million in May...

McCOOK, Neb. — After questioning the closing of a downtown street and lack of information on events, the McCook City Council Monday night opted to amend and postpone two requests from the McCook Chamber of Commerce. The request from the chamber for “Third Thursday” on June 20 asked for closing several streets in downtown McCook, including West C from Norris Avenue to to West First from 4 to 9 p.m. ...

McCOOK, Neb. — McCook City Council meetings could start earlier, if approved by the council at its regular meeting Monday night. At the May 6 city council meeting, Mayor Mike Gonzales first asked for discussion about moving up the city council meeting time to 5:30 p.m. instead of the current 6:30 p.m., on the first and third Monday of each month. Gonzales said the earlier time would allow city staff, council members and others to attend events after the city council meeting...

McCOOK, Neb. — The City of McCook will have a public meeting on Tuesday, June 4, 7 p.m., at the Heritage Senior Center located at 1400 West 5th Street, concerning the street improvement project on Park Avenue that’s scheduled to begin on Monday, June 17...

McCOOK, Neb. — Major projects coming up this year in the city’s public works department include those at the airport and on B Street. In response to a question by McCook City Councilman Jerry Calvin at the regular council meeting Monday night, Public Works director Kyle Potthoff said capital improvement projects in the near future include the $1.2 million project at the airport, where runways will be re-painted and repaired and the B Street re-hab project, slated to start in early July at $1.5 million.. ...

McCOOK, Neb. — There were 1,100 ambulance calls to the City of McCook last year, the most Fire Chief Marc Harpham has seen in his almost 30-year tenure with the department. This year, they’re 70 calls ahead of what they had this time last year, Harpham said...

CONNIE JO DISCOE Regional Editor McCOOK, Neb. — While some public libraries are going "all tech," the director of the City of McCook Public Library doesn't envision that happening in McCook. Head librarian Jody Crocker feels that McCook's library is a vital service to the rural community, and by instilling a love of reading in youngsters who grow up to be adults who love to read, the library will remain a mainstay in McCook for generations to come...

McCOOK, Neb. — No regular agenda items are slated for the May 20 McCook City Council meeting, although a closed executive session is expected to follow the meeting. The closed session, that can be held upon the majority vote of the council, will be for a strategy session with respect to collective bargaining with the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 57, the union used by City of McCook police officers to negotiate salaries and benefits...

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Because today's new structures contain "fuels" that burn hotter and faster, firefighters have to employ new tactics and think differently to fight today's fires. In April, in Indianapolis, City of McCook firefighters attended intensive Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC) training to keep them current on new "enemies" and new strategies to conquer them...

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Climbing 110 stories … 1,100 stairs — in McCook, the equivalent is 60 Keystone Business Centers — is physically exhausting. But the hardest part of the climb lies at the end, back at the beginning … where a solemn firefighter in full dress uniform reads the name of a fellow firefighter killed in the New York City fire departments' response to the burning and crumbling Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City on Nov. 11, 2001...

McCOOK, Neb. — The highest day of water usage last year in the City of McCook was June 11, when 4.5 million gallons was used. That’s about 3,100 gallons per minute, said Jesse Dutcher, City of McCook Utilities director. The city’s water treatment plant can handle 6 million gallons per day at full capacity...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook City Council meeting may be short for the public Monday night, but longer for the council with the possibility of a closed session due to potential litigation. The agenda for Monday night has only one discussion item, to move the city council meeting time up to 6 p.m. ...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook City Council accepted Monday night a $61,424.55 insurance dividend refund Monday night from EMC Insurance Co., the insurance provider for the city’s capital equipment and facilities. The city has received a dividend refund from EMC before, mostly recently around $40,000 last year. Denise Broomfield, MNB Insurance Services agent, commended the city on the lack of losses that resulted in the dividend check...

McCOOK, Neb. — A farmer south of McCook is hoping the City Council will be willing to address a long-time drainage problem he alleges is caused by a drainage ditch owned by the city. Bob Wilcox, who’s owned his property since 1976, told the McCook City Council Monday night that a city drainage ditch, that directly abuts his property, does not allow water to drain properly and is causing a backflow of river water onto his land. ...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook Police Department receives over 4,000 emergency 911 calls per year. There are also innumerable calls for other service, McCook City Police Chief Ike Brown told the McCook City Council Monday night at the regular meeting. The council approved the proclamation of April 14-20 as “National Public Safety Telecommunications Week,” with Brown commending the dispatching staff for their work...

McCOOK, Neb. — A local nonprofit that will soon be homeless asked city leaders for help in finding a new location. Kathy Haas, director of more than 20 years of the Family Resource Center, asked the McCook City Council at its regular meeting Monday night if the center could use the former safety center, located behind Pinnacle Bank by the railroad...

McCOOK, Neb. — Last year, a “Safewise” survey put McCook as the ninth safest city in Nebraska. This year, the city jumped three spots in the survey to sixth safest, City of McCook Police Chief Ike Brown said. Speaking to the McCook City Council Monday night at the regular meeting, Brown said the crime rate in the city is “well below” state and national averages and he commended citizens and the police department for these low numbers. ...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook City Council will start off its regular meeting Monday night by accepting more than $60,000 in a safety dividend check from the city’s insurance company. The council will meet 6:30 p.m., at city council chambers in the Municipal Building...

Nebraska Association of Transportation Providers and University of Nebraska representatives were on hand as Gov. Pete Rickets declared the second week of April at Public Transit Week in Nebraska. For Public Transit Week this week, the City of McCook Public Transit will celebrate by holding a drawing for a book of tickets for all riders during the week. ...

CONNIE JO DISCOE Regional Editor McCOOK, Neb. — A newly-formed non-profit corporation called "McCook K9 Korner" wants to develop an off-leash dog park in McCook's Barnett Park. K9 Korner organizers would go before McCook's city council members sometime this spring with their plans for a dog park in the southwest corner of the rustic city park that meanders with the Republican River on the south edge of the community...

McCOOK, Neb. — Repairs have been made to the outdoor warning sirens and many of them are back in service. The siren located on East Ito Street near Kelly Creek Apartments and the siren located in the 100 block of West 11 near Fastenal are in the process of being repaired and are not currently in operation...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook Planning Commission will review proposed zoning changes, Monday, 5:30 p.m. at the city council chambers in the City of McCook Municipal Building. According to the agenda, city staff has begun revamping the ordinances in hopes of making it easier to use and to make some needed clarifications. Instead of reviewing the entire document at one time, it will be presented to the commission in sections...

McCOOK, Neb. — The City of McCook Parks Advisory Board will hear a presentation on a dog park, at its meeting on Monday, 12 p.m., at the Heritage Senior Center. After the presentation, the board will be asked to make a recommendation on the dog park project...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook City Council asked for more information for a retail event proposed this summer in downtown McCook. In a letter to the council, Jamie Mockry, executive director of the McCook Chamber of Commerce, requested that certain streets near Norris Avenue be closed down for “Third Thursdays,” a monthly event for the community from May to September. ...

McCOOK, Neb. — Nearly $1 million in new building took place in March in and outside of city limits. Total costs for new building in March came to $990,001. Total year-to-date new building, inside and outside city limits, now stands at $19,234,654. Of that amount, $474,400 is outside city limits and $18,760,254 inside the city...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook City Council approved a new pay category to the city’s classification and pay plan, to acknowledge seasonal workers who return year after year. By a unanimous vote, and suspending the usual three-reading rule for ordinances, the council approved Monday night at the regular meeting to add the “Season II Employment” category, at $10.20 to $13 per hour, to the pay grade for the City of McCook...

McCOOK, Neb.— A new law that would have prohibited engine braking within McCook city limits came to an abrupt halt Monday night, with one City Councillor casting the deciding vote. The council has been discussing the measure since the beginning of the year, with Mayor Mike Gonzales in February reading a letter from a business owner on B Street complaining about the noise. A McCook citizen also spoke to the council about noise...

MCCOOK, Neb. — The City of McCook will begin crack sealing various streets in the community on Tuesday, March 19, weather permitting. It should take two to three days to complete, weather permitting. The contractor will be Stripe and Seal out of Hays Kan. The city asks that citizens remove any vehicles, including trailers, that are parked on the following streets beginning Tuesday morning:...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook City Council will be asked to approve a new seasonal employment category, at the regular McCook City Council meeting Monday, 6:30 p.m., at city council chambers at the Municipal Building. Seasonal employees who have returned year after year to work for the city in the summer is the impetus behind the new Seasonal II employment category. ...

Work being done on the Barnett Park lift station includes new controls, sensors and electrical connections that are being transferred to a small, above-ground building, shown center of the picture. Currently all the connections and equipment are in an underground vault, said City of McCook Utilities Director, Jesse Dutcher. ...

McCOOK, Neb. — It may seem like this winter will never end, but once it does, construction can begin on six street improvement projects scheduled for this summer. Here’s a look at the streets earmarked for improvements this year, starting with the most costly:...

McCOOK, Neb. — The City of McCook has accumulated over $400,000 in state/federal dollars for street projects. Councilman Gene Weedin pulled from the consent agenda item the annual certification form that confirms that the funds have been used according to the Federal Aid Transportation Fund Purchase-Sale agreement. At Monday night’s regular council meeting, he asked Kyle Potthoff, City of McCook Public Works Director, what the funds will be used for...

McCOOK, Neb. — Some water customers on the west side of the city will see better pressure on hot days after a major improvement project is completed on West Fifth and G. The McCook City Council approved Monday night with other consent agenda items an engineering agreement with Miller & Associates, Consulting Engineers, P.C., for the project. The agreement includes designs and construction inspection for a new water main on West 5th Street, from West "G" Street to West "M" Street...

McCOOK, Neb. — It will be back to 1967 for McCook city staff, as they research city law back then to determine the best way to vacate a street that was platted but not developed. Commerce Street is between Block 1 in the Lyons Addition, owned by Donna Loop to the west and Block 2, owned by Gale and Becky Loop, on the east. ...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook City Council approved an application for federal assistance for a $1.3 million rehabilitation project at the McCook airport. Along with other consent agenda items, the council approved Monday night the Application for Federal Assistance, the Certification for Drug-Free Workplace and all other associated paperwork with the Federal Aviation Administration for the project slated this summer at the McCook airport...

McCOOK, Neb. — After hearing from a McCook citizen and discussing the issue, the McCook City Council went full speed ahead in the process of prohibiting engine brakes used inside city limits. Mayor Mike Gonzales asked city staff to come back with an ordinance modeled after one used in Kearney, Neb. and an action item prohibiting the use of engine brakes...

McCOOK, Neb. — Building activity remains strong in McCook, with commercial buildings estimated at over $400,000 topping new construction for last month. For February, grain bins estimated at $454,723 led new commercial building, according to the City of McCook’s building report...

McCOOK, Neb. — A meeting for all city ballfield users is set for 6 p.m. Monday, March 11, upstairs at the City Municipal Center in the training room. "We will be getting ideas as well as going over any issues you may have with the ballfields," said Kyle Potthoff, public works director...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook City Council will discuss potentially vacating a street on the golf course as requested by a landowner and engine brake ordinances adopted by other Nebraska communities, at the regular meeting Monday, 6:30 p.m. at City Council Chambers at the Municipal Building...