Canopy, landscaping new parts of downtown proposal

McCOOK, Nebraska -- A canopy and landscaping on a city-owned parking lot are new proposals for a downtown revitalization grant, Eric Hellreigel of Miller and Associates told the McCook City Council Monday night

Hellreigel said the canopy and landscaping are on the city-owned lot at East First Street and D, as well as a pedestrian walkway to Norris Avenue from the parking lot.

The walkway would be south of the McCook Glass building and link the city parking lot to a diagonal crosswalk on Norris Avenue.

Also during Monday's regular meeting:

* City staff recapped the 2014 One and Six Year Street Improvement Plan and highlighted an asphalt paving project on East Seventh Street, County Club Drive and Seminole Drive, as the only project on the one year plan. Public Works Director Kyle Potthoff said the project was already bid and would likely be late summer when constructed.

The plan listed 12 projects on the six year plan, four of which were carried over from last year's six year plan.

A concrete paving project on West 14th Street, between O and Q Streets, was on last year's one year plan and was moved to the 2014 six-year plan. Other projects on the 2014 six year plan include a grading and drainage project on West J Street; an asphalt overlay project on East 11th Street; a new grading/paving project on the northern edge of the city, between West Third and East 11th Street; a grading, storm sewer and gravel surfacing project on East A Street; three asphalt paving projects on East First Street, West First Street and Airport Road.

City staff said streets were evaluated on an annual basis, via a combination of local feedback and utilizing a visual rating curve, and the one and six year plan was adjusted accordingly.

State assistance projected to be received in 2014 for road work was estimated by city staff at $765,000.

Councilors unanimously approved the plan following the public hearing and discussion.

* Legal action was authorized against property owners on Road 385 who are believed to be operating their dog kennel business with an excessive number of animals, among other alleged violations. Council offered no comment on the item Monday evening, as is typical of items related to legal action.

The dog kennel, located at 71363 Road 385 on property owned by Daniel and Lizann Miller, was at the heart of a 2008 legal battle which ended with a local judge overturning a council ruling.

City staff now claim the number of dogs kenneled at the operation exceeds what was requested and represented by the owners to the city, when the original application for the special exception was made. Animals are also said to be housed in numerous open aired dog runs and kennels instead of enclosed structures, "which were not previously presented to the city during the original application and hearing process."

* Library director Jody Crocker said it will be approximately another four to six weeks before the library renovation and addition project is complete. Crocker said an open house is targeted for the end of April, first part of May, to celebrate the completion.

Crocker recapped items that were finished or nearly finished, as part of the project. The new elevator and stairwell are installed and the main floor restrooms are complete, except for some trim work, according to Crocker.

Crocker said the library was already back to full operations and encouraged visitors to stop in and check out some of the progress.

* Eric Hellreigel with Miller and Associates provided City Council with an update on the progress of the downtown revitalization grant. Hellreigel said a canopy structure and landscaping improvements to the city owned parking lot on East First Street were being proposed for the grant, as well as a pedestrian walkway to Norris Avenue from the parking lot.

The walkway would be south of the McCook Glass building and link the city parking lot to a diagonal crosswalk on Norris Avenue.

* BSB Construction was awarded the bid for the next phase of the city walking trail. BSB produced the lowest bid for the approximately 1,198 ft. phase, coming in at $93,627 with a projected completion date of Aug. 31, 2014. BSB's bid was more than $40,000 less than the projected cost of the project.

The next phase begins on the south side of East H Street, west of East 11th Street, running in a southeasterly direction to East 11th Street.