Hospital, neighbor, city to discuss lot on East 11th

Wednesday, December 19, 2018

McCOOK, Neb. — It will be back to the drawing board for city staff, in determining what do about a strip of land on East 11th that has never been developed.

The McCook City Council and City Manager, Nate Schneider, discussed briefly Monday night at the regular meeting the best way to proceed with a piece of property on East 11th, south of the intersection of East H, that was platted as East G but never developed. The property dimensions are roughly 70 feet wide by 160 feet long, according to the Browns Park Addition plat.

Community Hospital has asked the city to vacate the property and has expressed interest in buying it, to expand parking space and build garages, for its Home Health and Hospice Agency office abutting the property. On the other side of the property are homeowners Robert and Diane Harrison, who have also expressed an interest in the land. The Harrison’s, along with Sean Wolf, Chief Financial officer of Community Hospital, both attended Monday night’s meeting.

Schneider outlined various options to the council about the property, according to state statute, including the city vacating it and owners of the adjacent landowners absorbing the property equally on both sides, if the city doesn’t retain the title, or selling or taking bids for the property.

The city could also create a lot and then subdivide it, Schneider said. Overall, an important aspect is to make sure boundary lines are clear and definable, he said, such as a deed or legal description, for future reference.

Robert Harrison said he understood by state statute that the vacated property is split between the adjacent property owners. He added that although he is doesn’t want to impede hospital progress, he’s also concerned with a view of garages at the end of his property and wondered if the hospital would consider screening or landscaping that area.

Schneider suggested that both property owners meet together with him to hammer out possible solutions and both appeared agreeable to the suggestion.

Santa’s favorite elf, Brb Ostrum, addressed the council at the beginning of the meeting during the public comment portion, thanking them for the use of the city auditorium for the annual “Toy Box” gift give-away.

The three and half hour event drew participants from neighboring counties and from Kansas, she said, with 440 volunteer hours put in. A total of 91 bikes were given away with two small bicycles left to find a home, she said.

And no, this wasn’t her last Toy Box, she said.

“Once an elf, always an elf,” she explained.

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