Council honors dispatchers, proclaims Arbor Day

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.

The council also approved the designation of Monday, April 29, as Arbor Day in the City of McCook.

Public Works director Kyle Potthoff said a ceremony is planned that day at 10 a.m. at the Sen. George Norris Home, with fourth grade classes and a representative from the Nebraska Forest Service present.

Consent agenda items approved in one motion without discussion included:

-- Approve a “Grant of License” with McCook Community College for the use of right-of-way on the north side of the 400 Block of East "L" Street, to construct off-street parking.

Representatives of McCook Community College have requested to occupy the city right-of-way to develop off-street parking along the north side of East L . This parking would extend the existing off-street parking along the north side of East L by about 400 feet east. The project would increase the driving lane along East L by six feet and double the number of parking spaces in the area. It’s being requested to alleviate some of the parking congestion and the narrow driving lanes along East L Street.

-- Three requests from cell phone and landline providers to occupy city right-of-ways to install underground cable or fiber optic cable: Century Link, to install underground cable for its West 11th Street and West B Street project; Consolidated Companies Inc. for an underground fiber optic cable at the west water tank; and Great Plains Communication, underground fiber optic cable to provide wireless service to Coppermill Steakhouse area.

-- a request for qualifications for an insurance broker for the city’s property, casualty, and workers compensation insurance, and set the date to receive proposals as May 3, 2019 at 4:30 p.m.

In 2016, the City of McCook entered into a broker agreement with MNB Insurance Services as the agent for the city’s property, casualty and workers compensation insurance. It was suggested by the insurance committee that assisted in the selection process to maintain the current brokerage agreement for three years, with a re-bid in 2019. City staff has drafted a request for property, casualty and workers compensation insurance that the council approved.

-- Receive and file the Financial Report for the period ending March 31, 2019