Council seeks more info on chamber events

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. Jamie Mockry, executive director of the chamber, said they wanted to move the event up from B Street, the site of the last “Third Thursday,” to C Street, to get more people flowing onto Norris Avenue. When asked if he had contacted those businesses on C Street, Mockry said he was “working on it,” but that some didn’t want to consider it pending approval from the council.

Mockry said he requested C Street to be blocked off at 4 p.m. as the event starts at 5 p.m. and he needed that time to make sure traffic was closed in that area.

Nate Mustion, McCook city attorney, said the law firm where he works would be affected and that he and his partners were not contacted. Mustion said they have business up to 5 p.m. and would prefer C Street not be blocked off at 4 p.m. as a lot of elderly clients want to park near the building.

The law firm, Mousel, Brooks, Schneider and Mustion P.C. LLC, also includes McCook City Manager Nate Schneider as a partner.

The request from the chamber was for street closings only and when asked about events, Mockry said a “bouncy house” was planned, among other activities.

City Manager Nate Schneider asked about insurance and Mockry said the company with the inflatable house had insurance.

“We need to know what the plan is … to see if anything needs special consideration,” Mayor Mike Gonzales said. He made a motion, seconded by Councilman Jerry Calvin, to postpone approval of the event until the next council meeting on June 17. “You don’t need a signed contract to plan (events), you can still let us know, ” Mayor Gonzales said.

Mockry said he would not have enough time to contract with the “bouncy house” if the item was postponed to the 17th. City Manager Nate Schneider he agreed with the mayor about needing information on events and asked how much time Mockry needed, saying that a special meeting could be called before the next council meeting.

The council in general seemed in favor of “Third Thursday,” and Mockry said the request to close C Street from 4 to 9 p.m. could be dropped from the request. Gonzales’ original motion to postpone approval to June 17 was unanimously rejected. A new motion, made by Councilman Jerry Calvin and seconded by Councillor Janet Hepp, to exclude West C Street from the request, was unanimously approved.

Other items in the request were approved, including: the closing of the city parking lot on East First and the use of its water and electricity from noon until 11 p.m. for a farmer’s market and food vendors; and the closing of East D Street from the alley between Norris Avenue and East First Street from 4 to 9 p.m.

A similar item was up next for council approval, the request from the chamber to close some downtown streets for the annual retail event, “Crazy Days.” The request to close C Street on Friday, July 12, from 4 to to 12 a.m. for a street dance again was cited by Nate Mustion as affecting parking for the law firm where he works. Mustion said he and his partners were not contacted and “I feel our business should have been consulted and we wouldn’t be having this problem.”

Eliminating the request to close C Street would not work as that would affect the street dance on Friday and the car show and cruise night on Saturday, Councillor Janet Hepp said. She questioned if the request could be parsed out and Friday night approved separately from the other requested street closings.

Councilman Calvin said the requested closure of streets could be postponed until the next council meeting June 17th, giving businesses time to know about it.

When asked if that would give him enough time to plan events, Mockry said that it would. Upon a motion made by Mayor Gonzales and seconded by Councilman Calvin, the council unanimously approved postponing until the next regular council meeting the request to close certain downtown streets for “Crazy Days.”

After Monday’s meeting, Mockry said he was not upset with the council’s decision as “they’re doing what they feel is best for the citizens of McCook.”

He added that in the future, he will have better communication with the council and city staff about chamber events.

The “Third Thursday” event has several events slated, such as vendors, including a farmer’s market, live music at some businesses and businesses staying open later.