City Council to consider new insurance firm

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.

Other proposals came from MNB Insurance, The Pinnacle Agency and Gary Thompson Agency, Inc.

The council previously approved at its April 15 meeting issuing a “Request for Qualifications” for city insurance and at its May 6 meeting, an insurance committee to review proposals and conduct interviews.

According the the city manager’s report in the council agenda, Ellerbrock-Norris said it can work on a commission basis or fee-structured basis, with the commission averaging about 12% of the total premiums. The fee-structured basis would result in a similar price.

Along with approving a new insurance carrier, the council will also be asked from the regular agenda to approve two ordinances on second readings, one vacating Commerce Street as platted in Lyons Addition to the City of McCook, Red Willow County, Neb., and another that will change the time of city council meetings from 6:30 to 5:30 p.m. the first and third Monday of each month.

As discussed and approved at the June 3 council meeting, Commerce Street was platted but never extended due to the development of Heritage Hills Golf Course and residential housing. The street is essentially being used as a parking lot, across the street from Trenton Electric Co./L&L Heating at 2004 West J.

The other ordinance that moves up the city council meeting time to 5:30 p.m., was also approved unanimously by the council at that meeting, with Councilman Gene Weedin confirming that it could be changed back in the future if needed and approved by the majority of the council.

Monday’s meeting will begin with a public hearing for a request for a special exception sought by Amber Massa to provide a childcare center at 1408 East Circle Drive in McCook, an area designated as residential medium density.

At its June 10 meeting, the McCook Planning Commission denied the special exception due to concerns of parking, traffic congestion and safety concerns. The location is near McCook Elementary, with high levels of traffic due to parents dropping off and picking up their children at the school.

Three other items up for approval by the council from the regular agenda are:

-- requests from the McCook Chamber of Commerce for its “Crazy Days” retail event on Friday, July 12, to Saturday, July 13. It includes closing West C from Norris Avenue to West First and East First Street on Friday from 5:45 to 8 p.m. for “Cruise Night”; close West C from Norris to West First from 5 p.m. to midnight for a street dance; close West Second Street from West B to halfway between West C and West D; close West C from West First to West Third on Saturday from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. for a car show; and to borrow two sets of bleachers. At the June 3 council meeting, city staff and council members had concerns about the closing of West C affecting some businesses and the council asked Jamie Mockry, chamber director, to come back for the June 17 meeting with those concerns addressed.

-- A special designated liquor license submitted by the McCook Chamber of Commerce for a street dance on the 100 Block of West "C" Street on July 12, 2019, from noon to 1 a.m.

-- Discuss and approve the 2019-2020 budget schedule. The schedule has the first viewing of the preliminary budget at a special city council meeting for public review on Monday, Aug. 12; first reading of the budget on Monday, Aug. 19; and county assessors certified values on taxable property, Aug. 20. On Sept. 16 is the public hearing on the budget and to change tax request from prior year.

Consent agenda items, that can be approved in one motion by the council, unless pulled for discussion and voted on separately by the council, are:

-- Authorize 24 hour parking of authorized vehicles in the north portion of Kelley Park by residents affected by the Park Avenue Street Project, beginning July 9, 2019, until the completion of the project.

-- Approve the application for a Special Designated Liquor License submitted by Citta’ Deli for a Red Willow County Fair concert at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds Grandstands, July 26, 2019 from 3 p.m. to 2 a.m., with an alternate location at the Red Willow County Alice Building, 1412 West 5th Street.

-- Receive and file the claims for the month of May 2019 as published June 7, 2019.

-- Receive and file the request from McCook Community College to use Barnett Park on Friday, Aug. 16, 2019, from 5 to 9 p.m., for the Mid Plains Community College annual employee picnic.

-- Ratify the Mayor’s appointments to the Airport Advisory Commission - appoint Jeff Williams to replace Richard Stull - term expires November 2019 and to the Planning Commission - appoint Matt Davidson to replace Don Harpst - term expires September 2020.

-- Receive the minutes of the June 10, 2019 Planning Commission meeting