Council moves forward with Habitat request

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook City Council Monday night seemed amiable to a request to donate or sell land to McCook Habitat for Humanity but first wanted to know all the demolition costs the city incurred on the property.

Kent Been, McCook Habitat for Humanity coordinator, asked Monday night at the regular city council meeting about the possibility of the non-profit buying or using abandoned property on West Fourth for a possible house.

The lot at 1107 W. Fourth has been abandoned for about two years, with the house on the lot badly damaged by a fire in 2018. The property was declared unsafe by the city inspector and legal steps were taken, but ownership of the property was never determined as transfer deeds from the property owners were not completed, City Manager Nate Schneider said. The city moved forward with demolition, with ACE funds at $15,325 picking up that cost and that amount assessed against the property. But the city incurred other fees as well, such as asbestos removal/excavation at $7,900 and $5,000 in disposal of waste.

Schneider told the council that the special assessment can be foreclosed at any time but that a sale of the property can’t be confirmed until December 2021. Steps that would need to be taken included the city petitioning the court and the court issuing an order, followed by a sheriff’s sale of the property. If there is no bid, it becomes city property, unless there is a bid over $15,325.

The property can then be donated or sold at a reduced price, Schneider said, but the only entity that can do that is the city council.

Mayor Mike Gonzales asked about someone coming in with a higher bid and Schneider said there usually isn’t much interest in an infill lot, which is an empty lot between other structures.

Been told the council that McCook Habitat for Humanity has built seven new houses and completed two rehabs since 2002. The houses are simple and affordable, with the partner family agreeing to put in 100 hours of sweat equity per adult and 50 more hours at the next Habitat home, he said. McCook Habitat carries the mortgage, with the new homeowners paying back the mortgage with no interest.

Been said costs of the property, if the council sold it Habitat, would be included in the mortgage. The non-profit would begin a new home in the spring or summer of 2022.

The council had a brief discussion about actual costs the city incurred in the demolition of the home on the property. “Minus ACE funds, where did we use taxpayer money?” Councilman Gene Weedin asked.

Mayor Mike Gonzales agreed and asked city staff to research the numbers and bring back to the council an actual amount the city spent.

“I’d really like to see this happen,” he told Been and asked him if they have funds available for the purchase. Been replied there is cash available.

Proclamations started off Monday’s meeting, with City of McCook Police Chief, Joel Smith telling the council it’s been a difficult year for law enforcement.

Smith told the council that recent events in national news about police has taken its toll on his staff. “To hear all the negative right now, it’s been a tough year, it’s wearing them down,” he said, adding that nationwide, recruitment is down while retirements are up.

Smith’s comment came in reply to Mayor Mike Gonzales, who quoted statistics from the proclamation that designates May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day and May 9-15, 2021, as “Police Week.” Since the first recorded death in 1791, there have been more than 23,000 law enforcement officers in the United States killed in the line of duty, Gonzales read.

The council also designated the week of May 2-8, 2021, as “Drinking Water Week.” City of McCook Utilities Director Jesse Dutcher told the council that water can be unappreciated, as people automatically expect to be able to turn on their faucets or flush the toilet. Dutcher also told the council that two employees at McCook’s water treatment plant, Pat Fawver and Jarod Doyle, have completed requirements to be a Grade 3 water operator and that the plant recently passed a rigorous state inspection with no deficiencies.

Schneider also recognized Hillcrest Nursing Home as a proclamation. The city didn’t receive the request from Hillcrest for a proclamation until Friday, he said, so it was not able to be on Monday’s night agenda.

At the beginning of the meeting, Mayor Mike Gonzales pointed out that with the change the council made at the last meeting, there was no “Citizen Comment” portion in Monday night’s agenda. At the April 19 meeting, the council voted to eliminate “Citizen Comment” that usually opened up council meetings and instead, citizens can fill out a form available at the city offices or online with their concerns, and the person will be scheduled to be on a future city council agenda.

City Manager Nate Schneider said city staff didn’t have anything for Monday’s meeting from citizens, although a few have requested the form, “so it’s working the way it’s supposed to.”