City Council approves master plan for recreational trail

Despite one McCook resident's arguments against it, the McCook City Council agreed unanimously Monday night to fund $12,000 worth of improvements to the city's existing walking trail.

Reading from a written statement, Richard Drake of McCook told the council he attended the meeting to protest the excessive cost of the proposed trail.

He asked the council to remember the city is paying to improve its infrastructure. "A walking trail seems frivolous compared to this city's basic infrastructure needs," he said.

In response to the assertion that the biggest share of the funds for the walking trails would come from a grant from the Nebraska Department of Roads, he argued that no matter where the money comes from, it is coming from taxpayers' pockets.

He challenged the council to deny the request, making them a city that finally stood up and said "no" to spending tax dollars.

Councilman Bill Longnecker argued if the city of McCook didn't apply for and receive the grant money, it would go to another community.

"For the last several decades this community has fought growth," he said. The walking trail could be a selling point for the community.

Phil Lyons told the council he was happy to see the proposal come in phases. "It's going to get used," he said. "We might as well start with Phase I."

"We may never get the full trail, but we can start somewhere."

The first phase of the project will include an 8-foot wide, 6-inch deep concrete walkway. The project will include two spots for handicap accessible access and will have access for emergency vehicles. The length of the first phase project will be approximately 3,302 feet and cost around $196,000. The city agreed to fund $6,000 each year for the next two years. Southwest Public Health Department has pledged $18,000 to offset the cost of the handicap access and Middle Republican Natural Resources District has pledged $6,000 each year for the next two years.

The entire project, which is expected to take 15 to 20 years to complete, will be around 13 miles long and will circumvent the city of McCook. It will be accessible to baseball practice fields, the city auditorium, McCook Junior and Senior High Schools, the Red Willow County Fairgrounds, North Ward School, McCook Community College, the municipal swimming pool, Community Hospital, McCook Community College, Valmont and Parker. The entire project will cost an estimated $3.8 million in 2005 dollars.

The council also approved the concept of a plan presented by the "Share A Seat" committee to replace the balcony seating at the McCook Auditorium.

The project, which includes 534 new theater type seats, will cost approximately $45,390. The funds for the project are expected to be raised through private donations at no cost to the city.

The city will require that the plans be approved by a Nebraska licensed engineer. Missy Nelson, project coordinator, said the seats meet California building codes and the company expects that they will also meet Nebraska codes without any problems..

The group hopes to have the new seats installed in time for the Evangelical Free Church's annual Women's Retreat in January. The church is expecting between 800 and 1,000 participants for that event.

The council also approved a resolution requesting that Gov. Dave Heineman replace and reconstruct the state's water task force committee to better represent the interest of citizens living in communities in Western Nebraska.

City Manager John Bingham told the council LB962, the bill that created the task force, draws a line north and south midway through the state and only applies to water used to the west of that line.

Three of the five representatives on the task force are from communities east of that line, including Grand Island, Omaha and Lincoln. The remaining two municipal representatives "both make their income from farming and irrigation."

Bingham told the council, the city should ask the governor to reconstruct the task force to increase the number of city representatives in order to create a "kinder, friendlier group to work with."

During the Council Comments portion of the meeting, Councilman Phil Lyons reminded the public it is time to choose their natural gas provided.

He said the ballots have arrived in the mail and it is important to choose, even if there are no planned changes.

He said if the ballot isn't returned by the deadline, the default rate will be charged, which could mean a considerably higher natural gas bill. Natural gas users should have received the ballot in their mail this week.

Councilman Jim Kenny expressed his sympathy to the family and friends of former City Councilman Bob Ray.