City to sell part of property to neighbor

The McCook City Council agreed unanimously Monday night to sell 15 feet of city-owned property to Mike and Michelle Gonzales, at its regular meeting Monday night.

The council approved the sale in concept only but will vote on it at the next meeting when City Staff will brings it back in as an ordinance.

The Gonzaleses have offered $1,500 for 2,100 square feet, or 71 cents per square foot, based upon the valuation of their property by the county assessor. The vacant lot next to their property is used for occasional parking and the Gonzales' want to to plant grass on the area.

Their current lot measures 35 by 140 feet, which according to city code is not a legal size. This additional 15 feet would solve this problem, the Gonzales' said in a letter to Mayor Dennis Berry.

The Council had no problem with the purchase.

"This is way more than a fair price," said Councilman Aaron Kircher and Mayor Berry agreed.

"We can fast-track this if need be," he said.

In other business, the council asked for a few specifics concerning new equipment for the Karrer Park lift station.

Public Utility Director Jesse Dutcher and Project Engineer Chris Miller, of Miller and Associates, told the council that the price of two new pumps and a meter to measure flow was budgeted at $40,000. This is the first upgrade since the station was originally constructed 40 years ago.

The station, which pumps waste water to the sewer, handles all of the Kelley Creek flow and became a slow spot in the system with the heavy rains in spring, Dutcher said.

The actual installation of the new equipment will only take a few days, Miller said, but the hardest part will be getting the parts in on time.

Bids will be received beginning Aug, 1.

The council unanimously approved the specifications and the bid date.

Other items approved unanimously Monday night included:

* the request from McCook National Bank to close streets around the

business from 6 a.m. - 6 p.m. September 8 for their 100th anniversary.

Hershberger's Music Store, a business near by, will have access to parking in front of their business from B street.

* approved the request from Feona Berry for a special exception to locate

a beauty salon at 1307 West J, zoned residential

* approved an ordinance on its second reading to clarify the number of

Commissioners on the McCook Housing Agency Board to five positions with the

fifth commissioner as a resident commissioner.

After the regular meeting, the council dove into the preliminary budget for 2007-2008. A second budget workshop is scheduled for tonight.