Citizens provide input: Park restroom project, new utility drop box among topics for City Council

McCOOK, Nebraska -- During a meeting anchored by a room full of McCook youth and their parents attempting to rally support for the city to operate a public skatepark, several residents provided input to the McCook City Council on a variety of other topics.

During Monday's regularly scheduled council meeting, McCook citizen John Hubert suggested that councilors reduce the $35,000 budgeted to upgrade the bathrooms at Karrer Park to approximately $1,000. Hubert said the funds could be put towards the requested skatepark and said Karrer Park was a nice facility but wasn't providing income to the city and a skatepark would attract visitors.

"Would be well worth it," said Hubert.

Councilman Mike Gonzales argued that a lot of people staying at Karrer Park shopped in McCook and visited local businesses, which Hubert responded to that they didn't need a shower to do that.

Hubert also indicated that many of the visitors at Karrer Park were driving expensive RV's that didn't need the city showers.

McCook resident John Hansen asked for something to be done about the utility bill drop box at the new Municipal Facility. Hansen said longer vehicles could not make the turn and drivers of smaller vehicles were required to hang all the way out their window to reach it. Hansen said in elderly woman in front of him had to get out of her vehicle to drop her payment in the box.

"I was told in the past the problem was recognized and was going to be addressed," said Hansen, adding that a city receptionist had recently told him it was a construction problem and indicated nothing would be done.

"It needs to be user friendly, lets get on that," said Hansen.

Neither councilors or city staff offered a response to Hansen during Monday's meeting.

City staff said in February the drop box was at the wrong height and too difficult to reach from many vehicles. At the time they said they were exploring options such as installing a longer throat and changing the driveway slightly, but said both would require waiting for spring weather.

Resident Maggie Repass requested councilors consider the $3,300 purchase of a canvas shade sail to be installed at Norris Park. Repass said the item would provide shade to vendors during Heritage Days and make it easier to host events at the park. According to Repass, the shade sail could be utilized during weddings and other events at the park and came with a one-year warranty and 10-year average life.

Mayor Berry said the request would need to go through the parks advisory board, as the skatepark request had been directed earlier in the meeting.

Repass said she intended to meet with the parks board and had been waiting for the board to schedule a meeting date. Her comment was similar to one from Rex Nelson who said the skatepark group had experienced trouble getting a meeting time with the parks board members.

Chief of Police Isaac Brown responded to a question from a citizen in attendance that there were very few restrictions on where a person can or can't skateboard in city limits. The area along Norris Avenue from the train depot to the Red Willow County Courthouse, extending from West First to East First Street, is restricted for skateboarding, bicycles and roller skating, due to pedestrian safety, said Brown.

Brown said the only issue skateboarding typically presented for the police department was damage to the bandshell at Norris Avenue.

Also during the meeting City Manager Jeff Hancock said his monthly newsletter was available for citizens to receive via email and city staff would be happy to provide that to anyone interested. Interested parties can request to be included on the mailing list by emailing Hancock at: citymgr@cityofmccook.com

Hancock requested the city's financial advisor, Jenny Blankenship, explain to citizens in attendance the difference between a General Fund and an Enterprise Fund. Blankenship said the General Fund is used for normal city expenses, such as ambulance, police and other services. The water and sewer services each have their own enterprise fund, according to Blankenship, who likened the different funds to silos on a farm. The water enterprise fund uses revenue from rates charged to pay for water projects, such as water main replacement and meter installation, said Blankenship. Funds are not transferred between the different enterprise funds and they need to be self-sufficient to be in a good working situation, she said.