City GIS web page update moving forward

McCOOK, Neb. — Striking while the iron is hot, the McCook City Council will be asked to approve two contracts regarding the GIS web page for the city, at the regular council meeting Monday night, 6:30 p.m. in the council chambers at the McCook City Municipal building.

The council first discussed the possibility of hiring a company to collect data and maintain a geographic information system (GIS) website at its July 2 meeting. Several council members cited how the data would be valuable for not only homeowners and those purchasing real estate, but also for potential companies who need specific information regarding water and sewer capabilities.

On Monday night, two contracts will be presented for approval with the company, GIS Workshop, the same company used by Red Willow County for its GIS web page. The first contract for data collection is for $72,598 and the second is a five-year contract for maintaining the website, totaling $120,000. The annual payments on the five-year contract gradually decrease each year, starting at $6,000 for Year 0 and $36,000 for Year 1, ending with the last two payments of $15,000 each. By the end of the five years, it’s the hope of city staff that someone in-house will be the GIS specialist to keep information continuously updated.

As discussed by the council at the July 2 meeting, costs would be split evenly between the McCook Economic Development Corp. and the city for the first contract. MEDC would make the first payment using LB 840 funds (collected from city sales tax), the second by the city on Oct. 1, 2018; the third by the MEDC on Jan. 1, 2019 and the final payment by the city on Oct 1, 2019.

According to the city council agenda, data collection for the website would begin late July or August with completion on or before Oct. 1. Types of information collected that will be available on the public website include water and sewer mains, fire hydrants, manholes, curb stops, insured property and stormwater inlets.

As funds have not been specifically designated in this year’s budget for the project, City Manager Nate Schneider said this morning that several options exist for the city’s portion of payments, such as using insurance dividend money or using the enterprise funds of water and sewer.

Monday’s meeting will open with the council first convening as the McCook Community Development Agency, where it will be asked to approve an amendment modifying the tax increment agreement with McCook Lodging, L.L.C. for the Holiday Inn and Suites project.

McCook Lodging LLC is requesting a second amendment to modify the date of the project from Jan. 1, 2017 to Jan. 1, 2019, due to unanticipated delays in the project. This amendment would cancel the Tax Increment Development Revenue Bond (Holiday Inn and Suites Redevelopment Project). A new “Notice to Divide” tax form would be filed with Red Willow County, establishing 2019 as the calendar year in which the division of property tax becomes effective, instead of 2017. The unexpected delays were not specified in the city council agenda.

On the consent agenda, items the council will be asked to approve are:

— a grant agreement between the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality and the City of McCook, in the amount of $56,160.00, for the collection of up to 500 tons of scrap tires, and authorize Public Works Director Kyle Potthoff to sign such agreement. The city has been awarded a grant from the NDEQ for $56,160 for the collection of up to 500 tons of scrap tires. The collection will likely happen in the Fall 2018 and or Spring 2019. The city received three bids for the end use of tires, with Resource Management Co Inc. the lowest bidder at $109 per ton. The company will recycle any tires that are able to be utilized for available markets, such as feed bunks, sidewall rings for silage cover weights and alternate daily cover for landfills.

— approve and authorize the mayor to sign Certificate for Payment No. 1 (Final), Change Order No. 1, and the Certificate of Substantial Completion Sanitary Sewer District No. 77. Sewer District No. 77 extends from the existing sewer in the alley between Seminole Drive and Pawnee Drive, supplying service to six building lots. The new sewer district was created at the request for Jay and Susan Hancock, owners of the six lots. In April of this year, the City Council awarded the construction of the new sewer district to BSB Construction of Curtis for $32,727. An additional $3,683 was approved for extra concrete that had to be removed and replaced, for the total cost of $44,610. Cost of the project will be covered by the special assessments that will be levied against the six lots once the project is completed.

— approve the application for a special designated liquor license submitted by Citta’ Deli, LLC, for a Heritage Days street dance at Citta’ Deli, 110 West 1st Street, on Sept. 29, 2018, 4 p.m. to 1 a.m.

— approve the request from the St. Patrick Catholic Church to close East Fourth Street from “F” to “G” and East “G” Street from East Third to East Fourth, on Oct. 14, 2018, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and to utilize city property for their annual Fall Festival on Oct. 13 and 14, 2018.