McCook mayor: Who's next?

McCOOK, Neb. -- Monday evening Mayor Dennis Berry will preside over City Council just long enough to swear in City Councilman-elect Gene Weedin and incumbents Mike Gonzales and Bruce McDowell. Administering the oath of office to the trio will be followed by the reorganization of City Council which includes the election of a president, who serves as mayor, and a vice president.

City staff indicated in Monday's agenda "the vote to elect leadership may be taken by secret ballot, but the total number of votes for each candidate shall be recorded in the minutes."

City Council has not previously utilized a secret ballot when determining who would be mayor, in at least Mayor Berry's most recent reelections.

Also during Monday's meeting, 7:30 p.m. at the Municipal Center, City Council will consider first reading approval of an ordinance authorizing the sale of city owned property north of the McCook Public Library to Eugene E. Morris and/or Nancy J. Morris. The 3500 sq. ft. property previously received second round approval from City Council to be sold the Mike and Michelle Gonzales for $1,540. The Morris family bid $1,863 for the property last Thursday, Nov. 20.

The city's intent to sell the property was first made public on Oct. 31, 2014, after a letter was filed by the Gonzales family on Oct. 28, 2014, expressing their desire to make the purchase. The Gonzales letter of intent was accompanied by a market analysis from Golden Plains Realty dated the same day and providing an estimated market value of $1,540.

City Council is also scheduled for an executive session "with respect to litigation which is imminent as evidenced by communication of a claim or threat of litigation to the public body regarding property owned by North Pointe Properties, LLC, formerly known as Q Street Village."

Other items on Monday's consent and regular agenda:

* Councilman Jerry Calvin will recap a presentation made by him and a local group of community leaders to the Council of State Governments in early November. The presentation pertains to expansion of the Work Ethic Camp to address prison overcrowding issues facing the state, why the expansion effort is logical and how it would affect both the facility and the community.

* Two farm leases between the City of McCook and Jason, Jeremy and Derek Meyers will be considered for approval. The leases related to farm land adjacent to the McCook Ben Nelson Regional Airport and the West Well Field farm ground.

* A manager application with the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission for Pizza Hut of McCook and applicant Kevin L. Cox will be considered for approval.