First budget reading on agenda Monday

McCOOK, Neb. -- A public hearing is scheduled Monday evening to discuss the fiscal 2015-16 city budget before the McCook City Council considers first-round approval.

The budget includes $32,926,683 in proposed expenditures, when combining General Fund, water and sewer enterprise funds, capital improvements, economic development and all other departments. The budgeted expenditures are a 3.53 percent increase from the $31,801,107 in the 2014-15 fiscal year budget.

The General Fund is budgeted to receive $785,167 in local-option sales tax, $820,000 in highway allocations and $1,048,000 in property tax, when looking at a few of the larger revenue sources. "Community Betterment" funds stemming from Keno receipts are anticipated to increase from the 2014-15 budgeted amount of $76,000 to $111,000 in the 2015-16 budget.

City employees are budgeted to receive a one-percent across the board cost-of-living increase, although city staff has indicated that amount is likely to change. Negotiations are still ongoing with city police and fire department union representatives, which has historically been a significant factor in determining wage increases for non-union city employees.

The cost-of-living increase is in addition to annual merit increases and longevity increases awarded pentannually.

Following the public hearing councilors will consider separate ordinances adopting the budget and employee pay plan on their first of three required readings. Approval to increase the Restricted Funds Limit by one-percent for Unused Restricted Funds will also be considered. The property tax rate of 0.319044 is proposed to remain the same.

Also during Monday's regularly scheduled meeting, 6:30 p.m. at the Municipal Center, councilors will consider awarding the construction bid for a new city skatepark to Dreamland Skateparks LLC. Dreamland Skateparks of Lincoln City, Oregon, submitted the only bid for the project at $125,000 with a $5,000 alternate to include colored concrete. The contractor estimates the project to take seven weeks to complete and plans to begin construction this fall.

The "Build McCook a Skatepark" group raised $125,000 for construction of a skatepark adjacent to Bolles Canyon in Kelley Park. The funds include $30,000 committed by the city and $95,000 in donations and grant funds.

Bid specifications were sent to 11 skatepark contractors, according to the meeting agenda.

Other items on Monday's consent and regular agenda:

* Bid specifications for the paving of Industrial Park Road will be considered for approval. The proposed street will be 30 foot wide and paved with eight inch thick concrete, according to the meeting agenda. It will utilize surface drainage to existing retention ponds and designed to allow for curb and gutter, and storm sewers, to be added at a later date.

* Results from the annual reservoir falloff test for the city's Class I Non-Hazardous Deep Injection Well will be received and filed. The related report concludes the well has the capacity to accept at many times the current rate and no concerns related to continued operation, safety or containment were identified.

* Stan Clouse with the Nebraska Public Power District will make a presentation pertaining to "quarterly lease payments and other local issues."

* Barb Ostrum is scheduled to ask City Council to authorize the use of community betterment funds to pay rental fees at Memorial Auditorium for the annual Coat Closet and Toy Box charity events.

* City Council will consider entering executive session for strategy sessions pertaining to collective bargaining agreements with the McCook police and fire department unions.

* Mayor Mike Gonzales' appointments to the Park Advisory Board will be considered for approval. Harry Sughroue is being considered for reappointment to a term expiring in May of 2018 and Elizabeth Yilk will be considered to replace Michelle Gonzales for a term expiring at the same time. The two would join Bill Larington, Mark Friehe and Tom Lentz as board members.

* SourceGas Distribution is requesting permission to occupy city right-of-way to install an underground gas distribution line along the north side of West N Street, between West Ninth Street and West 10th Street, and along the east side of West 10th Street, north of the West N Street and West 10th Street intersection.