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Hearing set for paving, walkway
McCOOK, Neb. -- City leaders will coordinate a public hearing Monday evening to receive progress updates on a pair of local improvement projects. The projects include an investment of more than $450,000 in downtown McCook and more than $220,000 to pave the roadway into the city's industrial park.
The downtown improvements include resurfacing the city parking lot at East D Street and East First Street, in addition to constructing a metal canopy for covered parking and a landscaped walkway to Norris Avenue. Contractors expect to put the finishing touches on the walkway and open it up for public use by end of day Friday.
The project was primarily funded by a $350,000 Community Development Block Grant from the state, with the city match totaling approximately $126,000.
Paving of Industrial Park Drive was completed last fall. The roadway serves as the main access road for the city's industrial park behind Valmont Industries and economic development officials said at the time they hoped roadway improvements would make business recruitment easier.
The McCook Economic Development Corp. invested more than $180,000 in the original 20 acre development but had little success attracting business to join anchor tenant Silverstone. Silverstone was the lone business in the park for more than a decade until Booe Machinery and Salvage opened in August of 2014.
The paving project cost slightly more than $223,000 and was funded in part by a $108,000 Community Development Block Grant from the state. The City of McCook provided matching funds just shy of $25,000 for the project and MEDC covered the remaining expense.
The public hearing is scheduled during Monday's meeting of the McCook City Council, 6:30 p.m., at the Municipal Center.
Other items on Monday's agenda:
* City Council will consider entering executive session to discuss litigation which is imminent regarding a special assessment on property located at 810 West 4th Street.
* A second executive session will be considered for City Council to perform the annual job performance evaluation of City Manager Nate Schneider.
* Nebraska Committee of Employer Support for the National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve representative Dick Trail will make a presentation to the City of McCook and the McCook Fire Department recognizing support of reserve component service members.
* A public hearing will be coordinated to discuss a request from Joe Leamon and J.L. Construction to create a minor subdivision on property adjacent to the intersection of West Q Street and West 17th Street. The "Star Lane Addition" subdivision would divide one lot into three separate lots for business commercial use. The property is already zoned Business Commercial and the new lots will comply with zoning and subdivision regulations, according to city staff.
Two of the three lots are slated for storage buildings, one 70 foot by 100 foot in size and the other 30 foot by 80 foot. The corner lot will be used for a shop and office for Great Plains Communications, according to the application.
The proposed subdivision is described as the north 150 feet of lot 2, block 2, of the Third Fair Acres Addition in McCook.
The McCook Planning Commission recommended approval of the project during a meeting earlier this month. Following the public hearing City Council will consider approving a resolution creating the minor subdivision and adopting the associated plat. A subdivision agreement related to the project will also be presented for approval.
* Mayor Mike Gonzales' appointments to several local advisory boards will be presented for ratification. The appointments includes reappointing Doug Skiles and Mike Kugles to the Airport Advisory Commission; reappointing Richard Stull to the City/County Airport Zoning Board; reappointing Leon Kuhlen and Danielle Johnson to the Economic Development Plan Citizen's Advisory Review Committee; reappointing Kent Craw and Doug Skiles to the Economic Development Plan Loan Committee; reappointing City Manager Nate Schneider, Chief of Police Isaac Brown, Mayor Mike Gonzales, Dr. Richard Klug and Mary Beth Eisenmenger to the Board of Health.
* An addendum extending the lease agreement between the City of McCook and the Southwest Area Training Service for an additional 20 years will be considered for approval. The SWATS building on the southwest corner of East F and 12th Street was built in 1982 using a Community Development Block Grant received by the city and subsequently leased to SWATS as a training and enterprise center for mentally handicapped individuals. The lease included a rollover provision set for 2013, which wasn't requested, leading to the need for an addendum. The addendum will continue the lease through Dec. 6, 2033.
* An ordinance modifying Building Regulation and Zoning Application Fees in city ordinance will be considered on first reading. The changes include adding a demolition permit, sign permit and contractor's license fees; modifying the gas permit fee to a mechanical permit fee; and increasing the zoning variance fee from $25 to $75.
* An ordinance revoking the chapter of the code book pertaining to construction contractor licenses, in an effort to eliminate conflicting provisions, will also be considered for approval on its second reading. A related ordinance revoking a chapter pertaining to a plumber's occupation tax will be considered for approval on second reading.
* A resolution adopting the Quad Counties Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan will be considered for approval. The plan details hazard mitigation planning for Frankin, Funas, Harlan and Red Willow counties in an effort to reduce risk and vulnerability from natural and manmade disasters. The plan has been conditionally approved by FEMA and impacts grant funding eligibility.
* Great Plains Communications of Blair, Neb., is requesting to occupy a water department easement to install underground fiber optic cable near the intersection of Karrer Street and Frenchman Valley Coop property to extend cable to Gore Oil Co., according to Monday's agenda.
* The city's financial report for the period ending June 20, 2016, will be received and filed.