Memorial Auditorium presentation on City Council agenda

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook City Council will “receive, file and discuss” a presentation from Engineering International on Memorial Auditorium Monday evening. The scheduled discussion comes two years after city leaders approved a measure to fund a feasibility study intended to determine if the city managed auditorium could be modified to serve as a convention/meeting facility, or another use, and also find out whether a new convention or meeting facility was an option.

The measure was partially funded with assistance from the McCook Community Foundation. Representatives from the non-profit presented the city with a check for $4,500 in August of 2015. At the time, City Manager Nate Schneider estimated the study to have an overall expense of $10,000.

City staff indicated in previous meetings the idea of a city ran convention center stemmed from a prospective hotel developer offering to a build a convention center and new hotel, with the intent of the city purchasing and managing the convention center.

“Obviously a convention center would be great, it’s just a matter of what level of involvement the City of McCook wants to have with that,” Schneider said in March of 2015.

Memorial Auditorium was built in 1939 and dedicated as a memorial to Veterans of all wars, according to the city website. The first public event in the building was a dance on Armistice Day, Nov. 11, 1939.

“Construction of the McCook Memorial Auditorium was completed in 1939 and was the accomplishment of a long-cherished goal of the citizens of McCook. The first efforts in building the auditorium failed in the 1890s and, periodically, the matter was brought up but, for various reasons did not materialize. The auditorium was finally completed in 1939 and dedicated as a memorial to veterans of all wars,” according to the city website.

City offices moved from the courthouse to the south-wing of the auditorium in the early 1950s and remained there until the Municipal Center was constructed in 2013. The basement of Memorial Auditorium was rented out for storage use after city staff departed the building. Aside from special event use, the rest of the building has remained vacant since.

In 2005 another citizen-led effort raised more than $45,000 to replace wooden benches in the balcony of the auditorium with 534 stadium seats.

Other items set for Monday’s regularly scheduled meeting, 6:30 p.m., at the Municipal Center:

* Third and final reading for a modification to zoning ordinance to allow for existing single family dwellings in a Highway Commercial District will be considered.

* City Council will convene as the Community Development Agency to consider an amendment to the Redevelopment Plan for Clary Village. City Council will subsequently reconvene and take up the resolution for approval.

* The minutes from Oct. 11 and Nov. 13, 2017, Library Advisory Board meetings will be received and filed.

* The McCook Area Chamber of Commerce is requesting to conduct the Annual Christmas Light Parade on Dec. 1; flying in of Santa Claus at McCook Ben Nelson Regional Airport on Dec. 2; and approval for the fire and police departments to participate in the parade.

*  Val Dean Fuller is requesting a special liquor license a Valmont Christmas party at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds Community Building on Dec. 9, 2017.

* Loop Brewing Company is requesting a special liquor license for a holiday party at the Peter & Dolores Graff Events Center on Dec. 16, 2017.

* Century Link is requesting to occupy city right-of-way to install an underground fiber optic cable.

* A recommendation from the Fuel Contract Advisory Committee to continue the fuel purchase agreement for government vehicles with Frenchman Valley Cooperative Inc. for calendar year 2018 will be received and filed.

* City staff is recommending to award the bid for a new police vehicle to Deveny Motors, in the amount of $21,372.