Council OKs purchases, hears housing plans

McCOOK Neb. – Nearly $700,000 in expenditures were approved without questions or discussion as a part of the consent agenda at Monday’s McCook City Council meeting. All bids were the lowest responsive or best bids.

Expenditures include awarding a $248,054.70 contract to Midlands Contracting of Kearney for the sanitary sewer and water main extension in the McCook Business Park Phase II, $41,738 for one pickup truck, $90,962 for two other pickup trucks to Wagner Ford, $41,093 for an SUV to Wagner Toyota, and $278,000 to Nebraska Machinery for a loader for use by the Solid Waste Department.

Much-needed housing is in the works for McCook. A public hearing was held to receive a report from the Economic Development Plan Citizen’s Advisory Review Committee regarding the meeting held on Oct. 23, 2023. Executive Director of the McCook Economic Development Corporation, Charlie McPherson, recapped the meeting.

McPherson shared that they are working to provide additional housing opportunities in the community, one of them that is being closely considered to hopefully break ground soon is a townhome. In $22,500 funds went to a utility extension for the townhome development up in the north side area of McCook.

Over the years, the McCook Economic Development Plan Citizens Advisory Review Committee has discussed the need for an apartment complex for McCook. That opportunity seems to be getting closer. They are pursuing a two-to-one match grant from the Rural Workforce Housing Grant Program. McPherson said that it would be very impactful on McCook’s housing and rental needs in the area. Applications for the grant are due in the next couple of weeks and a determination should be made after the first of the year.

McPherson also shared that the $5,00 approved to go to the Hormel Business Plan Competition last year had been invoiced. There were some delays, so the program got pushed back a year. Applications were ended on Nov. 01, 2023. More information will be released as they move forward.

City Manager Nate Schneider updated the council on the pool project. Next up for the Pool Committee to decide will be the colors for the bathhouse. Schneider said that while there has been a lot of progress on the construction, the council will need to discuss an amendment to the contract during the Dec. 4, 2023, council meeting. The biggest issues are supply chain issues, trying to make sure that they can get all the needed infrastructure. So due to that concern, they will request that the completion date be extended to July.

The council discussed updates to the UTV ordinance for McCook. Revisions are being made to comply with state statutes. Jim Lewis, the owner of Lewis Motor Sports, had some suggestions regarding proposed speed limits, brake lights, and visibility of the vehicles. He asked if the council could go ahead with the ordinance and approve it, or what the next step would be. Mayor Linda Taylor said they will keep it going forward and that it will be on the agenda for January.

Ordinance No. 2023-3074 raising the price of cemetery lots from $150 to $300 had its third and final reading and was approved.

Other Items passed without comment as part of the consent agenda included:

Recommended approval to the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission the application for manager submitted by Suhr Enterprises, dba “Gary’s Super Foods”’ 212 Westview Plaza, which holds license #C-22060, the applicant being Troy R. Werkmeister.

Accept City Manager, Schneider’s appointment of Greg A. Wolford as the city of McCook Street Superintendent from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2024

Approve an agreement with the McCook Economic Development Corp. assigning financial responsibility for the North Point paving project to the McCook Economic Development.