$100K planning grant sought for downtown Creative District

McCOOK, Neb. — McCook is eligible for a $100,000 planning grant for projects related to McCook’s downtown Creative District.

Organizers Ronda Graff and Matt Sehnert spoke at the City Council meeting on Tuesday, requesting that the council approve resolution No. 2024-01 authorizing the city staff to submit a letter of intent to the Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) Civic and Community Center Financing Fund (CCCFF) for preliminary planning purposes.

“The challenge” explained Sehnert “is that the planning grant is $100,000 with a $100,000 match.”   He went on to say that, thankfully, McCook has a bunch of people who think outside of the box. Representatives from Community Hospital, the Economic Development Corp., the Graff Charitable Foundation, The Arts Council as well as the city met before Christmas and discussed collaborating and collectively coming up with the $100,000 match and then using the grant money if awarded for planning on various projects within the district.

Graff shared that a Creative District was designated for McCook in October 2023. Nov. 1, 2023, a letter of intent was due to the Nebraska Arts Council. The next deadline is on Jan. 15, 2024, for a letter of intent to be sent to the DED. Feb. 15, 2024, is the formal deadline for the full application.

The resolution was approved with Mayor Linda Taylor saying “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, guys, for thinking outside the box. Because it’s bringing this collaboration. It took people who are patient holding their projects back a little bit and willing to work together. I think it’d be great for the city.”

The consent agenda was also approved adopting resolution 2024-02, approving the updated City of McCook Public Transportation drug and alcohol zero-tolerance testing policy, as well as authorizing the mayor to sign the Certificate of Compliance for the 2023 Maintenance agreement between the City of McCook and the Nebraska Department of Transportation.

An executive session was held to protect public interest for a strategy session concerning potential litigation- property located at 1111 East H Street, Cindy, and Rob Sabin, and purchase of property related to the ballpark project.