McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook City Council will hear a presentation on using a portion of city sales tax to fund the construction of a new swimming pool, at the regular meeting Monday, 5:30 p.m. at City Council Chambers at the Municipal Building. 

Paul Grieger of D.A. Davidson, underwriters of municipal bonds in the U.S., will discuss with the council using the local option sales tax to fund the construction costs of a new swimming pool.

Currently, the city has a 1.5% sales tax. The city is considering increasing that to 2% to fund a new swimming pool, with the additional .5% specifically designed to pay for the construction of a new pool but not for operational costs. Per statute, the bond can run for 10 years or until the bond is paid in full.

A number of Nebraska communities have used city sales tax to fund desired amenities such as Crete, Seward and Chadron. Cambridge and Alma's citizens approved a .5% sales tax increase to build community swimming pools. If the council decides to use a portion of city sales tax to pay for the construction of a pool, it will be placed on the November 2022 ballot for voters.

Other regular agenda items up for council approval are:

-- Approve a Landfill Surface lease agreement between the City of McCook and Southwest Building Inc.

Southwest wants to lease the old landfill property owned by the city, south of the U.S. Highways 6-34/U.S. 83 intersection to display farm equipment. The lease is for 20 years and in return for the use of the property, Southwest will pay $2,000 per year to the city, with a 3% yearly increase.

If approved, the property is subject to post-closure guidelines from the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy and state and federal laws. No activities that penetrate the landfill capping material or threaten the integrity of the landscape are allowed.

-- Approve a Sidewalk Café Permit application for Sehnert’s Bakery and Bieroc Café, by and through its owner Andrew Ambriz, allowing for the creation of an outdoor dining area on the sidewalk adjacent to the Sehnert’s Bakery and Bieroc Café building located at 310 and 312 Norris Ave.

If approved, the sidewalk cafe would extend 17 feet east from the bakery’s southern building, while extending 21 feet from the bakery’s northern building. The cafe would stretch 48 feet, north to south, with six feet of space to the east of the cafe for pedestrian traffic.

The meeting will begin Monday night with a public hearing on the request from the McCook Economic Development Corp. for the city to annex a piece of property it owns north of West R along West Seventh.

Currently, that area is outside the city boundaries and not eligible for tax increment funding. The MEDC recently purchased this property to develop additional residential properties in the Clary Subdivision but infrastructure like streets, water, sewer and storm sewers have to be built.

For adequate circulation, Clary Subdivision must connect to West Seventh. The MEDC believes that in order to pay for these types of construction projects, TIF could be a viable funding source and has requested that property to be annexed into city limits so TIF can be considered.

If the council approves of the annexation, council members will be asked to approve it in the form of a city ordinance on its first reading Monday night. The McCook Planning Commission unanimously approved the request at its June 13 meeting.

Consent agenda items, that can be approved in one motion unless pulled for a separate vote/discussion, include:

-- Approve the request from Katie Anderson to close East “M” Street from East Third Street to East Fifth Street for the First Annual Big West Street Fest 3 on 3 basketball tournament on Saturday, July 16, 2022, from 8 a.m.- to 9 p.m.

Anderson first requested at the May 13 council meeting that portions of East First Street and East G be closed for the tournament but has since changed the location to East M, in front of the pool and college, due to the anticipated start of a construction project on East First.

The tournament will include setting up a total of six basketball hoops along East M and tents set up in Kelley Park for participating teams and spectators. Music will be played through a speaker at a low volume. The tournament will have four divisions, 3-4th grade, 5-6th grade, 7-8th grade and high school/open class. Anderson has provided the city with a certificate of insurance.

-- Approve and application from Great Plains Communications to occupy the city right-of-way in the alley between East Fourth Street and East Fifth Street, south to East “I” Street, installing three, 1 1/4” underground ducts with fiber optic cable and two ground-level vaults.

 -- Approve the application for a special designated liquor license submitted by Arapahoe Fun Center for a wedding reception at the McCook Memorial Auditorium on July 16, 2022, from 5-11 p.m.

Posting a comment requires free registration: