Auburn City Council approved a resolution and several ordinances during its Dec. 27 meeting. A unanimous vote required just four votes that evening as council members Shawn Clark and Frank Critser weren’t present.
The council heard a request to approve a redevelopment agreement in the form of a resolution presented by the Community Development Authority and explained by its attorney. CRA Chairman Stephanie Fisher was also present for the meeting.
The attorney said the West Project #1 Redevelopment Agreement was prepared because the CRA is considering making a $250,000 grant available to the City of Auburn for a West Water Line Project. It is believed that $250,000 would be the amount collected by Tax-Increment Financing (TIF) over a period of 15 years for the property involved. The resolution creating the agreement is as far as the CRA can proceed on the water line project until “gap funding” is identified. It was also explained that the TIF funds could be used for other allowable purposes should the West Water Line Project not become a reality.
The council approved the resolution as presented.
Ordinance Approved
An ordinance amending the city code involving the discharge or release of an instrument which propels projectiles within the city limits was discussed and eventually approved. What prompted City Attorney Angelo Ligouri to prepare the ordinance was a request by Jason Chapman, who has indicated he would like to open an indoor archery range within the city limits. Auburn’s existing city ordinances prohibit this from happening. The city’s Ordinance Committee met regarding the issue and brought the document forward for the council’s consideration. The ordinance was modeled after one currently in place for the City of Omaha.
The ordinance allows any non-explosive weapon to be discharged on one’s personal property, but the projectile must stay on the individual’s private property and cannot come to rest on public property such as streets or alleys, or the person can be cited.
The ordinance adopted still prohibits the carrying of concealed weapons, the carrying of loaded firearms, the discharge of firearms, and the discharge of slingshots, air guns, BB guns, bows and crossbows or any instrument which propels a projectile of any sort across or into public property or into the private property of another person without prior approval by the property owner and/or resident.
Request for Proposals for Keno Operator
The council approved issuing a Request for Proposals for a keno operator(s) for the City of Auburn. The keno contract with the former Wheeler Inn restaurant expired in November 2011. That contract dated back to 1995.
Mayor Scott Kudrna said the city received about $5,000 from the operation of keno in the city during the last year, which was down from averaging $15,000 to $20,000 annually in keno revenue for the previous five years. Kudrna described keno as a good source of revenue to complete some community betterment projects. He also said the city has received an inquiry from a keno operator interested in doing business here while at the same time operating keno elsewhere.
The council agreed to seek RFPs for the operation of a keno lottery for the City of Auburn. Any parties interested in doing so are asked to submit their bid by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 15. Any bids received will be considered at the Feb. 27 regular council meeting.
Other Business
The council approved a drawdown in the amount of $1,700.23 for administrative only costs with Southeast Nebraska Development District for the 2009 CDBG Citywide Housing Rehabilitation Program.
A Corporate Authorization Resolution was adopted which added newly-elected City Council President Chris Erickson to the City’s bank accounts.
The Board of Public Works requested and the council authorized 12 water liens against real estate on delinquent accounts involving nine separate property owners in the amounts of $25.40 and $38.10.
The Board of Public Works requested and the council authorized 10 sewer liens against real estate on delinquent accounts involving seven different property owners in the amounts of $42 and $63.
Liens for the delinquent water and sewer accounts are brought before the council after three months.
The council authorized JEO Consulting Group to complete engineering on the K Street Asphalt Overlay Project. This action will allow Evan Wickersham with JEO to finish the final design phase of the overlay project which has been in the planning stages for several years. Once this work is done, the city can put the project out for bid.
More Ordinances Adopted
Ordinances were approved updating the Auburn Code of Ordinances so the city ordinances conform to state statute. These ordinances related to the following:
Elections, candidates, revising candidate filing deadlines.
Elections, changing provisions relating to petition for nomination and ballot procedures.
Finance and revenue; adding exceptions to the bidding requirement.
Public ways and property; adjusting the threshold amount for public works requiring architecture or engineering.
Alcoholic beverages; adding exceptions to consumption of liquor in public places; revising liquor licenses powers and duties; revising provisions regulating credit sales; changing provisions governing retail sales and location requirements.
General offenses; offenses against health and safety; adding limousine exception to the open container prohibition.