Council to consider grant for convention center study

McCOOK, Neb. -- City leaders appear to be moving forward with at least exploring the idea of constructing a convention center in McCook.

The McCook City Council will be presented with a grant acceptance form Monday evening which would allocate $4,500 from the McCook Community Foundation Fund for feasibility studies of Memorial Auditorium and construction of a new convention/meeting facility. The grant funds are specifically for feasibility studies intended to determine if Memorial Auditorium could be modified to serve as a convention/meeting facility, or another use, and if a new convention/meeting facility would be possible, according to the meeting agenda.

City leaders indicated in March a hotel developer had offered to build a convention center for the city to later purchase and manage.

"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," said Schneider at the time.

Also during Monday's meeting, 6:30 p.m. at the Municipal Center, City Council is scheduled to enter executive session for a strategy session with respect to a potential real estate purchase. Two additional executive sessions are planned for collective bargaining purposes with the police and fire department unions.

Other items on Monday's consent and regular agenda:

* Plans and bid specifications for construction of a skatepark on city property will be considered for approval. If approved, the item would set the deadline to receive bids as July 28, 2015. The estimated cost of the project is $130,050, with City Council previously committing $30,000 and skatepark supporters raising $95,046 through private donations and grant funds, according to the meeting agenda.

* City staff is requesting to hire a consultant firm for $5,000 tasked with shopping property and casualty insurance. City Council will subsequently consider approving a services agreement with Harry A. Koch, Co., Insurance and Financial Consultants.

* An ordinance amending the frequency of meetings for the Senior Citizens Advisory Board, from monthly to quarterly, will be considered for approval.

* City Council will coordinate a public hearing to discuss a beer, wine and distilled spirits liquor license application from Tequilas Restaurants at 205 Norris Avenue. The application will be considered for approval following the hearing.