 He thanked Aldermen Dave Ambrust, Marty Neitzel, Joni Tibbs, Buzz
Busby and Nathan Turner for joining him. He added that it is
important that the city and the county work together on some issues.
Carlton opened the meeting by saying that the purpose of the
gathering was just to hear from residents about what is important to
them.
While it was a small crowd, about a dozen residents initiated
discussions on several topics and the session lasted over an hour
and a half.
Predictably, the perennial issue of unkempt business and private
properties was raised. No one wants to look at junk, especially out
his or her home window. The officials were all empathetic toward
those who have been forced to endure unsightliness or junked-up
properties in residential areas. Additionally, everyone agreed that
junky or poorly maintained property along main thoroughfares or at
gateways into the city makes a bad first impression on visitors.
Both city and county officials admitted to frustration at getting
certain property owners to comply with junk or nuisance ordinances.
Several factors were cited as contributing to the common and ongoing
local problem.
Poorly written ordinances and the lenience in the courts were
cited for the lack of results.
Busby said that he has seen certain offenders taken to court
repeatedly. The city has been taking one "particular" individual to
court for 15 years. He said that what people don't realize is that
"our hands are tied," to do anything about it. Judges let violators
off too easy by repeatedly giving 90- to 180-day extensions to
comply, Busby said.
There are also ordinance distinctions between residential and
commercial property. The current commercial ordinance is inadequate.
"The city of Lincoln does not have an ordinance that requires a
fence around a junkyard," Busby said.
One specific location on North Kickapoo Street, where the old
dollar store was located, has people's hackles newly raised.
Aldermen explained that the business zoning next to residential
properties in the area complicates matters even more. It is
difficult to mesh the commercial and industrial zoning that exists
in that area with the residential zoning, which has stipulations of
adherence within 200 feet of a residential area. You want to keep
your other businesses that are already there, aldermen agreed.
The officials committed to continue to try to get something done,
such as talk with property owners and rewrite ordinances.
The citizen who initiated this discussion, Frank Rickord,
suggested that people should pile junk next to where the judges live
to get them to understand the issue.
He went on to recall that a few years ago the county was looking
at an alternative legal action, the adjudication process. That plan
was scrapped due to high start-up costs.
The adjudication process bypasses the standard court system.
Cases are typically heard by a retired judge.
Carlton thought there might be funding that could be found to
start up such a process. "There's always initiatives around," he
said.
When a controlled fire isn't...
Lincoln Rural Fire Department's new chief, Chad Letterly, brought
up a concern that they have encountered several times recently.
"What some people consider a controlled burn is not a controlled
burn," he said. The problem has been that some situations were made
worse because people were uncooperative.
The department has been called out to fires that had either
become out of control or a problem to others. He gave some examples.
One was a field fire that caught a house on fire when the wind
changed direction. In another situation thick smoke rolled across
Interstate 55, creating a traffic hazard. And another time recently
heavy smoke was blowing into a house where a lady with asthma lived.
In another, one man knowingly set fire to illegal construction
materials.
These were dangerous situations, the chief explained, where
people were uncooperative in resolving the situation. One man was
belligerent, made threats to firemen and even tried to start a
physical fight.
Letterly said that they do a lot of education on how to conduct a
controlled burn, and most farmers know what they are doing. Most
farmers and property owners who do this yearly are also good at
checking the weather forecast and calling the rural fire station
before they start their burn. He clarified that the department is
fully behind people who know what they are doing in a controlled
burn and is willing to help if it becomes out of control.
He suggested that the county ordinance be made stronger, with
more ability for enforcement, and proposed that this could be done
by following the state ordinance.
[to top of second column] |
Airport could be a sleeping economic tool
Vic Martinek, a citizen who lives next to the airport, opened a
discussion by asking about the future plans, potential uses or
development at the airport.
Carlton said that improvements scheduled for the airport include
continuing a drainage project and refurbishing taxiways.
The possibility of a public golf course at the airport made its
way into the conversation. Interest in developing a public golf
course was brought up last month at all four meetings related to the
Logan County Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy.
Last month, county board member Dave Hepler dusted off a
10-year-old feasibility study to put a golf course at the airport.
Martinek said that 150 acres is needed for a golf course. Carlton
said that the airport has 250 acres available.
Rickord suggested that the county farm that overlooks Kickapoo
Creek has the makings for a golf course, with a beautiful setting in
the country. There are also other parcels of land the county owns
that might make a suitable location.
Busby said that he was not opposed to a public golf course but
that timing is important. "You have to be careful of the costs," he
said, adding that "many golf courses are in trouble right now."
Carlton identified the area to the north and east of Lincoln as
holding great potential for development. Lincoln Parkway and
Interstate 55 offer easy access for transport. He has his eye on the
area and its proximity to the airport. There is room on the airport
grounds to develop either aviation-related services or other
businesses. And, there is land across from the airport that is
undeveloped.
Several people joined in commenting:
-
It would be a
great area to develop as commercial or industrial use.
-
Look at how area
businesses might benefit from what the airport already has to
offer.
-
Look at whether further expansion of
the airport might allow for light cargo transport for business
or industry.
When aldermen were asked if they would participate with the
county in supporting the airport in some manner such as a
development project, the responses were favorable. "It's a
possibility," Busby said. "A city or a county needs an airport."
Carlton took a moment to explain a problem discovered last week
with the fuel pump at the airport. The pump is self-serve and
activated by credit card. After the credit card is swiped, the card
reader sends a message to the credit company for approval. When it
comes back approved, the pump is activated. At midnight a batch file
that has all the transactions for the day is sent out from the card
reader to the merchandise account. The card reader then resets for
the next 24-hour period.
On some days the system has had a communication breakdown. It
begins with one bad card reading. The error reading on the
transcript says, "Not connecting to host." However, the pump is
activated to turn on. That transaction and every one that follows it
on that day are not included in the batch file that is sent out for
billing at the end of the day. The credit card companies do not
receive the information to bill any of the customers who pumped fuel
from that one faulty reading forward for that day.
Additionally, the reader is not supposed to accept Discover
credit cards. If a Discover card is used during a time the system is
not working, the card is recognized and the pump is activated. But
the customer cannot be billed through the system.
The pump was shut down about a day and a half just before
Memorial Day weekend while Carlton went out to troubleshoot the
problem. He said that the pump is back in use. They are continuing
to look into repairing the system. In the meantime, it has been
arranged to get a daily printout of the batch file to review, which
will prevent further billing errors.
The city of Lincoln was well-represented at the meeting, with
contributions by all of the following aldermen:
-
Dave Ambrust -- an
alderman for many years, lived here almost 40 years
-
Marty Neitzel --
an alderwoman for 10 years, "lived here all my life"
-
Joni Tibbs -- an
alderwoman since 2003
-
Orville "Buzz"
Busby -- 18th year on council, served on every committee
-
Nathan Turner -- newest alderman, lived
in Lincoln five years
[By
JAN YOUNGQUIST]
 |
