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 The two combined make it difficult for city snow plows to
navigate. Wyatt Avenue is the main road to the Lincoln Community
High School and is at the top of the priority list for plowing. The
other two are lesser streets that fall toward the bottom of the
plowing plan.
When the topic came up at the last committee of the whole workshop,
and again last week at the voting session, questions were raised as
to why Pulaski Street was not on the snow route plan, and could it
be added. At the meeting last Monday, aldermen decided to add
Pulaski Street from Hamilton to Ladue but needed more information
about the impact it would have on residents in regard to finding
alternative parking on snow days.
This week, Landers said he had studied the portion of the street in
question and had provided the aldermen with a map that highlighted
the residences where parking would be a problem. It appeared that
the off-street parking would be more difficult for the residences on
the south side of the street. But Landers said it was a close call
because just looking and counting the number of cars parked on the
south side versus those on the north side, the numbers were close to
the same, but the south side did have a few more.
Alderwoman Jonie Tibbs serves in Ward 3, where Pulaski Street is
located. She said she too had driven around and looked at the off
street parking and the alternatives. She said she still had a
concern about whether or not the alleyways would be cleared early on
for the snow route streets. She said that it would be more difficult
for the residents if not.
Landers said that the alleyways had always been at the bottom of the
list in the snow plan. He said the priority was to get the streets
cleaned that are main routes, then move on to secondary roads and
finish with the alleys. He said the plan could be altered to include
cleaning the alleyways on the snow route streets only, earlier in
the process.
Michelle Bauer noted one home in the 900 block of Pulaski that had
been marked with a notation “problem.” Landers said for that
particular home; there were zero alternatives. The vehicles in front
of that home have no place to go.
The discussion turned to, could the Pulaski Street snow route
require that all cars be moved to one or the other side of the
street? The suggestion was that cars parked on the north side of the
street would have to be moved to the south side. The plows could
then at least plow up to the curb on one side of Pulaski. By nod of
the head, the aldermen appeared to agree this was the best option
for Pulaski.
Todd Mourning asked if the procedure for Pulaski could be to move
cars to the south on the first day, then to the north on the second,
so the city could return and plow that side clean as well.
Landers said that the city could certainly do that, but the issue
would be educating the residents of Pulaski Street that they needed
to move their vehicles for the second plowing.
The discussion moved on to enforcement of the snow route. For the
city’s police officers to issue tickets for violating the snow route
rules, the city will need an ordinance drafted with penalties
spelled out.
 It was suggested by Bauer that the council add the establishment of
the snow route to the next voting agenda with the provision of the
south side parking only on Pulaski from Hamilton to Ladue on snow
days.
Once the snow route is officially approved, Landers said his
department would have to set posts and put up signage to remind area
residents that they now live on a snow route.
[to top of second column] |
City reviews a new taxi license application
Calico Carriage Taxi service has requested a livery license in the city of
Lincoln. Tuesday night, aldermen were advised that “A Green Cab” has moved out
of Lincoln. The new locally owned cab company is taking over and has applied for
a license.
With Green Cab gone, there is no licensed taxi service in the city of Lincoln.
It was noted that there is a taxi service running in town, and the speculation
was that it is Calico Cab, perhaps operating under the Green Cab license, but
that is not known for certain.
Bill Bates is currently sitting in for city attorney Blinn Bates. He reviewed
with the council what the terms and conditions are for a taxi service. He said
it was the burden of the applicant to prove that there was a need for the
service. Based on the information provided it is then the responsibility of the
aldermen to determine if the service in needed for the convenience of the
community.
The aldermen were reminded that there must be a public hearing on the matter
before they may vote. The council advised the city clerk, Susan Gehlbach, and
the city administrator, Clay Johnson, to move forward with advertising the
hearing date for next Monday evening before the regular voting session.
Deep Roots Bakery and Café seek dollars from Façade Grant Program
The Deep Roots Bakery and Café, owned by Tom and Fay Boerma, have requested a
façade grant from the city in the amount of $8,589.50. The Boerma's are going to
be opening their business at 127 South Kickapoo, the former location of
Dickson’s Tacos. The Boerma's want to do some tuck pointing on the brickwork,
exterior painting, and they want to add an awning to the building.
Johnson shared this information with the council and said that the total cost of
the façade work will exceed $17,000. The Boerma’s are asking for a façade grant
for $8,589.50, which will be 50 percent of the total cost of the project.
Johnson said that the application has gone through the grant review committee,
which approved it unanimously, and is now recommending the grant be awarded to
the Boerma’s.
The council had originally set aside $50,000 for the façade grants. Mourning
asked where the account balance stood. Johnson said that the Edward Jones office
application had been $10,000, the softball training center was $6,000 to $7,000,
and the Boerma application was $8,589.50.00, so the remaining balance would
still be more than $20,000.
With a light agenda at the workshop session, the public portion of the meeting
concluded in just under one hour. Mayor Marty Neitzel then asked for an
executive session under Open Meetings Act rule number 2(C)(3) - Appointment of
Removal of Public Officials.
The council adjourned after the session with no actions taken.
[Nila Smith] |
