Council gives OK to funds for lake restoration

By Adrian Sanchez asanchez@columbustelegram.com

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2008 - 11:54:20 am CDT

COLUMBUS -- The City Council approved funds for the Columbus Hospital Lake Restoration Project during its meeting Monday.

The council unanimously approved a resolution for the bid of $241,122 by Kohl Construction Inc. of Schuyler to develop and improve the lake property.

City Engineer Merlin Lindahl reported that the local contribution will be 15 percent of that cost. The Lower Loup Natural Resource District will contribute half, 7.5 percent, and the City of Columbus will contribute the other 7.5 percent, or $36,168.

The project also is being completed in partnership with the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality and Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.

The restoration project will include drudging and cleanup of the lake, which is located southeast of hospital, and installation of a handicap accessible fishing dock.

The council also advanced Ordinance 08-14 to a third reading, which is expected to be conducted during the June 16 meeting. The ordinance would annex 32 acres of land at East 18th Avenue and 28th Street that would be divided into two pieces, 20 acres to be leased for the new Nebraska National Guard armory and 12 acres to be developed into a city park.

The annexation, bringing the property into city limits, is required by state statute, which states the armory must be located within city limits.

In other news the council:

• approved, after its first reading, Ordinance 08-15 to authorize issuance of bond anticipation notes in the approximate amount of $895,000 for temporary financing of street improvement districts 174, 175, 176 and 177; water extension districts 57, 58 and 60; and sewer extension district 42.

• approved an application, as part of the consent agenda, of Scotus Central Catholic Junior/Senior High School for a special designated liquor license for the fourth annual Bid-A-Bag fundraiser Aug. 21.

• approved Troy Urkoski as a police officer as part of the consent agenda.

• approved a resolution to name the North Arterial project as Lost Creek Parkway as part of the consent agenda.

• approved the application of Callaway Truck Equipment of Shelby for a solid waste hauling license as part of the consent agenda.

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Where

Jun 3, 2008 1:04 PM

What are they talking about? What Lake? Where is this lake? The last time I checked there was no lake southeast of the hospital!

liquor

Jun 3, 2008 1:13 PM

hey PEM!!! did you see that the city council approved an application, as part of the consent agenda, of Scotus Central Catholic Junior/Senior High School for a special designated liquor license for the fourth annual Bid-A-Bag fundraiser Aug. 21.

KIDS WILL BE PRESENT! OH LORD HELP US!

Smarty Jones

Jun 3, 2008 4:24 PM

Yes I can't wait to go fishing behind the hospital! This was a great idea that was over due . Just glad they finally got er done. hip hip hurray

To Liquor

Jun 3, 2008 11:15 PM

Get a life...

what

Jun 4, 2008 7:36 AM

liquor - are you drunk right now the topic is about a lake not scotus bid-a-bag. i suppose you are a softball player that got their way, but is still crying that they almost took away your beer. grow up and quit pointing fingers at others just because PEM picked on your group. i am all for beer at softball games, but if they did take away your beer you would be one of the reasons i would support that decision. clearly you are to immature to let the subject go even though you got your way. I agree with "To Liquor" get a life....

Smarty Jones

Jun 4, 2008 8:48 AM

Take a closer look, the lake is NORTHEAST of the Hospital but I'm sure most people still know what lake we are talking about here.

Realist

Jun 4, 2008 9:01 AM

Why does liquor have to get a life when this is a valid arguement. Is it maybe that you are part of the scotus group that wanted the liqor license?

what

Jun 4, 2008 9:20 AM

i have nothing to do with scotus, not even catholic for that matter. yes liquor may have a valid arguement just not in this section that is about a lake that is going to be restored. try to stay on topic just once is that so hard. if liquor wants another section to continue to complain about liquor licenses they should ask the telegram to create a separate one.

i personally think restoring the lake is a good idea and say good job to tha council for their support of it.

Doc

Jun 4, 2008 10:53 AM

What,
Did you read the ENTIRE article? Didn't think so. If you did you would see that under "In other news the council" the second bullet item concerns a designated liquor license at Scotus Junior Senoir High School.
PEM doesn't care if alcohol is present in schools, just keep it out of the parks. One of there biggest touts is that parents would not expect to see adults drinking alcohol in City parks. PEM's lack of presence at the Coucil Meeting leads one to think they must think parents would expect to see alcohol being consumed by adults in schools.

Jun 4, 2008 11:10 AM

"Liquor" has a valid point. First of all, the article was about city council action, not just the lake which happened to be the headline. So "What", you are wrong to criticize on the basis of staying on subject. Also, pointing out PEM's selective indignation is not immature, but is an observation made by many, including me. PEM will not take on the politically connected, of which Scotus has many.

what

Jun 4, 2008 1:38 PM

sorry to ruffle your feathers there doc. also sorry to jump on liquor in my past comments. i did read the article and thought i had read all of the bulleted items but must have missed the scotus one.
i do have a question though i have never heard of the bid-a-bag thing before, are there any kids present at this function? also scotus is a private school so PEM really doesn't have any right to tell them what can be done on their property. where as public parks they do stand a chance at getting the city council or park board to listen. sorry to say it but that is just the way it is.

Question

Jun 4, 2008 2:51 PM

Could CPS also ask for a special designated liquor license, or is Scotus considered differently because they are a private school? Somehow I have the feeling that the city would be up in arms if CPS ever requested this--At least I would hope people would be. I'm just curious.

blah

Jun 4, 2008 6:33 PM

There cant be one article ever anymore with the word liquor, or beer or whatever without people responding to it by saying,

"oh wheres PEM"
" PEM this PEM that"
"PEM"
"hey PEM"
" theres the word beer PEM"
" anybody seen PEM"

The first couple of times it was sort of funny, now its just dumb.

viking

Jun 4, 2008 8:36 PM

Liquor may not be lit! If you were to read on to the bottom "in other news the council" I believe this article is about city council news.

Answer

Jun 5, 2008 6:28 AM

Scotus is helped by the fact that they are a private school that is funded by private dollars. If Immanuel Lutheran Church or Grace Episcopal Church or any other private entity wants a liquor license, they will have a better chance of obtaining it than CPS. The fact that CPS and the parks are publicly funded sources/areas brings up a bigger concern for the general public. Sadly, school systems like Catholic school systems have a hard time receiving funds/donations so events with alcohol tend to be used to draw in more people to spend money. Smaller churches with one grade school have an easier time making enough money to function because it's just 1 school they need to operate. Scotus does not have a home "church" to receive funds but rather it relies on the 3 Catholic churches with grade schools to support it. It'd be nice if an alum like Chuck Hagel could donate a bunch of money to Scotus to minimize some of these alcohol heavy events, but I don't see that happening...

Doc

Jun 5, 2008 8:24 AM

Answer,
That is the biggest bunch of horse dropping I have ever read! You have to be a memeber of PEM. That is the only place where one can learn to talk out of both sides of their mouth. If alcohol consumption by an adult in front of a youth at an event where the adult is having fun is teaching youth in order to have fun you must drink as PEM professes, then the location be it private or public has absolutely no bearing!

No Limits

Jun 5, 2008 2:06 PM

To Answer:

It's interesting that we're discussing committing a sin prohibited in the Bible (drunkenness)to raise money for a school that professes to teach Biblical standards. The attitude seems to be that as long as it's for a good cause, the method doesn't matter. Why is drinking and gambling acceptable? Does that open the door for other Biblically prohibited sins (ie prostitution)as long as they raise money for a good cause? Straddling the fence can be very painful.

Mama T

Jun 5, 2008 3:44 PM

I agree with Doc 100%!!!!!!
Either PEM believes that adults should not drink in front of children or they don't.

Answer

Jun 5, 2008 6:38 PM

Doc:

Actually I'm not. I've written on the Telegram against PEM several times because I've always thought there should be beer at Gerrard. I'm just a Scotus supporter who's tired of hearing so many people call out for PEM whenever Scotus does put on a fundraiser involving alcohol. All I'm simply saying is Scotus is a private entity that is self supporting and they're doing private fundraising inside their own private building out of public view.

If PEM "doesn't care if alcohol is present in schools" then don't you think CHS would be doing a bunch of alcohol sponsored activities to raise money so we don't have to take out bonds???? And if their whole mission was to "just keep it out of the parks" then why did they come down so hard on Reeve's dance club??? Come on, man...let it rest...there can be alcohol at the softball fields. We won...PEM didn't...let them wait for their next battle

notfromcolumbus

Jun 6, 2008 1:02 AM

oh look...Columbus residents are arguing again...
magine that

paulcan

Jun 6, 2008 12:09 PM

To 'NO LIMIT'

You need to study your Bible. We're talking about drinking, not drunkenness. The sin in Bible is "drunkenness", not drinking.
If drinking were a sin, I'm sure Jesus would never have turned the water into win at the wedding in Cana. Gluttony is a sin too, but people have to eat.

That said, I have atteding many events at Scotus where alcohol was served, yet I never a drunk. You're twisting the issue.

To NotfromColumbus:

Obviously,you haven't visit any other community newspaper website discussions.

Terry

Jun 6, 2008 12:10 PM

PEM is pulling out of Platte County. Should quiet the posts a bit.