Superior Council member resigns

The City of Superior is again looking for a person to serve on the city council. After serving on the council for about a year and half, Monday evening the resignation of Rachel Loucks effective Tuesday, was accepted.

She was present for Monday’s council meeting and said she was thankful for the opportunity to serve. However, she explained she will teaching science and coaching at the Lawrence-Nelson school in the fall, in addition to serving as the Superior Country Clubhouse manager and helping her cousin with the operation of Carmen’s style shop. She said, “At this time I am wearing many hats and need to step away to focus on those commitments.”

Mayor Chris Peterson is now tasked with finding and naming a replacement for the remaining portion of her term. His appointment must then be confirmed by the council.

In other action the council awarded a street repair contract valued at $212,552.58 to Mid-Nebraska Construction of Aurora, Nebraska. The work will focus on Fourth Street between Bloom and Dakota. The existing road surface will be replaced with eight-inch concrete with rebar to better handle the turning truck traffic. Additionally the storm sewer system will be extend with new drops at the northwest and southeast corner of the Fourth and Dakota intersection.

The contractor will be asked to schedule the work so as to avoid the fall harvest traffic.

The Mid-Nebraska bid was the lowest of three received . A+ Contracting bid $268,495.50, and Werner Construction $353,419.72. The project engineer had estimated the work could be done for $209,217.

The council approved with a stipulation a request from Gary Holling for the release of a lien the city has on a property at 255 S. Converse. The lien was related to prior cost of removing a dilapidated structure. To have lien released, Holling must build on the property within 12 months. He is proposing to build a 26x54 foot garage at this time. Perhaps at a future date he might add a small house to the property. Under current zoning the garage can be built. If the house is added, a zoning change or exception would be needed.

The hiring of Braxton Brewer as a summer intern for the electrical department was approved. His first day of work was scheduled for Tuesday. He has been attending Manhattan (Kansas) Technical College. If his summer work is satisfactory, there is a strong possibility that he could receive a permanent position in the fall.

Bobbi Pettit of Five Rule Planning reported on a housing study her firm is conducting.

Highlights of the report included, unlike many other Nebraska communities, Superior’s population increased by six between the 2010 and 2020 census. If the population continues to grow modestly, she said nine new housing units are needed each year to maintain the current population and more than nine if the population grows.

Before adjourning the council held a 10-minute executive session to discuss the possible right-of-way acquisition for a discharge line from a proposed water treatment plant to the Republican River.

After returning to regular session the council voted to proceed with acquiring a 20-foot right-of-way. The city currently has a 20-foot right-of-way for a water line but additional right-of-way will be required to meet the state mandated separation between the lines.