Sixth member joins Superior City Council

With the swearing in of Darrell Brandt on Monday evening as a member of the Superior City Council representing the first ward, the council is again at full-strength. However, with members Carrie Lemke and James Flores absent Monday evening, the council lacked the minimum number of members present to consider the possible adoption of an ordinance.

The first reading of Ordinance 1237 creating a clean energy assessment district had to be tabled.

If the district is created, the owners of property within the district may be able to obtain financial incentives when making energy efficiency improvements to their property. Proponents compare it to the TIFF program which has been used for the construction of the Superior East elevator complex, the Villa housing project on Montana Street and other projects.

Council members did review with city engineers plans for a proposed water treatment plant to be located near an existing city well and ground level water storage tank on East 15th Street.

The proposed plant will utilize a reverse osmosis system to remove unwanted chemicals from the city water supply. The water supply currently meets state standards but there is a fear that nitrate levels may climb in the future. The construction of the treatment plant is a proactive approach seeking to prevent a problem before it arrives.

The plant has a current estimated price tag of $5.5 million. It is proposed the plant's construction be financed with a low interest state loan, a portion of which will be forgivable.

The council approved submitting the plans to the state for review. If all approvals are obtained, construction is expected to start in 2024.

While no formal action was taken, the council discussed the requested relocation of the Statesmen of Superior sign now located on Central Avenue between the former Dollar General store and the Superior Chamber of Commerce office. The sign was erected about 30 years ago as part of a city and state sponsored program known as START. At that time, permission for the sign and related wall was granted by the property owner as it blocked from view an area that was difficult to mow and keep presentable.

Now ownership of the property has changed and the new owner has a plan to utilize what for more than 70 years has been an underutilized space.

Members of the council concurred in the relocation of the granite sign recognizing the financial contributors to the START program to the Fourth Street Square. Before that is undertaken, the council requested cost estimates be obtained.

When the sign was first placed, volunteers maintained the two flower beds located in front of the sign.

As some grant money was left after the recent sidewalk replacement project was completed, the council approved submitting a request to add additional blocks to the project.

With several Superior Police Department positions open, members of the council requested the possibility of contracting with the Nuckolls County Sheriff's office be considered. When fully staffed, the department averages between 400 and 500 contacts per month.

The council accepted a bid from Landmark Implement for the replacement of a 1988 John Deere 855 compact utility tractor used by the parks and cemetery department. The city will pay $23,930.06 less a $2,100 trade-in allowance for a new John Deere 3032E tractor with loader. Superior Implement had submitted a bid of $31,650 for a Case IH 35C with front-end loader.