2001-04 Blair GatewayPRESORTED STANDARD
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
BLAIR, NEBRASKA
PERMIT NO. 47
ZIP CODE 68008
• oil 0
Besides being too small forthe City's
needs, the building is seriously in need of
repairs. The roof leaks, and the furnace,
MM
TO APPEAR BEFORE THE COUNCIL:
To schedule an issue before the City Council, simply stop by City
Hall at 218 South 16th Street and complete a Request to
Appear"" form before noon on the first or third Thursday of the month.
218 South 16th Street/Blair, Nebraska 68008 (402)426-4191 Fax: (402)426-41
Business Hou*rs: Monday - Friday 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. e-mail: cityofbia ir0h untel. net
www.blairnebraska.org
nx
0 CITY OF BLAIR
w m�w
I F
Interest Incoma.
Total
so
Total
BALANCE ON MARCH 31,2001
$2
•11
�W 1 VW
$2 86 , 066 .22
f?
r
v
® The meter, curb stopbox and valve are the responsibility of
the property owner. They must be accessible to City staff on
request.
• The remote meter on the outside of your house or business is
a water - metering device and must not be removed without
the consent of the City of Blair.
• It is the responsibility of the property owner and /or tenant to
keep the meter from freezing. In extremely cold weather, a
trickle of water running overnight may prevent meter freeze -
up.
• Proper water metering devices must be in place before
water is used.
• Extensions or payments for past due accounts are due by
4:30 the day before disconnection. (This date will be stated
on the 2nd notice of payment due, normally mailed the 25th
of each month, and also on the current utility bill.)
• Residents should call a plumber if there are water leaks within
their building. City personnel cannot assist with leaks within
buildings.
• If the water supply to a property needs to be turned off on
weekends, or on weekdays after hours (4:30 p.m. to 7:30
a.m.) the City will charge a fee of $35.00
- . - . - • - . - . • - . 04 1
..
The Safety and
Health Council of Greater
Omaha has announced
that Officer Sean Standard
of the Blair Police
Department will receive
the Lorraine Giles Award.
The award is granted to
school resource officers for
their contribution to youth
and school safety.
Standard has been the
school resource officer for
the Blair Public Schools
since December of 2000.
DOEQUEST LEFT TO BLAIR
_TUBLIC LIBRARY
The library has received many donations of money and
books through the years, most lately through the Blair Area
Community foundation and the Friends of the Blair Public Library.
However, according to Rod Storm, City Administrator,. Ms.
Dixon's bequest is the largest the City has received for the library
in several years. "We were very pleased and grateful for Ms.
Dixon's generosity ", Storm said.
The Blair Gateway April, 2001
I -a a , 1 0 Ti
The City of Blair has been selected by the
Nebraska Community Forestry Council and the
Nebraska Forest Service as one of the sites to receive
Millennium Grove trees. Blair received eleven trees,
h grown from the seed of a famous r historic tree ,
eac ous o
g
including:
• Two white oaks, from the Kentucky birthplace of
Abraham Lincoln;
• Two white ashes, from the Cincinnati, Ohio, birthplace
of Harriet Beecher Stowe;
• Two green ashes, from the Missouri birthplace of
George Washington Carver,
• Two tulip poplars, from the Nebraska home (Arbor
Lodge) of J. Sterling Morton (who first proposed
Arbor Day); and
• Three cottonwoods, from the Lewis and Clark trail in
Montana.
The City will likely plant the trees in Black Elk
Neihardt Park, or in Steyer Park, however, the trees will
have to be planted in a protected location for two or
three years until they grow large enough to survive in
a natural setting. The trees will be planted together,
and labeled with their species and historic significance.
"Millennium Grove" is a program of the USDA
Forest Service to commemorate the new millennium
by planting historic trees in communities.
Apthm W%
Urbull 1 Redevelop ent Stud
Underway I
he Blair Cit y Y g Council recent) signed a contract with Hanna-
Keelan and Associates, P.C. of Lincoln to undertake a Blight/
Substandard and Redevelopment Study. The study, which is
funded in part by a Community Development Block Grant, will
include two phases.
The first phase will identify blighted or substandard areas
of the City. The "blighted" designation is defined by Federal guidelines, and
may include such elements as aging or obsolete water or sewer lines,
deteriorated or missing sidewalks, presence of dilapidated structures, or
streets that require widening on resurfacing. The designation may make
these areas eligible for Federal aid to improve infrastructure and housing.
The second phase will identify sites within the city limits that would be
prime locations for redevelopment projects, which could include single -or
multi - family dwellings, retail establishments, industrial buildings, or recreational
facilities.
Tim Keelan, a principal planner with Hanna - Keelan, has spent several
weeks in Blair, surveying the City and its neighborhoods. On 16th April 2001,
Keelan will host the first community meeting to discuss the plan with residents
and business owners. These meetings will provide an opportunity for Keelan
and his associates to explain the planning process, and the potential
benefits of doing the study. Later meetings will be held to present study
results, and to solicit input from the community.
Meetings will be held at 3:00 p.m. at the American Legion Hall, and at
7:00 in the auditorium of the West School. Interested residents and business
owners may obtain further information by calling City Hall at 426 -4191,
Rick Williams, Blair Animal Control Officer, reunited
95 dogs and 4 cats with their owners in 2000. Vigorous
efforts to find new homes for animals resulted in 58 dogs
and 41 cats being adopted in 2000. Adoptions include
both impounded animals, and referrals. Impounds,
citations, and euthanization of both dogs and cats has
dropped significantly since 1996, when the staff began
a community education program to help pet owners
deal with "problem" pets, instead of giving them up.
Williams also offers information on pet health issues,
encouraging owners to have their pets vaccinated and
neutered.
1. The City is proposing to build a new facility that
would be properly designed for housing domestic
animals. The facility would include indoor and outdoor
dog runs, cat cages, enclosed garage for loading and
unloading, clean -up and exam room, reception area,
office, and storage. The new facility would be built on
the site of the existing facility, which would then be
Although the City has committed $180,000 to this
project, including $30,000 in KENO proceeds,the remaining
$100,000 (approximately) will be raised through donations.
Anyone who is interested in supporting the Blair Animal
Shelter Construction Fund should send donations to the
Blair Area Community Foundation, at 1526 Washington
Street, Blair NE 68008.
A pril , The Blair Gateway- 11
demolished. The approximate cost of the project will be
$280,000.
ME
B lair Trials Plan
MIRTH
Master Trials Plan
RDG Crose Gardner Shukert
Omaha and Des Moines
..... -Retail - -- -------- - ----- ..._- ....- ._---- ----------- --
Entertainment
:ment
– - -
CiVle — -- - ---- -- •--- -- --- - -- - - ....._ - -- -----
..............................
------- ............... -------------- .............
Park
Firs •'
Docv n
Second Wednesday
Class I Trails -Oft Road
Third Tuesday
-- -.-......... ..__---- -- -------- ............. –
Class II Ftails- Separated On -Road
(,�
Share -tl:e -Road Desk mated R oute
Vi %all in Trail
Overlook
bur Trail
B
Stever Loop
C
Southeast
D
South Street
E
16th Street
F
Lincoln Highwar'Tail
G
Grant Street
H
1Qth Street
I
Jackson Street
J
Creek Side
K
Optimist jRiaerfront
L
Sports Complex
INI
Bluff Trail
N
Deerfield
0
Cauble Creek
P
Baronage
Q
Neihardt
R
South Hill
S
Signalized intersection
T
Fort Calhoun
L1
Dana
7 M A",
The proposed system would include three types of
trails. The first type would consist of off -road segments,
which would be outside of existing right -of -way and could
require land acquisition. Separated on -road segments
would utilize existing right -of -way, but would be in the form
of a separate lane or widened sidewalk. The third type of
trail, share- the -road segments, would consist of striping
and signing separated lanes for bikes, pedestrians, and
roller- blaers within the surfaced roadway.
The plan provides for a four - phased approach
to trail development, with the phases spread over a
20 -25 year period. The total cost of the proposed plan
would be approximately five million dollars. Shukert
pointed out that state and federal agencies offer 50
-50 and 80 -20 matching funds for trails projects. Mary
Hanson,a representative of the National Parks Service,
noted that her agency had information about
potential funding sources which she would share with
city staff. -
The trail system master plan will likely be
presented to the City Council later this month. In the
meantime, a copy of the proposed trail system map
is on display in the City Office, 218 South 16th Street.
The Blair Gateway April, 2001
4
Second F Tues
5 :00 t-
Fi rst Mon
7
Firs •'
7:30 P.M.
Second Wednesday
7:00 P.M.
Third Tuesday
Noon
Thir Thursday
The Blair Gateway April, 2001
4