KEARNEY — The Kearney Resource and Recovery Facility received the 2023 Scott Wilbur Award and Best in Class for a medium sized facility and were recognized during the Kearney city council meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 14.
The Kearney Water Resource and Recovery Facility (WRRF), formerly the Wastewater Treatment facility, is located at 120 Cherry Ave. The staff maintains and operates the facility, including the city’s 15 lift stations.
“We strive to provide the highest level of customer service to the citizens of Kearney, while complying with all health, safety, and environmental permit requirements. We strive to prevent all negative environmental impacts to the Platte River downstream from the treatment facility,” WRRF Superintendent Clint Smith said.
Smith said the city is a multi-time recipient of the Scott Wilbur Award but said, to his knowledge, this is the first time Kearney has won best in class. He also noted the award came during the largest infrastructure project the city has undertaken to update the facility.
Any member of the Nebraska Water Environment Association is eligible to apply or nominate a fellow member as a possible recipient of the Scott Wilber Award.
The Nebraska Water Environment Association (NWEA) is a non-profit organization comprised of professionals dedicated to protecting Nebraska’s water quality.
Mayor Stan Clouse said he was proud of everything that the WRRF staff does, noting that it takes technically competent people to do their type of work.
Also, during the meeting, Clouse read a proclamation regarding Homelessness and Hunger Awareness Week.
Brian Neben, Central Nebraska Today
Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week is an annual program where people come together across the country to draw attention to the problems of hunger and homelessness. Participating groups spend the week holding a series of educational, service, fundraising, and advocacy events.
During the public hearings, Trenton Snow, surveyor for James Nickman with Blue Water Investments presented the amendment to the city’s Comprehensive Development Plan from Rural Estates, RE, to Commercial Mixed Use, MU3; the zoning change from Agricultural, AG, to Limited Industry, M-1; the preliminary and final plat.
Snow said Nickman wishes to construct an additional storage building, he noted the adjacent property to the west contains the WS Trailer Rentals storage buildings.
It was noted that the property is just barely in the two-mile zoning jurisdiction of the City of Kearney.
Snow did not the storage building will be slightly different that those on the adjacent property, as Nickman plans to use this for storage of his personal property.
The council approved the rezone and final plat.
Next was a subdivision vacation for Lots 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the Greenhill Acres Subdivision, north of 56th St. and west of 46th St.
The application had been submitted by Andrew Hoffmeister, who noted the area was platted in June 1980. He noted he wants to construct a building on the property and the former lots don’t property reflect the use of the land.
“Since 1980, many requirements have changed in regard to platting, right-of-way needs, etc.
These changes were not in the control of the property owner. Therefore, the request for this vacation
is consistent with development in the area,” the City of Kearney stated.
The last hearing was for rezoning and development plan application for the new Schumacher Fencing facility.
Craig Bennett with Miller & Associates presented both applications for the newly constructed business located at 3107 W. Highway 30.
Bennett said Schumacher Fencing wishes to change the zoning for the 3.54 acres from C-3, General Commercial District to C-3/PD, General Commercial District/ Planned Development Overlay District.
The switch will allow the company to add parking at the rear of the building and allow for gravel, rock, crushed concrete, etc. storage.
Schumacher will erect a six-foot privacy fence to hide the storage and add seven spruce trees on the east side of the fence to “soften” the line, Bennett said.
Bennett added that the building is so centered on the west side of the property is to allow for a future addition to the east side.
It was also noted that the berm to the north that accompanies the Kearney Canal acts as a barrier to the north.
The council approved the rezone and development plan application.
On the regular agenda, there was a second reading of the vacation of lots and a rezone for a property located at 77 Sweetwater Ave.
John Krotz, applicant for John Krotz and Michelle Krotz, presented the vacation of Lot 1 in the Buffalo Island Subdivision; the rezone from Agriculture, AG to Rural Residential, RR-1; the preliminary plat and final plat for the property.
Krotz said he had purchased the four acres in the area initially and then three more acres to the north and east.
The plan was to divide the property into three different lots. The council approved the vacation of lots and rezone.
The last item was the payment of open accounts to Goodwill – $116.36; Stan Clouse – $601.45 and Nebraska Public Power District – $128,141.06.
