Norfolk Daily News

Monday – February 4, 2008

Developer offers to donate land near hospital olong Highway 275

The list of possibilities for new space for Norfolk municipal offices continues to grow.

During the city council’s finance committee Monday morning, developer Paul Medelman offered to donate to the city two acres of land directly south of Faith Regional Health Services with frontage along Highway 275.

He estimated the developed value of the property at $600,000.

“If there is some interest, I’d like to show it to you,’’ Medelman said.

Two more suggestions also came to the table
Gary Miller, city purchasing agent, said they are the Nebraska Health and Human Services building, which the owner leases to the state and is located directly east of the Norfolk Police Division, and the former Maple Park trailer court, which is located a block north of the city auditorium and is listed for sale.

The council already has 10 other possibilities for office space to consider as well as a 90-day option, taken in mid-December, to buy the former First Christian Church building on North 13th Street. It’s also weighing whether to partner with other agencies interested in pursuing a single building for co-located offices.

The finance committee voted unanimously Monday to refer the sites to a subcommittee to identify specific goals and plans, according to the motion made by council member Vicki Saunders. Council President Jim Brenneman said the subcommittee also should be given the authority to make specific recommendations to the council.

Consideration of potential sites is on the agenda for Monday night’s city council meeting, but Mike Nolan, city administrator, said he didn’t have anything prepared for presentation. Mayor Gordon Adams said the new possibilities would be given to the subcommittee and could also be introduced at Monday night’s meeting.

Nolan said the city has a good handle on what it needs for office space but not on what’s needed by the other agencies. The agencies last week turned in estimates on office space to the mayor but didn’t include information on how much money they could provide.

Tom Schommer, coordinator of the Shared Facilities Work Group, said there is overwhelming support to move forward with research on a combined facility.

But Nolan said there is nothing in the city budget for a study, so any funds would have to be taken from cash reserves. A study couldn’t be done for under $5,000 or $10,000, he said.

In other action, the finance committee rejected a proposed change in city ordinance that would enable the Norfolk Rescue Mission to house homeless Level 3 sexual offenders, also known as sexual predators.

Council members who were opposed said an exception shouldn’t be made to city code because it would encourage such individuals to move to Norfolk.

City code doesn’t allow such offenders, who have been released from prison and treatment, to live within 500 feet of a day care center. There is a day care on 10th Street within that distance of the rescue mission.

Exceptions are allowed under state law for treatment centers operated by the state or other political subdivision. The Rev. Will Perrigan, the mission’s director, asked the council to add an exception for privately funded organizations so the mission could offer housing.

The committee also voted unanimously to approve two resolutions to place the issue of starting a keno lottery on the May 13 primary ballot.

Proceeds, which have been estimated as much as $400,000 annually, would be used for park and recreation improvements the first four years. A public hearing would then be held to consider changing the purpose for which the funds would be used.