BEATRICE – The City of Beatrice has reached agreement with the Beatrice Public Schools on how to pay for an estimated $4.34 million of street improvements associated with the new prekindergarten to fifth grade school being constructed.  That, despite some hesitation from at least two Beatrice City Councilmen.


Under the agreement, the city would pay for 60% of the cost, with the school district picking up the remaining 40% for improvements to Lincoln Street and 33rd Street. Mayor Bob Morgan said both need improvement, given the expected increase in traffic in that area.


"They certainly need improved....and you also have the challenge of having to move 285 or 300 cars through there at eight o'clock in the morning and at three-thirty at night. I think the one underlining philosophy was to do it right, and to make sure the future city councils and future superintendents and school boards don't have to try to redo this."


Elements of the project, City Administrator Tobias Tempelmeyer says, stem from a traffic study done by the school district…which yielded warranted work, and recommended work.  "What we really ended up doing was taking those things that were warranted...and splitting those 50-50 between the school and the city...and then there were things that were recommended that the city felt would help traffic flow better...we wanted to make sure that those were done so that everything flows well out there. We'll take on those costs. When you added everything up....you came to that 60-40 split."


Improvements include removing asphalt and replacing it with concrete, with curb and gutter and storm drain installation. Both Lincoln and 33rd Streets would have right turn lanes…and center turn lanes on both streets. Paving on 33rd would extend south to a cemetery entrance. It also includes a planned round-a-bout at 33rd and Lincoln.


"The city will provide the funding for this project. The school will reimburse us. The school's going to get some credit for the cost of the water main improvement that's already done out there. They'll get some credit for the building permit they've applied for with the city. The other big one that is part of this agreement...is that within 90 days of the school vacating their four elementary sites...those sites will be transferred to the city of Beatrice. We will work on clearing the properties of asbestos, clearing the buildings there, demolishing them....and work on renovating those sites, whether commercial or residential."


The Beatrice Public School’s share of the project would be paid back to the city over a 20-year-period…estimated at about $3,100 a month…at zero-percent interest. Grant applications will still be made to seek funding to help pay for the project. Tempelmeyer says the arrangement means there would be no tax increases, assessments for street work, or bond issues.


Councilman Terry Doyle said there is an overriding factor for supporting the agreement.  "I think the safety of all of the children around there is probably the primary reason for voting for this. We need the school....there's no question about it...it's a wonderful improvement to our community. I just wish it would have been done in a little bit different way, earlier. That would have solved a lot of problems."


Councilman Tim Fralin also said student and staff safety is the key concern for supporting the agreement, but he also expressed doubts.
"This is about as one-way as it can get. If this thing comes in at over 4.39 million dollars, the school does not get assessed any further value....just the city. We're going to given them $840,000 for those four properties. At no point do they pay any interest. There's about $300,000 of items were going to give them credit for. So, I hope everybody's happy, because the phones are going to blow up...and I'm just going to give them the phone numbers of the people to call. If it wasn't for the safety of the parents, the students and the teachers, I'd vote no."


Mayor Bob Morgan said the agreement was formed with the least amount of impact to the public, by moving priorities around.  The council’s vote to approve the agreement was 6-0, with two members absent from Monday night’s meeting.