BEATRICE – Beatrice officials have approved purchase of a home near 19th and Lincoln as the city considers what to do with the intersection that will likely see increased traffic with the new elementary school farther east.


The agreement between the City and Jerry and Mary Bucy is for $225,000. The couple plans to move from Beatrice. Jerry Bucy has served as Executive Director of Keep Beatrice Beautiful and the city has started a search to fill his position, effective January 1st. The home is located at 1908 Lincoln. City officials say the couple came to the city offering the property for purchase.


During a public hearing, Aaron Schoen, of rural Filley questioned the need for the property. Mayor Bob Morgan said since the city will eventually own nearby Lincoln School, it wants to make sure any changes made at the intersection won’t affect other property owners. Schoen is skeptical.


"Essentially, you should just tell the public that you're planning to try to do a round-a-bout there...and no one's saying that....you're not being honest with us."


Morgan said no specific design for the intersection has been determined.   "Whether there is a round-a-bout there or not....has not been decided. We do know that it is in part of the Lincoln plan...but there's also no funding, and there's other options we can look at....at that intersection....other than a round-a-bout."


It is the second property the city has acquired near the intersection….off the northeast corner of 19th and Lincoln. Because this transaction costs more than $100,000, the city must do an appraisal of it. It will contract with Homestead Land Company for the appraisal, for $550.


Facing questions during a public hearing about the acquisition, Councilman Ted Fairbanks defended the action to accept the offer…saying the cost would go up without the willing-seller, willing-buyer arrangement that exists now.  "You could wait...to appease all the questions, and you could spend more. Or, you could do this now and plan ahead, so....your choice."  Fairbanks said “crisis management” is not the way to handle acquiring the property.


In other action Monday night, the city council approved three more owner-occupied housing rehabilitation projects for a total of some $60,000….in a program being administered by the Southeast Nebraska Development District. City Administrator Tobias Tempelmeyer says some grant money remains available in the program.  "After these three are approved, we have $118,000 remaining of grant funds available. SENDD thinks when we're all done, we'll get between 18 and 20 houses repaired, because of this grant."


The three projects approved Monday night all involve local contractors doing the rehab work. Each project can utilize up to nearly $25,000. Two of the projects were for $24,900 each….while a third was for $10,340.