BEATRICE – The Beatrice City Council has declared three current elementary school buildings blighted and substandard. The move opens up the possibility of tax increment financing for development of the sites, once the buildings are demolished. Beatrice Public Schools will begin using a new prekindergarten to fifth grade building this coming school year.


City Administrator Tobias Tempelmeyer says the sites qualify under state law to be declared blighted. "Largely, part of it is that any building that is over 40-years of age is automatically designated as blighted and substandard. Well, everybody knows the buildings themselves are all over 40-years of age, so it checks that box and qualifies."


Stoddard Elementary will be part of redevelopment area number two. "It's adjacent to area number two, which is the downtown. And so we have an amendment to area two that will draw a leg and pick up where Stoddard School is at. When we're all done, assuming you pass all of these tonight, we'll be at 34%. The city is allowed to have 35% of the city designated blighted and substandard."


The city has made adjustments to boundaries of redevelopment areas to stay within the 35% limitation. Lincoln Elementary School will become a part of redevelopment area number 11…..and Paddock Lane, redevelopment area 12…two newly designated areas. Public hearings were held on the changes, Monday night. The council adopted general redevelopment plans for the three sites, which allow for a variety of possible uses. Councilman Ted Fairbanks says much discussion preceded Monday night’s actions.


"Discussions here, discussions with the school...and the school district. It isn't just being passed on easily, it's actually been discussed."


Tempelmeyer estimates that between the three school sites, there could be room for 50-to-60 homes, if they are developed for residential areas.
The Beatrice Community Preschool building, formerly Cedar School, was already in an area declared blighted and substandard.


In other action Monday night, the city voted to purchase property from Lynn and Lynette Reiff, located at the northwest corner of Fourth and Scott, for a total of $9,500.  Officials also approved a lease of city right-of-way which will allow Zoellner Design Company to install a 9-by-90-foot awning on their business along Ella Street. The lease is for a dollar, annually.


Officials also recommended Nebraska Liquor Commission approval of a Class-C license for new owners of Michael J’s, at 831 West Court Street.