Sutton Council changes meeting time slot each month, approves extension of downtown project
The City of Sutton’s active vacant properties listing was cut in half during the monthly meeting of the Sutton City Council, reducing the number of active properties from eight to four.
In a report from 5-Rule Rural Planning, which has managed the vacant property listings since its inception a few years ago, the Kearney-based firm recommended that four properties within the Sutton city limits be removed from the active property list including the following properties:
• 603 East Maple, a property owned by Jeremiah Wiemer, stating that significant improvements have been made to the property by Wiemer;
• Property owned by the Sheridan family, located on the southeast corner of Saunders Ave., and Highway 6 in Sutton, sharing that a structure has been removed from the property;
• 215 North Main, a property owned by Sara Farley, sharing that the property has been sold to the Sutton Community Redevelopment Authority (CRA), and will eventually be used as a practice burn for the Sutton Volunteer Fire Department; and
• 111 South Butler, owned by Kenny Moore, sharing that Moore has demonstrated that the building is being used for legitimate commercial use.
Council members approved the properties removal from the active list.
4 PROPERTIES REMAIN ON SUTTON’S VPR LISTING The four active properties that remain on the VPR list and will have additional liens filed against them following Monday night’s meeting include the following: • 105 North Way, owned by Yolanda Chavez, and the life estate of Juan M. Lopez-Hernandez, with a balance owed in liens of $1,750;
• 305 South Saunders Ave., owned by Felipe Jr. and Marlen Flores, with a balance owed in liens of $1,750;
• 203 South Maltby, owned by San Juanita and Arturo Bautista, with a balance owed in liens of $1,750; and
• 506 East Elm, owned by Maria Teresa Miranda and Irene Hernandez, with a balance owned of $11,250.
MEETING CHANGE Council members approved changing city council meetings, which are on the second Monday of each month to remain that way each month, but the start time will move to 6:30 p.m. from 8 p.m.
The vote was tight, as two council members, Clancy Timmermans and Larry T. Nuss voting against the change, while Mike Newman and Reed Stone voted for the approval of the change, forcing the deciding vote on to mayor Tim Anderson, who broke the tie with a vote for the time change.
The next meeting will be at 6:30 p.m., Monday, Feb. 10.
DTR PROJECT EXTENDED Council members approved the extension of a revitalization project for the north half of Sutton’s Saunders Avenue business revitalization project to May 6, 2026, following the July 2023 tornado that forced many businesses in that area to close, relocate, and work to repair the buildings along the west side of that stretch of the business district.
Originally, the City of Sutton entered into a contract for the project with the Nebraska Department of Economic Development Nov. 21, 2022.
If the extension is accepted by the NDED, the original contract that was to end May 6, 2025, will have a one-year extension added so that work can be completed, much like what was done to the downtown area’s south half of the business district.
IN OTHER BUSINESS
The Sutton Council approved Maury’s Place to remain open until 2 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 15, the night of the 35th annual Pheasants Forever Rainwater Chapter’s annual banquet.
Council members also authorized the City of Sutton to advertise for bids the following three items;
• The city’s compost dump ground for a threeyear lease that would begin May 1, 2025 for the farming of said property. Bids will be received until 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 5 at City Hall;
• For seasonal mowing and trimming of the Sutton City Cemetery in north Sutton. Bids for this will be accepted at City Hall until Thursday, Feb. 6, at 2 p.m.; and
• For the 2025 street repair projects, which include the Forrest Street and Maltby Ave. intersection, the Ada Street parking project, as well as a project along East Hickory, next to the Nolde Center.
