Requests For 4th Street Property Proposals Approved 4-2; Housing Study Update

WAYNE – Tuesday’s regularly scheduled Wayne City Council meeting offered more discussion on possible development of property for housing along with a housing study update.

From the council chambers inside City Hall, mayor Cale Giese issued a proclamation making the week of September 12 – 18 “National Assisted Living Week”. A representative from Kinship Pointe, Lexi Curnyn was on hand and stated they’ll be celebrating their 25th anniversary of their building being a part of Wayne on Saturday, September 11 between 1 – 4 p.m. and will also be hosting Friday morning Chamber Coffee on September 10 at 10 a.m.

Council also set the Property Tax Request for 2021-22 and adopted the 2021-22 Budget.

Riah Deane with the Northeast Nebraska Economic Development District then led the public hearing on submitting information for a Community Development Block Grant pertaining to Owner Occupied Rehab funds. City of Wayne will be applying for the $315,000 grant in conjunction with the Wayne Community Housing Development Corporation who will be utilizing the funds.

The no-match grant will feature $250,000 being used for rehab of 10 houses. As of Tuesday’s meeting, eight have expressed interest to WCHDO.

Majority of the meeting highlighted the development of eight acres of the 4th street property and updates on the 2020 census and housing study.

The housing study should be complete in November and dated for December of 2021 for possible tax increment financing (TIF) funds to be used on house projects as long as the housing study is no older than two years.

The current housing study will replace the 2016 study. The $16,000 housing study will allow council and the CRA to approve TIF for vertical construction. This is an option for developers.

Of the three housing studies, as of Tuesday’s meeting the housing survey had 111 responses; workforce housing had 15 responses and student housing had four responses.

Visit cityofwayne.org/housingsurveys2021 and complete the housing survey.

Link: Housing Survey
Link: Workforce Housing Survey
Link: Student Housing Survey

 

Paper copies are also available at City Hall, Wayne Area Economic Development office, Wayne Public Library and Wayne Community Activity Center. The survey will be available through Friday, September 24.

An area that is above the flood plain known as the old community gardens/brush pile/tree farm/upper rugby-soccer fields was also addressed. Council approved 4-2 (two councilmembers excused) to direct city staff to solicit “Requests for Proposals” for the development of this property for housing.

Main topics to address would be a dollar figure, timeline, what funds will be used and what the property’s intended use would be.

The 2020 census for population in the City of Wayne grew 5.5% from 2010 to 2020 from 5,660 to 5,973 gaining 313 people compared to just being up 83 people from 2000 to 2010.

Council also approved the scope of services and a task order through JEO Consulting Group, Inc. for the “Aquarius Tank Maintenance Project” at the Wastewater Treatment Facility. The diffusers blow air into the sewer holding cells under the Aquarius tanks.

Diffusers should be replaced periodically as their life span is 5 – 10 years. The current system was installed in 2011.

The best time to work on this project would be when Wayne State College is out of session and would take a solid month to complete. An initial estimate on price was roughly $300,000 as there are around 1,444 diffusers among the 24 different tanks with most of the cost coming from the labor to get to the diffusers with special equipment.

A contract was then accepted for a 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD 4WD Double Cab 149” work truck for the electric distribution department from Arnie’s Ford. This was through the State Bid System priced at $32,261 to replace the current 2011 natural gas pick-up has 177,000 miles on it.

The next regularly scheduled Wayne City Council meeting will be on Tuesday, September 21 at 5:30 p.m.

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