By Tina Kitt
    The Wauneta Breeze
    
     Two ordinances were passed during last week's regular meeting of the Wauneta Village Board - one giving formal recognition to Wauneta's ongoing backflow program and the other implementing building permits and zoning fees to help cover administrative costs.
     Utilities Superintendent Bill Bischoff explained the need for the ordinance which addresses regulations on water cross-connections and backflows, with the ordinance necessary to be in compliance with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.
     The measures help protect the quality and safety of the public water supply, noted Bischoff.
     He reassured the board that the steps needed for residents to remedy these risks will not be burdensome.
     "Backflow devices are fairly simple and easy to install, especially residential," said Bischoff.
     Appliances that could pose a risk include among many others heat pumps, boilers and water softeners. Facilities that could pose risks include agricultural chemical plants, medical buildings, mortuaries, car washes, feed lots, beauty salons, sewage treatment and pumping stations, etc.
     In approving the ordinance, the board waived the first and second readings, approving it on the third reading in order to facilitate prompt passage.
     Wauneta's water system and backflow program are slated for state inspection sometime this year, said Bischoff.
     As part of the mandated state compliance, a community survey to assess all cross-connections will be conducted later this month.
     Copies of the 10-page ordinance are available at the Wauneta Village Office, Valley Bank and Trust and the post office.
     The other ordinance approved last week after waiving of the required first two readings, Ordinance 2005-1, allowed for the Village of Wauneta to collect the following fees:
     1. Building permit for new construction: $1 per $1,000 of construction up to first $20,000 and 50 cents per $1,000 from $20,000 to $100,000, with a minimum charge of $10.
     2. Building permit for alterations: $1 per $1,000 of construction, with a $10 minimum.
     3. Application for certificate of occupancy on a newly constructed home: $5.
     4. Application for zoning amendment: $50.
     5. Application for a variance: $50.
     6. Application for a conditional use permit: $30.
    
    Main street project
    in line for 2006 funding
     During a public hearing on the Village's one-and-six road plan held just prior to the Village Board meeting, engineer Greg Wolford told the board that the planned work on Tecumseh and Arapahoe is slowly, but surely, nearing.
     "If it is not bid this spring it will be bid next fall for sure," said Wolford, with work then likely to begin in 2006. He noted that questions have been answered that have arisen since the Village Board voted to replace water and sewer lines at the time the streets are replaced, allowing for the project to move forward.
     The other good news, said Wolford, is that the state okayed the water and sewer work in its 80 percent funding for the projects.
     In reviewing other aspects of the one-and-six plan, Wolford said the streets in Wauneta are in pretty good shape overall, with the annual armor coating and crack sealing paying off.
     One addition to the one-and-six is curb and gutter work at the end of Pawnee Street. It was added to the six-year phase and will be included with the work done on the Tecumseh and Arapahoe project.
     The gravel roads around the park are still slated for a shot of double armor coating, according to the plan.
     Talks about the rough railroad crossings have also been held with NKC Railroad since they acquired the track from Burlington Northern, reported Bischoff. Plans are shaping up for overlay work to be done this spring which will temporarily improve the crossings until work on the street replacement project begins. At that time it may be possible for the railroad ties to be replaced with concrete slabs, with the Village and railroad working together to cover the expense.
    
    Further business
     In other business, the board:
     • Approved the timeline and billing schedule presented by Rod Keiser of Champa Group to proceed with an official Wauneta Web site. The majority of the work will be done in March, with plans in place to have the site fully functioning by March 29. The Village will pay $2,000 for Keiser's services.
     • Heard a report from member Ted Grimm on an upcoming flood plain review planned for Wauneta. Grimm said the local NRD will conduct a review this fall. He was told that all property sitting lower than the top of the river dike will likely continue be classified as the flood plain.
     • Listened to the concerns of Dorothy Gauger relating to the speakers and scoreboard at the ball park. Gauger asked if the speakers could be mounted on the concession stand and pointed out away from neighboring homes instead of in center field. The speakers and scoreboard were new last year, donated to the community by the Harchelroad family. Several members of the ball park committee were on hand to hear the complaints and said they would work together to come up with a solution.
     • Heard from Bischoff in his superintendent's report that the No. 3 well has been repaired at a cost of $1,300. Bischoff also told the board he had a lead on a good used street sweeper that was reasonably priced. The board authorized him to travel to Durant, Okla., to check out the equipment. If the 1993 Elgin Pelican sweeper proves as good as it sounds, the board authorized Bischoff to purchase the sweeper for $7,500.
     • Agreed to proceed with plans to allow for the sale of the back portion of the gazebo lot on main street. At last month's meeting Steve Noble approached the board to discuss the possibility of purchasing the property in order to construct a metal building there. Since then, other neighboring property owners have indicated they would be interested in purchasing the property. Bischoff will check with the county assessor for the footage and legal description of the partial lot. If it can be sold, the property will be put up for bids. The Village will retain ownership of the landscaped gazebo area.
     • Gave the okay for Grimm to purchase a $200 pruning saw attachment for a weed trimmer. Grimm and his wife, Joyce, have voluntarily undertaken tree-trimming projects in town, especially along the river berm and at the park.
     • Agreed to look into joining other area towns in their requests to be included in discussions concerning the Upper Republican NRD's integrated management plan. According to state statutes, municipalities should be invited to consult and collaborate on the IMP as it could be used to determine water allocations to towns, affecting future business development and opportunities.
     • Learned Wauneta will be included in a University of Nebraska arsenic study, with quarterly samples taken at no cost to the Village as the university conducts tests on the effects of variable pumping conditions on arsenic levels present in the town's drinking water supply.
     • Discussed buying back cemetery plots from owners who no longer plan to use Riverside Cemetery as a burial site. The Village would then resell the plots.