A North Platte man is steamed that the Golden Spike charges $50 to advertise on their signs, and he voiced is displeasure to the City Council Feb. 2.

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When the meeting was opened to public comment, Bob Killham took the podium. He said he approached Spike director Joann Hoatson and asked about advertising the Wild West memorial at Cody Park on the blue and gold signs around North Platte that direct visitors to the Golden Spike.

Killham said that Hoatson told him that the cost was $50 per sign. At 14 signs total, the price would be $700 per year.

Killham told the Bulletin that he was one of the lead organizers for the Wild West memorial project. He has also addressed the council about rebuilding the Boy Scout cabin that used to be at Cody Park.

Killham insisted that since the signs are posted on city and state property, they cannot be used for making money.

“So therefore, those signs are illegal,” he stated, striking his hand against the podium multiple times for emphasis.

Killham asked the council members for their take on the situation. When City Attorney Doug Stack told him that the public comment portion of the meeting was not for engaging the members of the council, Killham offered his own take on the situation.

“It stinks,” he said.

After the meeting, Hoatson related that the $50 charge went towards the cost of lettering and that the Spike wouldn’t make any money off of it initially. She did concede that after a year or two they might turn a small profit on the venture.

However, she said that her goal was to make the signs reflective, which they are not currently. “If we do that, then it will be a few years before we make any money on them,” she said.

At the end of the council meeting, Stack advised the members to enter an executive session so he could brief them on litigation matters.

The executive session last longer than an hour.

The third ward’s Dan McGuire was not at the meeting. Mayor Marc Kaschke said McGuire was attending a funeral and was unable to attend.

Don Kurre, third ward, took over McGuire’s usual responsibility of making all the motions during the meeting.

Three public hearings were held, though no one spoke at any of them. The first was to adopt an ordinance to add mini-warehouses as a permitted use in light industrial zoning districts.

The second was to allow an application by Kurt Pieper for a conditional use permit to put a grain storage facility at 5700 South Old Highway 83.

The third was to submit an application for a Community Development Block Grant.

The $171,428 loan would be matched by funds from the city and used for infrastructure and storm drainage improvement in the area west from Buffalo Bill Avenue to Adams Avenue and south from Nineteenth Street to Seventh Street.

Kurre said, “Using CDBG grants to revitalize that section of town is an outstanding project. I’m happy to vote yes on this.”

All three hearings were closed and the motions passed 7-0.

In other council business:

• Approved a resolution to issue a warrant for $328,963.61 to Staroska Group Co. for sewer extension work on the Renner Road/Victoria Lane project.

A warrant is like an IOU in that the holder (Staroska) can take it to the bank with the lowest bid on the warrant (in this case, First National Bank) and cash it. The warrant is the city’s guarantee on the funds until a permanent bond is issued.

The payment of additional money to Staroska has been vehemently decried by developer Greg Renner, who blamed Staroska for cost overruns on his failed development on that property.

Renner was not present at the Feb. 2 meeting.

• Approved an application by the Playhouse for a special permit to host a concert on March 11.

• Placed on file a claim by Emily Rivera regarding an invoice for backup of sewer at her property, 602 N. Sherman.

• Ratified an agreement between the city and CGI Communications to create a community video programs.

• Approved mayor’s appointment of Jim Parish, second ward, to replace Don Kurre as the ex officio member of the Golden Spike Board.

• Approved two replats, at 821 E Fifteenth and 2001-2021 W. Thirteenth.