City Council approved two Keno grants at their Apr. 7 meeting.

The first grant was for $2,100 to the Kimball Police Department to help fund three days of training during the Aug. 23-25, 2010 time frame. The training will deal with criminal patrol techniques, emphasizing highways and streets, along with the crime often found in the hotels, motels and businesses along these traveled ways. The training will be available to about 35 law enforcement officers in the area.

Payment of the grant is deferred until the training is completed.

A grant of $3,000 was approved for the Ranch Rodeo event scheduled for June 12.

Don Ogle of the South Platte Natural Resource District gave a summary of SPNRD activities affecting Kimball.

Ogle spoke of SPNRD efforts in the areas of forestry, tree replacement, ground water, emergency management and hazard mitigation. He spoke of 13 wells to be drilled in Kimball County to monitor ground water movement.

Rod Horn, SPNRD Director, told of the program to decertify irrigation lands. He said SPNRD has picked up some duties and costs associated with Oliver Reservoir. The state had formerly handled these duties.

City Administrator Harold Fararr introduced the need for appointees to the Joint Airport Zoning Board.

Fararr said, “This board has met maybe once in 15 years.”

He said the board is required and the two vacancies should be filled.

Mayor James Schnell nominated himself and Harold Fararr to fill the vacancies. Council approved.

A Power Point presentation concerning the rail spur project was given by Bob Jenner. The presentation pointed out the costs, sources of revenue and expected benefits of the project.

Fararr reported that the county commissioners will be appointing a representative to explore the benefits of a joint city/county zoning administrator.

The city is zoned while the county is not. However, the commissioners expect to schedule a public hearing on county zoning in the next few months.

A lively discussion on the level of code enforcement expected then ensued.

Fararr asked for council guidance on whether to enforce existing city ordinances or not. He said in the past, after instructing him to enforce the ordinances, council then would not back him.

City Attorney Darrel Huenergardt said enforcement efforts should be prioritized because he would not have time to deal with a large influx of zoning/enforcement cases and associated research.

Council agreed to put a discussion item concerning this matter on a future agenda.

After approving consent items, council adjourned at 7:28 p.m.

Next meeting is Apr. 21.