CITY: ‘Drive-through closed for foreseeable future’’
been relocated to the second floor and opened for normal hours Tuesday, May 7.
“Things will look a little different, in the interim, while we complete renovations,” Schmidt said. “The City Clerk, Deputy Clerk/Zoning Administrator, and Utility Clerk will be located upstairs.”
Instructions, supplies and a courtesy phone are on a table on the ground floor near the entrance to where the offices used to be. If you need assistance in contacting someone, pick up the phone and it will automatically start ringing upstairs. “Someone will help you as quickly as possible. There’s no need to dial a number,” Schmidt said.
Some paperwork was damaged beyond saving. It was dried out and shredded. Schmidt said much of it was old personnel records long past the time required to be saved. Records in the vault were damp but not destroyed. As of Tuesday morning, rows of tables in the auditorium were covered with paperwork continuing to dry. “It could have been much worse,” Schmidt said of the records loss.
There is no total dollar amount of damages yet. The copier and postal machine were both ruined to the tune of more than $10,000. No structural damage has been estimated. “We’ve given it to our insurance company,” Schmidt said.
City workers did not have time off while offices were closed.
“Everybody was here putting the pieces back together,” Schmidt said. “We weren’t doing what we normally do. We turned into movers and cleaners.” He added that workers from nearly every city department also pitched in.
Also involved in the recovery are Kirkpatrick Cleaning, Absolute Plumbing, Cole Electric, EZ IT, State Glass of Grand Island, Great Plains Communications, Custer County Construction and Eakes Office Supply.
Renovations were already planned for the city offices on the south end of the ground floor. As repairs are made, those renovations will be made. According to Schmidt, at best, it will be a couple of months before personnel moves back to the first floor. Until then, the drivethrough box on the south side of the building will be closed.
“The drive-through will be closed for the foreseeable future,” Schmidt said. “People can drop payments off in the night box (at the front of the building), use the courtesy phone, go upstairs, pay online or use the mail.”
He acknowledges it will be different and appreciates the public’s understanding. “We thank you for your patience and understanding as we navigate this unfortunate situation,” he said.
No official rain total was available for Thursday however Schmidt said he heard that the rain amounted to an inch to an inch and a half.
Note that the May 14 City Council meeting will be held at the Broken Bow Public Library due to election day.