Sales Tax Revenue Up In Lincoln

LINCOLN —A sales tax revenue increase for the city was welcome news for the Lincoln City Council at its regular June 10 meeting.

Alderman Doug Hutchens, who sits on the Capital Improvements Committee, told Council members the city’s sales and use tax distribution was $19,078 in May due to the city’s one-cent sales tax. Another penny tax for the library sales and use distribution for May was the same $19,078.

“It was a substantial jump from the last three months,” Hutchens said.

April’s sales tax distribution for both the city and library totalled $ 14,864, which was about the same for March.

“We should start seeing more of an increase with the Lincoln Rodeo and now the car show this month,” Mayor Rob Hulse said.

Rhonda Hulse, city office manager, said “lots of kids” were signing up for the soccer program the city and school district are sponsoring.

“It’s going to be very successful,” said Rhonda Hulse.

“This will be a win-win for everybody,” said the mayor.

In other business, council members approved a special order ordinance to rezone property belonging to the Country Doctors Museum from Residential to Business.

Jody Snider addressed the council about flooding conditions at her home on the east side of town.

“It floods every time it rains,” Snider said. “We’ve had to replace a washer, dryer, freezer, sofa — anything that sets 12-inches up from the floor. There’s black mold in our house due to floods and it’s causing health problems.”

Snider said it isn’t just her house but a church and apartments in the same area.

Mayor Hulse asked Chuck Wood, city manager, about the issue.

“She’s correct,” Wood said. “There has been an ongoing problem with a drainage ditch.”

Wood said since 1993 the city has put in a bigger drain and tiles and had an engineering firm look at the problem. A large bern was put up east of a trailer park in the area to take the water out of town after the engineers report.

“We have cleaned out the ditch and it has grown back up again,” Wood said. “We can try to modify the ditch but I don’t know much we can do. We’ll keep the ditch clean and we’ll keep working on it.”

Wood told Snider that most of the problem is due to houses and businesses being built at a time before engineer reports that would have said the building were set too low and below the crown of the street or highway where they are located.

“And before flood plains were set,” added Alderman Bobby McDonald.

“Well, let’s get together and try to fix the issue,” said Hulse, adding to Snider, “We’ll take it serious, look at it and see what we can do.”

The next Lincoln City Council meeting is scheduled for July 8 at the City Hall.