City To Save With LED Lights

COUNCIL ALSO VOTES TO SELL FORMER VFW BUILDING

LINCOLN — The city will save almost $20,000 a year in energy costs by replacing lights at its softball and baseball fields with new LED lights, according to information provided to Lincoln City Council last week.

Council members voted March 21 to purchase the new lights, using incentives provided by SWEPCO.

Lights for the baseball field, concession stand and batting cage will cost $32,500, with SWEPCO paying back an incentive of $16,861, which would make the city’s net project cost $15,638. It is estimated the project will pay for itself in energy cost savings in about 18 months.

The annual energy cost savings to the city using LED lights would be $10,500.

Lights for the softball field will cost $25,193, with an incentive of about $15,000, making Lincoln’s net project cost just over $10,000. The project will pay for itself in 13 months. The annual energy cost savings to the city using LED lights at the softball field would be about $9,000.

Lincoln Consolidated School District owns the fields but the city leases and has the responsibility of maintaining the fields and property.

In other action, City Council, after much discussion, voted to sell the former VFW building at 114 W. Park St., to Richard and Lindsey Skelton for the $22,500 asking price.

The city listed the property with Team Ag Real Estate and Appraisals and received three offers. In the second offer, Neil Helm with Helm Living Trust offered $10,000. Joshua and Kendra Moore offered $15,000 and their proposal also included purchasing the former City Cafe building.

The former City Cafe building, located at 107 Boyer St., is not listed with Team Ag, though the City Council has discussed selling both pieces of property. City officials earlier had decided to try to sell the VFW building first.

Council members discussed at length the advantage of accepting Joshua and Kendra Moore’s offer because it would allow the city to get rid of both buildings.

“I’m torn,” said Alderman Johnny Stowers. “The idea of getting rid of both buildings is very appealing.”

Mayor Rob Hulse pointed out

the city set a price for the property.

“We got a full offer and I think we have to consider that,” Hulse said.

Heather Keenen with Team Ag said she was leery of the Council not accepting the asking price but instead taking a lower offer when the City Cafe building was “not on the table.”

The Council took Keenen’s advice and voted 5- 0 to accept the Skeltons’ offer. Council members Doug and Robin Moore abstained because Joshua and Kendra Moore are their son and daughter-in-law.

Aldermen also voted 5-0, with Doug and Robin Moore again abstaining, to give Hulse the authority to negotiate on trying to sell the City Cafe building.

Keenen said the city could make a counter offer to Joshua and Kendra Moore to see if they would be interested in just the City Cafe building and Hulse said he would like to do that.

In a letter to the city, Rich- ard and Lindsey Skelton said they were interested in purchasing the VFW building and renovating it to make it more appealing from the inside out to help Lincoln. The letter said they hoped one day to use the building for a custom furniture store.

“Our families have a history of residing in Lincoln and we find pride in seeing small towns grow and flourish while still preserving some of its history,” the letter said. “We believe that the square in Lincoln has potential and would love to see it improve and become a place for community.”

In other business, the city reported it received $19,836 from its 1-cent sales tax in January and $19,440 in February. For February revenues, about $6,000 was distributed to the library and about $1,500 distributed to parks and recreation.