A Minute With the Mayor

November 26, 2014 Leave a comment


Happy Thanksgiving! As we gather together with family and friends to give thanks for all the wonderful blessings we have been given this past year, I wanted to say thanks to all of you for making Lyons such a great place to live. I am so blessed to be mayor of this wonderful little community. It is hard to count all the wonderful things this past year we have accomplished. All of it made possible because of your belief in the fact that all things are possible when we put our collective minds to it!

One of those many wonderful things I’m thankful for is the remodeling of the auditorium. I know many of you are curious about the progress being made. Unlike the pool where progress was visible out in the open, the auditorium is not transforming before our eyes because it is all in-doors. I can tell you it is transforming. The floor of the old fire hall has been removed and is being prepped for a new flat one. The men’s and handicap bathrooms are gone. Even a large portion of the central wall has been torn down to open up the space between the two rooms. When the new floor to ceiling windows go in where the bay garage doors are now is when things will really start to look good. So we are making progress.

We had the election. It looks like we will have a new council member for the first time in eight years. Congratulations to Kyle Brink who will be taking over for Roger Anderson. I think Kyle will make a fine addition to the council. I’m excited to get to work with him. I do however want to give a big “thank you” to Roger for all his years of service to the City of Lyons. Lyons is a better place because of Roger’s commitment to the future of this community. He has been a constant source of knowledge and level headedness. He has given selflessly of his time and energy all in the name of community improvement. I’m a better mayor thanks in part to Roger’s wisdom and counsel. It takes a special type of person to be a city council person. Roger has proven to be a very special person in my book. Roger’s last council meeting as a councilman is December’s. Please take the time when you see him to thank him for his service to Lyons. He deserves a big pat on the back!

As we move forward towards the next four years, part of me hopes we are as busy as or busier than we have been the last four years. The other part of me hopes it is a lot less! I feel good about the direction the city moving. Like I said, we have lots of things to be thankful for. I hope you all feel the same way.   Enjoy your holiday. Good luck with your power shopping on Friday! Take care, be safe and we’ll talk to you soon.

 

Mayor Andy Fuston

Mayor Andy Fuston

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A Minute with the Mayor

October 21, 2014 Leave a comment


Can you believe October is almost over! It sure has been a beautiful fall so far. The leaves have been vibrant this year.   I just can’t wait for this nice weather to get over so we can start experiencing the harsh cold of winter. (Who says a mayor can’t have a sense of humor!)

The pool is pretty much ready to go for next summer. The health department will have to come back before it opens to sign off on a couple of minor things that weren’t quite done when they came for their inspection in September. We won’t take final possession of it from the contractor until it has passed its final inspection so we will have the winter to see how it fairs. I’m excited for everyone to see all the neat features up close.  In the meantime, just keep thinking warm thoughts and pool season will be here before we know it.

The second phase of the community center renovation has been bid out and Fauss Construction came in with the winning bid. They are the construction company that had the bid for the first phase of construction. The second phase is the meat and potatoes phase. Most of the renovation will take place moving forward. It is going to be really cool when it is completed. Again thank you for your patience as we move through the renovation phase. It is going to be well worth it in the end.

The water tower has been repaired. There was some maintenance issues happening with the inside of the tank that fell under warranty work that needed to get completed. The catalytic protection system was replaced to help prevent future rust issues and the drain valve in the base of the tank was also repaired. We should be good to go for another forty years (knock on wood).

We are working on upgrading the electrical system at the camp ground in the park. We will be upgrading the camp ground hookups to be able to accommodate larger campers. Oh, and if you are wondering what caused oil-like streaks on the streets last week, it was the garbage truck. I guess a hydraulic hose busted and the drive was unaware that it had occurred. The city did go around and try to hit the heavily affected areas to soak up the fluid. Hope it helped.

Not much else has been going on. The auditors will be coming soon to do their annual financial audit of the city. We are not anticipating any issues. The new budget was filed with the Nebraska state auditor’s office and the county clerk’s office. We have applied for a grant to help with an additional baler for the recycling center and are working on a grant to help us with a lighting/sidewalk project for downtown Main Street. As you read in a previous article, the city has signed up for a city credit card. It is just too difficult to do business without having one anymore. It is the right thing to do and will make doing city business more convenient.

November 4th is quickly approaching. Because the big room of the community center will be under construction, we plan on moving the election booths into the old library or room right across from the city office door. It will be a little tighter quarters but we have new table top election booths that will take up a lot less space. Thank you to all the Election Day ladies who run the voting process for putting up with the change of location within the community center. Please take time to go vote that Tuesday. This is your opportunity to voice your happiness or frustrations with your elected officials; at all levels of government. So take a few minutes out of your day and go vote. You won’t regret that you did. That’s all I got for now. I’ll just sign off saying one last thing. “GO ROYALS” Win the Series! Talk to you soon.

Mayor Andy Fuston

Mayor Andy Fuston

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A Minute With the Mayor

September 22, 2014 Leave a comment


Hey, it’s me Andy, the mayor! I wasn’t sure if you would remember me since it has been so long since I’ve written to you. I apologize for my absence from the paper. I hadn’t felt like I had anything new to talk about and I didn’t want to bore you with the same old thing but we are seeing enough progress in some ongoing projects that I felt it was time for an up-date.

The pool has water in it and new sod around it if you haven’t noticed. Although a full pool is only for a short time it is a significant milestone. They are testing all the pumps and chemical equipment this week to make sure everything works properly and waiting for the Department of Health to come and conduct their inspection. If all goes well, we will be able to wrap up the construction and be ready for next pool season. It has been a long, arduous journey but it seems like we are finally nearing the end of the line. I can’t wait for next summer!

I understand there have been lots of questions about the auditorium/community center, especially when it is going to be ready. If the pool project has taught us anything, it is to not give hard deadlines about when projects of this magnitude are going to be completed. I would love to tell you a specific date or a specific month but that wouldn’t be fair to those looking to utilize the community center.   The best I can tell you right now is spring (beginning, mid or late, I don’t know!) What I do know is that the rest of the project is going out for bid this month. Once the bids are received we will have a much better idea of a time frame for all the remodeling. Just know that the end product will be transformative in nature. If we are able to accomplish all that we wish too, the new and improved Lyons community center will have been worth the wait. So if you are someone who is chomping at the bit to reserve the community center next year, have patience please. If you were hoping to have some event in it this winter, we can’t make any promises. I will however let you know the minute it

Mayor Andy Fuston

Mayor Andy Fuston

is open for business! We want to show it off as much as you want to be able to use it!

The 2015 budget has been submitted to the state for the start of the October 1st fiscal year. The budget process is becoming more and more complex year after year as we apply for and receive grants in one year but spend them in the following year due to how projects ebb and flow across multiple years. We have applied for a street light grant for Main Street and will be applying for other grants as they come up throughout the year. They are great to receive but the play havoc on the budget process as I said. But overall the budget is sound and conscientious. Your city council will continue to spend your tax dollars and utility dollars wisely.

Have you noticed (it’s hard not to have!) the new house going up at 3rd and Diamond. We are seeing the fruits of our partnership with Three Rivers Housing happening there. It is going to be a nice addition to that area of town. Speaking of new construction isn’t Steiny’s General Store looking great! What a wonderful addition to downtown. The same can be said of Dolezal’s Hunting Depot. Both are just another sign that Lyons is moving in the right direction. The company that built the water tower is going to begin doing some warranty maintenance on it beginning late September or early October. During that time the water system will be operating on the high service pumps at the water plant to provide the water pressure the town requires. Not sure how long the maintenance work will last but if you notice any water pressure fluctuation, which hopefully you won’t, it will be for this reason. Lastly the city is looking into updating its blight study to help us capture some tax increment financing to help with future city projects. The city has been working with Burt County Economic Development to better understand what and how T.I.F. monies are used.

Well, I think that is all I have for now. November 4th is quickly approaching so it is time to be thinking about exercising your obligation to vote. You will have plenty of decisions to make this election-new U.S. senator, Governor, school board and city council. It is amazing what can happen when the right people for the job are elected to those positions. That’s it for now. Hope life for you is going well. We’ll talk soon. Take care.

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A Minute With The Mayor

June 2, 2014 Leave a comment


Mayor Andy Fuston

Mayor Andy Fuston

I’ve been thinking recently about first impressions. It is said that first impressions are lasting impressions. I believe that. I think you really only get one chance to make that first impression. Whether positive or negative, it will always be there. Now, can someone’s impression be changed over time – sure it can. But isn’t it easier to start out with a positive first impression than a negative one? A positive first impression starts you out on the right foot. You can quickly build on that impression with more positive experiences. It can also provide you with more time to correct negative perceptions that might follow the initial impression. On the other hand, a negative first impression starts you off in a hole. It can take even longer to positively change a negative impression into a positive one. That is why first impressions are lasting impressions. Because they set the expectation for everything at comes next.

As a community we’ve been working on our first impressions. The new pool, some relative new buildings and homes dot our landscape as a community. However, I will be the first to admit that Lyons’ first impression is hampered by age. The entrance into Lyons from the highway is non-descript. Main Street is a bumpy ride. We have some houses, buildings and lots that need some TLC. We are not unlike most small rural communities when it comes to issues like this and that’s ok. We are making progress which is different from some of those same communities. We are a work in progress and I’m proud to be able to say that. Because progress is the key.

I bring this up because Lyons has a great opportunity in showcase that progress on June 13th. BRAN (Bicycle Ride Across Nebraska) will be spending the last night of their journey in our little community. Folks, we are talking over seven hundred people plus coming to spend the day and night in Lyons.   That’s like three quarters of the total population of our community!   They will be walking around town, eating in our restaurants and at our food vendor locations. They will be at the school, down at the park, walking and riding up and down Main Street and everywhere in-between. Think about the first impression we are going to be making on all these people as a community.

The town infrastructure will help us some but not enough to “wow” anybody. It is a reality that we must live with. But there is something that can be done to really make a great and lasting first impression: WE show those seven hundred plus people just how friendly, kind and helpful Lyons really is. WE can go out of our way to be hospitable and friendly. WE can open our hearts and treat them like family. WE can mingle and ask what we can do to make their brief stay with us the best it possibly can be. WE can join them for lunch and supper, eating with them at all the great locations around town that will be set up for meals. PLEASE feel free to join in the fun and partake in what is going on that day and next morning. Lots of people have been organizing for months to pull this off. The Lyons Community Club has taken this challenge and run with it. Different organizations around town have stepped up to the plate to offer meals (yes they are all fundraisers for those organizations but they didn’t have to do it). Vendors are coming in to sell their wares. What we need now is community participation. So consider yourselves all invited to this giant outdoor celebration of a 470 mile journey. I hope you decide to participate.

We have a great opportunity to make a great first impression here. Lyons will be on display to people who might have never even heard of Lyons before. Let’s do the very best we can to make a positive first impression. Make sure yards are mowed and weeds are pulled. Be nice to strangers. Better yet turn those strangers into friends! Be an active participant in the day’s festivities. This this a great chance for us to make a positive and lasting first impression.   I know we can do it. We’ve had lots of practice and have succeeded many times at it in the past. Let’s just not let our guard down with this one. Let’s hit this one out of the ballpark! Thanks in advance for all your efforts. Talk to you soon.

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A Minute With the Mayor

March 17, 2014 Leave a comment


 

Happy St. Patty’s Day!  Hope the luck of the Irish was with you.  I tell you it sure feels like Lyons is being blessed with a little Irish luck these days.  We are a busy little community with lots of wonderful things going on.  The pool is coming along.  They are still a little behind schedule but with the warm weather they should be able to kick it into high gear.  The roof line is taking shape on both the bath and pump house.  It is going to be a very different looking skyline down that way that will really make the pool and park a public draw.

We’ve made it to the second round for the auditorium grant from the Department of Economic Development.  We will be submitting a grant proposal for $375,000.00 to help with the auditorium renovation.  If we were to be awarded the full amount, it would effectively allow us to complete all phases of the remodel right away.  We have the matching funds, the architectural and engineering designs and the numbers to make for a compelling application.  The application has to be in by March 29th and a final decision will be made by the 30th of April.  Because this is such a big financial opportunity, we decided to delay the remodeling until after the award date.  Any money spent on the project before the award date couldn’t be used as matching funds for the DED grant.  I know this has put some kinks into renting out the auditorium for spring and summer events but we felt it was the financially prudent thing to do with such a large sum of money on the line.  The one thing that will be started before the award date is the asbestos removal around some pipes and that found in the glue holding the tile floors down.  We wanted all that done before the May 1st so the general contractor, Faust Construction, could get started right after the award date.  I would ask everyone to draw on their “Irish” luck so this pot at the end of the rainbow comes true for us the end of April!

We are also feeling quite lucky these days as Steiny’s General Store is expanding by building a new building on Main Street.  It will be on the two empty lots at 2nd and Main.  Steiny and Kay Steinmeyer have owned the lot next to the street for some time and has recently acquired the lot of the old accountant building from the city that was demolished last year.  Construction on that new building will be taking place in the near future.  Folks, this is such exciting news for our downtown Main Street!  This is a huge shot in the arm for building up our downtown corridor.  We are also expecting some additional new businesses that will soon be coming to downtown.  Keeping our commercial buildings occupied helps keep our buildings in good repair.  A full downtown also keeps people full of hope for our future.  I know we recently learned that the L&M dress shop is closing its doors but I am confident that that building will attract a new business to take its place.  Lyons is moving in the right direction and the private and public investment that is going on is proving that.

Mayor Andy Fuston

Mayor Andy Fuston

We are even seeing the positive momentum from the county wide housing survey that was recently completed.  Lyons is the place folks want to live.  By the way, I want to thank you as community members for taking the time to fill these types of surveys out when we need you to.  Lyons consistently has the highest return rate.  That says to folks in town and outside of town that Lyons as a community is committed to participating in the process.  You get it and understand that providing your feedback is a vital step in the process of continually trying to improve ourselves.  So thank you for taking the time to fill those out when you are asked to do so.  Anyway, the housing study results show we could really benefit from rental houses and moderate income affordable housing.  This isn’t really new for us but it again tells us that our partnership with Three Rivers Housing is on the right track for providing this type of housing as is our program for giving city owned lots free and clear to folks who plan to build new construction on them.  We are all in this together and together we make good things happen.  This all makes me think that we should be looking into building a new school instead of talking about consolidation.  I think we should be dreaming big.  What about you?

We can talk about the other less exciting things happening around the city but the list is kind of short these days.  We will be filling cracks in some of the streets shortly.  We donated the old auditorium chairs (the metal ones) to the fire department.  We are in the process of a water, sewer and natural gas study.  All will require some adjustments to keep up with rising costs and infrastructure improvements and up-keep.  The Center for Rural Affairs is working on their own grant that will involve Lyons and a few surrounding towns.  It will place public works of art in each community that is designed and constructed in that community.  Should be a fun project to participate in.  All of these things are resulting in making Lyons a better place to live.  I know this doesn’t happening without a lot of hard work by a lot of good and dedicated people.  Some would even say you make your own luck by putting effort into whatever you are trying to accomplish.  I would say those folks are right.  You shouldn’t depend on the lottery for your retirement savings, right!  However, I do think good luck makes more good luck and minimizes any bad luck you might have along the way.  So we’ll continue to work hard making Lyons a strong community but we’ll also take a little “luck of the Irish” along the way as well!  Every little bit helps!  That’s it for now.  We’ll talk to you soon.  Enjoy the warmer weather!

 

 

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