Squeaky chairs interrupted many council members as folks adjusted their positions. Despite the cookies, even the council members were eager to hit the road after sitting in folding chairs for a few hours.

Rather than gathering in the Council Chambers, last night’s Wayne City Council meeting took place in the City Auditorium’s North Room. This was due to the expected larger-than-average turn out.

The exceptional turn out was largely because of the discussion on Tax Increment Financing, or TIF.

Attorney Mike Bacon discussed TIF at length, reiterating details of the program—what it was to be used for, how to apply and how it works.

Bacon stated that, throughout his travels across Nebraska, he has bragged about Wayne many times in the way the city has dictated the usage of TIF funds.

In addition to the in depth discussion on TIF funding, the Council also approved an application for funding to be used by Ken Jorgensen in construction of his sports bar/restaurant to be built east of McDonalds on 7th Street.

Another application brought before the Council was for the construction of 20 housing units. The funds this application asks for are through the Nebraska Affordable Housing Program Grant. Council members agreed to allow the application to be submitted to the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, but questioned if the builder could meet the deadline for all 20 buildings.

Good news rounded out the meeting.

Council members unanimously agreed to allocating monies from various funds through the city to pay for the lighting at the sports complex on the south east side of town.

Members of the Council were surprised to hear that a group of college kids from UNL have offered to fundraise for, and help construct, the sidewalk that will split the north fields from the southern fields.

Plans to come up last weekend were delayed due to inclement weather, but the group hopes to be in Wayne this weekend to start on the project.