Council expresses support for group home proposal

Nevada may soon be the location of five new group homes for developmental disabled adults.

The Nevada City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to support the efforts of Community Support Services to build the group homes in Nevada and directed Jhan Hurn, Community Support Services executive director, to negotiate with the parks and recreation board to purchase property for the facility.

Hurn told the city council that his organization has received approval from the Missouri Department of Mental Health to build the five group homes in Nevada and the floor plans for the houses have been approved.

Hurn said that they are proposing the build the Highland ICF-MR Group Homes about 1/2 miles from the Nevada Habilitation Center on a 7.67 acre site in Marmaduke Park.

"What I need now is the support of the city," he said.

In addition to purchasing the property, Hurn said they will also need the city to change the zoning on the property from R-1 to R-2 as required by the city code and to amend the city's ordinances to permit the development.

The city's current ordinances require group homes to be located at least one mile apart.

Hurn said they are planning to build the development in two phases. The first phase would include acquiring property, building the infrastructure and building the first two group homes he hopes would open in early 2009.

The second phase would entail developing a waiting list for the other three group homes with the intention of opening them in September 2010.

Each brick house will have six bedrooms, a kitchen, pantry living room 2 1/2 bathrooms and office/staff space.

"Each house will meet all ADA and fire safety codes," Hurn said.

The buildings would be constructed to look like any other residence.

The completed project will cost about $2.5 million and house 30 developmentally disabled adults, with a staff of about 70 professionals and paraprofessionals. It will provide the same level of care that the Habilitation Center does.

"We will have a $3.75 million budget when all five group homes are developed," Hurn said.

Hurn said in response to a question from Bill Edmonds that the residents would likely be referred by the Department of Mental Health and could come from anywhere in the state, including the center at Bellefountain, which is being downsized.

"I like your concept. I like the idea of smaller buildings, with fewer people, rather than larger facilities," Tim Wells said.

In other business the council:

* Voted 5-0 to reluctantly pass on first reading a special ordinance approving an amended change order #3 for the Municipal Airport Terminal Building in the amount of $1,800 and extending the completion date for the terminal building until June 15.

The change order will move the electrical service entrance panel and the HVAC condensation unit for the building from the west side to the north side of the building. The additional money will come from the STAR Loan.

The ordinance was amended to include a section to require the project to be completed on June 16, based on calendar days, which would not permit any additional weather delays.

Monte Curtis, airport board chairman, told the council that although the board was not happy about agreeing to these terms, board members just wanted to get the project finished, rather take the matter to court. The terminal building was due to be completed on March 21.

Kemm said that he had a problem with extending the deadline, since they knew the construction deadline from the beginning and if they had worked on the building when the weather was good they would not have had a problem completing the project.

Bill McCaffree, city attorney, said that he would recommend that the city settle the issue rather than go to court and have to prove the weather and other unanticipated issues were not a factor in the delay.

* Passed on first reading a special ordinance approving an amendment to the city's contract with Allgeier Martin for the design and construction phase of the wastewater treatment system improvements to include improvements to the city's south interceptor sewer line.

This was not included in the original contract because of the expected cost of the project, however, Bill McGuire, city manager, told the council that the project appears to be costing much less than expected and this can be added to the project without exceeding the amount budgeted originally to repair the north interceptor line.

* Accepted the bid of $6,720 from G. Farney and Associates, Wichita, Kan., for 30, 100-pound drums of Pulsar Brand Calcium Hypochlorite briquettes and three 55-gallon drums of muriatic acid replacement for use at the Walton Family Aquatic Center.

* Voted to authorize the parks and recreation department to solicit bids for an irrigation well at the Frank E. Peters Municipal Golf Course; the Police Department to solicit bids for two new patrol cars and the administration department to request bids for five security systems and accessories.

* Approved a right-of-way solicitation permit for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation at the intersection of Osage and Austin boulevards on May 24.

* Passed on first reading a special ordinance authorizing the release of the Neighborhood Improvement District assessment for property owned by Kelly Gray in the Country Club NID.

* Passed on second reading a special ordinance finalizing the NID assessments on lot 12 of the Ashland Estates owned by Stutesman Realty Inc.

* Voted 4-1, with Tim Wells voting yes, to deny a waiver of fees to members of the Nevada High School golf teams for practice other than regular team practice. Bill Edmonds, Russ Kemm, Bill Gillette and Mike Hutchens voted no.

Kemm said that his opposition to waiving the fees is not due to a lack of support for the golf team, but rather a philosophical matter. "We were elected to the council to represent everyone, not just golfers," he said.

He told the council that when the Nevada Regional Medical Center wanted to use the golf course for a tournament, they had to pay the regular fee.

Bill Gillette said that the city already lets the golf teams practice as a team for free and that this would be excessive.