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RANDOLPH – Randolph residents may have to wait another three years before federal maps are finalized lifting its floodplain designation.
According to the latest information from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and funneled through U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts’ office, an effective date for new maps could be July 2028. That would be the earliest Randolph would be removed from the present flood insurance requirements, said Tim Schroeder, constituent liaison with Ricketts’ office.
However, Randolph’s city council authorized City Administrator Sheila Korth-Focken to pursue a Letter of Map Revision (LOMR) which could act as a stopgap measure and provide flood insurance relief while the new maps are finalized.
“That’s a different process you can go through to try to speed things up,” Korth-Focken said at last week’s city council meeting, with the potential of review within 60 days. “I have a hard time thinking it could be reviewed within 60 days but hopefully it would be quicker than three-plus years.”
She also learned since the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers contributed a majority of the work for the project, fees for applying for the LOMR would be waived.
Although the LOMR application seems cumbersome, Korth-Focken said she’s working with the city’s engineering firm, JEO, Norfolk, to help supply some of the answers required.
“I don’t understand 100 percent of it but I try to find people who can help us with that,” she said. “Hopefully we check the right boxes and not take too long.”
Historically, a LOMR has been used for individual property owners, but she would be seeking one on a broader scale for the entire town.
Major construction wrapped on the Middle Logan Creek Floodplain project last summer. The two-phase $17 million project began in 2020 and reduces Randolph properties in the floodplain by 95 percent.
Demolition damages
A construction crew tearing down three city-owned nuisance properties downtown have caused structural issues to an adjacent business.
Donna Mae Schutt, owner of Broadway Pub & Grub, reported to the council damages ranging from frozen pipes to holes in her wall.
“You could see daylight through the old chimney where they took it out,” said Tom Guenther, Randolph, who added insulation to plug areas compromised by the ongoing demolition work to the three buildings next door. “You can still see daylight. I could see where the rafters are sticking out and cut off up there.”
Public Works Supervisor John Dickes agreed that where the adjoining wall was removed, Pub & Grub’s wall is starting to bow in.
Dickes said the city can provide additional insulation and talk to the construction crew from Detlefsen Construction, Laurel, about next steps.
Significant progress has been made in tearing down the structures and hauling away the debris although there’s such more to be done. Korth-Focken said she isn’t sure when the project will be completed.
Randolph Area Foundation is funding the $56,333, demolition work. The city paid $35,000 for the properties in summer 2024.
Grant funding partially funded asbestos removal.
The three buildings are the former Nebraska Finest Meats, the former Seek N Find Consignment store, and another which served as storage and upstairs apartments. All three failed an internal city inspection in 2021.
Schutt has expressed prior interest in offering keno at Pub & Grub but would need to go through the steps required to become a keno vendor.
The council decided to pursue an interlocal agreement with Cedar County to make keno available locally.
Voters approved countywide keno lottery at the general election last fall, and the county entered into an agreement with Nebraska Cooperative Government (NCG) who oversees keno in the state.
After paying a winner, proceeds are distributed according to sales with the state receiving a 2 percent lottery tax; the local outlet offering keno receives 6-7 percent; NCG receives 6-7 percent for equipment and 1 percent for legal and accounting; and the county receives 10 percent.
If the City of Randolph successfully enters an agreement with Cedar County, the two entities could share the county’s portion of the keno dividend.
Actual terms of the agreement will be drafted by NCG and reviewed by both parties, said County Clerk Jessica Schmit.
Other counties, including nearby Knox, have successfully handled keno proceeds in this manner.
The agreement may be available for discussion and action at the next regular council meeting set for 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 12.
“The county as the lottery administrator would be sharing the funds so it’s just a paper trail to show the affiliation,” said City Attorney Keelan Holloway.
The Nebraska constitution requires that any net lottery proceeds must be used for community betterment. Some counties or municipalities use lottery proceeds in their general funds to help offset property taxes, while others save it for a special project.
How much revenue keno brings into the city is dependent upon how much the game is played.
For example, the City of Hartington receives about $500 per year for keno played seasonally at the golf course there, Korth-Focken said.
The subarctic temperatures and snowy weather won’t stick around forever. Sunny days are ahead and the city is preparing now for the summer season.
The city is hiring lifeguards and approved purchases to accommodate for the 2025 pool season, including a $6,500 robotic vacuum to keep the water clean.
Randolph’s Summer Youth program is also reorganizing for another softball and baseball season. Joaquin Santos, Abby Dorcey and Eric Brown, visited with council members about the condition of the ball fields.
“Were coming to you guys to see what we can do to better this program, better the fields and how we can work together to get it done,” Santos said.
The baseball field is in need of extensive work, he said.
“If it rains, you’re walking through and you’ve got a good inch in depth on your foot. It just needs to be completely re-scraped and redone,” Santos said.
A hardened lip of sod around the outfield needs to be cut out and reshaped, too, he said.
Councilman Aaron Nielsen said he’s familiar with how a similar issue was resolved along a baseline during a previous season.
“As of right now, we will try to make the fields work. We can do it the same as last time,” he said.
Materials including brick and bags of clay are on hand to rebuild batter’s boxes at both fields.
There’s no money budgeted for improvements at the softball and baseball fields, however, the city may consider assisting by providing the use of equipment and staff time.
The city has drafted an agreement for the program to utilize the city’s facilities. The document will be reviewed by representatives from Randolph Summer Youth and the issue will be brought up again at the council’s next meeting.
Program volunteers must form a board to be appointed by the city council and any meetings should be public since city resources are used, Holloway said. The group will also need to designate a treasurer and authorize designees to sign checks.
Along with recruiting volunteer members, registration for players and coaches for the 2025 season will take place Wednesday, Feb. 19, at the city auditorium.
Other agenda items
At its last meeting, the council approved two new ordinances including one that requires property owners to shut off and cap water pipes at vacant properties; and another that allows for a snow fence permit to be approved only once for continued use at the same location.
The council also discussed but took no action on hiring a police chief; employee handbook updates; and tree planting east of the Randolph Community Golf Course.
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