What the he!! is with this town

[tcrist]

Check this out. Can you believe this?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080827/...one_horse_town

[Ron61]

That is just ridiculous. Maybe they should allow the horse and get rid of the mayor and some of the city council. Funny it should become so important after he has had horses all these years and nothing was wrong. What next, dogs, cats, and people.

Ron

[427 S/O]

Let the horse run for mayor, with a life time tenure...... I didn't know horses lived that long?. What is the average life?.

[392cobra]

I tried to send them a nice e-mail on what morons they are and their e-mail has been turned off.

[wtm442]

Check out the story on the town's web site.

http://www.hickman.ne.gov/

Since their e-mail is shut off, call the city office at (402) 792-2212.

I just did and told them to leave Peter Rabbit alone.

[4RE KLR]

Live working email to Hickman city offices:

http://www.hickman.ne.gov/index.php?pid=164

Fire away!

[tcrist]

Originally Posted by 4RE KLR

Live working email to Hickman city offices:

http://www.hickman.ne.gov/index.php?pid=164

Fire away!

They dissabled their contact form
Terry

[Cobrabill]

Originally Posted by 427 S/O

Let the horse run for mayor, with a life time tenure...... I didn't know horses lived that long?. What is the average life?.

.....30 years

[4RE KLR]

Originally Posted by tcrist

They dissabled their contact form
Terry

That didn't take long did it?

[4RE KLR]

Just like politicians....
They do not want to hear what the public is thinking!

[392cobra]

The city's website has been updated with the following.
There is certainly two different sides to this story,as is normal.

Part I

Harley’s Horse - Peter Rabbit
“The Rest of the Story”
* Updated August 27, 2008 *
· Municipal Code 6-202, stating that Animals are banned from Municipality, and that it shall be unlawful for any person to keep or maintain within the corporate limits any horse, mule, sheep, goat, swine, or other livestock was introduced in June 1988 and approved for recodification at Hickman City Council Meeting. The vote was approved by a 5-0 margin with City Council Member Jack Scott voting “Yes” on it.

· 1988 – 2002 - Jack Scott, currently property owner of Scotts Creek Subdivision, served on the Hickman City Council for 14 years.

· 1999 – 2006 - Cheryl Scott, currently property owner of Scott’s Creek Subdivision, was employed by the City of Hickman in various capacities including code enforcement and sending out notices to violators of this exact ordinance.

· March 8, 2005 – Building Permit Issued to Scotts for a Pole Shed at 18801 S. 68th in the Scotts Creek Subdivision area. The permit was dated 3-8-05 and documents show the City Building Inspector actually approved the plans on Sept. 2, 2005.

· March 8, 2005 - Hickman City Council approves Ordinance #2005-09 where Scott’s Creek Subdivision, is rezoned from TA, Transitional Agricultural to CB – Commercial Business.

· Research by City Staff finds that area of Scott’s Creek Subdivision is not owned by Kubr Construction & Development, and is actually owned Cheryl and Jack Scott, (verified from Lancaster County Register of Deeds records) who bought the pasture and rental house that Harley and Lois Scott currently reside in. Kubr’s adjacent Development is known as Scott’s Creek 1st Addition.

· Further research indicates this pasture and Scott’s house is actually known as “Scott’s Creek Subdivision” owned by Cheryl & Jack Scott of Hickman, and that the Scott’s Subdivision & Final Plat was approved in 2005 by Governing Body Ordinance action. Numerous Governing Body members surveyed in 2006 were unaware that Cheryl and Jack Scott owned this property when the Final Plat action took place and thought Dan Kubr actually owned the subject property.

· November 2006 – Cheryl & Jack Scott Submit a written request signed by Jack D. Scott, requesting VOLUNTARY ANNEXATION into the City.

· November 2006 – City Resolution #2006-18 passed by Hickman Governing Body that grants request of Annexation of Scott’s Creek Subdivision owned by Cheryl L. & Jack D. Scott.

· December 2006 – City Ordinance #2006-16 passed by the Hickman Governing Body annexing Scott’s Creek Subdivision into the Corporate Limits.

· Dec2006 – June 2007 – City Staff verbally inquires to the property owner of Scott’s Creek Subdivision, Jack Scott, when he is going to comply with the City Code and have the horse removed from his property that he now owns. Verbal exchanges occurred at the City Utility Office and at City Council Meetings. Some of his verbal responses to this question were that “Its not my horse, it is my Dad’s” and “Isn’t it grandfathered until it dies? “, which he was told once again that it wasn’t.

· Jan2006 – May 2007 – City receives verbal and written complaint documents from Residents of the City of Hickman requesting why the Scott’s were allowed to still have Livestock in the city after they voluntarily had their property annexed.

· June2007 – City Council instructs Staff to send out Certified Letter on the outstanding violation regarding Municipal Code 6-202 to the Scott’s Creek Subdivision Property Owners, Cheryl L. and Jack D. Scott, along with copies to house tenants, Harley and Lois Scott. Compliance deadline is set for July 26th, 2007.

· July 2007 - City Hall is notified by United States Postal Service that Jack & Cheryl Scott had refused to pickup and sign for Certified Letter three times on June 25, 2007, June 30, 2007 and July 10, 2007 that the notice document letter was returned by the USPS as “Refused” & “Unclaimed” by the Scotts.

· July 2007 - City Attorney advises since the Scott’s Refused the Certified Letter that it be served upon them by Sheriffs Service. A newly prepared letter redated to July 10th notifying Jack D. & Cheryl L. Scott of the continued horse violation was officially served upon them by the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Department on Tuesday, July 10th, 2007.

· July 2007 - The City received an “Unsigned” letter in an envelope from J.D. Scott of PO Box 28, Hickman requesting that the City Council “Make an Exception for them to allow the Horse to Remain”.

· August 2007 – The City sends out Certified Letters to Jack & Cheryl Scott and Harley and Lois Scott, notifying them that their request for a hearing for an “Exception” to City Municipal Code would be held at the next Governing Body on Tuesday, August 14, 2007.

· August 2007 - City Council Meeting held and “Exception” request heard by Governing Body. Comments in support and against were heard on the floor and comments from Harley Scott that they should be allowed to keep the horse and these city letters and requests were unnecessary and the horse should be left alone.

· August 2007 - Property Owner Jack Scott when questioned if they had a financial incentive to get rid of the horse, Mr. Scott stated that “They would have no choice if McDonalds went in next to them but to get rid of the Horse.”

· Media reports after the meeting quote Scotts stating that they were not “Budging” and that the Horse should be “Left Alone.” An additional quote was that “They’re going to have to come and get me with the State Patrol and Humane Society.”

· August 2007 - City Attorney directed to explore other options that other Nebraska Communities may have provided in similar circumstances before next meeting.

· August 2007 – During the City Council Meeting, the City Attorney concurred that no “GRANDFATHER CLAUSE” exists due to the fact this is not a zoning issue, but rather a direct Code Violation.

[392cobra]

August 2007 - City Attorney directed to explore other options that other Nebraska Communities may have provided in similar circumstances before next meeting.

· August 2007 – During the City Council Meeting, the City Attorney concurred that no “GRANDFATHER CLAUSE” exists due to the fact this is not a zoning issue, but rather a direct Code Violation.

· August 2007 – City Council Meeting held and possible amendments and revised Ordinance Drafts discussed. Governing Body directs City Staff and City Attorney to propose new Ordinance language & bring back options to the City Council.

· November 2007 - City Council discussed options of allowing Harleys Horse to stay but to require the Horse Owners to have a Certified Veterinarian perform a Annual Health Checkup and present the findings to the City Offices along with a licensing and processing fee, similar to the ones required by dogs in the city limits. This solution was not acceptable to the Scotts who voiced their intent not to comply with any such regulation. Modification vote then failed.

· Nov 2007 - City Council voted to have the City Attorney research this issue and report back in Six months, May of 2008, on possible code changes.

· June 2008 - City Attorney reported back on what other Municipalities’ Code and regulations were structured and concurred once again that Harleys Horse was in violation of current Municipal Code.

· August 2008 - Hickman City Mayor sends out letter to the Scott’s notifying them that a Registered Large Animal Veterinarian expressed interest in assisting the Scott’s by relocating Harley’s Horse on his acreage near Firth, south of Hickman. No response was ever received from the Scott’s on this possible solution. Other relocation offers have been received including Prairie Hill Learning Center west of Hickman and other private land owners not affected by City limit boundaries.

· August 12, 2008 – City Attorney reports on what is reasonable number of days for the Scotts to comply with their ongoing Code Violation. He stated that 30 days would be a minimum number.

· August 13, 2008 – Compliance letter signed by Mayor and served upon the Scott’s, Jack & Cheryl property owners and Harley & Lois, horse owners giving them until September 15th, 2008 to comply with existing City Municipal Code banning horses within the City Limits.

· August 26, 2008 – The Governing Body meets and once again discusses "Peter Rabbit" issue which was requested for agenda placement by Governing Body members. This new draft ordinance, which was similar to one considered in Nov of 2007,would repeal the current MUNICIPAL CODE and allow horses into the city limits and require a Permit and other conditional requirements. These conditions would have the Horse Owner provide 1) Presentment to the City: Annual Health Certificate from a licensed Nebraska Veterinarian to ensure the horses pose no health risk to other horses or people, 2) Plan for removal of waste and manure. 3) Proper fencing requirements per Zoning Regulations, 4) Land Requirements of 1.5 acreas of fenced area per horse, 5) And if an existing commerical horse riging stable, training facility or riding arena is annexed then above conditions must be met except for the land requirements.

Discussion was held and the Mayor allowed all Councilmembers to present thier thoughts and solutions. After all members were completed, The Mayor stated some other facts regarding this on-going issue with Peter Rabbit, including the horse owners previous sale of the pasture and land to a Lincoln Developer, the Horse Owners Son buying back the pasture and house area, the Horse Owners Son requesting that Peter Rabbits pasture and area be rezoned from Agricultural Use to Commercial which was approved, and finally Peter Rabbit's Owner Son, Voluntarily Requesting Annexation to the City Limits. Members of the Audience were asked to voice their support for Peter Rabbit and others could voice their Displeasure for the Horse. Only ONE (1) City of Hickman Resident spoke to keep Peter Rabbit in the City and TWO (2) City of Hickman Residents spoke to have the Horse Removed. Report was given on the massive number of emails, letters, and phone calls that have been received world wide from supporters of Peter Rabbit. It was noted that there were surprisingly very low support numbers that had been received from City of Hickman Residents. Peter Rabbits owners were not in attendance as they were out of state and Horse Owners Son/Property Owner was not at the Meeting, even though he was contacted the week before by the Govering Body who had this issue placed on the Public Agenda.

A motion to suspend the three reading requirement and to introduce the new ordinance allowing Horses to remain in the City Limits was read by title. A Motion and Second was heard to accept proposed new ordinance. On a roll-call vote the new ordinance was defeated on a vote of 2-4.

http://www.hickman.ne.gov/