City addresses public nudity, unkempt properties
It is now illegal to appear in public without any clothes on, stated the Hebron City Council at its rescheduled monthly meeting Monday night. Ordinance 826, prohibiting public nudity, was unanimously passed by the board and becomes effective immediately.
Nudity means the showing of the human male or female genitals or female breasts with less than a fully opaque covering.
Theaters, concert halls, art centers, museums, or similar establishments primarily devoted to the arts or theatrical performances, as well as dressing/changing rooms, restrooms, mothers who are breastfeeding and any person under twelve years of age are exempt.
Consideration for the ordinance was raised earlier this year when interested parties were considering opening a sex novelty store in Hebron.
City leaders also passed Ordinance 825 in an effort to control worthless vegetation and grass growth. Lots or grounds within the city limits must be maintained, i.e., stagnant water, worthless vegetation growth and litter.
The ordinance states that lots or grounds as well as adjoining streets and alleys must be kept free of weeds, grasses or worthless vegetation over eight inches in height. These items as well as leaves can be used as ground mulch or kept in compost piles, but will otherwise be considered a nuisance.
Anybody guilty of possessing a nuisance property will be served notice and have five days to request a hearing or take care of the situation. If there is no action taken, the city can enforce a $100 per hour clean-up fee.
In other business, the council agreed to provide maintenance for the Secrest Library on a scheduled basis after library board members discovered leakage problems in the basement and clogging problems with the sump pump.
The board addressed the council with concerns that water seeping into the basement each time it rains has caused damage and mold. Board member Sheila Stubbs said that while the mold on the drywall has been cut away and removed, the leak still exists and needs immediate attention. The council agreed to fix the list of damages and create a maintenance schedule for the public facility.
In later business, the council allowed a clean-up extension of 60 days to the James Dwerlkoette property at 340 S.6th St., and paid annual dues to SENDD (Southeast Nebraska Development District).
Also, councilman Jay Bauer requested Sheriff David Lee to submit the yearly law enforcement contract one month earlier than when it is due to allow the council to review it. “I just think we need to have more time to look it over especially when it comes to this amount of money,” he said.
Sheriff Lee said he did not have a problem with the earlier deadline and would submit it one month prior to its due date beginning next year.
And finally, the Friends of Hebron Area Legion Baseball donated $1,000 to the city in appreciation for its effort in keeping the ball fields in top condition. Friends representative Doug Modlin said the funds were to help with the lights on the third field, and explained that the Friends group was committed to assisting the city with the ball fields as much as possible since the city has been so helpful in maintaining the Legion field.
Modlin said the group sold $600 worth of t-shirts and added $400 from other fundraising projects for the donation.
