(KLZA)-- The Pawnee City Council conducted the annual public hearing on the 1 & 6 Year Street Plan February 13th.  

Pawnee City voters approved a half-cent sales tax increase in 2016 to pay for the project, but City Clerk Tammy Stephens thinks it will be 2018 before the work begins. There is surveying to be done and lots of preliminary work to complete before moving forward on the 40-plus block project.  

Stephens said Crystal Dunekacke, with Southeast Nebraska Development District presented information to the Council about an income survey which needs to be completed so the City can apply for public works funding for the street project. 

When the last census was completed, Pawnee City did not meet the low to moderate, income threshold required to qualify for Public Works Funding.  A new income survey will be sent out to see if those figures have changed. 

If the survey comes back with different results, it would allow Pawnee City to apply for a quarter-million dollar Public Works Grant which would help pay for a significant portion of the street improvement project.  

Following the public hearing the Council did approve the 1 & 6 Year Street Plan.