By Associated Press - Saturday, July 22, 2017

BELLEVUE, Neb. (AP) - A Bellevue city councilman ordered by his colleagues to come up with a plan to repair his eyesore carwash has told City Council his plans are “none of your business.”

Councilman Pat Shannon recently sent the city a packet of information on the carwash, “as a courtesy, and nothing more,” the Omaha World-Herald reported (https://bit.ly/2tpOiSG ) Saturday.

“This site is personal property and its development is none of your business,” Shannon wrote.

He also threatened to sue the city if local leaders “pursue this stupidity further.”

The council had given Shannon until Wednesday to come up with a plan for the closed Big John’s Car Wash, which sits in disrepair on the southwest side of the Omaha suburb. Residents have complained of debris and standing at the site.

The council has said if Shannon doesn’t comply, the property will be condemned.

“I thought his comments were inappropriate, and he really hasn’t done anything the city asked him to do,” City Council President John Hansen said in response to Shannon’s comments.

Bellevue City Administrator Joe Mangiamelli said the packet was simply a compilation of Shannon’s opinions on the issue.

Shannon maintains the city’s call for him to fix the carwash is a political attack. He also accused the city of standing in the way of his fixing the property because the city planning commission hasn’t considered his request for nearly $63,000 in tax increment financing for the car wash.

Planning Director Chris Shewchuk said that financing scheme can’t be used unless an area has been designated as blighted and substandard - a designation the city council rejected early last year before Shannon was elected as councilman.

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Information from: Omaha World-Herald, https://www.omaha.com

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