Council summaries - March 17 and March 24, 2020

Individuals and media outlets are encouraged to contact the City Administrator for additional details or clarification on the following material. Regular meetings of the Crete City Council are held on the first and third Tuesdays of the month at 6 p.m. in the council chambers at City Hall, unless otherwise noted; Council Standing Committees may meet prior. View a list of City Officials and current council and committee meeting agendas.

Summary for Crete City Council special meeting - Tuesday, March 24
Prepared by Tom Ourada, City Administrator
View this Meeting Agenda and attachments

This meeting was held in the Community Room at Crete Public Library.

The Council voted to approve a temporary policy extending utility waivers for 60 days per billing period with verifiable adversity as a direct result of the coronavirus environment.

• This would include no disconnection and no late fees.
• It does not provide any forgiveness of rates.
• It also provides for indirect billing for Transfer Station fees in order to protect Transfer Station attendants and to keep it open at the same time.

The second item was amending the continuity plan with regard to negative sick leave balances for city employees in certain conditions; voluntary travel and the management of returning from areas of high risk.

Summary for Crete City Council regular meeting - Tuesday, March 17
Prepared by Tom Ourada, City Administrator
View this Meeting Agenda and attachments

This meeting was held in the Community Room at Crete Public Library.

The Council voted to approve the Consent Agenda.

• The City Council meeting minutes of March 3, 2020.
• The Park & Rec Committee meeting minutes of March 3, 2020.
• The Public Safety Committee meeting minutes of March 3, 2020.
• Accept the Treasurer’s Report
• Approve payment of the Claims in the amount of $395,681.35

The Council voted to table the Saline County Ag Society’s request.

• The Council is waiting for confirmation of coordination between the organizers and the Police Department for the July 18 Fair parade.

The Council voted to adopt Resolution 2020-8.

• This is a resolution for the Continuity of Operations Plan for addressing the COVID-19 threat. 

The Council voted to approve a long term agreement with CAMC for the Fire Department to provide supplementary ALS services.

The Council voted to approve Resolution 2020-09 authorizing Crete Fire and Rescue to provide supplementary ALS services in the area.

The Council voted to approve for the first of three possible readings of Ordinance 2102 relating to animal regulations as amended.

• This ordinance would restrict households to three (3) dogs and/or five (5) cats.
• It would provide for a grandfather period of ninety (90) days for people to register and comply.
  • There is $20 added to the license if the pet is over the limit.
  • The owners would have four (4) months to sell or give litters of pets away.

The Council tabled the solid waste contract with Waste Connections.

• There was a discrepancy with landfill rates that has to be resolved.
• This item will appear on the next Council Agenda.

The Council deferred a plan for repairs of downtown sidewalks until fall.

• The engineers estimate was almost $620,000.
• I had hoped it would be under $250,000.
• We will evaluate other options for Council consideration.

The Council voted to reject the bid for the Wildwood Pool splash pad.

• The bid was about $90,000 over the estimate if it was constructed this spring before pool season.
• It was about $60,000 over budget if constructed in the fall.
• The Council will authorize a rebid in the fall for next spring construction.

Petitions, Communications, Citizen Concerns

• Jack Cochnar with the Crete Chamber of Commerce spoke on the Chamber’s mission and response to COVID-19.
• Phil Hardenburger reported on Saline County’s response and steps taken in response to COVID-19.
• Mary Moser had questions about the old library building and had inaccurate information relating to New Beginnings and what would be made available to them. I related what was shared with a New Beginnings Board member which didn’t match what she was told. She also had misinformation on some brick pallets that were to be destroyed? She was informed that the City had no pallets of brick that would leave City possession.

Officer Reports

• Chief Allen shared what the Fire Department was doing in light of the COVID-19 epidemic.
  • All he outlined were prudent steps. He also shared that they may be in need of N95 masks if the situation were to escalate.
• Chief Hensel talked of steps being taken at PD.
• Joy talked about how the Library was going to operate in the near future and shared the tentative hours.
  • The Library will be closed to personal traffic, but will remain accessible through the book drop and pickup.
  • They are modifying hours. Please check the website if you need more detail.
• I talked in detail about city government activities in response to the pandemic.
  • The City, Doane University, the School District, Public Health Solutions, and Crete Area Medical Center met on Monday. We each shared our activities. We are scheduling a regular Monday meeting or call-in to keep the planning, information flow, and coordination continuing.
  • The County met with all their staff Tuesday morning and the City had two representatives in attendance.
  • I went through the Continuity Plan again.
    • I noted that it follows our Emergency Operations Plan as adopted by the Mayor and Council a couple of years back and it is very much like our flood response activities of one year ago. That plan is attached.
  • I complimented the staff for making the relocation and disinfection of the area to appear seamless. It took considerable action on their part in order to accommodate the meeting.

The Council adjourned.