Council Summaries - Aug. 1 and 15, 2023

Special Meeting - Budget Work Session, Aug. 29

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 on the second floor of City Hall; Council Standing Committees may meet prior. View a list of City Officials and current council and committee meeting agendas.

The next Crete City Council regular meeting will be a Budget Work Session on Tuesday, Sept. 5

Summary for Crete City Council Special Meeting - Budget Work Session - Tuesday, Aug. 29
View this Meeting Agenda and attachments

Anthony Fitzgerald, Council Member - Ward I, was absent

The Council discussed departmental budget proposals for development of a fiscal year budget to be submitted at a Public Hearing on September 5, 2023 at 6:00 PM.

City Administrator Tom Ourada explained the levy will go down about 5 cents and due to this, the city does not have to send out postcards now, i.e., have a joint public hearing; if we increase anything or something changes, we would need to have a joint public hearing. The budget balances and we have an $138,000 surplus, which isn’t a lot, out of a $43,000,000 budget, but it’s enough. Department heads did a good job and City Clerk/Treasurer Jerry Wilcox did a good job with this.

Department heads discussed highlights of the following budget proposals with the council and city officials.

Fire and Rescue Department - Tod Allen, Fire Chief:

• Tom commented that he had Jerry include $3 Million for a fire station expansion project, and $50,000 for a USDA grant for equipment.
• we’ll have new radios, but they did not come with the requested lapel mics, which will be about $7,000 extra for those, along with smart chargers for about $2,500; Tom said they would qualify for the USDA grant; 
• Jerry did our budget for us using figures from our past budget;
• our change in billing companies changed projections for this year to about $476,000, which is higher than last year;
• we are planning for annual turnout gear upgrades, budgeted for $80,000; we try to replace 5 sets a year;
• there are no other major purchases coming up; but recently at fire practice we did an airbag test and one bag has a bulge, so we will look at those; maybe $10,000-$12,000 a set?; they are not used frequently, but have a specific use that’s important in lifting vehicles, etc. in rescue situations;
• the new ambulance might be here this year, slated for possibly mid-November delivery - the final cost will be over $300,000; we went to 6 years of use for each to get more life out of our ambulances; our fund for those replacements won’t keep up with replacing ambulances at the pace we’re going and that reality should be on the radar for the council as we look to replace other large apparatus in future years;
•  Wilcox said the Highland Fire District has been extremely helpful in giving about $100,000-$200,000 every 3-4 years to help pay for large vehicle replacements;

Police Department - Gary Young, Police Chief:

• in the salary line items, our court salaries looks bad with a 129% increase; we have a new county prosector and judge, so defense attorneys want to see what will happen with cases coming up; holiday overtime increases due to shift schedules and contract requirements; our incident-based overtime increases 47%, most recently with officers out for medical/health reasons, injuries, etc. which put us down several officers at a time; we put some things in place to further reduce overtime and will hopefully work on that; out interpreter salary went up - with our diverse community; we do have other language resources used during certain situations outside of court cases;
• Ourada said the police department has a 4% increase in operational salary; there will not be a 14th officer this year, if there was, we would not have a budget surplus;
• miscellaneous income shows a 400% increase; from the state we sometimes get a mileage check for transfer of juveniles, especially to further facilities in Omaha or Norfolk and this helps cover mileage and overtime for those trips;
• recruitment line dropped to $1,000 and we plussed up professional services down the line; city Human Resources is using Indeed and social media, etc. for advertising open positions online, which have less cost with more reach;
• vehicle impound line reflects we are towing more cars regularly with many unlicensed and suspended drivers, which create a safety issue on the road; 
• School Resource Officer discussion is ongoing with Crete Public Schools; we need to discuss possibilities and see where we can join up and see where it’s feasible;
• there is no vehicle expense; the one we ordered last year is still not here, maybe being built this summer; the rest are well-maintained;
• ammunition is at $5,000; we didn’t buy any ammunition in the last few years and we don’t keep a lot in stock; we are looking at using up duty ammo we’ve been keeping for two years now; we have practice ammo for 4-5 trainings a year; duty ammo we restock each year for pistols and every 2 years for rifles;
• communications shows an increase in dispatching - from $285k to $381k - otherwise general costs don’t change; this service also includes records management and mobile systems; Southeast Nebraska Communications is talking with Johnson County, which may join, but some entities in between are smaller; our agreement renewal is up next month; Ourada said there should be a discussion on not just renewing automatically;
• code enforcement shows some drop in income from eliminating animal licenses; 
• K9 - biggest increase is in this capital outlay as K9 Hunk is eating through a bite suit, which will need a new top for about $800-$900; the rest here is general maintenance for things consumed during training; Lothrop Animal Clinic is providing free vet care other than emergency or dental and we receive food through Nestle Purina; we have allocated $1,000 for specific training; food and supplies are almost zero as we have most of what we need for Hunk;
• we do a lot of joint training with Nebraska State Patrol, Saline County, Gage County and others; we said we wanted people to come here and they are - we have lots of cops coming to Crete to train with dogs; local property owners provide buildings to search and train in;

Library

• Ourada explained he and Library Director Joy Stevenson met on this budget, which did have increases, however they were reasonable and driven by utilities and personnel costs; the percentage increase is larger than most, but the dollar value isn’t all that large;
• building and grounds goes up, and some related costs are splitting a little between library and Parks and Recreation;
• personnel costs have gone over budget in recent years; generally there is a 10.5% increase over wages for the first year, but this doesn’t mean all positions get a large increase. The array showed that wages would adjust between 3.5% and 9%; 
• Friends of the Crete Public Library line item is and ‘in and out budget;’ they do their own contributions to support the library and since their contributions solely go toward the library, the city has to audit them;

Parks and Recreation Department - Liz Cody, Director:

• Ourada said Liz did a phenomenal job; the city wants to move forward with the new sports complex, but nothing in this budget will reflect that; we will do deficit budgeting with that and borrow for spending and balance that next year;
• Cody said overall this budget has zero to five percent increases;
• parks have been getting a little more attention and we should be able to bring in a little more income; parks and recreation was really impacted during covid and we are still navigating what makes sense going forward;
• bigger costs include personnel changes, a new deck mower, and a tree-planting budget increase to get ahead of older tree stock;
• pool budget shows increase in chemical costs and capital outlay for new bathhouse/mechanical house roofs and bathhouse vents; the pool inspector also identified drainage issues on the pool deck; and we could use more shade canopies;
• recreation program changes moving forward will reflect a look at how programs are used in schools after moving from recreation and looking at more adult programming, as well as overall utilizing our facilities/fields;
• the department will look at partnerships, Doane, etc. and grant funding other improvements; Mayor Dave Bauer suggested contacting Saline County Aging Partners for some opportunities for adults;
• pool programs - there is no vending machine in order to utilize pool concessions; swimming lessons was different as we look away the evening Level 1-6 lessons this year; we also looked at the pool staffing structure to make in lean and improve efficiency;

Public Works

• Airport - Wilcox said the airport used to have their own budget submitted to the state and are now a department of the city; the biggest change was no property tax budgeted and the addition of a salary position;
• Streets - Ourada said this general fund transfer is steady at $104,000; state allocation continues to go up at just under $950,000; this department has been doing a pretty good job in recent years and that perception has changed quite a bit to be better because of the good job they do;
  • they are called on to do a lot of things not related to their department - Veterans Monument, downtown bump outs, grates and islands, etc;
  • salaries and benefits have about an 8% increase; some of street department crew got raises recently because people were leaving the street department; when it came to comparability, it said these wages were where they needed to be rather than the 10% increase;
•  Community Center (Wanek Center) had a capital outlay increase; we had a meeting with the center’s users, seniors, etc.; they have low expectations and are happy to have a place to go; the city has replaced some appliances in the last few years and are working on plans on how to deal with food net and other users; we want to get some more functional chairs, more durable flooring and efficient HVAC to restore this space back to something that people will be happy to utilize;
  • Mayor Bauer said the original engineers estimates were high on community center upgrades, but it’s things we can do ourselves and the building does need some attention;
• FEMA – Ourada said this project is about done and Jerry Wilcox has done an exceptional job with this as well as City Clerk Nancy Tellez; Kelsey Sisouvong also put in time on this; this program is dealing with flood plain property purchased by the city;
• Cemetery - we had discussions with the Cemetery Board on the caretaker and area security; Cemetery Sexton Jason Dunham does a good job; the people we have had out there have really embraced that job and done it well; he mostly works for the street department in the winter;
• Economic Development 
  • LB840 - this program sunsets in 2025; Tom explained how we recruit, and the importance of having the ability to fund community development projects that may present themselves. 
  • TIF - Fairfield hotel and new Orscheln store (now Tractor Supply) wouldn’t be here (on a visit here Nick Orscheln said Crete is doing all the right things and they want to be here)
  • CCCFF - Theatre grant - this Civic and Community Center Financing Fund now needs a creative district to qualify for the next funding cycle only; moving forward, the Blue River Arts Council (BRAC) wants to do creative districting and Tom feels the city should support it, but it will take a long time to get that momentum going;
  • CDBG (Community Development Block Grants) - DTR (Downtown Revitalization) - Nancy Tellez is the one dealing with our grant applicants and continues to do a really good job;

Utility - (These are revenue budgets and self-sustaining.)

• Electric - Ourada said this is the single largest department in the city, cash-wise; any swing in the electric department swings the whole city; most of the salary increases in electric department are double-digit - but with their budget they are fractional; within the comparability study, even small towns were paying as much or more than our electric department; 
  • rates really fund everything; we budgeted conservatively on rates; rates from NMPP will be flat this year; capital outlay projects are approached and approved throughout the year, even if included with the adopted budget; we come back to the council for project/spending approval on each one;
• Water - the recent rate increase has this department doing better than it has and will continue to produce;
  • distribution is where most of the labor is associated with in this department;
  • capital outlay includes a new water well, new and replacement water mains, and new meters;
• Sewer - will have a couple of expenses coming up;
  • we are looking to build a new lift station, which is reflected in capital outlay; it will include TIF (tax increment financing) and located on the former Frank Juricek property, which has plans to include commercial and residential development, student housing, mixed use housing, high and low density housing;

General Fund

• Ourada explained the general fund levy without bond fund is at 30 cents; with the total levy just over 36 cents; Crete receives a fair amount of state equalization and with the levy going down state aid will likely go down - it’s a Catch-22; this is generally really good news for tax payers and we continue to do what we’re able to do; Jerry did a good job and we’ve been very responsible;
• Jerry Wilcox summarized the bond funds and sales tax accounts relating to LB840 and LB357; the state budget form was published in time for the Sept. 5 hearing next week;
  •  valuation was up 19.7%; 
  • with the lid limit we are cannot use that, we would be limited to the limit plus growth, which is a little over 3.5% 
  • the total budget is estimated at about $43,000,000; 

A Public Hearing on the budget is on Sept. 5 and up for final approval on Tuesday, Sept. 19.

Summary for Crete City Council regular meeting - Tuesday, Aug. 15
View this Meeting Agenda and attachments

Dan Papik, Council Member - Ward 1, was absent.

The council approved the Consent Agenda items:

• Minutes of the following meetings: City Council Aug. 1, Finance Committee Aug. 1, Public Safety Committee Aug. 1, Public Works Committee July 5/July 18/Aug. 1, Planning Commission Aug. 7, Airport Advisory Board Aug. 10 
• Treasurer’s Report
• Payment of claims against the City 
  • Approve Cline Williams invoices totaling $9,632.06

The Council voted 5-0 to authorize to apply for the Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program.

• City Administrator Tom Ourada explained this item was discussed at the Aug. 1 regular meeting as the city intended to make an application by the deadline of Aug. 14. This is a competitive, first come, first serve grant and requires zero match on the city’s part. If received it will be used as a planning grant for a walkway overpass over the highway and railroad connecting the north side of Crete to central Crete, probably in the vicinity of Boswell Avenue. 

The Council voted 5-0 to approve the Belohlavy Estates Administrative Subdivision. 

• Ourada said this was a straightforward subdivision for a replat of two lots due to setback violations; people are under the misconception you can get a variance for this issue, however, the city’s position is a variance is not legal to apply for or grant in these cases.
• City Attorney Anna Burge explained this was for a four foot extension on the back of specified lots due to some building that infringed on setback rules.
• Mayor Dave Bauer added the additional four feet was purchased privately, not on city property.

The Council voted 5-0 to approve the Contractor's Application for Payment from Constructors, Inc. for Project No. 23-015 in the amount of $232,336.90. This item is the latest payment request for north side gap paving projects.

The Council voted 5-0 to approve renewing the membership with Southeast Nebraska Development District. Ourada said the city has been a long-term member of SENDD and there would be no reason not to renew the membership, especially considering some upcoming projects where the city can benefit from SENDD grant writing services.

The Council voted 5-0 to approve the payment of claims to ACE Hardware in the amount of $1,364.25.

The Council voted 5-0 to adopt Resolution 2023-16: A resolution authorizing the Mayor to sign the Nebraska Board of Public Roads Classifications and Standards Municipal Annual Certification of Program Compliance. Ourada said this is an annual requirement for entities in Nebraska to receive state highway allocations; Crete’s is a sizable allocation for the Street Improvement Program.

The Council voted 5-0 to approve Ordinance No.2176 on its first reading; An Ordinance of the City of Crete, Nebraska Relating to Annexation; To annex certain contiguous or adjacent land in part of the SE 1/4 of the NW 1/4 of Section 33, T8N, R4E; and to extend the corporate limits of the City. This item is annexing the four-foot strip that is part of the previously approved subdivision.

The Council voted 5-0 to approve the Preliminary Plat for  Butterfly Acres. This item went to the Planning Commission and now to the City Council.

• Mike Eckert, of Civil Design Group, spoke on behalf of the property developers, Denton Storage, LLC, on this 68 acre parcel at the northeast corner of SW 142nd Road and West Stagecoach Road in Lancaster County; lots are all over 3 acres and they worked with NRD (Natural Resources District) to establish no-build areas near the dam. All properties meet Lancaster Counties site distance requirements; drainage easements are included to prevent  structures built in harms way.

The Council voted 5-0 to approve the renewal of the Union Bank and Trust Revised Defined Contribution Plan Services Agreements for the Civilian Employee and Police Officer Pension Plans with Union Bank and Trust. City Clerk/Treasurer Jerry Wilcox explained UBT makes updates to this agreement to comply with IRS changes, including cyber security updates; the fee schedule doesn’t change.

The Council voted 5-0 to reject the Substation Transformer and Switchgear bids. Ourada explained this item went to the Public Works Committee where discussion centered on how the city is currently working with the EDA (Economic Development Administration) on a grant application for funds available to Nebraska and Kansas. The city is looking at a project with them in which this substation qualifies for 80 percent funding.

The Council Consider the amended utility payment Agreement and Waiver Of Notice Policy. Ourada said the city has a waiver policy, however, it evolved over the years; it was revisited by acting Finance Director Wendy Thomas and Utilities Office Manager Telisha Carnes and forwarded to himself and City Attorney Anna Burge for final review.

The Council Consider the LB840 Application from ALLO Crete, LLC. 

• Ourada explained that ALLO has leased a downtown building for their storefront and is requesting economic development funds for renovation. Their total project cost is $90,000 and they are asking for up to $45,000 in grant funds, which the city pays on receipt of invoices for work completed. They intend on having office staff and a service crew based out of the building. Ourada noted the city council is keen on having vacant storefronts addressed and he talked with ALLO on the availability of LB840 money if they would locate downtown.
• Anthony Fitzgerald, Chair of the Legislative and Economic Development Committee, said this application met all the requirements and the committee felt it was good to entice meaningful businesses to occupy storefronts in Crete. This could be a hub for ALLO customers from the surrounding area.

The Council Consider the LB840 Application from Charpen Properties LLC. 

• Ourada said this application was from a local developer who wished to locate downtown and purchased the building next to the theatre on West 13th Street for offices on the first floor and mixed use on the second floor. They have significant expenses in their project and the city’s LB840 plan limits funding to 50 percent of the total project cost.
• Fitzgerald said the committee felt this was another great project; 50 percent comes out to $37,737 in grants funds.

Petition - Communication - Citizen Concern: 

Citizen testimony may be limited to 3 minutes per person. Please do not repeat testimony that has already be heard. No action can be taken on matters presented under this title except to answer any questions or to refer the matter for further action.

Officer Reports:

Reports may be given by Officers, Departments, Committees, or Council members concerning the current operations of the City. No action can be taken on matters presented under this title except to answer any questions or to refer the matter for further action.

• Gary Young, Chief of Police:
  • the department’s National Night Out programming held at the Back to School Picnic was a great success;
  • a crew is replacing sod and installing a sprinkler system at the police station; this will enhance the appearance of the station as people come into town on the highway;
• Liz Cody, Parks and Recreation Director: 
  • we said goodbye to over 30 staff at the pool for this season as well as summer grounds maintenance help;
  • Wildwood Pool wrapped up a safe summer; it was a good year considering the newness of the swim team coach and managers; we’ll be working on repairs and facility maintenance;
  • signup ends on Aug. 25 for flag football and Coed Softball is going on now;
  • Tuxedo Park is and will be active with kart racing, soccer, and a high school softball tournament this fall;
  • Nebraska Forestry Service and Statewide Arboretum representatives toured Crete, Doane, and downtown areas and left with a lot of great ideas;
• Jerry Wilcox, City Clerk/Treasurer, said the Class C liquor licenses were up for annual renewal and notices were published to that effect; the city received no comments on them prior to last Friday’s deadline.
• Tom Ourada, City Administrator:
  • the Finance Committee has a budget meeting on Aug. 23 at 4 p.m.; a council budget work session will follow on Aug. 29 at 5 p.m.;
  • the WWAC (Water Wastewater Advisory Committee) is offering the city $1.3M in grant funds and about $2.5M in zero interest and half percent interest loans for water system improvements, including finishing up the water remediation project; the city qualifies for $3.8M and we want all of it; this project will go to the Public Works Committee after we get paperwork, then to the council; he will talk to JEO to make sure the city’s water rates are in line; these improvements are needed, including a new water well given the city is abandoning a well now that has reached the end of its usable life;
  • MEAN (Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska) meetings in Kearney are Wednesday and Thursday for himself and City Attorney Anna Burge; there will be an email with links for the reorganization of MEAN; these contracts are long-term, into 2070s; shorter deals have rates that are less attractive;
  • there are two proposals for feasibility studies for a fire station expansion to qualify for USDA loans; he will go through these with the mayor and talk with USDA; he asked Jerry to put $3M in the fire budget for expansion and $50,000 for a USDA grant; this project can be affordable for the city.

Meeting adjourned.

Summary for Crete City Council regular meeting - Tuesday, Aug. 1
View this Meeting Agenda and attachments

Dan Papik, Council Member - Ward 1, was absent.

The council approved the Consent Agenda items:

• Minutes of the following meetings: City Council July 18, Finance Committee July 18, Parks and Recreation Committee July 18,
• Treasurer’s Report
• Payment of claims against the City 

The Council voted 5-0 to approve the Police Department applying for the traffic safety grant for Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over. Police Chief Gary Young explained this is a DUI enforcement grant the department applies for annually. The format is different this year with an online process and materials presented to the mayor and council included research and the application completed by Officers Dawn Jonas and Jeff Kramer.

The Council voted 5-0 to approve the funding request for 2023-2024 from Saline County Aging Services in the amount of $8,007.00.

• City Administrator Tom Ourada explained this reoccurring request from SCAS that was discussed at the prior Finance Committee meeting and as a result of collaboration between this agency and Mayor Dave Bauer, the Meals on Wheels program was revived in Crete.
• Kyle Frans, Committee Chairperson, said they looked over the materials and SCAS Director Lori Moldenhauer does a great job of using all her funding. Programs included an Hispanic senior outreach, Meals on Wheels, and new senior workout program.

The Council voted 5-0 to approve the Application for a Permit to Occupy City of Crete Right-of-Way from Allo Communications at PON: CRE-01-02. Ourada said this is the third application from ALLO for their local fiber project and there was an official groundbreaking yesterday with city officials, which was well-received on Facebook. He noted one property owner asked to be annexed into the city because they wanted high speed internet access and they are now in this project area for potential ALLO service.

The Council voted 5-0 to approve Resolution NO.2023-15 A Resolution Of The City of Crete, Nebraska, To Appoint Members Of Its Council To The Saline County Railroad Transportation District.

• Ourada explained the city has been working on this railroad transportation safety district for a number of years and the Saline County Board of Commissioners took action last fall. This creates an opportunity for improving railroad crossings and adding quiet zones across the county. By state statute, the RTSD board will have three county commissioners and three council members from each first class city in the county, of which Crete is the only one. Crete’s representatives will be council members Dale Strehle, Anthony Fitzgerald, and Kyle Frans.

The Council voted 5-0 to approve an Agreement Between Owner and Engineer For Professional Services from JEO.

• Ourada explained the city did some water main and well design several years ago and anticipated funding through an application with the Water Wastewater Advisory Committee (WWAC) and USDA, however, funding ran out and this was put on hold. Early in 2023, the city’s No. 1 well reached the end of its usable life. A solution is to sink another well in that area; an alternative is to move forward with a new water well and main work on the west side of town because preliminary results show it will need little to no treatment.
• Dale Strehle, Public Works Committee Chairperson, said they looked at the parameters of the new project and losing a current city well. He noted that Ourada brought up this new well location is on the west side of the Blue River and could help secure well use for the west side of Crete if anything happened to the city’s other wells on the east side.

The Council voted 5-0 to approve the Application for Special Event Permit SE23-04 from the Crete Chamber of Commerce.

• Ourada noted that with new arrangement of the Airport Advisory Board and the airport as a city department, the city will approve these types of requests through committee and council action.
• Strehle mentioned this is the chamber’s When Pigs Fly BBQ event on Aug. 26 and the Public Works Committee recommend to approve.

The Council voted 5-0 to approve a Financial Policy for the City of Crete.

• Ourada said the city has had various finance policies in the past; they took the city’s policies and melded with those from Hastings and Norfolk to create a workable policy for Crete. 
• Kyle Frans, Finance Committee Chairperson, said they met and all had a chance to look this proposal over; all the holes have been filled.

The Council voted 5-0 to approve the Crete Senior Villas Preliminary Plat.

• Ourada explained this item went through the Planning Commission and has met all the process and procedures required by city ordnance and state statute; They worked through several city attorneys, including the new city attorney.
• City Attorney Anna Burge said she reviewed everything and made sure it fit all requirements.

The Council Consider the Crete Senior Villas Final Plat.

• Ourada said on some occasions, final plats can be submitted with preliminaries and the city can accept it if it is complete with final design plans and financial guarantees. He noted the city is less worried about them not completing these plans because the developers must make the improvements to succeed in their profit-making venture.
• Burge said the developers are reviewing the guarantee agreement at this time with the intent to sign and move forward.

Petition - Communication - Citizen Concern: 

Citizen testimony may be limited to 3 minutes per person. Please do not repeat testimony that has already be heard. No action can be taken on matters presented under this title except to answer any questions or to refer the matter for further action.

Officer Reports:

Reports may be given by Officers, Departments, Committees, or Council members concerning the current operations of the City. No action can be taken on matters presented under this title except to answer any questions or to refer the matter for further action.

• Gary Young, Chief of Police:
  • radio upgrades continue; portable radios were tuned and software upgraded; the grant they applied for was approved for $5,500 of the $10,500 requested; 
  • on Aug. 2 the department will meet with Crete Schools Superintendent Dr. Josh McDowell on the school resource officer partnership and conversations will progress with other city officials;
  • Officer Jeff Kramer was on shift by himself on Saturday (July 29); he had 12 calls in 10 hours; between 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. he responded to an injury accident, which also turned into a fight; less than an hour later he was called to a hit and run he couldn’t get to, then back-to-back disturbances, and another call for service; while some call numbers don’t look bad, the time and intensity of those calls can become problematic; Sgt. Colin Gaman came out to assist as well as the Saline County Sheriff’s Office for traffic control at the accident scene.
  • tonight (Aug. 1) is the Back to School Community Picnic, combined with our department’s National Night Out event.
• Joy Stevenson, Library Director:
  • the library will host three more food trucks in August, starting next week;
  • new program - Gabbie - a text chat program; the library’s system communicates with patrons on renewals, etc, and now people have the opportunity to text back with staff assigned to answer; it’s accessible on the main page of the library’s online catalog;
  • programs coming up through December include children, teen, and adult opportunities: an adult puzzle night, trivia night, author Tosca Lee, Crete Reads! author Ellen Marie Wiseman virtually, and Nebraska State Poet, Matt Mason, in November.
• Liz Cody, Parks and Recreation Director: 
  • parks had a lot of action and cleanup response from storms, water movement, and tree branches;
  • flag football signup is open until Aug. 25, coed softball starts this month;
  • Doane Tiger Takeoff pool party is this weekend; the end of the season pooch pool party is Sunday, from 3-4pm; after the pool closes we can begin repairs and maintenance;
  • county fair had high attendance and use of Tuxedo Park;
  • the City Park expansion has been pushed back due to weather, timing;
• Savannah Anderson, Human Resources Coordinator introduced the new airport manger, Will White; he graduated from UNK with a degree in Aviation Management; he said he is looking forward to this opportunity in Crete.
• Tom Ourada, City Administrator:
  • the city had relatively minor storm damage; there was a tree on a house, which required some city action, along with branches falling on power lines; we’ve had it a lot worse, but it was moderate in my opinion;
  • we did spend time this weekend in Wilber after storm damage at their substation; the mayors communicated and we lent spare equipment;
  • we were also called to Hickman for a more complex problem;
  • we meet on Aug. 2 with the Fraternal Order of Police;
  • the city budget process is moving along;
  • I talked with the Public Works Committee about a planning grant on a pedestrian walkway over the highway and railroad; it would have no city involvement financially; a walkway overpass could be about $7-8 million, while a traffic overpass could be $14-15 million;
  • we’re working on an application for a roundabout at 13th and Iris Ave.;
  • the mayor and I had a meeting with developers on housing and we are looking at upcoming community growth opportunities; I was asked if the council is open to helping fund large-scale housing development, and I think they have been and have shown that recently.
    • Mayor Bauer said Doane University is being very aggressive in their growth plan and they will need infill housing in the community. We need to be on top of that with builders who have ideas and want to come here. I’m encouraged now more than I have been in the last few years.
• Mayor Dave Bauer thanked all city employees who responded to Saturday’s storms, they answered the call and did a lot of extra work; the Electric department went to Wilber and Hickman, and those communities were very appreciative. All small towns need to work together, that’s what it’s all about. He also encouraged people to stop at the Back to School picnic if they could after the meeting to support that event.

Meeting adjourned.