We'll call you.

Not to nudge.

Welcome to our meeting.

We're starting our meeting, ladies and gentlemen.

I would appreciate your attention.

We are starting our meeting.

This is an open the date is September 23, 2025.

The time is 7 p.m.

This is an open meeting of the Grand Island City Council.

The City of Grand Island abides by the Open Meetings Act in conducting business.

A copy of the Open Meetings Act is displayed in the back of this room as required by state law.

The City Council may vote to go into closed session on any agenda item as allowed by state law.

Please stand and join us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

The clerk will now perform roll call.

Council President Sheard.

Present.

Councilmember Stelk.

Present.

Councilmember Conley.

Present.

Councilmember Nickerson.

Present.

Councilmember Brown.

Present.

Councilmember Hazi.

Present.

Councilmember Mendoza.

Present.

Councilmember O'Neill.

Present.

Councilmember Pollack.

Present.

Councilmember Lamfer will be absent, and Mayor Steele.

Present.

Also present are Jill Grenier, the city clerk.

Patrick Brown, the assistant city administrator and chief financial officer.

Carrie Fisk, the city attorney, and Keith Kurtz, the public works director.

Individuals who have appropriate items for city council consideration should complete the request for future agenda items form located at the information booth.

If the issue can be handled administratively without council action, notification will be provided.

If the item is scheduled for a meeting or study session, notification of the date will be given.

And 6L will be pulled.

Any other requests to remove consent agenda items, Council members.

Hearing none, we shall continue.

A sign-up sheet was available in the lobby for individuals wishing to provide input on any of tonight's agenda items.

If you did not sign up to speak on an agenda item, please come forward, state your name and the agenda topic on which you will be speaking.

Is there a motion to approve the consent agenda with the exception of 6H and 6L?

Mr.

Sheard.

Thank you.

I move that we pass the consent agent consent agenda items 6A through T with the exceptions of H and L.

Mr.

O'Neill.

I second the motion.

Any discussion.

Please vote.

Motion adopted.

6H approving bid award led service line inventory 2025 to 2026.

Mr.

Schmitz, please present.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

So I'll just give a little update on uh on where the lead service program is.

This item is actually for an inventory for the next fiscal year, so we get firm pricing on all components we need for from October 1 to October 1.

So not to exceed 300,000.

The program itself right now, we've kind of gained traction, so it's it's off and going.

So we've investigated 779 of the 3,000 total.

Um and I'll keep in mind this was a 10-year program, so we're we're on on target there.

We're ahead of target on discovery.

Um 476 were determined to be leads, we're finding a 61% hit rate on those that were suspected.

We've replaced 199 between our contractor we're using and our crews.

That we took out so far we've expended 2.2 million, and we've been reimbursed for 1.4 million.

We also in November expect another $600,000 draw, which will get us close to our total expenditures.

So between the discovery, the installation, and um the work we do inside the house, we're averaging, we figure it's gonna average around $10,000 of service.

Um just uh I got two more slides here, but when we're mobilized, they're averaging nine to ten a week.

Our third party contractor has made as many as 15 a week.

Um these pictures here, the on the left is the uh uh boring machine they use.

Um it's a smaller um, it's kind of a directional drill that sits in there, and on the right, you can see the guys locating the head of that pipe as it goes through the ground, which allows them to almost exactly locate it into the basement.

And so on the right, the picture on the right is all the bigger hole was Mitch may recognize that hole in the basement, and so the guys go in, and part of the process is the verified the grounding in the house is the integrity of the grounding is sufficient.

If it's not, they contact the building department.

Um if it does it not have a backflow device, we add a backflow device, and then we also add an expansion tank if one is not there, and then on the left is just kind of a standard installation with a copper line.

So in the contamination areas, we're using copper, and in the non-contamination plume areas of town, we will use poly.

And that's kind of a quick synopsis, so with that open to questions.

Thank you, Mr.

Brown.

I was just gonna approve I move we approve agenda item 6H.

Thank you, Mr.

Nickerson.

I second that motion.

Mr.

Neckerson.

Yeah, thank you, Ryan, for updating us.

I just think it's nice to be updated.

This this goes on, and we really don't see it unless you happen to be right now in North East Grand Island, and you notice all these little homes in a row that have dug up roads and all this stuff, and these guys that are doing this are doing a tremendous job.

The 15 a week is tremendous.

I know Gus is staying busy trying to stay ahead of them.

Gus is our liaison.

I don't know what we would call him that stays ahead to inform people like me.

And in full disclosure, I've had one of that's my property right there, one of my properties that had galvanized pipe coming in and had lead pipe.

So I've benefited from that.

Didn't know it at the time when we passed it, and I'm not sure, Carrie, if that would have even mattered, but um it's a great process, they're efficient, and I just think it's one of those things that it's a good thing to get rid of things that can harm you.

And this is one of the positive things we've seen from the federal government.

My question is you've tapped about half of what the state has, and we know we still got a long ways to go.

Do you see anything changing on the horizon from what you've seen that would keep us from being able to accomplish the full 10-year?

I know it's premature, I guess.

I'm just gonna ask what you may have seen or we have we haven't heard anything to date on the program going away.

Um at the pace we're going now, we're probably looking at maybe coming back to council in the next year, year and a half to to go forward with another request to the state.

We would probably do a bigger credit line since there doesn't appear to be a downside to asking for a larger because you're not getting the loan, you're actually just getting a credit line.

So the next time around, we may look to do more like a 10 million dollar credit.

Um, but at this time, no, there hasn't been any news on it going away.

We haven't received that, but we do watch as you see in the news, things change sometimes daily, so we try to stay on top of it.

It's a great program, and again, we're removing bad things from people's homes.

I think that's the positive, and in an efficient manner.

Thank you.

A lot of programs, it takes a little bit to get things going, but we're we're really rolling now.

The our crews have really got a process down.

Motion adopted consent agenda item.

Pardon me.

Consent agenda item 6L, approval of fiscal year 2025 to 2026 contract with Gro Grand Island.

Mrs.

Fisk.

Mayor and Council, uh what you have before you is a new contract between the city and Gro Grand Island, uh, the prior contracts that have existed all have lapsed and expired.

Uh the contract you see is substantially similar to what you've seen before, except it creates an initial term of a four-year with an optional two-year renewal.

It sets the budget as you have established already at $500,000 for the first year and allows that to be changed as you set each year's budget.

The other material change you'll see is it expands the termination notice up to about six months because that's realistically what would be necessary to wind that contract down should it become necessary.

Um otherwise it is the same as what you have seen for about the last 10 years.

Hey Fabric, would you like to speak on this item?

Well, thank you for the opportunity.

I I spoke on this some several weeks ago, so I wanted to go ahead and also be an advocate on a particular portion of this because uh, well, I guess for starters, I I wasn't aware that the tax oversight committee actually makes recommendations.

I just thought it looked at the accountability usage of funds.

So when I saw that in the uh presentation, I guess I learned something from that.

But also I know that Grove Grand Island, while it's been very successful, um when I look at that presentation, I think some of it needs to be updated because right now between the chamber and the ED and the Economic Development Corporation, that's morphed really into one and indicates that there's maybe multiple representatives there, but also I guess to some degree be more forthcoming and know who are the different players and five people at large uh that also are involved with that, it'd just be good to know.

But in particular, if I if I said this under um well, economic development under LB 840, that was voter approved million dollars a year, and everything that comes forward of everything under that fund takes council approval.

A TIFF application requires council approval.

When you looked at the fact that uh of food and beverage expenditures, all the different projects that come from forward for that we require council approval.

And also when I look at the guidelines of the uh proposal, the guidelines really can't be changed, but the agreement could be.

The agreement is an instrument that you're approving that could be modified.

So I would just draw your attention when you look at uh what is it under the agreement uh 7A and 7B, it particularly itemizes the fact that the projects from Grove Grand Island are approved by one person, the city administrator.

And when you look at what we're gonna be discussing later on this evening with different multiple city administrators over a period of time, why wouldn't that make sense to have like everything that comes before you the city administrator can make a recommendation pending council approval?

I think it strings a stronger message of accountability, but also on this agreement, this is probably going to be a maybe a six-year agreement.

This could be talking upwards of three million dollars over the next six years.

And I just know from my tenure of service, once you would deal with something tonight, you may never deal with it again for years and years.

So if you wanted to go ahead and look at modifying the agreement to say, indeed, under 7A and 7B, the city administrator can make a recommendation, and those projects would have final approval with a vested interest of you and your elected service as taxpayers.

Expect on everything that comes forward that the mayor signs a check for.

So I would just ask uh if there's interest in that remark, this is the time to go ahead and make that change.

And I doubt if I can't speak for Tanya and the different individuals there, but when you look at members of the Economic Development Council, the Chamber of Commerce, the Grand Island Convention, the Visitor Bureau, Vaughn or Park, all those different representatives.

I think they'd understand and appreciate the fact that while they're making a recommendation, it's going to be validated, and also it's going to be validated with council and the and the mayor's approval, whoever that may be, with any recommendations coming forward.

The last part, if I said, I mean, if I asked anyone, what is Grow Grand Island and what projects has it funded in the past years?

The last part, if I said, I mean, if I ask anyone, what is Grow Grand Island and what projects has it funded in the past years, I doubt many people would know.

But if any projects come forward for its approval at the council, there's a better opportunity for those people to understand what's coming forward, maybe weigh in, but I think it would be good for Grove Grand Island to have that type of awareness going forward.

So in terms of public trust and greater awareness, I would just ask if there's interest to make the modified with a very simple uh change to where the agreement with state projects recommended by the city administrator with approval, final approval of the council.

Now the last portion, when I look through that 7A and 7B, it says, and I'm just seeing miss see Mr.

Hosley looking at this.

It says if there's anything that the council, oh, if there's any city projects, the council would ask.

So it does bring up the fact that maybe the council could seek those funds, but it doesn't also further indicate that it would require council approval.

And I just know going back years ago when we were faced with we didn't have any bucks, but we wanted to keep Lincoln Park pool going.

So there was a way, a novel way at the time where the CRA was involved.

The council and the and the city administration sought that ability, and it also brings up the fact that maybe um the CRA may also potentially be a partner and seek those.

So that's what I wanted to bring up for consideration to see if you wouldn't agree that taxpayer accountability would be better served, greater awareness be better served, and just simply have council approve any projects.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mayor Steele and Council.

Mr.

Shear.

Thank you.

I move that we approve item 6L.

Mr.

O'Neill.

I second.

Mr.

Shear.

Thank you.

Uh I just I wanted to throw my support behind this.

The four plus two, I had a conversation with Brad Milma today, and he is already super excited about the ability to leverage that for long-term opportunities for the city.

And uh through Grow Grand Island and some of the things they're doing.

Uh so I I appreciate that we were flexible on that.

They came and talked to us in four plus two rather than the the previous.

I I think that's fantastic uh change.

Uh I kind of, you know, I appreciate some of the things that Jay just said, but we do have representation from the council that goes to those meetings that has our voice that adds into some strategy.

I think Mark and Chuck go to those and report to us occasionally on what's going on.

Uh while I wish Grove Grand Island would tout their uh accomplishments a little bit more so people would know.

Uh I do believe with the city administrator going to those meetings as well.

I don't know that we need to bring everything they bring to us.

Um I don't think it has to come back to us.

That's part of what was approved uh originally.

So I guess I'm not seeing a big need for that change, though I do appreciate the conversation.

Mr.

Nickerson.

I also appreciate the recommendation tonight to involve council, but to Jack's point, we do have representation, and I am assuming if there was something that didn't seem right, that would be challenged at that point.

I would certainly hope so.

I I do believe that Grove Grand Island does give a report though.

And I cannot request anybody to come forward, but it would be nice for us to know what kind of report they do disclose with us and on the frequency of that report because there is a disclosure that is given to us, and I would just ask whatever those rules are, if it comes from the city attorney or any representative here that wants to speak to, I think it's important that we share that tonight.

What are the what's the disclosure with the Grove Grand Island?

Councilmember Nickerson, I believe those are given regularly to your tax oversight committee that you create and place individuals on, so they do pretty regular reporting back to a city subcommittee.

And that's quarterly, correct?

Yes, so there's a quarterly meeting, it's not a public meeting like this, but there is a committee meeting, and those uh items are shared.

I also believe that Grow Grand Island does present to us though on occasion what's going on as a whole.

Correct.

They also present when they present their annual budget, and the tax oversight committee is actually an open meeting held quarterly here in council chambers, so anybody who wants to come get those reports can join that committee and get those as well.

All right, so there's exposure.

It's there is some here in these chambers, and there are others in subcommittees where they're being reviewed on a regular basis.

So I think we do have some participation there that makes sense.

Now I'm going to be a little contrary to Jack.

I'm not crazy about a four plus two.

And I stated before we when we talked about Grow Grand Island, why that is.

I'm going to just have to trust that the system will work.

But I'm not crazy about a four plus two.

I would much rather see it in the two-year segments and to where it had a little closer oversight.

But overall, I'm a firm believer in Grow Grand Island, what they've done for us.

Their dedication to the things that I think that a lot of our food and beverage taxes need to be committed to.

That would be the economic development part and focus on the ag industry.

I think they do a good job of doing that.

So I I'm supporting it, just not crazy about the terms.

Mr.

Hossey.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um I sit currently as a representative on the uh Grow Grand Island Board, and I am totally impressed with the number of volunteer people who take their skill and talent from the real world and bring it to the city through Grow Grand Island.

These are people that volunteer their time and and thoughts and just everything to help make it work.

I know that I know what Mayor Vavricuk is talking about, but in he knows me is a if I saw something that I didn't like, I will absolutely talk to the talking in the city administrator, and the city administrator would not be approving it.

And so there is the process works.

The administration works today, and it's one of those is I'm comfortable with the way it has been working, and and I'm comfortable that that we have the oversight that we need by having two council reps and and an administration.

And I've I just have watched it work and and seen the benefits that they have brought to the community, and and uh this is a great investment for the community, and I think it takes a burden off of the council, and they do things that we can't do or don't do very well.

And so they actually make things happen.

And so I'm appreciative of the Grow Grand Island and this is a this is uh the right contract and the right term.

I know that when other people are out there with Grow Grand Island trying to uh recruit um people to come to Grand Island for some kind of event three years from now, that's the time frame we're talking about.

That's why the two plus two doesn't work when we're trying to book an event at the Heartland Event Center four years from now.

And so in in the terms of tourism, we're we're out there as in terms of years all the time.

So the four plus two I think is is the best of all worlds for what we can have.

I think the council has the uh discretion every year with the budget allocation.

If at some point the the council doesn't want to fund it any anymore, don't approve any money in the budget, and the contract can sit there with no funding.

Uh so there are levers that the council can turn if they have to.

Um but no, I'm very supportive of this contract and will have my approval.

Please vote.

Motion adopted the public hearing 7A, public hearing request from STL of Nebraska Inc.

doing business as target 3400 West 13th Street, Grand Island, Nebraska, for a Class D liquor license.

Mrs.

Grenier.

An application for a Class D liquor license was filed with the Liquor Control Commission and received by the city on August 20th, 2025.

A notice to general public of date time and place of hearing was published on September 13th, 2025.

A notice to the applicant of date time and place of hearing was mailed on August 21st, 2025, along with Chapter 4 City Code Alcoholic Beverages.

Department departmental reports were received as required by City Code, and the remedy recommendation is to approve upon final inspection.

Uh public hearing is now open.

Aaron Larson, did you want to speak or just if there's questions?

Yeah.

Okay, come on.

Hello.

State your name.

I'm Aaron Larson.

Thank you.

Sorry, this I've never done this before.

So I'm the store director for Target, so I'm here for the hearing.

I guess my biggest thing is specifically we are looking for approval.

I am here standing for Target.

So we do open on October 12th.

So we are waiting just on vendors to officially walk through our building to set up their liquor.

But yes, so I guess that's why I'm here.

Thank you.

Is there anyone else that would like to speak on this item?

If not, public hearing is now closed.

Mr.

O'Neill.

I move that we approve 2025-330.

Mr.

Brown.

I second that motion.

Any discussion.

Mr.

Nickerson.

One thing, Ms.

Larson.

I just wanted to let you know that there's a lot of excitement about Target coming.

And I think we got a whole community that can't wait till October 12th.

Thank you for being here.

And I think this is probably going to go through just fine, but we appreciate seeing that big development there and a lot of excitement growing.

So thank you.

Please vote.

Motion adopted.

7B public hearing on site-specific redevelopment plan.

CRA Area 36, TMT Investments Montana.

Mr.

Navity.

Thank you very much, Mr.

Mayor.

The item before you this evening is a TIFF application from Tom Metal Tom and Matt Middleton, TMT investments, and the Montana is there.

I heard somebody in the audience say, TMT Montana, where did that come from?

That came from me, naming this project based on who's doing it and what street it's on.

So this is on Montana Avenue, which is located just south of Highway 2 and to the west of Idaho Avenue.

Um between Idaho Avenue and Independence.

They are requesting $875,000 in tax increment financing.

These do qualify as workforce housing units, so they are eligible for construction as part of the cost of the eligible activities.

So it will have multiple contract dates with no with no individual unit being given TIFF for a period of more than 15 years.

But though they may overlap or would overlap.

Public hearing is now open.

Zach Butts, would you like to speak?

Good evening, thank you, everybody.

Uh Zach Butts.

I am here uh as legal counsel for TMT this evening.

Um I keep thinking that one of these meetings, I know I've been in front of you a time or two here.

I'll I won't be able to say the Grand Island needs housing, but we're not at that meeting quite yet.

So I won't belabor that point, but we have um as is Chad mentioned, and thank you, Chad, by the way, for your introduction on the project.

Uh nine duplex units that we want to create.

Um Bruce Schreiner's done a lot of work on this tonight, and he couldn't be here with us, but the financials and things that you see that was prepared by Schroeder and Schreiner.

I'll give uh a little bit of an overview on those, uh, kind of rehash some of what Chad said.

But as he mentioned, it's well in excess of four million dollars on this project with uh approximately $3.6 million valuation at the end of this.

Um we're asking for $875,000.

That number came from crunching some things with the bank and and and Bruce's work on the accounting.

We thought that was uh the minimum number that we could ask for to still meet the margins that we need.

Uh, within the regulations, we think we could probably ask for a little bit more, ask closer to that $920,000, but there'd be about $45,000 of that that essentially wouldn't be needed to do what we need to do.

And so we want to be entering into this public-private partnership in good faith, and we don't want to over-ask for what we don't need.

And so it's why we're coming in at uh 875 tonight.

Um from purely legal standpoint, you know, you guys have to assess the butt for test of any TIFF project, and we can meet that.

There's uh the margins on this are tight enough that from the bank's perspective, this project isn't moving forward without TIFF.

This isn't uh, we'll just rejigger a couple things and do it slightly different.

It's it's not happening.

From a more practical standpoint, there's some real estate transactional work that's conditional on this.

We've got to acquire the rest of the real estate.

That's only happening if TIF is met.

So this isn't gonna be slightly shifted and still get done.

This is with your approval, it's happening as you see it without your approval.

It's a blank slate, and we're back to the drawing board, and probably nothing's getting built there anytime soon.

So we're thankful for the report of the CRA.

They uh they were frankly appreciative of our ask and not going for quite as much as we could ask for.

Um, they're also appreciative of the fact that a lot of the housing that they've been seeing lately are some larger little bit more massive units.

These are gonna be a little more tailored, a little more uh uh focused for our potential customers here, and again, we're thankful for regional planning for their verification that this fits within the comprehensive plan.

Um we want to answer any questions that we can for you tonight.

If you really really want to get into the weeds on numbers, we can get Bruce on the phone here.

But um otherwise, I'm available.

Tom and Matt Middleton are available, and we look forward to your support and hopefully with that support, we look forward to uh kicking off a cool housing project for the city.

So thank you all very much.

Is there anyone else that would like to speak on this item?

If not, public hearing is now closed.

Mr.

Hawsey.

Thank you, Mayor.

I move to approve resolution 2025-331.

Mr.

Paul.

I would second that.

Mr.

O'Neill.

Just a quick question for either Tom or Matt.

Uh, but if this were approved tonight, um, how long do you think it would be until you'd expect to start building?

Um we have an impermanent plan in the city and open path plan that I've been drawing.

So as soon as you possibly could then.

Yeah.

Okay, thank you.

Please vote.

Motion adopted.

Public hearing 7C.

Public hearing on redevelopment plan amendment area number 17.

Preteria phase two, July 2025, amendment.

Mr.

Nabity.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Um, this one is a little bit different than most of them you've seen.

Some of you who have been on the council for a number of years saw this come forward in 2019.

Um we had a financial institution planned for the location right at the corner of Husker Highway and um Prairie View Street that was approved back in 2019.

At the time, it was a drive-through bank that was there.

The entity that is building this has turned it from a 7,000 square foot drive-through bank to a 21,000 square foot office for their project.

The between the cost of construction over the past five years and the changes to the plan, they've gone from a total project with all of the sub phases, which would include these three lots where Unity I care is this empty lot and this lot.

They've gone from about $13,700,000 expected expenditures to $22,500,000.

With that, they are asking for an increase in the amount of the TIFF that would be available for the increased value of this building.

It was or $3.3 million up from $1.8 million.

So that additional valuation is really what is driving this and the additional cost of construction and of everything that is going on now.

Planning commission did hold a public hearing on this back in August, and they um recommended approval, found that it was consistent with the comp plan.

Since a bank was consistent five years ago, it probably is still consistent.

That was not a surprise, but we did go through that process.

That's why planning commission saw it in August, and you're seeing it in September.

Um all that it really does is update the numbers and the plan for the updated building.

And I know there's representatives from Chief here as well.

Public hearing is now open.

Gerald Pools, would you like to speak on this item?

Thank you.

Roger Bowlington, did you want to speak or just if there's questions?

Sure.

Yep.

Good morning, and council.

My name is Lauren I.

Thank you for letting me be here to talk to you all today.

So, like Chad said, this financial institution is a amendment that was approved back in 2019.

And you might be wondering why this wasn't constructed in 2019.

I'm sure we're all familiar with the COVID-19 pandemic that had ramifications on a lot of projects here, not only in our community but in the nation.

That's what the increase of square footage is.

There's going to be about 40 employees working in this office on site every single day.

So one of the biggest things about the project is the but four with the TIFF request.

Um when you look at the performa, if we are not able to have tax increment financing on this project, unfortunately, the project is not going to be able to happen.

And that's with our high construction costs and interest rates right now.

I do want to note that this institution is ready to start construction as soon as tomorrow if this is approved.

If you guys have any questions, I would be happy to answer them as best I could.

Thank you.

Roger, did you want to speak?

Okay.

Is there anyone else that would like to speak on this item?

If not, public hearing is now closed.

Mr.

Hossee.

Thank you, Mayor.

I move to approve resolution 2025-332.

Mr.

O'Neill.

I second the motion.

Mr.

Sheard.

Thank you.

I just need to abstain from voting on this due to a conflict of interest.

So noted.

Please vote.

Mike, can you vote?

Motion adopted.

7D public hearing on acquisition of utility easement.

TATA hospitality.

Mr.

Navity.

That's Ryan.

Sorry, Mr.

Smith.

I was fixing the computer for it.

You can go though.

This is a cleanup from uh when we did the Hampton uh hotel over there, it was uh part of an easement was not platted with the original property, so this is adding that.

It was uh part of an easement was not platted with the original property, so this is adding that.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Public hearing is now open.

Is there anyone that would like to speak on this item?

Mr.

O'Neal.

I move that we approve 2025-333.

Mr.

Paula.

Any discussion.

Please vote.

Motion adopted.

Resolution 8A approving fiscal year 2025 to 2026 fee schedule.

Mr.

Brown.

Thank you, Mayor.

Before you is the 2526 fee schedule.

It was presented to you on August 12th, and there has been no changes since then.

Administration recommends approval.

Thank you, Mr.

Brown.

Council of motion is an order.

Mr.

Brown.

Move we approve 2025 TAC 334.

Thank you, Mr.

Paulett.

And I would second that.

Any discussion.

Please vote.

Motion adopted.

Resolution 8B approving the appointment of Patrick Brown to City Administrator.

I will speak to this.

By and through Nebraska revised statute Section 16-308 and City of Grand Island Code, Section 2-30 and 2-35.

The City of Grand Island has established the appointed position of City Administrator who is charged with the duties and responsibilities established by state law and Grand Island City Code.

Pursuant to Section 2-36, the City Administrator shall be chosen on the basis of executive and administrative qualifications with special reference to actual experience or knowledge of accepted practice in respect to the duties of the office.

Any appointment must be made by the mayor, subject to confirmation by the city council, and is made for the duration of the mayor's term of office.

The appointment must also establish the salary rate for the position and be facilitated by a negotiated employment contract.

Patrick Brown currently serves the City of Grand Island as the assistant city administrator, chief financial officer, and acting finance director slash city treasurer.

By virtue of his years of dedicated service to the City of Grand Island, he holds the executive and administrative qualifications required for this position.

And he has demonstrated a history of actual experience and knowledge required to faithfully and skillfully fulfill the duties of the city administrator.

I know of Mr.

Brown's excellent qualifications because I have seen his work firsthand on a daily basis.

He shall be entitled to resume his current position as assistant city administrator, which shall be held open for up to two years of the next mayoral term to facilitate this option for continued service.

Council members, I ask that you move to appoint Patrick Brown to the position of City Administrator.

Mr.

Hawsey.

Thank you, Mayor.

I am honored to make a motion to approve resolution 2025-335 appointing Patrick Brown to the city administrator.

Thank you, sir.

Mr.

Conley.

Thank you, sir.

Mr.

Hawsey.

Thank you, Mayor.

I am grateful for the mayor to bring forward to council this appointment.

I have not been on the approving side of the last two appointments coming before the council.

And one of the things that is the biggest challenge of this position.

When you are working with political staff here on the council, and you're working with professional staff of a dozen directors plus, and you have to build a consensus between both professional and political, it takes a certain personality.

Outside of Mitch, you know, I'm the longest serving council member here.

And this is one of those things, it takes a certain skill level.

It takes a certain amount of patience.

It takes a certain amount of person who can thank people for doing a good job.

Go out there and be appreciative of team members.

And so for those reasons and many others that I'm not gonna get into, uh Pat Brown is the right person at the right time to be appointed today to finish the finish the jobs that we have, and we have many jobs started in the middle of this budget.

Uh no one else would be able to do it in such short order.

And so I appreciate Patrick's effort.

He's been wearing three hats up to now, and it's this is gonna be his fourth hat starting tonight.

Mr.

Vaverchak, we have such a long list tonight, and I apologize, but I overlooked you.

You're welcome to to approach now and speak.

No exception taken, no disrespect.

Thank you.

Um I wish Mr.

Brown much success in the future.

And uh I think the mayor's recommendation is very wise.

Uh taking into account all the different things that impact this decision, but also looking forward, not knowing how election decisions are gonna occur, let alone election outcomes.

But indeed, I can just look back at history, and no use going back and looking at all the different circumstances of leadership than that position.

But when I see what's well, for example, there's only one time in the last 30 years where any mayor has assumed the office and had the previous city administrator there in his first meetings.

That only happened once when Marlon Ferguson had the reins of city administrator again out, and then when I was first elected.

The reason I bring that up, if it's not Mr.

Steele going forward and someone else, when I assumed office a second time during that administration, there were long periods of time where there was no city administrator.

And when I took office for months before that, there was no city administrator.

And what happens is all the simple things get taken care of, but the most difficult things are waiting there for someone else.

And I think it was wise that you created the assistant city administrative position to do just what you're doing.

You have someone with the skillful that can step in.

And also with the mayor's recommendation, I see the potential loss of institutional knowledge uh will not be lost going forward under the way that this is proposed.

So I just once again congratulate the the wisdom of Mayor Steele's recommendation and uh which much success for Mr.

Brown.

And you're gonna have to also now say, is it Mr.

Brown?

Is it Mr.

Patrick Brown?

Is it Doug Brown or what?

But nonetheless, I think you'll get through that hurdle.

Thank you, Mayor Steele.

Thank you, sir.

Mr.

Sheard.

Thank you.

Um I won't echo everything Chuck said.

He said so many good things, but there are a couple of things I wanted to bring up.

Um brought to what we did last time, where the mayor brought us a recommendation, and we said, nope, we need a national search.

And he did that.

Uh somebody asked me why aren't you doing that this time?

And it came to our attention, right?

And the easy answer is because no one would apply.

It would be a waste of our time, first, because no one's gonna apply for that job with the mayor election in a year.

So it would take us four months to hire somebody we would be without.

And we have an assistant in this role who is doing a fine job now and has all the qualifications.

If you have an assistant, the assistant should be ready to step in at any time.

And beyond that, Pat is pretty awesome.

He's done a great job.

He's been a level head in every conversation I've had with him.

He answers questions easily.

I think he gets along with just about everybody to Chuck's point.

Uh, he does battle play that line of the politicians like us and the professionals out there and the community as well.

So it was an easy answer to that person to say we have the right person here.

The mayor made the right decision, and it's saving us time.

We don't need to go without while we look around.

I just hope, as Chuck said, he's wearing four hats.

I hope that he's got enough time for each one of them.

Um your head's gonna get pretty big to hold all those hats, but it's worth it.

So uh I look forward to working with them even more.

Mr.

Brown.

I agree with the mayor a hundred percent.

Uh Patrick has proven his leadership and dedication to the city of Grand Allen, and I'm working with me and and I I totally agree with the mayor.

Couldn't get a better person.

Mr.

Conley.

Um I agree with one of the points here too.

But um, I was just talking about this with some friends, like I think Pat Brown would be good, city administrator.

I it was just linked last week.

So I'm glad to see that your names up here tonight, and um we're hiring inside instead of going out and searching, because I think it's well deserved.

Mr.

Pollock.

Thank you, Mayor.

I want to thank the mayor for picking Pat Brown and Pat for accepting.

We've uh gone the national search route before, and sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but it always costs a lot of money and a lot of time.

I want to congratulate both of you guys.

Excellent job.

Thank you, sir.

Mr.

Hossee.

Mayor Vavichek reminded me of something when he was speaking, and I have been around quite a while.

Yeah, and so this is the 21st city administrator candidate that has come in front of me while I've been sitting in this chamber.

Seven of them were interims.

Let's let's go that way.

But I have seen a lot of them, and it takes a certain skill level.

And it's one of those, it's the skill level that there's a lot of really good people out in the world that don't have this skill level.

Not that they're not skilled at something else, but the skill level it takes here is one that's uniquely found in Patrick.

And so uh I've seen a lot of them, I know what works both from the inside and the outside.

I've been on the professional staff, I've been in the political staff, and I know which one can do the balance and find those consensus things.

You know, and so I've seen 21 city administrators sitting in that chair, and even times like Mayor Vavricek said, where there no there's no one sitting in that chair.

And and those aren't good times for the professional staff.

Uh so I wanted to end with that number of counts.

Mr.

Nickerson.

With all the accolades I've heard tonight and read in the paper today, Pat, I'm not sure if we're gonna even find a hat that's big enough to fit on that head after tonight.

We'll keep looking.

But I want to talk about the hats tonight because it's pretty important.

Right now, you are feeling about every vacancy that there is, and what what do we do going forward?

And you very well are aware of the seriousness of the situation.

Vacancies, we have a uh finance director, we have I don't even know what happens to CFO and to the assistant city administrator.

We need to talk about that probably.

Uh do they stay on hold for two years, three years basically now?

Or I if I understand correctly, the mayor was wanting to incorporate the CFO part in with your administration role.

And I think somebody already said, do you have the time?

So so we need to know.

I need to know.

I think everybody needs to know.

How in the world does this all fit into the world of Patrick Brown, knowing that that you are taking over the key role of the city, but there's so many other vacancies that right now you're trying to do it all.

How do how do you do it all and how do you share that load, or what do we do?

I can answer that briefly.

We are in the process of interviewing candidates for a finance director right now.

So we hope to get that resolved fairly quickly.

And I was the one when I spoke to the paper, I talked about uh Mr.

Brown's experience as a as the chief financial officer, and I was referencing he's going to maintain that job organically, because he's been doing it for so many years.

I wasn't I wasn't talking about we create some that for him.

I said it's just a it's a function of something he's always done.

And I was I was trying to make the point that Mr.

Brown can not only step into the position of the city administrator, but he brings this massive knowledge of finance with him.

So it's just a a natural thing.

Uh he's not gonna lose, he's not gonna lose that knowledge, that insight, and as Mr.

Vavrochek says, that institutional knowledge uh once he becomes city administrator.

But but we are looking right now for a finance director.

I I believe what what can be lost, and so I'm gonna still give Patrick a chance to to speak here in a second.

But I think what can be lost is the time that it takes to do those things.

And Patrick, you know how much time you just did a heavy lift here over the last few months, bringing in a budget, and we'll be heading down that road again in a few months.

But how did how do you feel about all of this?

Because I know it's a it's a great opportunity, and all the hats you're wearing and everything that has to be juggled, just what are your feelings about all of that?

Well, first off, I I really appreciate the kind words that have been said.

So with your question, Mitch, we have some really good candidates for a finance director position.

We also put out there the budget and purchasing manager position.

Uh have one application that's only been open one day.

So I look forward to those two positions being filled and working with those folks through the process and getting them up to speed.

Secondly, the and you as council knows, we really have a good staff, and they will step up and help uh when needed.

Um I'm not I'm not worried on that side.

So I think it's it's it's not gonna be much of a change, quite honestly, and it's gonna be more of a mentor role for me, especially in the finance area.

So uh I think we'll we'll move along pretty strong Do you see a separate CFO position or do you see yourself just trying to continue to do that?

So great question.

So if here's here's the if game.

So if I am renewed as city administrator in 2627, and uh I think then we look at do we fill that position?

What does that position look like?

Is there a need for a the CFO part of the assistant administrator?

Don't know.

But that's the possibility of that.

Okay.

Well, it's a lot, and I appreciate your willingness to do that.

I think all of us do.

I again I've been with Chuck on some of these things where I've not agreed with some of the selections.

I think that you do check the boxes that are important here.

There's one thing that I'm always concerned about when somebody takes on more and more, and that's that's your health, your physical and your mental health.

I think you've been doing okay now, but you just got another ton of stuff dumped on you here, and and I know you can handle it all, but those things are all very important.

I hope you take time for yourself as well as you get into this.

I just I think it's a good thing.

We want to move forward, and it sounds like we will have a plan in place to get some of these spots filled, because that is going to help you, even though you're mentoring.

I'm hoping the candidates that we get, especially in finance director, actually understand the finance directing, and so it's just a matter of learning our system, and then we can be up to speed pretty quickly.

I think that would be very important, uh, as well as all the other things.

Because I know you review a lot of things through the uh the CFO side of it, and we've talked before how long does it take to review these invoices that have come through to make sure everything's okay, and you said, Oh, it doesn't take that long because you're used to doing it.

But the next guy or gal won't be used to doing it, and it'll all be worked out.

Uh I guess one quick question, and this is for you to decide with Carrie, but we know that Stacy actually played a role in some of that.

Do you see her going back to help carry the load on this temporarily, or what do you what do you see?

Uh Ms.

Nonhouth is prepared to help Mr.

Brown however he may need or ask, and I think the new purchasing and budget manager you've authorized will also be there to fill that role as soon as they're there.

But our office will be there to help him however he may need in the interim.

Excellent.

Well, I think after our vote, we'll just have to figure out if we find a hat big enough for you tonight.

That's the only thing I see, the only challenge there, man.

Okay, thank you.

Mr.

O'Neal.

I haven't been on council as long as a lot of you.

Um, but I've I've worked with Pat a lot over the last year, met with him several times, and he's shown me that he's been a he's a very uh good and capable public servant.

Um I think it says a lot about his ability to do everything that he's doing right now, and I'm confident he has all the abilities, skills, and experience to be very successful, and I look forward to working with his next city administrator.

Mr.

Snell.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Um I too have a lot of respect for Pat.

Um sitting up here, I don't like to repeat what's been repeated already on the floor, so I don't want to waste your time.

But I find Pat to be a top-notch person.

I find him to be a team player.

I find him to be wise and well prepared.

I fell in to be finding to be smart and knowledgeable and easy to adapt.

And finally, I think one of his best attributes is he's a good listener.

Um I'm really looking forward to this vote and looking forward to working with you, Pat.

Thank you.

Please vote.

Motion adopted.

Congratulations, Patrick.

Ordinances 9A, consideration of vacation of utility easement.

Englman Meadows.

Is there a motion to s to suspend the statutory rules?

Mr.

O'Neill.

I move to suspend the rules.

Mr.

Pollock.

I will second that.

Any discussion?

Please vote.

Motion adopted.

9A consideration of vacation of utility easement.

Engelman Meadows, Mr.

Schmitz.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

This is to vacate an old easement that was utilized for English school, as that property is now being developed into a subdivision.

Larry Schmidt, did you want to speak on this item?

Is it uh okay?

Mr.

Brown.

Move we approve 10,037.

Mr.

Conley.

I will second that motion.

Any discussion.

Please vote.

Motion adopted.

Ordinance 9b, consideration of approving what water chapter 35 revisions.

Is there a motion to suspend the statutory rules?

Mr.

O'Neill.

I move to suspend the rules.

Mr.

Paula.

And I would second that.

Any discussion?

Please vote.

Motion adopted.

9B consideration of approving water, Chapter 35 revisions.

Mr.

Schmitz.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

So two years ago, um council approved the use of polyethylene pipe for two-inch and smaller services, which has worked great in town.

So we've had a two-year run with that.

So tonight before you as edits to Chapter 35, that will allow uh PVC C900 pipe, um, which would be three inches and over as an alternate to ductile iron.

Uh C900 pipe is about 68% cheaper, is what we're finding cost-wise.

Um it would not be allowed in the groundwater control districts.

That's per estate ask.

Um we do have one of the larger PVC manufacturers in town, which is another great benefit.

We have an expert back here in the corner.

Um, but I think it's good all around.

Um we have the specifications developed and everything ready to go.

So this is another step in a process that I feel Grand Island has legged behind.

All the fittings and gaskets are identical to ductal iron pipe.

Larry, did you want to speak on this one?

I was just here to answer questions.

Okay.

Mr.

Pollock.

I would make a motion to approve 10,038.

Mr.

O'Neill.

I second the motion.

Discussion, Mr.

Nickerson.

Ryan, it seems like we had this discussion many, many years ago, and some folks were just dead set against it.

And I I and I never could understand back then why.

And I think now we've got things change as we already talked about earlier tonight.

Things change.

If I understand correctly, people that were stuck on iron pipe versus plastic or PVC or whatever it's called, were concerned about permeation of some kind of contamination that could come through the pipe or whatever, but I'm assuming scientific data has shown that that's not the case, or I'm just gonna see what you found on that.

So years ago when these plumes popped up, um, DIPRA, which is the Ductile Iron Institute, was one of the first on the scenes with the state.

So the state basically said, hey, they came to us, this is an authorized installation in a contamination area.

And uh the argument has always been the leaching of petroleum through PVC.

Now, again, like I mentioned, the gaskets are the same as ductile iron, the fittings are the same as ductile iron, so that literally leaves the wall itself.

And there's a lot of studies done that if you had if you wanted to submerge that thing in a in a hundred percent uh gas filled tank over the course of months, you may have some leaching.

And there's a lot of studies done that if you had if you wanted to submerge that thing in a in a hundred percent uh gas filled tank over the course of months, you may have some leaching, and Larry can probably speak better than I on some of this, but the fact is um in town, um a lot most of our contamination areas, the contamination itself is 50, 60 feet underground and in the parts per million, so not anywhere close to the contamination level that would even constitute the tests that have proven leaching.

So we are one of a very few cities in Nebraska that do not allow C900 or HTPE under any circumstances, and it was really dates back to to DIPRA, the ductile iron group being the first on the scene with their feedback to the state.

So I think things have evolved enough now.

We know enough now, we have enough enough other people installing C900 out there that that the risk has been negated.

And and Larry, I'd gladly let Larry talk.

He he's I got a wealth of knowledge on the issue as well.

And these pipes would be used where where could they be used and for what we're just approving service line fire service line.

So to ease into this, a fire service line has a backflow on the other side.

So if anybody had a fear of leaching, it can only go one direction, which is to the building, and that's that's why we install backflow.

Um so except under an irregular situation that water is gonna go one direction.

Um and so the next step would be after utilizing it in this manner, we would develop specification and standards to go the next step, which would be the distribution system.

And you say this has been done other places, it's being done all over.

So why why the delay of us adopting it when we know that the history is showing that it's very usable?

Why would it take us so long to get there?

Don't know.

Um, I would say my my personal this is my opinion, just an unfounded fear of the unknown, but it's not an unknown anymore, in my opinion.

It's been around long enough that uh it's just we just need to get on board.

So we can learn from others and and feel safe.

And it's a cost savings again to development, so that gets passed on to the customers.

Very good.

All right, thank you, Ryan.

Please vote motion adopted nine C consideration of approving salary ordinance.

Is there a motion to suspend the statutory rules?

Mr.

O'Neill.

I move to suspend the rules.

Mr.

Shear, a second any discussion.

Please vote.

Motion adopted.

Consideration of approving salary ordinance.

Mr.

Schmidt.

Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you, council.

Um, easy one to end on tonight.

So earlier in consent agenda, you approved the IBEW wastewater contract, and this ordinance just incorporates those changes.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Mr.

O'Neill.

I move we approve ordinance 10,039.

Mr.

Brown.

I second that motion.

Discussion.

Please vote.

Motion adopted.

We are adjourned.