Grand Island City Council Meeting Summary - October 28, 2025

The Grand Island City Council convened on October 28, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. to address various administrative, financial, and infrastructure matters. The meeting featured discussions on fire service scheduling changes, capital project reimbursements, golf course management contracts, and state-funded facility operations. Key deliberations included concerns regarding fatigue and family impact for firefighters, procedural compliance for public funds, and financial variances at the Heartland Event Center. The council also voted to adjust council member compensation and updated retirement system contribution rates as mandated by state statute.

Consent Calendar

• Approved items 6A through 6P, excluding 6E, 6I, 6R, and 6S, which were pulled for separate discussion (100% approval for routine items).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Mr. Nickerson expressed support for the fire department on National First Responders Appreciation Day and questioned the union's voting margin regarding the new shift schedule; Councilmember Hawsey noted the union was supportive but acknowledged the cultural shift of changing a 30-year-old schedule.
• Mr. Hawsey expressed concern regarding procedural compliance and the use of public funds for the shooting park project, requesting confirmation that private management must adhere to all city purchasing codes and sales tax exemption requirements; he expressed support for the project subject to these procedural safeguards.
• Mr. Hawsey and Councilmember Nickerson expressed disappointment regarding lower-than-expected attendance and food/beverage revenue at recent Heartland Event Center concerts, specifically during the State Fair; Nickerson suggested a need for more collaboration between the State Fair and Event Center organizers to better target community interests.
• Mr. Sheard emphasized the importance of marketing and bias in promoting events to ensure attendance and noted the unique nature of older demographics at State Fair concerts.

Discussion Items

Firefighter Schedule Change (Resolution 2025-363)

• Chief Schmidt and Union Representative (Zach) presented a proposal to change the firefighter schedule from 24-on/48-off to a 48-on/96-off trial basis. They stated that while the total annual compensation remains the same, the hourly rate decreases slightly due to increased total hours (2,912 vs. 2,808). The union representatives expressed that the majority of the union voted to trial this model, believing it aids in recruitment and retention.
• Councilmember Hawsey expressed opposition regarding the fatigue factor, noting that the second 24 hours of a shift is significantly harder than the first, and concern regarding the family effect of taking one parent out of the family for 48 consecutive hours.
• Chief Schmidt and Union Representative countered that the fatigue factor is mitigated by the "Kelly day" schedule structure and that the change aids in recruitment. They highlighted that the contract includes a 30-day notice clause for either party to exit the trial if issues arise. They stated that turnover in comparable municipalities has been minimal.

Heartland Public Shooting Park (Resolution 2025-367)

• Mr. McCoy presented a request for reimbursement of $696,000 in capital projects managed by Hornaday.
• Councilmember Hawsey expressed concern that a private entity managing public funds must strictly adhere to all government procurement laws and sales tax requirements to prevent reimbursement of non-compliant expenses.
• City Staff confirmed that the finance department would oversee all receipts and quotes to ensure compliance with state laws and purchasing codes.

Golf Course Management (Resolution 2025-376)

• Council discussed a five-year contract renewal with Landscapes Unlimited. Councilmember Hawsey questioned the financial performance, noting a historical annual deficit.
• Justin Arlt (Landscapes Unlimited) stated that the average cash infusion over the previous five years was approximately $100,000, but noted the implementation of a capital fleet program has improved the financial outlook. He expressed a position that the next five years will be "substantially better" than the previous period.
• Councilmember Hawsey expressed support for the contract but requested a clearer financial plan for the next decade to determine if the city will need continued subsidies.

Heartland Event Center Funding (Resolution 2025-377)

• Kyler Carwater presented a funding request of $200,000 to address a $665,000 operating deficit, with a specific variance of $165,000 against the $500,000 occupancy tax subsidy.
• Carwater explained the variance was due to lower-than-anticipated return on State Fair events and unexpected food losses (e.g., freezer failure). He noted that per-cap food and beverage sales were significantly lower than projected (e.g., $4.40 vs. projected $10).
• Councilmember Nickerson and Mayor Sheard expressed concern over the financial delta and the need for ongoing monitoring. Nickerson suggested a joint venture between the State Fair and Event Center to better align event selection with community demand.
• Carwater expressed a position that the issue is primarily one of cash flow rather than long-term revenue generation, highlighting a new slate of 10 confirmed events to drive future revenue and improve marketing efforts.

Engineering Contract Amendment (Resolution 7A)

• Director Kurtz requested an amendment of $310,800 for engineering services for State Street improvements. The scope expanded beyond the original $2 million budget to nearly $4 million due to the inclusion of median installation, storm sewer work, and ASR concrete degradation issues.
• Councilmember Sheard expressed concern about the increased scope and duration, specifically regarding access changes for permanent businesses (e.g., Wendy's, Taco Bell). He expressed a position that the city must overcommunicate with property owners and the public regarding long-term vision and impacts.

Island Oasis Water Park Bid (Resolution 7B)

• Mr. McCoy recommended awarding a bid of $13,196,720 to Shell Caton for water park improvements, noting the bid was below the conservative $15.9 million budget.
• Councilmember Nickerson expressed satisfaction with the cost savings. Staff confirmed the project will take 18 months, with completion required before the 2028 season, ensuring swimming remains available for the upcoming summer.

Compensation and Retirement Amendments (Ordinances 8A-8E)

• Council Compensation (8A): City Attorney Schmidt proposed increasing council pay from $7,800 to $10,701 (effective next seating) with an ongoing CPI adjustment. Councilmember Hawsey expressed a position that some level of pay is necessary to attract talent and ensure council members are reachable, though he acknowledged that a zero-pay model exists in the region.
• Firefighters Retirement System (8C): Amendment to increase firefighter contribution rates from 6.5% to 12.7% and city contributions from 13% to 15% due to statutory changes. Councilmember Hawsey expressed concern over the significant increase in employee contributions but acknowledged the context of the Fire Department not covering Social Security.
• Police Retirement System (8D): Amendment to increase police contributions from 7% to 9% effective October 1, 2025.
• Solid Waste Financing (8E): Authorization to increase bond financing from $9 million to $9.9 million for the solid waste transfer station expansion.

Key Outcomes

• Adopted Resolution 2025-363: Approved the trial of the 48-on/96-off shift schedule for the International Association of Firefighters, Local 647, effective until the contract ends September 30, 2026.
• Adopted Resolution 2025-367: Approved the $696,000 capital project reimbursement for the Heartland Public Shooting Park.
• Adopted Resolution 2025-376: Approved a five-year contract renewal with Landscapes Unlimited for golf course management.
• Adopted Resolution 2025-377: Approved the $200,000 operating funding request plus $30,000/month for the next 10 months for Venue Works Heartland Event Center operations.
• Adopted Resolution 7A: Approved the engineering contract amendment for State Street improvements, acknowledging the scope increase to nearly $4 million.
• Adopted Resolution 7B: Awarded the Island Oasis Water Park renovation project to Shell Caton for $13,196,720.
• Adopted Ordinance 8A: Adjusted City Council compensation to a base of $10,701 with an ongoing CPI adjustment provision.
• Adopted Ordinance 8B: Approved the salary ordinance reflecting the firefighter pay changes.
• Adopted Ordinance 8C: Amended the Firefighters Retirement System Plan to increase contribution rates as required by state statute.
• Adopted Ordinance 8D: Amended the Police Officers Retirement System Plan to increase employee contributions to 9%.
• Adopted Ordinance 8E: Authorized $9.9 million in financing for solid waste improvements.
• Executive Session: The council entered executive session to discuss union negotiations regarding the firefighter MOU.