Welcome to our meeting.

The date is January 27, 2026.

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.

Now, would you please stand and join us in the Pledge of Allegiance?

Thank you.

The City Clerk will now perform roll call.

Councilmember Sherid.

Present.

Councilmember Stelk.

Councilmember Conley.

Present.

Councilmember Nickerson.

Present.

Councilmember Brown.

Present.

Councilmember Hazi.

Present.

Councilmember Mendoza.

Present.

Council President O'Neill.

Present.

Councilmember Member Pollock will be absent.

Councilmember Lanfear.

And Mayor Steele.

Present.

Also present are Jill Grenier, the City Clerk, Patrick Brown, the City Administrator, 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.

As I understand it from the consent agenda, items F and M have been removed.

Is that correct, Mrs.

Grenier?

Yes.

Does the council wish to remove any other consent agenda items?

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.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

I'm happy to say that we have the best in the state joining us as we kick off our meeting.

Tonight isn't just about a trophy or a title, which this team has already won.

It's about what this team represents, not only for Grand Island Senior High, but our entire community.

And to the team, you made history and our inspiring younger students watching from the stands.

It might not seem like much now, but you're setting a standard that will last long after this season ends.

On behalf of the city of Grand Island, we are proud to recognize you tonight.

Congratulations on your state championship, and thank you for showing our community what true teamwork looks like.

Mrs.

Grenier and I will present you with a certificate of appreciation and a commemorative pin.

Before we begin, I want to acknowledge Calvin Hubbard, the principal at Grand Island Senior High School.

Started out many years ago as a science teacher, moved into administration, and is now the principal at Senior High School.

Welcome, sir.

You must be very proud of your students.

Well, we have some bowlers here to acknowledge, so let's get started.

The first is Brock Kramer.

Wendy Kolar.

Hunter Spanger.

Bailey Vodenall.

And the head coach Mark Duval could not be here this evening, so I'm going to present his certificate and his pin to you.

Now, one thing, Spencer, they brought, they wore their team uniforms, they brought their trophy.

I'd like to get a group picture with the bowlers, Principal Hubbard, the coaches.

So let's line up and do that.

I want the folks at home to see this magnificent state championship trophy.

I know, right?

All right.

Do a quick countdown.

Three, two, one.

Three, two, one.

Good.

Thank you.

Thanks for bringing your students.

Thank you.

What a great way to start a meeting.

Is there a motion to approve the consent agenda with the with the exception of 7F and 7 M.

Mr.

O'Neal?

I move that we approve the consent agenda with the exceptions of 7F and 7M.

Mr.

Lanfear.

Any discussion?

Please vote.

Motion adopted.

7F approving proposal for Pier Park Lake Trail and Water Quity Study.

Mr.

McCoy, please don't resolve this.

During the budget discussions last summer, we talked about a lot of the big projects that we had on the list this year.

And we talked about how we thought that was one that we could delay because it would we needed to study it a little bit more for some solutions, how to fix that trail.

Also at that time there was concerns brought up about the lake.

So we agreed to study the lake as well.

So what we did is we went out for an RFP.

We did get four proposals from consulting firms to study the trail, the seawall, the lake, and just give us some uh ideas for some solutions and some uh estimates for those for those solutions.

Um JEO proposed um in their in their proposal a hundred and eight thousand dollars a hundred eight thousand four hundred and forty-five dollars, and that's the proposed that is the uh uh proposal that we're recommending tonight.

Mr.

Brown move we approve 2026 TAC 14.

Thank you, Mr.

Landfear.

Any discussion?

Mr.

Brown.

I just uh the importance of this for the people who live around Pier Park is I've heard about this for a few years now, but uh it's good, and I've talked to them after he proposed this, and they're real happy about it, just to let you know.

Thank you.

Please vote.

Motion adopted seven approving the submission of the two thousand twenty-four, two thousand twenty-five consolidated annual performance and evaluation report for community development block grant program funding to HUD.

Please proceed, Mrs.

Albedrez.

Yeah, um, so this agenda item is our end of the year report that we submit annually to HUD as Mayor said.

Um the program year started October 1 of 2024 and ran through September 30th of 2025.

This year was a little different, and compared to some of our past keepers, this one wasn't quite as lengthy.

We had a unique federal year this past year with ever changing kind of federal requirements in the program, um, as well as kind of some delays in funding and when we were getting them.

And so we didn't quite see as many accomplishments as we typically do.

A few of our programs were unable to move forward because of those changing requirements.

Uh, but we did have a handful that were able to move forward successfully.

I believe that outside of program administration, we were able to spend approximately around 54,000, and that was able to serve around 130 um individuals.

Those were mainly from two different programs, which were both daycare programs in our community.

And so we were able to partner with Central Department or Health Department and then also the YMCA of Grand Island were able to do daycare scholarship type programs where they were able to help those that are low income, um, kind of with that don't quite meet the daycare subsidies but still fell within our parameters for low income to help with those needs.

Um and I think that's that's about it.

That was in this program.

Thank you.

Mr.

Sheard.

Thank you.

I move that we uh pass uh item 7M, Mr.

O'Neill.

I second the motion.

Discussion, Mr.

Nickerson.

Thank you for being here, Amber.

Hate to ruin your Tuesday nights, but always think it's a good idea just to share what we see as a worksheet, a spreadsheet.

And that you know, the public can't see that.

So I think it's a good idea to share what we've been able to accomplish.

You said we've been able to partner with the health department this year and with the Y.

Didn't get as much done as we were hoping.

Does that hurt us in the future because we weren't able to spend those dollars?

Does that just help us to have that money available for this coming year?

So we're still in a position where we're able to write some amendments, and we are switching some of the funding over to city projects.

Um over the last year, we kind of thought those were the safest to make sure that we spend the money in a faster time frame, and that they're as a city we're able to control those and make sure that the new requirements and if requirements are being changed that we can meet them.

Uh so we have a few public facility type programs that are begun going to go through this year, such as curb ramp projects and a large wastewater project.

That'll be those all qualify according to what the money can be used for, then without a problem.

Yes.

Good.

All righty.

Well, thank you for sharing with us tonight.

Please vote.

Motion adopted.

We will now take up our public hearings.

8A.

Public hearing request from downtown industry LLC doing business as Sand City Grill, 410 West Third Street, Grand Island, Nebraska, for a Class C liquor license.

Mrs.

Grunier.

An application for a Class C liquor license was filed with the Liquor Control Commission and received by the city on December 31st, 2025.

A notice to general public of date time and place of hearing was published on January 17th, 2026.

A notice of to the applicant of date time and place of hearing was mailed on January 2nd, 2026, along with Chapter 4 City Code Alcoholic Beverages.

Departmental Reports were received as required by City Code, and recommendation is to approve upon final inspection.

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

If not, public hearing is now closed.

Mr.

O'Neill.

I move that we approve 2026-22.

Mr.

Brown.

I second that motion.

Any discussion.

Please vote.

Motion adopted.

Public hearing 8B.

Public hearing to consider rezoning property at 501 South Gun Barrel Road in the north half of the south half of section 18, Township 11 North, Range 8 West of the 6 p.m.

in Merrick County from transitional agriculture and secondary agriculture to large lot residential.

Mr.

Nabity.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

The item before you this evening is a rezoning.

Hooker Brothers dug a lake out just south of A Road, so somewhere kind of between A Road and Bismarck on the east side of Gunbarrel.

That is in Grand Island's two-mile zoning jurisdiction.

Grand Island city limits are really just past Shady Bend there, which means that we go a little bit further than a mile into Merrick County at this point.

Because it's in Grand Island zoning jurisdiction, you have authority to control the zoning in that area.

Rick Johnson is here.

But he is hoping to develop that lake.

Initially, he is looking at three lots along gun barrel road.

The and then unsure what's going to happen with the remainder of the property.

Since the mid-1990s has required that whenever there are more than four lots created along an existing road, or any time you add a new road or out in that two-mile jurisdiction, you put in sewer and water lines, even if they're not able to be used.

So that we'll see what happens with that at some point in the future.

But at this point, he would have three lots to sell if this is rezoned.

It does need to be rezoned in order to do those three lots.

It is consistent with the comprehensive plan that was adopted last year, as you can see on the map here, and maybe you can see it, and I know you've got it in front of you.

Define sand pits as they are a when they are active as an industrial or commercial use, and then we transition those to a residential use.

So as this ends and is transitioning, it would become a residential use and expected to be a residential use.

Recommend approval of rezoning this.

They didn't have anything to say either for or against the project.

As I said, Mr.

Johnson is here.

If you've got any specific questions for him, planning commission did recommend approval.

If this is approved, there is a plat for those three lots that you would consider later.

Public hearing is now open.

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

If there's any questions, I would have to do that.

Okay.

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

If not, public hearing is now closed.

Mr.

Brown.

Move we approve 10,061.

Mr.

Lanfear.

Any discussion?

Mr.

Sheard?

Yeah, quick question.

Yes.

I was looking at the map and looking at it here.

That butts up against the city limits, right?

No.

It doesn't.

It does not.

City limits is at Shady Bend Road, a mile away.

Okay, that's where I was confused.

I couldn't remember if this was.

No, this is I actually had a question from Steve White about annexing into Merrick County.

And if this if the gun barrel road was in city limits, we would be annexing this.

Okay.

But because we've got a mile between city limits in this, we're not.

Thank you.

Um, did you need to suspend the rules?

This is an ordinance.

Yes, we do.

And Mr.

O'Neill, do you have a motion to suspend the rules?

Yes, I move that we suspend the rules.

Mr.

Lanfair.

Any discussion?

Please vote.

Motion adopted.

Here's the vote on the actual approval.

Mark, can you vote?

Motion adopted.

Resolution 9A, consideration of approval of Gun Barrel Lake Subdivision, final plat and subdivision agreement.

Mr.

Navity.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

This was not on consent agenda because I wanted to make sure that the rezoning passed before we before we brought this forward for approval.

If you had not approved that, I would have said let's pull this item.

Um this does meet the regulations under the rezoning that you just passed.

I would recommend approval.

The interjurisdictional planning commission did recommend approval pending the rezoning change.

Thank you, Mayor.

I move to approve resolution 2026-23.

Mr.

Sheard.

Thank you.

I'll second that.

Discussion.

Please vote.

Motion adopted.

Resolution 9B.

Approving financing and reimbursement of certain expenditures from bond proceeds proceeds issued by the city.

Mr.

Brown.

Thank you, Mayor.

Good evening, Council.

Before you is a resolution for financing and reimbursement for uh bond proceeds for various projects that we have at the city.

So I'd like to go through the list of uh improvements.

For the Heartland Events Center, we have the chillers, which we have already uh are on order, uh 1.2 million, boilers on order, 1.9 million, uh arena lighting uh that is inside the concourse and outside the concourse at 1.7, sound system 1.1.

Uh the vestibule, we do have an RFQ out for design services for that for 951,000.

Uh roof replacement, I believe it's the original roof, nine hundred and seventy-four thousand, uh ice rink revival of two million.

I did not plug in a grant because we don't know if we are getting a grant.

So that total was ten million dollars.

Island oasis renovation, the borrowing part is eleven and a half million, and refinancing veteran sports complex note.

It's a um I believe it was a five-year note, have a million dollars left on that.

Uh then I added in a contingency, uh, not knowing what can happen, obviously.

So a total of 23 and a half million dollars.

So we did look into different loan scenarios.

Okay, so loan scenario number one, it's based off of one million dollar payment.

The one million dollar payment is actually food beverage occupation tax that we pay currently on the uh vets uh sports complex and the sales tax that we were paying on a debt service for Harland Events Center.

So that's our starting point for loan scenarios.

So for using a million dollars, we we do not get enough money for the projects to complete all of them, plus it's a 36-year note.

So not recommended.

Loan scenario number two.

I just go up by a quarter million on payments, so one million two hundred and fifty thousand fully funds the projects, however, it's a 36-year note, and we do not recommend this as well.

Loan scenario number three, one and a half million payment, fully funded 28 years.

We don't recommend that one as well.

In these high years, you're paying a lot of interest.

So in loan four, we use one million seven hundred fifty thousand, fully funded project, 20-year note, and this would be recommended.

However, in order to find in order to do that loan scenario, we need to find $750,000 to make this annual payment.

Okay.

So part of the solutions, possible solutions, increase of the food and beverage debt payment.

In turn, you're going to decrease in parks projects.

Contribution, and then that's a decrease in street projects.

General fund contribution is the decrease in government operations.

We could postpone some of these above projects.

And these are scenarios that you've heard before.

Increase hotel occupation tax from 1% to 3%, gives you two an extra 250,000 to put towards that payment, or increase the hotel occupation tax from two percent to four percent and provides 500,000.

So these are the different possible solutions or any combination thereof.

Um I just want council just to be aware of where you need to find the revenue in order to make these debt payments before we bring a bond ordinance in front of you.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Brown.

Council motion is in order.

Mr.

O'Neal?

I move that we approve 2026-24.

Mr.

Hawsey.

I'd second the motion.

Discussion, Mr.

Sheard.

Two questions.

One, what exactly are we approving?

So to go shopping for a note to go borrowing.

And then also any of these things.

And also the reimbursed what we've already paid for, like a chillers and boilers.

Okay.

That's where when we started looking at these things, I had a lot of options there.

I didn't know if we needed to come up with one.

How much do we still have in our excess reserves, whatever their reserves?

Boy.

I know during the budgeting you showed us the big spreadsheet, and Mitch always gets worried because it gets smaller and smaller and smaller as we go.

That's what I was actually looking for.

So 2026 proposed at the end excess reserves of 7.5.

That is above the uh cash reserve minimum that we set by fiscal policy.

And as that gets smaller, what do we have that going to?

Or is that that we're just not adding as much to it?

Uh right now we're not adding as much to it.

So to go any honestly, to go any lower makes me nervous, but it can be done.

You get nervous by going lower there.

I get nervous by bonding for 20 years on excess things that we don't have all the money for.

So is there a mix of the thing?

I got double nervousness here, so yes.

So is there an opportunity?

It wasn't listed on your options there to buy down some of that with excess reserves.

Or was it maybe I didn't?

It's it's not on here, but definitely you can.

Yes.

I can so with this, we are using cash for four to five million, I believe, of island oasis.

Okay this year.

And they're also using cash for the Stalley Park train improvement.

Okay.

And we're using cash for rider park baseball field.

All very good uses of the cash.

Sure.

And that's shown there that we would have the seven million left over above the 14 million comfort zone.

Yes.

Yes.

Have we talked through any projects that you know of that are going to tap into that?

Because again, I see it go down to four million the following year.

Is there another three million that's allocated down the line?

No.

There is not.

We just come up that short.

Yeah, it's you know, it you get into forecasting and usually kind of overcompensate for expenses and undercompensate for revenues.

It's a guessing game.

I'm just wondering if there's an opportunity to use, say, I don't know what would make an impact on the the debt payment.

But when you're looking at a $750,000 deficit uh a year for 20 years, if there's a way to pay cash on some more of that to bring that down, uh I'd rather not pay interest.

Right.

I don't know if three million would make an impact, it would make some sort of impact, but I don't know if it's really that much of an impact.

But I we will look into it when we start shopping.

Certainly four years of the difference that we could buy uh just by using that.

So I I mean I I am in favor of all of those projects.

Oh, you are so am I.

Fantastic, thank you.

Mr.

O'Neill.

Uh a few questions here.

So, Pat, this is really just about the few uh there'll have to be future discussion, obviously, of how to pay them, which would give us several options.

We're not having to commit to that tonight.

This is really just for everyone's uh transparency of just being able to shop around for them.

Um the 23 and a half million is really seen as the worst case scenario.

I know you have some contingency, like a contingency line in there, but some of these other numbers are kind of our worst case scenario and potentially could go under.

But so hopefully we could get a little less than that too, potentially.

Yes, I would agree.

And the the contingency, you'd still want to factor that in no matter what and take it.

I do, and if we don't use it, we often we can offset it with the paying down the bond.

And um some of these might be a question for uh uh Mr.

Rogers as well, because I assume he'd be helping in this also.

Um but as far as like uh municipal bonds, I don't know what the current rates are right now, and do we anticipate there might be some uh decreases in that uh potentially the next year or two?

Yeah, the the ones um the the one I recommended was 4.4% interest.

So and would we be able to start this as a ban before it um gets converted to a bond so we might have a little more room before we commit to that if they change and then um assuming if if rates were more favorable, even a longer term we'd still have the building to refinance in the future as well.

Uh yes, there was um I think it was um 2035 that you can call it.

Okay, so there'd be some flexibility.

Yes, and obviously we're not taking out debt today.

This is just to kind of get the ball running to shop around, look around.

So um with that said, here another option is to take your front side of your of your note and make it a little lower, put it on the back side, and then at some point refinance if interest rates come down.

So, yeah, there's a lot of games to play.

I just want to make and and honestly, if rates were a little more favorable, it could help our payments out quite a bit too.

So it's kind of early, but yeah, I'm in favor of at least shopping around and letting us look for now.

And there's obviously gonna have to be a lot of discussion later because there's a lot of options really need to look at of how to fund the bond payment after that.

So okay.

Thank you.

Yep.

Mr.

Hossee.

Thank you, Mayor.

Uh, and thank you, Pat, for bringing up the options, because I thought I like the idea of discussing um what are how how do we finance things?

Uh tonight's resolution is needed just to bond the stuff that we're already spending.

So I think I mean definitely in favor of the resolution.

I think the conversations about how do we finance it, you know, and each one of those I have to look at like separately.

And so, for example, the first 500,000, because we're going to include the food and beverage.

We borrowed $7 million, I think you know, five years ago uh to build the some ball fields out at uh in the north part of town.

And they're probably about ready to be paid off in a year or two.

There.

You know, and so what this would do is by using that 500,000, commit that money from food and beverage another 28 year 20 years or another 18 years or something like that.

Uh I think in the last five years, the food and beverage revenue has grown significantly.

It has.

You know, and so maybe there's more of an opportunity than 500,000.

I'd like to take a look at all of the demands on the money.

What's everybody asking for a piece of that pie?

You know, and I when I go to the general fund, what I see in the general fund is what what's really in the general fund that I think is available is the casino, the the gambling, the revenue from casino tax.

The headline in the paper was you know, bust all kinds of records, and so I that's got to be good for city tax receipts.

You know, and so I think in the general fund, I think there is an opportunity there from the casino tax and maybe the the excess or above where we where we think it should have come in.

So I think that's a bucket that's available without decreasing city services.

You know, so uh I like looking at all the pieces.

Uh I think when we talked about the lodging tax, we we are at two percent, have been at two percent.

Um I think there's you know, I'd like to talk to the hotel people.

I think there's some room.

I I'd probably not gonna go for four percent.

I don't that didn't uh go well when we brought the four percent up the last time.

And so I think that there might be some room at three.

Um, but I think all of these are great things to put on the table.

And when we have these conversations with the hotel people about the hotel tax, we want to have everything on the table and everything out in front of us.

So I I think this is these are great to start these conversations, but it's yeah, we need to start uh having those serious conversations about how do we come up with 1.75 million.

Yeah, and and to your point, you know, if you do a one percent hotel occupation, that's 250.

I think in three years, Husker Harvest Days has paid.

It's another 200.

So, yes, there's some things coming down that kind of lightens that load.

Yeah, and I know when we looked at parks projects, they they have had a hard time getting everything built.

You know, and so all of those things are need to be looked at with a little more detail in that.

What's the demand from everybody on those sets of funds?

Because these buckets are being challenged by there's a half a dozen people on each one of them saying I need a little bit more public funding.

You know, and so there are challenges on every one of those buckets, and I kind of like to see all of the challenges out there, you know, before we commit to one or another.

But thank you very much for bringing it all forward and starting the conversation.

Absolutely.

Mr.

Nickerson, figure backing on what Chuck said at the very last, I wanted to be sure that we're not just looking at this, but we're looking at all the requests.

We talked about the livestock group that's looking for funding.

I think we just need to look at it all together and see what is out there that may or may not be able to come through us.

We don't know what that is if we can what we can and can't do.

So yeah, it's just part of the puzzle.

My question is this is the end of January.

How long do you anticipate it takes to do the bond shopping that we want to do as well as trying to decide how we want to fund that?

Anticipated closed date of the bond is in May.

We can do all the preliminary work up front and in the meantime looking for the way to make sure we cover those.

So we've got takes that long to get all that done, huh?

No, it's just gonna take that long to have these conversations to I just want to make sure the council is good with what we do.

Right.

So it's just making sure you're informed and you have the information to make those decisions.

Brings me to my next question.

When do you think is a good time for us to have those discussions about all of this?

How soon?

Is it a study session event?

Is it part of the retreat?

Is it or is it too deep for the retreat?

It is part of the retreat.

It will be part of the retreat.

Yes.

Okay, so we'll be having some time well spent there for that.

And what else have I got?

We've already got proposed rates.

And the timeline.

I think we're good.

Okay.

Thank you.

Oh, wait, one more thing.

You had some things highlighted in blue.

How come those were highlighted in blue?

Those are things that we've already started.

So we already spent some money on those?

Yeah, so we paid half of the chillers.

Um close to 700,000 on the uh boilers and island oasis, we've spent some of our cash on that so far.

And it's okay.

Let's go to um Jack's point.

If we've already spent some of that money, why would we want to turn around and bond that to get it reimbursed if we've already spent it?

It just I like to hold cash.

So it's it's it's part of the general fund, and to Jack's point, yes, we could use we can not pay back some of those expenses.

I would well, because we know what our cash balance is already.

We know what that is.

So it to me it doesn't make sense if I was doing it personally, that I would if I've already cashed it and I know I've got adequate cash, I don't know why I would turn around and try to borrow money to cover the money I've already spent.

It's just an option.

Okay, and that would lower our if we didn't do that, we would lower the amount of our bond then, those payments.

I don't know probably about million, million and a half.

Which might lower the payment by what?

No, no.

50,000, if that, I don't know.

Okay.

All things again to just consider exactly.

Absolutely.

Okay.

All right, sounds great.

Thanks.

Mr.

O'Neill.

Uh Pat, I just want to add one other note.

So obviously we'll have a feature discussion to talk about some of these other options to to make the payment.

And any time we're we're talking about increasing a tax like the hotel occupation tax.

I just want to avoid uh jumping to conclusions of if it's uh high enough, too high or just right or whatever.

Um I think you might already be working on this, but prior to get us to that meeting, I'd really like to see some uh comps of where other comparable cities are in those total tax rates.

And I know it's not just the city taxes, also county and and other tax in there as well.

Um if we had that discussion, I think it'd be really helpful to I just want the objective facts to see where we stand compared to others.

Sure, because I think that's that'll be on the 21st.

Okay, yeah, I think that'd be good to have.

I I just want to avoid jumping conclusions without that data.

So thank you.

Please vote motion adopted.

Ordinance 10 a consideration of approving changes to Chapter 15 of city code involving electric utility commercial deposits.

Is there a motion to suspend the statutory rules?

Mr.

Lanfear.

Mr.

O'Neill.

I second the motion.

Any discussion.

Please vote.

Oh, sorry, hold on.

Request to speakers.

Chuck wants to talk.

Pardon me, Mr.

Hawsey.

Thank you, Mayor.

I want to vote no on this motion.

Um, not because I'm against it at this point, but what a there's more information that I want to hear, and I I doubt if we're going to be able to hear it tonight.

And so I as much as I might support approving the ordinance on first reading, I don't want to pass it on all three readings tonight because I don't think we'll have the information that we'll need.

And I hate to vote no.

So I think the best solution for this one, uh, and I haven't had a chance to speak on it yet, but I think the best solution here is to read pass the ordinance on two different readings on two different nights.

And so I would vote no on the motion to suspend the rules.

Thank you, Mr.

Nickerson.

I would like to hear more about what would you like to know more of, because you won't be able to speak on the other part.

So what are some things, Chuck, that you're interested in then just in out of curiosity?

Additional information.

Well, I would say that uh the information that um this is an anti-business ordinance, and so it's gonna be a detrimental to small business and business, and I think we fund we spend a lot of money on economic development to support small business, and so I'm I want to make sure that the support is there.

If we're gonna have a an ordinance that's money that supports small business and a policy that is detrimental to small business, I want to make sure that we have the right justification.

And with that, it's the numbers for me, and I and the numbers aren't here, and so that's what we're gonna talk about once once the ordinance comes up for discussion.

Unless we choose well, I guess we'll we discuss it either way.

Do we discuss it either?

We will discuss it either way, won't we?

So yeah.

Yep, yeah, we'll discuss it either way.

So yeah, so I can support that as well.

I I have been in conversation with Ryan on some things too, out of concern, and maybe there's some of the same things you've had.

Mrs.

Fisk.

I just want to as a point of order.

If this matter proceeds on a first reading, second reading, third reading schedule.

All that would occur tonight is the first reading.

There would be no discussion and debate.

So if the goal is to have three rounds of discussion and debate, um that would need to occur through a motion to continue the matter and just not voting on it tonight, but to progress to discussion, you need to be passed first reading.

Uh so if that matters, if the goal is three rounds of discussion, a continuance procedurally would be the better way to have those three rounds of discussion.

A little confused.

So in the in the in the statutory rules on ordinances, the act the the progression under statute is to read the ordinance twice and then vote and have your discussion at the third reading.

So it's to it it designed pre-electronic notice when people would not know an ordinance was even going to be considered.

So you introduced it three times and then voted the third time and had your discussion.

So if the goal is three rounds of discussion, um you're better off to get through actually vote on your agenda item and just not vote on the matter and have the discussion continue the discussion for three meetings.

Otherwise, all your all Ms.

Graniro will be doing by statute statutory rule is reading the top caption of the ordinance, and then we move it to the next meeting, we read it a second time, and then you have your discussion and your vote the third time.

So it depending on what the goal is.

If the goal is more time for public feedback, great.

If the goal is three rounds of discussion, a continuance of the final vote is the better way to accomplish that.

So depending on what the goal is.

Um Ryan, was Ryan would be able to share tonight what the plan is or nothing.

If it is first reading, it is literally the clerk's reading the top of the ordinance.

So I just want yeah.

Um so if the goal is three rounds of discussion, you want to continue it on the end, not the beginning.

Mr.

Sheard.

Thank you.

So are we allowed to talk about it before we talk about it?

I mean, I can can Chuck ask his questions now.

All that you can discuss right now is statutorily.

So yeah, discussion-wise, if you want to discuss it three times, suspending the rules and then just not voting will effectuate that.

Otherwise, when you suspend the rules, all you're doing is suspending the rule that says you read it once next meeting, you read it a second time, third meeting, you vote on the item.

So if Chuck had some things he didn't think we were gonna have tonight, if we didn't suspend the rules, they could read it.

Chuck could offline ask his questions and have that as part of next week next meeting's presentation.

Correct.

Yeah, yeah.

But you just so he you know he could reach out to Mr.

Schmidt and have those discussions, but if you as a group collectively want to discuss it, um it has to move past that reading stage.

Well, then I would defer to Chuck if he thinks he can get that stuff.

I it without knowing what you want to talk about.

This is this is uh goofy.

I'll defer to Chuck.

Mr.

Hawsey.

I I can honestly say I've I've been around this place for 50 years and I've never heard that we can't discuss an ordinance on first reading.

So I'll just defer to legal because I've I've never heard that we can't discuss it.

So we'll go back to voting on if we're gonna suspend the rules or not.

If all you're doing is first reading, there is no action item to have a discussion on, is fundamentally what it comes down to.

So if you want that discussion, you need the action item tied to it.

Yep.

Please vote.

Uh okay.

Okay, so motion failed.

So um ordinance number 10,062, an ordinance to repeal and replace Grand Island City Code section 1550 pertaining to electric deposits requirements to repeal section 1515 as now exist existing and any ordinance or parts of ordinances in conflict here with and to provide for publication in the effective date of this ordinance being March 1st, 2026.

And this is the first reading.

So legal, she read the heading from the uh from the ordinance, then that concludes this matter.

That is the only item up on first reading.

We have completed our agenda.

We are adjourned.