OpenPublica

Accountability starts with access.

© 2026 · Filed for the public record

Use casesAboutAPIPrivacyTermsLinkedIn
Home/Hastings, Nebraska/City Council
OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Hastings City Council Regular Meeting Summary - June 8, 2026

City Council — Monday, June 8, 2026
BodyHastings, Nebraska
SessionCity Council
DateMonday, June 8, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:01:33

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.

Speaker 1

5:02

Please call the roll.

Speaker 2

5:03

Huntley.

5:05

Anderson.

5:06

Brad Consbruck.

5:08

Larry Consbrook.

5:09

Here.

5:09

Esh.

5:11

Rowan.

5:12

Here.

5:13

Hoffman.

5:14

Fong.

5:15

According to President Mayor.

Speaker 1

5:17

Please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance.

Unassigned speaker

5:24

I pledge the case.

Speaker 1

5:41

Well, I'd like to call for a motion to adopt the current agenda.

5:51

Motion by Huntley, second by Anderson.

5:53

Please vote.

6:08

Passes seven to zero public notice.

6:10

Official notice of the regular meeting was published in the Hastings Tribune on Friday, June 5th, 2026.

6:15

Pursuant to Nebraska revised statute section 84-1412.

6:20

The public is advised that a copy of today's agenda and all reproducible written material, which will be discussed at today's meeting, is available for public review in a current copy of the Nebraska Opens Meeting Act is posted and accessible to members of the public.

6:33

Council communication to my left.

6:35

Anything

Speaker 3

6:39

Mr.

6:40

Um Mr.

6:42

Councilman Anderson and I asked Mark Funkey about Fourth of July activities.

7:14

If there are others that you would like to have made known, Mr.

7:19

Tony Anderson is a wonderful font of delivering information, and we'd sure like to make sure everyone knows there's tons to do in Hastings.

7:35

Thank

Unassigned speaker

7:36

you.

Speaker 1

7:42

Nothing.

7:43

Okay.

7:45

Uh let's move on to citizens' communications only for agenda items.

7:50

Well, we don't have any citizens' communications written down for the agenda items.

7:55

Would there be anybody out there that would like to come up and speak on anything?

7:59

You're certainly welcome.

8:04

Looks like nobody wants to jump at that.

8:07

So we'll move on to the consent agenda.

8:11

I need a motion to approve the consent agenda.

Speaker 2

8:14

Mayor, I believe we have service anniversaries tonight.

Speaker 1

8:16

What's that?

Speaker 2

8:17

Service anniversaries tonight.

Speaker 1

8:18

Oh God, service anniversaries.

8:20

We do have service anniversary.

8:21

Nobody's here though, right?

8:22

Tyler, nobody's here representative.

8:24

So I'd like to acknowledge uh Benjamin Erie of the fire department with 20 years of service.

8:33

Jared Shook, plant operator at the utilities with five years of service, John Raining with 10 years of service, uh street equipment operator, James Barron is a detective with the police department with 10 years in.

8:57

Please give them all a round of applause.

8:58

Thank you for the service.

Unassigned speaker

9:04

Now

Speaker 1

9:05

we'll move on to the consent agenda.

9:07

Can I get a motion to uh pass the consent agenda?

Speaker 3

9:10

I make the motion minus item I

Unassigned speaker

9:14

is

Speaker 2

9:15

that right, Mr.

9:15

Mark?

9:16

Was

Speaker 3

9:16

it I

Speaker 1

9:20

okay?

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Safety█████████████████████████████████████████████51%
Technology and Innovation███████████13%
Procedural████████9%
Capital Improvement████████9%
Community Engagement██████7%
Budget Equity Analysis█████6%
Environmental Protection███3%
Personnel Matters██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Hastings City Council Regular Meeting - June 8, 2026

The Hastings City Council held a regular meeting on June 8, 2026, at the Hastings Municipal Airport. The meeting was called to order at 6:00 PM and adjourned at 6:56 PM. Councilmember Maggie Esch was absent. The primary focus was budget presentations from the Police, 911, and Fire departments for the 2026-2027 fiscal year.

Consent Calendar

  • The consent agenda was approved 7-0, with the exception of item (i), which was considered separately.
  • Item (i): Agreement with Atlas Technical Consultants, LLC for environmental services for an EPA Brownfield asbestos cleanup grant at the former middle school. The contract is for an estimated $42,000, fully grant-funded. Director of Engineering Lee Vrooman stated the contract covers planning and abatement oversight. Approved 7-0.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No members of the public provided testimony.

Discussion Items

2026-2027 Budget Presentations

Police Department (Chief Adam Story)

  • Chief Story stated the department is not requesting capital or operational increases. Personnel costs are projected to rise by approximately $400,000.
  • Chief Story compared Hastings' funding to peer cities, stating equivalent tax rates would provide an additional $2.5 million (Kearney) or $1.25 million (Grand Island). Councilmember Brian Hoffman complimented the department's efficiency.
  • Community outreach includes the department's Facebook page, Shop with a Cop, and National Night Out. Training is state-mandated and largely conducted in-house to manage costs.
  • The department budgets for worst-case scenarios but typically returns $250,000–$300,000 to the general fund. Homeland Security grants help fund digital forensic tools, and a new detective position focusing on cybercrime has been established.

911 Center (Police Captain Jason Haase)

  • The 911 budget is approximately $17,000 less than last year due to lower-than-anticipated health insurance elections.
  • Captain Haase explained the funding model: Hastings receives $0.75 per landline (wired funds) from Adams County, capped at $1.00. Wireless funds are collected by the state and distributed based on call volume but are more restricted. He noted Hastings is the sole funder of the center, which dispatches fire and medical calls county-wide.
  • Staffing is at 11 of 12 positions. Councilmember Matt Fong asked about a partnership with Adams County. Captain Haase reported the incoming sheriff has expressed openness to re-engaging this conversation in 2027.
  • Top priorities include an updated radio system and implementing Emergency Medical Dispatching (EMD).

Fire Department (Chief Troy Vorderstrasse)

  • No operational budget increases were requested beyond mandatory personnel costs. The department is eliminating four part-time EMS positions (two EMTs, two paramedics) due to the program's ineffectiveness.
  • Capital requests funded by the department's sinking fund include securing the front entrance at Station 1, a phased window replacement at Station 2, and concrete repairs.
  • An ambulance ordered via an Assistance to Firefighters Grant is expected for delivery in the first quarter of 2027.
  • Chief Vorderstrasse announced he will present a purchase agreement for a new fire apparatus at the June 22 council meeting. A truck matching the department's specifications is available for September 2026 delivery, or the city could choose a two-year build.

Key Outcomes

  • The consent agenda (minus item i) and item (i) were approved 7-0.
  • The council received budget presentations from the Police, 911, and Fire departments. No formal votes were taken on the budgets.
  • A fire apparatus purchase agreement is scheduled for the June 22 council meeting.
  • The meeting adjourned without a closed session at 6:56 PM.

Meeting Transcript

Please call the roll. Huntley. Anderson. Brad Consbruck. Larry Consbrook. Here. Esh. Rowan. Here. Hoffman. Fong. According to President Mayor. Please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge the case. Well, I'd like to call for a motion to adopt the current agenda. Motion by Huntley, second by Anderson. Please vote. Passes seven to zero public notice. Official notice of the regular meeting was published in the Hastings Tribune on Friday, June 5th, 2026. Pursuant to Nebraska revised statute section 84-1412. The public is advised that a copy of today's agenda and all reproducible written material, which will be discussed at today's meeting, is available for public review in a current copy of the Nebraska Opens Meeting Act is posted and accessible to members of the public. Council communication to my left. Anything Mr. Um Mr. Councilman Anderson and I asked Mark Funkey about Fourth of July activities. If there are others that you would like to have made known, Mr. Tony Anderson is a wonderful font of delivering information, and we'd sure like to make sure everyone knows there's tons to do in Hastings. Thank you. Nothing. Okay. Uh let's move on to citizens' communications only for agenda items. Well, we don't have any citizens' communications written down for the agenda items. Would there be anybody out there that would like to come up and speak on anything? You're certainly welcome. Looks like nobody wants to jump at that. So we'll move on to the consent agenda. I need a motion to approve the consent agenda. Mayor, I believe we have service anniversaries tonight. What's that? Service anniversaries tonight. Oh God, service anniversaries. We do have service anniversary. Nobody's here though, right? Tyler, nobody's here representative. So I'd like to acknowledge uh Benjamin Erie of the fire department with 20 years of service. Jared Shook, plant operator at the utilities with five years of service, John Raining with 10 years of service, uh street equipment operator, James Barron is a detective with the police department with 10 years in. Please give them all a round of applause. Thank you for the service.

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI
TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com