Hastings City Council Worksession Summary – January 20, 2026

The Hastings City Council held a worksession at the Hastings Municipal Airport, 3300 W. 12th Street, on Tuesday, January 20, 2026. The agenda listed a 6:00 p.m. start, but the minutes and transcript indicate the meeting was called to order at 5:30 p.m. by Council President Steve Huntley and adjourned at 7:31 p.m. All eight council members were present: Huntley, Michael Anderson, Brad Consbruck, Larry Consbruck, Maggie Esch, Marc Rowan, Brian Hoffman, and Matt Fong. Mayor Jay Beckby and city staff also attended. Official notice was published in the Hastings Tribune on Friday, January 16, 2026.

Consent Calendar

• Motion by Michael Anderson, second by Larry Consbruck, to adopt the current agenda passed unanimously on roll call (8–0).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Roger Coffman (849 N. Burlington Ave.) questioned whether the proposed meeting time change was for public convenience or for staff, recalling that meetings had previously been held at 7:00 p.m.
• Dave Rippe (1312 Heritage Drive) said his development group had originally been concerned about delegated authority, but now found the local team, including Anthony, responsive and collaborative; he expressed support for the delegated authority model.
• Sandra Thaut (Good Samaritan Village) spoke in favor of allowing UTV/golf cart use on city streets, citing a Texas community's rules: streets with speed limits 35 mph or lower, safety equipment, liability insurance, a $50 annual license fee, and operation by drivers 16 or older with a driver's license.
• Dennis Schissel (general superintendent, Hastings College) supported delegated authority, saying the industry has moved toward local jurisdiction and his experience with the city team had been positive.
• Natalie and Arthur Terabelian (Dragonfly Inn and Firefly Inn) praised Anthony Murphy and Travis for their professionalism, responsiveness, and help with fire safety compliance; Natalie said it would be a mistake for Murphy not to remain.
• Kevin Smith (site director, Heartwell Renewables) said the renewables plant is well over 50 percent complete and thanked the city's permitting/inspection team for working with the project; he asked the city to notify them if they need to improve.
• Tyler Long (Powerhouse, a Polaris dealer) proposed a local UTV ordinance with annual inspection/registration through Hastings Police, proof of liability insurance, a valid driver's license, daylight-only operation, a 30 mph speed limit, and no-drive zones on Highway 6, Burlington Avenue, and Highway 281 except at designated crossings; he said permit fees could fund enforcement.

Discussion Items

NewCarbon Landfill RNG Project Update

• Michelle Hill (Solid Waste Superintendent) and Matt Moshier (NewCarbon Head of Engineering), joined by NewCarbon CEO Omar Khayum, updated the Council. In May 2025, NewCarbon and the City entered a 25-year Landfill Gas Purchase and Ground Lease Agreement. NewCarbon is investing $20 million and the City is expected to receive $2 million in royalty revenue over the project.
• The revised landfill fill plan focuses waste placement in cells five and six, tapering into cell four, reaching elevation 1940 feet in 2027 and 1960 feet by 2029. NewCarbon's schedule is development in 2028–2030, construction in 2029–2031, and operations starting in 2031. Two conditions trigger meaningful development: 1.6 million short tons of waste in place and cells five/six reaching elevation 1960.
• NewCarbon will build the landfill gas collection/flaring system and the RNG processing plant. Sulfur is captured in activated carbon and removed as inert solid waste; CO2 is emitted, but the project reduces methane emissions, which the EPA considers a worse greenhouse gas.
• In response to questions, Moshier said the operational lifespan is 25 years; the unlined older portion of the landfill is not worth recovering because of age and low gas yield, and all areas where wells will be installed are lined. He confirmed the timeline matches original expectations.

Delegated Authority

• Fire Chief Troy Vorderstrasse presented a one-year update on the pilot program. Delegated Authority transfers state fire and life safety code processes from the State Fire Marshal's Office to qualified local personnel under Neb. Rev. Stat. §81-502(3). Similar local authority already exists for electrical code, ADA/accessibility code, and some law enforcement functions.
• Since July 11, 2024, the city has completed 169 plan reviews (52 percent within 15 business days initially; now above 80 percent after adjusting the process), 1,129 inspections including 39 state licensure inspections, 10 equivalency grants, and 16 temporary certificates of occupancy; there have been zero appeals to the local board. The city estimates about 220 staff hours saved by avoiding state/local conflict resolution.
• Chief Vorderstrasse said the extra workload is about 31 state licensure inspections per year. Hastings performed 161 plan reviews in 2024 versus Grand Island's 117, with one fewer staff member. Two employees are currently eligible: the Risk Reduction Officer and a Fire Inspector. State requirements include NFPA Fire Inspector I and Plans Examiner I certifications; training more staff would require pulling personnel from ambulances/fire trucks.
• Delegated Authority does not cover underground storage tanks or state-owned buildings. All new and existing buildings are inspected on a roughly three-year cycle.
• Councilmember Rowan acknowledged early attitude complaints had resolved. Councilmember Brad Consbruck said complaints had decreased and suggested an annual update would be sufficient. Councilmember Hoffman opposed quarterly reports, suggesting annual reporting or including the data in development services reporting; he said the program is working well. Councilmember Huntley asked for a quarterly written report, but no formal reporting requirement was set.
• Chief Vorderstrasse stated the state delegation continues until the city asks to end it; continuing education is required; and the Risk Reduction Officer meets quarterly with Deputy State Fire Marshals. The state can still hear appeals and overrule local rulings.

UTV Regulations on City Streets

• Councilmember Mike Anderson requested the discussion after residents approached him. He noted comparable cities have UTV regulations and listed possible requirements: Class O driver's license (age 16+), insurance, daylight-only operation, functioning headlights and turn signals, a 30 mph speed limit, and a registration fee. He said revenue would be secondary and that the state legislature has bills under consideration.
• Police Chief Adam Story clarified that golf carts at Good Samaritan Village are on private property, not public roadways, though one street there is a snow emergency route. He also said state law only allows UTVs to cross highways or travel field-to-field for farm work; driving one on a gravel road into town would be illegal, so a farmer would need to trailer it.
• Councilmember Larry Consbruck cautioned that allowing UTVs could open the door to other vehicles. Councilmember Brad Consbruck did not see a clear necessity. Councilmember Hoffman spoke strongly against the idea, citing safety concerns, crash-test differences, and personal family history; he described UTVs as modern farm workhorses, not street vehicles. Councilmember Rowan appreciated the citizen input even if no ordinance advances.

Changing Worksession and Council Meeting Time Back to 5:30 p.m.

• Councilmember Brad Consbruck said moving meetings from 5:30 to 6:00 p.m. was a pilot program to improve public attendance. After about nine months, he saw no meaningful attendance increase except for hot-button issues, and city employees have an hour of downtime before meetings. He proposed returning to 5:30 p.m.
• Councilmember Anderson asked for live viewership numbers; City Administrator Mark Funkey said staff could research and email those numbers to the Council. Councilmember Huntley asked whether staff need to attend when their departments are not on the agenda; Funkey said most staff want to be present to stay informed.
• Councilmember Hoffman and Larry Consbruck said either time worked for them; Councilmember Esch said 6:00 p.m. fits her childcare schedule better but the decision should serve the community; Councilmember Rowan had hoped 6:00 p.m. would increase community attendance but was unsure it did. Funkey said anecdotally, staff generally prefer 5:30 p.m. No formal decision was made.

Key Outcomes

• The agenda was adopted unanimously (8–0).
• The NewCarbon RNG update was received; the project schedule remains development 2028–2030, construction 2029–2031, and operations from 2031.
• Delegated Authority requires no Council action to continue; Council discussion did not produce a formal vote on future reporting, though a quarterly report was requested by Council President Huntley and annual/development-services reporting was suggested by others.
• No UTV ordinance was proposed for adoption; the item was discussion only and may be revisited depending on state legislation.
• No formal decision was made on the meeting time; the Council will wait for viewership/attendance data from staff before deciding whether to return to 5:30 p.m.
• Councilmember Matt Fong left the meeting at 6:45 p.m. before the conclusion.