Kearney City Council Meeting – August 27, 2024
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Kearney City Council Meeting – August 27, 2024
The Kearney City Council met on August 27, 2024, at 5:30 p.m. in Council Chambers. The meeting included a ceremonial oath of office for a new police officer, approval of consent items, a review of the One- and Six-Year Street Improvement Plan, and approval of open account claims.
Oath of Office and Ceremony
- Police Officer Caleb Hollis was sworn in by the City Clerk after remarks from Police Chief Waugh. Chief Waugh highlighted Hollis’s local roots, his prior service as a Community Service Officer, and his graduation from the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center. The Kearney Police Department Honor Guard presented the colors, and the Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
Consent Calendar
- Items 1–8 were approved unanimously by roll call vote (Mayor Nikkila absent, Council Members present: Buschkoetter, James Moore, Schmidt, Kotsiopulos). Items included:
- Approval of minutes from August 13, 2024.
- Approval of claims.
- Receipt of Planning Commission recommendations and setting September 10, 2024 hearing.
- Resolution 2024-112 approving final levy allocations: $247,450.00 for the Community Redevelopment Authority and $60,164.00 for Offstreet Parking District No. 1 for FY 2024-2025.
- Purchases for the Kearney SportsPlex: furniture ($179,769.18 from Eakes Office Solutions), a club car ($9,273.31 from Nebraska Golf and Turf), and basketball backboard lights ($20,660.00 from Crouch Recreation).
- Resolution 2024-113 approving a Developer Constructed Infrastructure Agreement with Brandon Green (922 Enterprises – Kearney Storage, LLC) for water main infrastructure at 1112 E. 20th Street.
- Authorization for the Mayor to send a letter of no recommendation to the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission on the manager application for Matthew Cordes (Blazin Wings Inc. dba Buffalo Wild Wings #584).
- Acceptance of a proposal from Industrial Process Technology ($59,041.00) for swimming pool recirculation pump replacement at Harmon Park Pool.
Consent Agenda Ordinances
- Ordinance No. 8694 — Amending Article 13 of Chapter 3 (Alcoholic Beverages) to add language pertaining to limousines and party buses. The ordinance was read by number only, suspended three readings, and passed unanimously on final adoption.
Discussion Items
1. One- & Six-Year Street Improvement Plan
City Engineer Luke Dutcher presented the annual plan, required as a condition of receiving state highway allocation funds. The one-year plan (calendar year 2025) includes 10 projects: three city-led (30th Avenue Bridge repair, roundabout at Highway 30/University Village, and Village Plaza Second residential roadways) and seven developer projects. The six-year plan lists longer-term projects, including widening 30th Avenue, storm sewer work on Avenue A or 1st Street, reconstruction of streets such as 39th Street and Avenue A, and a traffic signal at 45th Street and Avenue N. Council discussed balancing growth with maintenance, noting that projects are tentative and may shift based on grants and development. A public hearing was set for September 10, 2024, at 5:30 p.m.
2. Open Account Claims
- Claim for NPPD: $112,004.97 — Approved unanimously (Mayor absent, all present voted aye).
- Claim for University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK): $825.00 — Approved with Council Member Tami James Moore abstaining; other members voted aye.
Reports
City Manager Brenda Jensen reported on the transition to SkyWest/United for air service beginning November 1, 2024. Flights can be booked now; initially, there will be two daily flights to Denver five days a week and one daily flight on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The first inbound flight arrives November 1, with the first outbound flight later that evening.
Key Outcomes
- Oath of Office administered to Officer Caleb Hollis.
- Consent Agenda (8 items) approved unanimously.
- Ordinance 8694 passed unanimously.
- Public hearing date set for September 10, 2024, for the One- and Six-Year Street Improvement Plan.
- Open account claims approved: NPPD ($112,004.97) and UNK ($825.00) with one abstention on the UNK claim.
- Adjournment after reports.
Meeting Transcript
Begin with a moment of silence. Would you please stand? Thank you. To begin our pinning ceremony, members of the Kearney Police Department Arnegard will present and post the colors, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Carrie. Arms. Please join us with the pledge. Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And to the Republic for which it stands. One nation. Order. Okay, please be seated. In accordance with section 84-1412 of the Nebraska revised statutes, a current copy of the Oval Meetings Act is available for review and posted on the wall of the council chambers. Peggy, please call roll. Mayor class absent bushcutter. I here present more. Here. I meant to say I'm here. At this time we'd like to invent uh police chief Waugh and police officer Caleb Hollis up for a few remarks, followed by the city clerk administering the oath of office and the pinning of the badge. Thank you very much, Councilman Bush Dog and City Council, manager, and family and friends are here today for this extremely special moment. Never gets old. I say it every time, but this never gets old. This is probably one of the best things I ever get to do as police chief for this city. Um this is Caleb Hollis, our newest police officer just graduated from the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center last week. He's been uh already in field training for what, two shifts now, three shifts. Bye. Bye. Um this moment is very special for us because we get to stand before his family, before his friend, before his new co-workers, before his mentor. We have a we have an extremely important mentorship program at Carnegie's department. His mentor is Officer Revlo, uh, who's with him the entire time during his training, probably when he kind of gets hired throughout the entire process just to be that that sounding board of look I'm having problem with whatever I need by and offered a fantastic job of that, which probably speaks volumes to the reason why uh Officer Hollis sang the national anthem at his graduation, very similar to how Officer Revlow also sang at his graduation, so it's pretty cool. Uh this young man is a Carney kid, born raised, uh family is here, family owner that owns a business here in town. Uh he's committed to the city, he's committed to doing the right thing for this city for for our community. Uh he's a great team member, I believe. You're gonna fit right in, have a successful career with us, and like we say when you start with us, you're not only joining this profession, you're joining our family. Um, and that's how this is drawing our entire organization, not just the PE, but with the entire organization from our from every city department who work hand in hand together. So I just want to welcome you to the big day for you, big day for us. We're glad you chose KPD. I think you're gonna have a long, successful safe career here, and we're gonna do our best to make sure of that. So with that, I would turn it over to the city clerk for you to be warning. I solemnly swear. I do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States. That I will support the Constitution of the United States. And the Constitution of the State of Nebraska. And the Constitution of the State of Nebraska. Against all enemies foreign and domestic. Against all enemies foreign and domestic. That I will bear true faith. That I will bear true faith. And allegiance to the same. And allegiance to the same.
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