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Record of Proceedings

Kearney City Council Meeting - October 22, 2024: Visitors Bureau Presentation, Easement Approval, Consent Agenda Items

City Council — Tuesday, October 22, 2024
BodyKearney, Nebraska
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, October 22, 2024
StatusFILED
Video Record
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0:00

If you'll rise, we'll have a moment of silence and then the pledge of allegiance.

0:10

Thank you.

0:13

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

0:17

And to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

0:25

Thank you.

0:26

In accordance with section 841412 of the Nebraska revised statutes, current copy of the open meetings act is available for you to post on a wall of the council chambers.

0:33

So we take roll, please.

0:34

Mayor Cloud.

0:35

Here Learn Nicola.

0:39

Here.

0:39

Okay, and at this time we'd like to invite Matt Williams, our library director, and Christine Walls, uh Walsh, Assistant Library Director to the front.

0:48

Christine's got a speech.

0:52

Good evening.

0:54

Yeah, it's my pleasure to uh present for recognition.

0:58

Christine Walsh.

0:59

She is the assistant director.

1:01

She's been at the library for 20 years.

1:04

And she got the uh it is the public library and trustees section of the Nebraska Library Association.

1:12

Uh they gave a prestigious award called the Excalibur Award for Outstanding Librarian.

1:19

Um of the things that uh she has done to earn that is she is a past president of uh NLA, Nebraska Library Association.

1:29

Uh she has been president of the Nebraska Center for the Book, and she's also on the committee that chooses the one book Nebraska.

1:38

Um she's also uh locally on the uh Carney Cultural Partners and they has been on that committee to get that arts district uh passed and everything.

1:52

And um some people may know her too from the one author Carney that we have every year at um the world.

1:59

She coordinates all of that.

2:00

Okay, good well.

2:02

We have a certificate, and uh you want to say some things?

2:05

Um mostly my colleagues were really awesome at keeping this a secret.

2:09

I had no idea until I got to the lunch and they announced it.

2:13

So I was really surprised um but humbled and honored, and when you're passionate about something you do, um it's really easy to continue doing your job and sharing it.

2:24

So but thank you for the recognition.

2:26

Well, congratulations and and Matt has your check.

2:31

Oh we'll take some pictures.

2:36

Unless you spend it, of course.

2:50

It's really cool.

2:52

Doing two.

2:57

We have a longer way to walk.

3:08

No, that's right.

3:10

I know, it's okay.

3:12

Matt, here you go.

3:13

All right, we're gonna go.

3:16

Thank you.

3:17

Okay.

3:18

What are we doing?

3:19

I thought she was taking note.

3:21

We're good.

3:21

We're good.

3:28

Congratulations.

3:32

Oh, I actually want a picture.

3:34

I'll send it to you.

3:43

Well, in all the years, I don't know that we've ever given somebody from the library an award.

3:48

I know, it's fun.

3:49

They they do such a fantastic job, and we saw it as an opportunity to recognize her here.

3:53

Otherwise, that was going to have happened.

3:55

So yeah.

3:55

Thanks, Christine.

3:56

Thank you.

3:57

Congratulations.

3:58

Okay, moving on.

3:59

We have no unfinished business, and public hearing one pertains to the proposed acquisition of a strip of land being part of the southeast quarter of the southwest quarter of section 22, township nine north, range 16 west of the 6 p.m.

4:10

and part of the Brauillette subdivision, a subdivision being part of the southeast quarter, the southwest quarter of section 22, township and 9 north, range 16 west of the 6 p.m.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Economic Development█████████████████████████████████████████████71%
Procedural███████████17%
Public Engagement████7%
Arts And Culture███5%
Summary of Proceedings

Kearney City Council Meeting - October 22, 2024

The Kearney City Council met on October 22, 2024 at 5:30 p.m. in City Council Chambers. The meeting included a recognition of Assistant Library Director Christine Walsh for receiving the Excalibur Award for Outstanding Public Librarian, a public hearing on a right-of-way easement, a presentation from the Kearney Visitors Bureau, and approval of numerous consent agenda items and open account claims.

Consent Calendar

  • Minutes, Claims, Resolutions, and Purchases – The council approved Consent Agenda items 1 through 14 unanimously. Notable items included:
    • Approval of minutes from October 8, 2024.
    • Approval of claims (list not read aloud).
    • Receipt of Planning Commission recommendations and setting a public hearing for November 12, 2024 at 5:30 p.m.
    • Resolution 2024-147 approving a $4,680 decrease change order and final payment of $351,375 for the 2024 Part 2 Improvements (Mill & Asphalt Overlay) to Gary Smith Construction Co. Inc.
    • Resolution 2024-148 approving a Use and Operations Agreement with SkyWest Airlines for scheduled air service.
    • Resolution 2024-149 approving a Developer Constructed Infrastructure Agreement for Spruce Hollow West Second with DT Development, Inc.
    • Resolution 2024-150 amending the Firefighters’ Pension Plan per LB 686.
    • Purchase of a 2025 Western Star dump truck ($217,747), a John Deere 644 P wheel loader ($385,000), a Caterpillar 938 wheel loader ($288,800), and a 2024 Ford F-150 ($48,708).
    • Resolution 2024-151 approving a Towing Agreement with Donkey Towing & Transfer LLC.
    • Resolution 2024-152 approving a $665,602.63 payment for WWTP Phase II Improvements.
    • Resolution 2024-153 awarding the 2024 Part 5 Improvements bid to Nielsen Contracting, LLC ($490,279.50).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No public comments were made during the public hearing or at any other time.

Discussion Items

  • Public Hearing on Permanent Right-of-Way Easement – Sarah Son, Director of Utilities, explained that the 80-foot wide easement is needed for a section of Country Club Lane from 56th Street to 58th Street that was not previously platted. The council asked clarifying questions (city vs. county jurisdiction) and then closed the hearing and adopted Resolution 2024-146 approving the acquisition.

  • Kearney Visitors Bureau Presentation – Roger (last name not given), representing the Visitors Bureau, delivered an informational presentation. Key points included:

    • The bureau rebranded to “Visit Kearney.”
    • A history of lodging taxes: 1982 LB 499 created a countywide lodging tax; later a second 2% option for brick-and-mortar projects; the city’s occupation tax first funded the Arch.
    • In 2024, over 150,000 people will visit the Arch.
    • Lodging tax comparisons: Buffalo County outperformed Hall and Lincoln counties in certain months, especially March (crane season, wrestling, conventions).
    • 20 hotels with 1,895 rooms, nearing 2,000 with two new properties.
    • Data from 2014 showed Buffalo County lodging tax income of $1.7 million, behind Sarpy ($2.0M), Lancaster ($4.5M), and Douglas ($11M).
    • A Nebraska Tourism Commission graph showed $27.2 million in tax receipts from travel spending in 2022.
    • The bureau’s budget included $1.4 million for the sportsplex: $1 million for capital and $300,000 for annual operating costs.
    • The bureau supports the Nebraska Firefighters Memorial, state cross country (about 5,000 visitors), and other events.
    • Markets: conventions (cornerstone), sports (new, with NSAA events), leisure travel (motor coaches, 50 with 2,000 guests so far in 2024).
    • 2017 economic analysis of Sandhill Crane visitation: 48,000 visitors, $14 million economic impact, 180 full-time jobs, $3.9 million in taxes. A new study is underway through UNL.
    • The bureau is moving to a new visitor center, expected to be open by February 2025.
    • Council members asked questions about the sportsplex funding and the state cross country contract.

  • Open Account Claims – The council approved claims totaling $330,358.70: $268.70 to Tami James Moore, $330,000 to University of Nebraska Kearney, and $90 to UNK Emarket. Council member Tami James Moore abstained from the vote on this item due to her personal claim. All other members voted yes.

  • SkyWest Airlines Update – Council member noted that the SkyWest agreement is on track and will begin next week (November 1st).

Key Outcomes

  • Resolution 2024-146 adopted: Acquisition of an 80-foot permanent right-of-way and utility easement for Country Club Lane (from 56th to 58th Street).
  • Consent Agenda items 1–14 approved unanimously.
  • Open account claims approved, with one abstention (Tami James Moore).
  • Meeting adjourned at approximately 6:30 p.m. (estimated).

Meeting Transcript

If you'll rise, we'll have a moment of silence and then the pledge of allegiance. Thank you. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. In accordance with section 841412 of the Nebraska revised statutes, current copy of the open meetings act is available for you to post on a wall of the council chambers. So we take roll, please. Mayor Cloud. Here Learn Nicola. Here. Okay, and at this time we'd like to invite Matt Williams, our library director, and Christine Walls, uh Walsh, Assistant Library Director to the front. Christine's got a speech. Good evening. Yeah, it's my pleasure to uh present for recognition. Christine Walsh. She is the assistant director. She's been at the library for 20 years. And she got the uh it is the public library and trustees section of the Nebraska Library Association. Uh they gave a prestigious award called the Excalibur Award for Outstanding Librarian. Um of the things that uh she has done to earn that is she is a past president of uh NLA, Nebraska Library Association. Uh she has been president of the Nebraska Center for the Book, and she's also on the committee that chooses the one book Nebraska. Um she's also uh locally on the uh Carney Cultural Partners and they has been on that committee to get that arts district uh passed and everything. And um some people may know her too from the one author Carney that we have every year at um the world. She coordinates all of that. Okay, good well. We have a certificate, and uh you want to say some things? Um mostly my colleagues were really awesome at keeping this a secret. I had no idea until I got to the lunch and they announced it. So I was really surprised um but humbled and honored, and when you're passionate about something you do, um it's really easy to continue doing your job and sharing it. So but thank you for the recognition. Well, congratulations and and Matt has your check. Oh we'll take some pictures. Unless you spend it, of course. It's really cool. Doing two. We have a longer way to walk. No, that's right. I know, it's okay. Matt, here you go. All right, we're gonna go. Thank you. Okay. What are we doing? I thought she was taking note. We're good. We're good. Congratulations. Oh, I actually want a picture. I'll send it to you. Well, in all the years, I don't know that we've ever given somebody from the library an award.

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