The Kearney City Council met on February 25, 2025 at 5:30 p.m. to conduct routine business, adopt consent items, amend snow emergency routes, award a construction bid, and present a proclamation honoring the 125th anniversary of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). All votes were unanimous.
All right, please join us for the Pledge of Allegiance. Pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation of God with liberty and justice for all. In accordance with section 841412 of the Nebraska revised statutes, the current copy of the Open Meetings Act is available for review and is posted on the wall of the council chambers. Peggy, please take roll. Mayor Nicolette. Here. Schmidt, Stratman. Here. Okay, at this time uh we have uh in oral communications. We'd like to invite representatives in attendance from the VFW to come forward to the podium for a presentation of our um veteran of foreign wars 125th anniversary proclamation. So I'll uh read the proclamation that we have from the council in the city and then invite um you all to introduce yourselves and then if if someone would like to talk a little bit about um your organization here in Kearney and and your involvement in the community and what the anniversary means for you all, that would be fantastic. And then we can get a photo with you afterward. All right. All right. Whereas the veteran of veterans of foreign wars, VFW is established in 1899 with a mission to foster camaraderie among UN United States veterans of overseas conflicts to serve veterans, the military, and their communities, and to advocate on behalf of all the veterans, and whereas for 125 years, the VFW has been a cornerstone of advocacy, successfully securing life-changing benefits, establishing the veterans administration, and supporting critical legislation that ensures veterans receive the care and resources they deserve. And whereas the VFW plays a vital role in local communities, including Kearney, by supporting civic engagement and youth development through programs such as Voice of Democracy and Patriots Pen and recognizing major scouting achievements, including Eagle Scout and Gold Award recipients, and whereas the VFW honors and uplifts educators through the Teacher of the Year Award and provides an honor guard to serve with dignity and respect at military funerals, ensuring proper recognition for the sacrifices of our service members, and whereas the VFW demonstrates its commitment to Carney by supporting the local Central Nebraska Veterans Home by offering assistance and camaraderie to residents and standing in solidarity with the Nebraska National Guard Unit in Kearney through ongoing collaboration and engagement, and whereas this year marks the 125th anniversary of the VFW, a milestone that honors its storied history of service and commitment to veterans, their families, and our communities. Now therefore be it resolved that on behalf of the citizens of Kearney, Nebraska, the City Council hereby claim proclaims 2025 as Veterans of Foreign Wars 125th anniversary commemorative year. So thank you very much for your service and engagement in the community. We appreciate it. Thank you, sir. Yeah. Yeah, please introduce yourselves and uh let us know just if you have any thoughts or yeah. Okay. Hello, uh, my name is Jason Baker. Um I don't know if it matters, but my address is 3607 C Avenue, so I'm a member here in Kearney. Um but also um I'm a member of the VFW because um, you know, I think it's an important organization. It's been around 125 years supporting veterans. You know, the the federal government and the VA doesn't just give out benefits to veterans, we have to fight for them. And so the VFW and American Legion um are two great organizations, and that's why I'm a part of both of them. And um, you know, the VFW is gonna step in and fight for those veterans that can't fight for themselves. And so I want to continue that as a younger veteran. Uh, so it'll go be around for another 125 years. All right, thanks. My name's Jim Luke. I live here in Kearney. I'm a 21-year Navy veteran. Uh I'm involved pretty heavily. I'm the state surgeon, and my responsibility this year uh is not medical, but it's about taking care of those veterans that Jason mentioned. Uh this year we visited the veterans' homes and hospitals in Omaha, Grand Island, Carney. They are locked down, but we got five dollars per member anyway. We're planning on Cheyenne, Scotch Bluff, and Hot Springs for what we call our Western run. The advocation for veterans today, I was on a call for a veteran in Elm Creek who's in a push wheelchair. He cannot lift it himself and his wife's struggles as a Vietnam veteran to lift a push wheelchair. So we've made calls today to the courthouse to the veteran service officer to pull some strings at the VA to get a ramp, get some loading utilities, and and those are some of the things that we do. And I would like the others to speak what they do for the VFW. I'm Keith Lane, and 26 years, nine months, 11 days according to my TD 214, Vietnam, Bosnia, and also I've been to Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, you name it. Been there, done that, Korea, and all over Europe as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam, fixed wing in Europe, and I did uh not only tactical operations for a brigade level and safety for and army level for the Army Reserve. But uh now I serve as the senior vice for post 759 here in Kearney. I live here in Kearney, and I uh enjoy very much serving the people of Kearney and working with my fellow veterans and trying to make it better for the other guys that come after us.