Kearney City Council Meeting - July 8, 2025: Public Hearings, USTA Grant, and Keno Interlocal Agreement
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Kearney City Council Meeting - July 8, 2025
The Kearney City Council met on July 8, 2025 at 5:30 p.m. in City Council Chambers. The meeting included a presentation of a USTA grant for Harmon Park tennis courts, four public hearings on land development and a conditional use permit, approval of a consent agenda with 12 items including a Keno operator interlocal agreement with Omaha, and passage of five consent ordinances. All votes were unanimous.
Recognition and Presentation
- USTA Grant for Harmon Park Tennis Courts: Mary Buschmann, CEO and Executive Director of the United States Tennis Association – Missouri Valley, presented a check for $31,900 to assist with the resurfacing of the Harmon Park tennis courts (total project cost approximately $50,000). Scott Hayden, Recreation Services Director, noted the tennis program includes over 150 youth in junior team tennis, over 50 adults in leagues, and hundreds more in lessons and drop-in play. The project is scheduled between July 21 and August 10, weather permitting.
Public Hearings & Testimony
- Public Hearing 1 – BHT Subdivision Final Plat: Trenton Snow (applicant) and Jeffrey Benson (owner) proposed a one-lot subdivision at the southeast corner of 11th Street and Cherry Avenue for a storage building. Planning commission recommended approval. No public testimony. Council approved Resolution 2025-71 unanimously.
- Public Hearings 2-4 – Western Nebraska Property Development Fourth Addition: Craig Bennett of Miller & Associates presented for KPT&G, LLC (c/o Bryan Health). The 5.12-acre parcel at the northwest corner of 22nd Avenue and 6th Street will be rezoned from AG to C-O, platted as a two-lot subdivision with street extension, and annexed into the city. Planned use is medical office buildings, with construction starting this year. Planning commission recommended approval. No public testimony. Council approved Ordinance 8752 (rezoning), Resolution 2025-72 (final plat), and Resolution 2025-73 (annexation) unanimously.
- Public Hearing 5 – Conditional Use Permit for Sand and Gravel Extraction: Roger Harders (applicant) for West Limited LLC proposed a resource extraction operation on property east of Cherry Avenue and south of East 11th Street (Agricultural District). Conditions include a 15-year timeframe, stockpiling no higher than 35 feet and set back 50 feet from property lines, and planting trees along the east side. Planning commission recommended approval with an amendment to condition 8. No public testimony. Council approved Ordinance 8753 unanimously.
Consent Agenda
- Items 1-12 (Consent Agenda): Approved unanimously. Key items included approval of minutes, claims, the Buffalo County Local Emergency Operations Plan, liquor license no-recommendation letters for Legacy On The Bricks, Sip & Swirl Wine Room, Kinkaider Brewing Co., and Smoker Friendly 016; an interlocal cooperation agreement with Omaha for Keno operations; RYDE Transit funding support; and change orders for 30th Avenue Overpass, Highway 30 & University Drive, and 29th Avenue & West La Platte Road projects.
- Discussion on Keno Interlocal Agreement: Before the vote, council members asked City Manager Brenda Jensen about the structure. She explained that the interlocal with Omaha allows Kearney to participate in a larger gaming pool and provides administrative savings (1% of gross, estimated $75,000 annually, paid from Big Red’s share). The agreement can be terminated with 60 days’ notice, offering flexibility. Council members noted this arrangement benefits Kearney by reducing administrative burden and enabling access to larger prizes.
Consent Agenda Ordinances
- Ordinances 8754-8758: Approved unanimously. 8754 amends speed limits in city code; 8755 authorizes deed of sale of property in Marlatt Fourth Addition to Kearney Area Habitat for Humanity; 8756-8758 create paving, water, and sanitary sewer improvement districts for Marlatt Fourth Addition.
Key Outcomes
- All public hearing items and consent agenda items passed unanimously with no dissenting votes.
- The council expressed strong support for the recently awarded 30-year Good Life District designation, which will provide a funding mechanism for infrastructure and development. Council members praised staff for their work and emphasized the need to address housing shortages as part of the growth.
- Next meeting noted for July 10, 2025 (presumably a special meeting related to the Good Life District).
Meeting Transcript
Please join us for the Pledge of Allegiance. 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 in accordance with section 84 1412 of the Nebraska revised statutes. A 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 Nicola Bush Ketter. Here Schmidt. Here Stratman. Here. Okay, at this time we have uh one oral communication. We want to invite uh Scott Hayden, Director of Recreational Services to the front. Thank you, Scott Hayden, recreation services director. Um I have to introduce Mary Bushman. She's uh CEO and executive director of the United States Tennis Association, the Missouri Valley section, and she has some exciting news for us today. Thank you. Well, um we love being partnered with um the community of Kearney when it comes to tennis because tennis, by the way, is the healthiest sport. Um and we want everybody playing, and you have a really avid and very energetic tennis community, and we're happy to assist in um helping with the resurfacing of the Harmon courts because they are used so much, and you have a lot of the tennis community here that runs a lot of activities out there, and we know that both from youth all the way up, and again, it's a sport for life. Um, we're happy to support all the energy that's here in Carney. So I have this check that you have to find an ATM. That we helped to the tune of $31,900 with your resurfacing effort that I think was about $50,000. So we're happy to um support you in your efforts. So we really appreciate all that you do. That's great. Yeah, thank you. Thank you very much. Scott, could you yeah, Scott, just quickly, can you just recap what's the size of the tennis program? Like how many kids are using the the tennis on the spot programs. Yeah, the indoor outdoor carnival. Yeah, I just give us give us some context for people to hear kind of where we're just in our Carney Junior team tennis program that just wrapped up last week. There's over 150 kids. We have probably over 50 in our adult leagues going on right now, probably another 200 in youth lessons. Um not to mention just drop-in play, uh Carney Tennis Association, the Troy overseas, um what'd you do two or three tournaments this summer alone and several during the winter months? Um Matt and his indoor programs, um hundreds and rolling leagues throughout that time as well. Troy does NKTA does lessons are probably what close to 200 kids, probably in the winter lessons. Maps are probably in that range also and continue to just grow and grow and see more people play all the time and just want to thank the USTA um, it's an association that's always looked out for the grassroots efforts of sports, and uh they have since I've been here since 89. Um, and it really helps us a lot. Harmon tennis courts are probably our most heavily used courts outside without a doubt, and they're just need of a little refresh. And so um between the high schools and the UNK and our programs in KTA, they're just well utilized. So beautiful spot, the trees and park right there. Yeah, so it's national um park and rec month. So this is very appropriate. Project's supposed to um sometime between July 21st to August 10th is when it's supposed to be done. Okay, weather permitting. So we're excited to kind of that's kind of our little open window we have after lessons and before high school and college starts. So we're hoping it can squeeze. Hopefully it doesn't rain. Yeah, I know it's a decent time of year to do it. So in August, is that what you said? In August, you said by August 10th, August 10. Yeah, because that's that's the window of time.
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