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Record of Proceedings

Kearney City Council Meeting – September 23, 2025: Consent Agenda, UNK Claim, and Closed Session

City Council — Tuesday, September 23, 2025
BodyKearney, Nebraska
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, September 23, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 8:55

Original source
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0:06

Okay, please join us for the Pledge of Allegiance.

0:08

I pledge to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands.

0:16

One nation under the routine justice for all in accordance with section 841412 of the Nebraska revised statutes.

0:31

A current copy of the open meetings act is available and uh for review and it's posted on the wall of the council chambers.

0:38

Peggy, please take roll.

0:39

Mayor Nicolette Moore here, Schmidt.

0:43

Here Stratman.

0:44

Here all right.

0:46

There are no oral communications or unfinished business or public hearings.

0:50

Ex fact we have our some visitors from the college of students to the college today and not put them on the spot, but they said they had to write a what, like a how long of your paper?

0:57

Five-page paper?

0:58

Oh tonight's give you an update after the executive session.

1:04

How's that sound?

1:05

Yeah, yeah.

1:06

If you if you need help looking up our packet material, please see Peggy or Jake, and there's a lot of really good details in there that will help you, okay?

1:14

I don't know about five pages or get you somewhere.

1:17

You might want to go to the school board meeting for a five-page meeting.

1:22

We're glad to have you here.

1:23

Appreciate it.

1:24

Yeah, school board will argue that it's Tuesday.

1:26

So uh so they're no public hearings, but we do have consent agenda items.

1:34

Um there are 12 items on the consent agenda.

1:36

Any item listed on the consent agenda may by the request of any single council member be considered as a separate item under the regular agenda section of this agenda.

1:44

Are there any items that need to be removed from the consent agenda by the council?

1:51

Okay, uh there's none.

1:52

Can I have a motion?

1:53

I move to approve items one through twelve on the consent agenda.

1:57

Second.

1:57

Roll call, please.

1:59

Mayor Nicolas.

2:00

Schmidt.

2:01

All right, Stratman.

2:02

I Bush Cutter.

2:04

More.

2:04

Aye.

2:06

Okay.

2:07

Uh there are no consent agenda ordinances.

2:09

Our uh loan regular agenda item is an open account claim to the University of Nebraska Kearney.

2:15

I move to approve open account claim to University of Nebraska Kearney.

2:19

Second.

2:19

Roll call, please.

2:20

Mayor Nicolas.

2:21

All right.

2:22

More abstain.

2:23

Schmidt.

2:24

I Stratman.

2:25

Abstain.

2:25

Bush Cutter.

2:26

Aye.

2:28

Okay.

2:29

And uh we're at part of our council meeting with uh anyone wishing to address the city council on a matter not on this evening's agenda is asked to approach the podium at this time.

2:38

Is there anyone who wishes to address the council at this time?

2:45

Okay.

2:46

Um we do have uh, yeah, we do have a pre-couple.

2:49

All right, go ahead.

2:50

Yeah.

2:50

Here, thank you.

2:51

Um Bill Harvey with uh Big Red Kino.

2:54

And I just uh I really appreciate the time.

2:56

I wanted to take this opportunity to uh introduce our local representative Dan Olson.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural█████████████████████████████████████████████70%
Budget Equity Analysis███████████████████30%
Summary of Proceedings

Kearney City Council Meeting – September 23, 2025

The Kearney City Council met on September 23, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. in City Council Chambers. The meeting covered routine consent items, approval of an open account claim from the University of Nebraska at Kearney, public introductions, and council reports. The council unanimously approved the consent agenda and later adjourned into closed session to discuss contract negotiations.

Consent Calendar

  • Minutes Approved: Minutes of the Special Meeting on September 3, 2025, and the Regular Meeting on September 9, 2025, were approved.
  • Claims Approved: The list of claims was approved.
  • Planning Commission Recommendations: Set October 14, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. as the date for hearings on applicable Planning Commission recommendations.
  • Surplus Equipment Sale: Authorized the Utilities Department to sell two pieces of equipment by the most advantageous method (auction, sealed bid, or private/public sale).
  • Fire Department Volunteer: Adopted Resolution No. 2025-111 adding Blake Wilbur as a member of the Kearney Volunteer Fire Department.
  • Special Community Betterment Grant: Adopted Resolution No. 2025-112 approving the Special Community Betterment Grant Program.
  • Hy-Vee Catering Application: Authorized the Mayor to send a letter of no recommendation to the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission regarding Hy-Vee Inc.’s catering application for their store at 5212 3rd Avenue.
  • Marlatt Fourth Bids: Accepted the bid from Nielsen Contracting, LLC for $816,859.50 for the 2025 Part 5 Improvements and adopted Resolution No. 2025-113.
  • Visit Kearney Agreement: Adopted Resolution No. 2025-114 repealing the prior agreement (Resolution 2022-210) for services between the City and Visit Kearney regarding lodging tax revenue allocation.
  • Keno Operations – Birdies & Brews: Adopted Resolution No. 2025-115 authorizing Endgame West, LLC dba Big Red Keno to operate keno at Birdies & Brews, 5915 2nd Avenue, Suite 4.
  • Keno Operations – Meadowlark Hills Golf Course: Adopted Resolution No. 2025-116 authorizing Big Red Keno to operate keno at Meadowlark Hills Golf Course, 3300 30th Avenue.
  • Sanitation Routing Software: Approved the purchase of routing software from Routeware for $56,430.00 under the Sourcewell Cooperative Purchasing Contract and adopted Resolution No. 2025-117.

All consent agenda items (1–12) were approved unanimously on a roll-call vote.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Bill Harvey (Big Red Keno) spoke to introduce Dan Olson as the new local representative for Big Red Keno. Olson has been with the company for about a month and a half. Dan Olson briefly introduced himself, noting he grew up in Minden, Nebraska, and also serves on the Kearney Whitewater board. No other public comments were made.

Discussion Items

  • Council Reports – Tax Hearing Recap: Council members discussed the property tax hearing held the previous night (September 22, 2025). One member praised City Manager Brenda Jensen and department heads for their preparation and presentation before an estimated audience of 100 people. The council noted that property tax issues will likely continue to draw public attention. They also discussed the timing of budget hearings: the state-mandated “pink postcard” notification process gives the public little opportunity for input. Representatives from NACO and the League of Nebraska Municipalities are working on a joint bill to restructure the hearing schedule so that tax statements mailed at the beginning of the year include budget hearing dates.
  • Future Meeting Date: The first meeting in November 2025 will be held on Wednesday, November 12, instead of the usual Tuesday, because November 11 is Veterans Day (city offices closed). The meeting will also coincide with Leadership Kearney’s city government day.

Key Outcomes

  • Consent Agenda: Approved unanimously (12 items).
  • Open Account Claim (UNK): Approved on a vote of 3 ayes (Mayor Nikkila, Schmidt, Bushkoetter) and 2 abstentions (Moore, Stratman). The claim was $200.00 from the University of Nebraska at Kearney.
  • Motion to Adjourn into Closed Session: Approved unanimously at 5:39 p.m. for the protection of the public interest to discuss contract negotiations, with the option to reconvene in open session.

Meeting Transcript

Okay, please join us for the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under the routine justice for all in accordance with section 841412 of the Nebraska revised statutes. A current copy of the open meetings act is available and uh for review and it's posted on the wall of the council chambers. Peggy, please take roll. Mayor Nicolette Moore here, Schmidt. Here Stratman. Here all right. There are no oral communications or unfinished business or public hearings. Ex fact we have our some visitors from the college of students to the college today and not put them on the spot, but they said they had to write a what, like a how long of your paper? Five-page paper? Oh tonight's give you an update after the executive session. How's that sound? Yeah, yeah. If you if you need help looking up our packet material, please see Peggy or Jake, and there's a lot of really good details in there that will help you, okay? I don't know about five pages or get you somewhere. You might want to go to the school board meeting for a five-page meeting. We're glad to have you here. Appreciate it. Yeah, school board will argue that it's Tuesday. So uh so they're no public hearings, but we do have consent agenda items. Um there are 12 items on the consent agenda. Any item listed on the consent agenda may by the request of any single council member be considered as a separate item under the regular agenda section of this agenda. Are there any items that need to be removed from the consent agenda by the council? Okay, uh there's none. Can I have a motion? I move to approve items one through twelve on the consent agenda. Second. Roll call, please. Mayor Nicolas. Schmidt. All right, Stratman. I Bush Cutter. More. Aye. Okay. Uh there are no consent agenda ordinances. Our uh loan regular agenda item is an open account claim to the University of Nebraska Kearney. I move to approve open account claim to University of Nebraska Kearney. Second. Roll call, please. Mayor Nicolas. All right. More abstain. Schmidt. I Stratman. Abstain. Bush Cutter. Aye. Okay.

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