[3:31] like to call this meeting the Shadron City Council order. Would you please

[3:35] join us in the pledge of allegiance? I pledge allegiance to the flag of the

[3:41] United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation

[3:47] under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

[3:57] As required by section 84-1412 subsection A of the Nebraska statutes,

[4:04] notice is hereby given that a copy of the opens meeting act is posted for

[4:09] examination on the wall inside the door to the city council chambers.

[4:15] I'd like to welcome the guests we have this evening. Could we have roll call,

[4:21] please? >> George Klein

[4:23] » here. Shane Shepard >> here.

[4:25] » Mark Graves >> here.

[4:27] » Kevin Alexi absent. Klay Anderson >> here.

[4:32] » Could we have a motion for approval of the agenda?

[4:36] » I'll make a move. >> I'll make a motion to approve the

[4:39] agenda. >> I'll second that.

[4:41] » Motion by Clay, seconded by Shane to approve the agenda. We have roll call,

[4:46] please. >> Graves,

[4:48] » yes. >> Anderson,

[4:50] » yes. >> Klene,

[4:51] » yes. >> Shepard,

[4:52] » yes. We have a motion to approve the consent

[4:56] agenda. >> I'll move to approve of the consent

[4:59] agenda. >> I'll second.

[5:01] » Motion by Shane, second by Mark to approve the con approve the consent

[5:05] agenda which includes minutes for the special and regular city council meeting

[5:10] held August 3rd. Um a monthly treasures report

[5:17] for July. Um and the water report for July, fire department membership update.

[5:26] Um there's currently 45 members

[5:32] special designation licenses are numerous.

[5:38] Um, one is Bean Broker Coffee House and Pub and a special designated license for

[5:45] Slim Days on September 19th on West 2nd Street.

[5:50] Shatter State College football games on September 3rd, 19th and 26th, October

[5:57] 17th, and 31st, and November [clears throat] 14th.

[6:03] Nybury Valley Vineyards for the Harvest Moonfall Festival at the Dallas County

[6:08] Fairgrounds on October 3rd. Wilds Bar and Grill back to school bash

[6:14] at the Shadron Arts Center on August 22nd.

[6:19] NCS Nebraska State College System Board of Trustees reception at the Sandos

[6:26] Center Shakcoin Atrium on September 9th. Slim Days on September 19th on West 2nd

[6:32] Street. Hall of Fame banquet at the CSC Student

[6:37] Center on Ballroom on September 25th. Dr. Copper's inauguration reception

[6:44] [cough] at the CSC Shcoin Center Arena on

[6:50] October 9th. Shatter State Foundation annual dinner

[6:55] at the CSC Student Center Ballroom on October 9th and Distinguished Alumni

[7:03] Banquet at CSC Student Center Ballroom on October 30th.

[7:11] Any questions about any of those things that

[7:15] are in the consent agenda? If not, could we have a roll call,

[7:20] please? >> Graves. Yes.

[7:23] » Anderson. >> Yes.

[7:24] » Klein. >> Yes.

[7:25] » Shepard. >> Yes.

[7:28] » First thing on the agenda, John Reed, Northwest Nebraska Development

[7:33] Corporation. Well, hi everybody.

[7:39] Good news is we got some rain. The bad news is I got a four pager tonight. So,

[7:44] I'll put you through it. Um we uh co-hosted on the 4th a an event with Six

[7:50] Regions, One Nebraska. That's their traveling road show. Uh it was a a

[7:55] really good meeting. She had two presenters that didn't show up, but the

[7:59] discussion after the presenter that did show up was really good. We ended up

[8:03] getting a good hour and a half out of that meeting. Uh we had a lot of people

[8:07] from outside uh our local region that showed up. So good uh discussion starts

[8:12] uh at the at the end of that meeting and then on the 11th we hosted our first

[8:18] workforce and housing development roundt at the same uh conference room. What

[8:22] we're doing is six reasons one Nebraska has an agenda for three major

[8:27] municipalities and those municipalities are then uh hosting their own individual

[8:33] events based on uh what we have identified uh as uh the needs for that

[8:39] community. So, uh, for us, we brought in five rule planning, make my move, uh,

[8:44] the state of Nebraska certified apprentichip program, and we also had a

[8:47] presentation from Valerie Beiel, who just finished a housing project, real

[8:51] small housing project in Gordon. So, uh, we had really good turnout for that. We

[8:56] had 25, we had 17 in the room and eight online. We had 8 to 10, uh, a couple

[9:01] people jumped in and out. So, really good turnout, really good online

[9:04] turnout. And I think we're going to be uh doing more at least one more of these

[9:08] before the end of the year. Uh since this meeting, we've had expressions of

[9:12] interest from a uh state agency. Uh the Department of Labor would like to come

[9:18] to Shadron and do an event. Uh they're talking about a half day event for uh

[9:22] focused strictly on uh workforce development. And I got an inquiry uh

[9:27] Thursday evening from uh a person representing a local uh child care uh

[9:34] organization that wants to have an event sometime before the end of year as well.

[9:37] So it looks like a lot of the discussion that we're uh bringing to the forefront

[9:42] is uh resulting in uh action locally which is really what we want to see. We

[9:47] want these discussions to go on and we really want uh these people to

[9:50] understand that we have the facilities here to bring people in and have these

[9:55] kind of events and I think it went really well. So got that to look forward

[9:59] to throughout the rest of the year. Our social media efforts have been uh have

[10:03] seen some very good progress. Our Facebook page has gone from se 17

[10:08] followers when I started in January. We're up to 331 uh as of right now. I uh

[10:14] every time I check our Facebook page or go to make a post, there's always two or

[10:17] three new followers on our page, which means that our visibility is uh being

[10:22] raised considerably. That's a uh the result of our efforts in conjunction

[10:27] with travel and tourism with Gabby at the chamber. We all work together. Uh

[10:33] six regions, one Nebraska helps us as well. Uh but the bottom line is we're

[10:36] really starting to feed off of each other's post and interactions and that's

[10:40] helping us uh dramatically. Anything that I put up now through our Facebook

[10:45] page is going to go directly to our uh website, NNDC's website to help increase

[10:52] traffic there as well. So if I put a article up like for example if we put up

[10:56] a uh when we put up the article for our um a spotlight on the good life uh for

[11:02] the museum that article goes in it's well presented created by um uh Golden

[11:08] Shovel and then the link to read the article goes to our website so we get

[11:12] the traffic coming and going. It's a it's a really good system that we're

[11:15] using. It's and it really helps us with what's called uh top of response on

[11:20] Google. So, if somebody wants to Google this region and find out what's going on

[11:23] here, uh we're always going to consistently be in the in the top five

[11:28] of the of that response. And that's uh partially due to result of our traffic.

[11:33] And um I'm currently in works with them with Golden Shovel to create an

[11:39] upcamement events tab on our Facebook. Right now, uh for some reason, we don't

[11:43] really have a lot of events on our on our uh website. we can uh partner with

[11:49] uh the other people that we work with for events. They'll help us, like I

[11:52] said, and we help them, but we don't have anything like that on our on our

[11:56] website. So, we're going to add that to our website and uh see if that can uh

[12:01] help uh drive a little bit more traffic, but overall, I think our uh social media

[12:05] efforts have gone really well this year. We're doing uh really good, and GSA is a

[12:09] big part of that. Excuse me. [cough and clears throat]

[12:13] So, right now we still have two loan opportunities that uh are uh still

[12:19] circling circling the uh effort. They haven't uh really committed yet. And we

[12:24] had one new one last week that looks very promising. So, and that's an

[12:27] existing customer that wants to buy a new business. So, uh we uh hope we're

[12:31] able to work with him before the end of the year. Uh we also have begun very

[12:37] preliminary high level discussions with a local LD regarding a possible new

[12:42] child care facility here in Chad. Uh these are very early stages but it looks

[12:46] very promising. If we can make this effort work, it will help dramatically

[12:50] with our child care shortage. Housing efforts are also making progress. Our

[12:54] recent sessions with PAD have sparked a lot of interest and discussion. And I

[12:58] get calls uh three or four a week now, people talking about housing, want to

[13:02] know what can be done about housing. Uh there's a a lot of u a lot of uh

[13:07] momentum starting to build around housing. Uh ultimately, we'll be able to

[13:12] present an environment that is attractive to developers and residents

[13:15] in need of affordable housing solutions uh in the future if we follow through

[13:19] with these efforts. housing, child care, and increased visibility will help

[13:24] create an attractive economic environment for new investment in e- in

[13:28] economic growth in in our region. This month, I want to raise aware

[13:33] awareness around a new grant opportunity I'm going to be pursuing. The USDA has a

[13:37] grant available to help upgrade and repair wellwater and septic systems that

[13:42] looks like a great opportunity for our rural residents outside of the city and

[13:46] water sewer service. So even though uh there's only a few, my research shows we

[13:50] have maybe two or three septic tanks still within the city limits. Uh but

[13:55] this grant opportunity, this is a a really um uh

[14:01] a really strong and wellunded grant that had to be re-extended because they

[14:06] didn't get enough applicants for it last year. So there's uh about $6 million

[14:10] sitting in this fund. Uh my goal is to get us registered as the administrating

[14:16] agency and try to get this money uh into the into the community as quickly as

[14:20] possible. I took a class this morning on grant writing. It's not going to be the

[14:24] quite as simple a process as I thought it might be, but uh it'll it if we can

[14:29] get it through and get it done, it's going to be uh really good for the

[14:33] community. So I'm hoping we get maybe 250 300,000 out of it be be really good

[14:39] for us. And I also want to remind everyone that there's also some very low

[14:43] interest disaster relief loans available through the SB SBA. That's for brick and

[14:48] mortar businesses as well as farming and rural. Um those disaster uh we qualify

[14:54] for those because we are adjacent to the identified uh disaster counties. So if

[15:00] uh anybody has any questions about that, come see me. Happy to explain it and

[15:04] happy to help get any applications in that we can that I think it's a really

[15:07] good opportunity. somebody has been impacted by drought and fire. Um,

[15:14] let's see. Regarding general administration efforts, I have completed

[15:17] the review and updates on our employee handbook and now I'm going

[15:21] [clears throat] to start working on our loan program procedures. Uh, that's

[15:24] going to be most of my attention after we get through the bulk of these summer

[15:29] efforts. It's not as complex and it's not as pressing an issue right now, but

[15:33] there are some things about the way we've been administering our loan

[15:36] program that are going to need to be addressed. uh officially through my uh

[15:40] through my board. Uh I've also been invited to speak at the cost of freedom

[15:44] event in Crawford on September 12th. We helped with this event or in the early

[15:48] stages. I did one of their uh [clears throat] business awareness

[15:52] flyers that I that I did for CSC early on. And um I'm going to go speak at a um

[15:59] uh missing man table. Uh that's part of their s that's that ceremony is going on

[16:04] for like 4 days. It's going to be really big for him, too. So, uh, it's a good

[16:08] chance for us to go show some support for our sister community in Crawford

[16:13] and NDC is having a very successful 2026 and I want to thank the council and the

[16:18] public for its continued support as we move forward. We've got a lot going on.

[16:23] Any questions? >> Um, talk a little bit more about that

[16:27] water and sewer thing. >> Sure.

[16:30] » What you said there was only a couple septics in

[16:34] » Yeah. My understanding in the city is uh most city residents are on city water

[16:39] and on city sewer who like >> all of Hidden Valley is has septic tank.

[16:45] So >> quite a few homes out there.

[16:47] » That's Yeah, that's great. So the way this is going to work is if you're on a

[16:51] septic system that needs repair or needs upgrade to modernization, you're going

[16:56] to qualify for this program. And um it's uh it's a first come first serve like

[17:03] once they get the funds obligated they're gone. But like I said I I see it

[17:07] as a good opportunity because um nobody took advantage of it last year. I mean

[17:12] they had to reissue the request because they didn't get enough respondents. So

[17:17] and there's a lot of money sitting in that account. I'd sure love to see us

[17:20] get, you know, like I said, a4 million 300,000 and then the way it'll work is

[17:26] uh and it has to be run through a uh a nonprofit. So NDC, I would imagine would

[17:31] partner with the city in some way. I don't know uh how they're going to uh

[17:35] disperse the funds, but ultimately we're going to have not match not um

[17:40] lowinterest loans, but actual grant money to help make these changes. So, if

[17:45] we can get it, it uh the window closes at the end of September. I have a final

[17:50] uh consultative call with a lady from um from the um

[17:58] from the USDA uh on Thursday. It's uh basically a

[18:03] question and answer period of about 15 minutes and then I can start the loan or

[18:07] the grant application. First grant I've ever done, but um uh I want to do it. I

[18:14] because I've never done it. So, it it's a good learning opportunity, too.

[18:19] » Are any of these funds retroactive? >> No, I don't think they'd be retroactive

[18:23] because we did we they didn't give any out, you know, particularly in our

[18:27] region. So, uh nothing in the verbiage that I've read so far says they'd be

[18:32] retroactive. No, >> someone last month Yeah. replace their

[18:36] drain field or their uh >> their septic or whatever if that would

[18:40] be covered, but it's something going forward. My position is all they can do

[18:44] is say no. >> Yeah. From what I see, I don't think it

[18:47] does, but there's no reason not to apply.

[18:50] » You're on subject. >> Yeah. Placement.

[18:53] » And he just did. And he just did his field last. That's awesome. I just got

[18:57] to think on something. >> Is it for brand new installation?

[19:02] » Uh yeah, for repair. >> Sure. Yeah. Uh repair and upgrade is is

[19:06] how it's uh structured now. But um that's the verb verbiage I read, I

[19:11] should say. says, um, uh, upgrade and repair.

[19:18] I don't know why it wouldn't be new construction, but

[19:22] again, that doesn't hurt to ask. I mean, it's it's it's federal money

[19:25] » in city limits or city the city. >> No, that's that's the other that's the

[19:31] other aspect of it, too. When I first started looking into this, I didn't

[19:34] realize I I assumed we didn't have any uh uh septic or well within the city,

[19:40] but we found out we did have a couple and but the reason I went for it for was

[19:45] for uh local residents outside of the city limits that can and they still

[19:51] qualify. That's primarily what it's geared for is for rural residents that

[19:56] aren't currently on um municipal uh services. So this is an opportunity for

[20:02] if we can raise awareness we can get people outside city limits more rural

[20:07] customers uh involved in it as well. I think it's a good really good

[20:10] opportunity for a lot of people and again I see it as economic development

[20:15] in a way because the the the more modern our services are the better the better

[20:20] we more attractive we are as a community.

[20:23] » Way you look at it new construction is an upgrade.

[20:26] » Right. >> Right. Yeah. I mean

[20:29] » my way. Yeah, I'd certainly go after it. I I have no reason not to certainly go

[20:33] after it. Is anybody building new septic? Really? Wow.

[20:40] Wow. Okay. Yeah, that's good to know. Yeah. Yeah. Let's get it. Let's see if I

[20:43] can get it. I don't want to talk too much because if I don't get it, then

[20:47] then [laughter] I don't get people excited if we don't

[20:50] get it. But I'd sure like to get it. I think we got a good chance, particularly

[20:53] if they're having a hard time getting people to take their money. I'm kind of

[20:55] in the same situation. We've got money to lend. We've got um uh grant money for

[21:01] child care and stuff. We can't give it away. We're just not uh getting the

[21:04] applicants applicants that >> So So in your pre-application work, is

[21:09] it did you conclude that it's needbased or they don't care?

[21:14] » You have to be able to demonstrate the need. Yeah. You're certainly going to

[21:18] have to demonstrate that uh you've got an like like a written estimate. You got

[21:22] everything else covered, but you don't have money for

[21:26] a septic system. >> Exactly. So you So your your septics in

[21:31] need repair. You're a rural resident. You haven't uh for whatever reason your

[21:35] income isn't where it needed to be this year. You don't have the funding to do

[21:39] it. Uh this is a grant program to make sure that it gets done and make sure it

[21:44] gets done right. That's that's their motivation here.

[21:49] » I think it's cool. I'll take it if we can get it.

[21:52] So, do people just contact you for this grant opportunity

[21:55] » once if we get it approved? Yeah. Yeah. As it stands right now, um it's going to

[22:00] be it the the way the ver the the um posting is written, it says it has to be

[22:05] administered through a quote non uh a local nonprofit entity. So, we would

[22:11] qualify for that, but I don't but I would assume that it's going to have to

[22:14] be some type of partnership with the city for to administer the funds. I I I

[22:19] don't know. We'll have to once we get there if if they've got $300,000 to give

[22:24] me, we'll figure it out. >> Yep.

[22:26] » Is there administration fees that are going to be included in that grant?

[22:30] » Not that I can see. No, I think it's uh I think what they're counting

[22:33] » for us for doing the additional cost on those. I mean, there's always a cost

[22:36] when you do pass through funds and everything else, you know, not only are

[22:41] our staff and and people that are doing that kind of stuff, we need to make sure

[22:45] that we're asking for those funds to help cover some of our costs, too. Well,

[22:49] keep in mind I don't know that the city's going to have to be involved yet.

[22:52] Okay. I'm I'm thinking based on what I've seen in other other uh you like the

[22:57] way we run the LBA40 program, that kind of thing. From what I've seen in the

[23:00] past, uh it usually has to you have there has to be some type of partnership

[23:05] with the local municipality if we're working within the city limits.

[23:11] There's got to be some kind of cooperation, coordination. I don't know

[23:14] what that looks like yet, though. As I was saying, this is the first grant I've

[23:17] gone after. So, I don't I don't know what it's going to look like, but to me,

[23:20] it seems like um none of those hurdles would be

[23:25] insurmountable if we had money to to give out to help people. I think we'd be

[23:29] able to figure it out. I I just don't know what it look like.

[23:36] » What are you thinking, George? [laughter]

[23:40] » It sound like It sounds like a good deal, I think.

[23:42] » Yeah. Well, I I'm thinking that it only obtain

[23:48] relate to people in regard to the city if they had a decrepit septic system

[23:57] and needed to replace so that the city involvement in something like that I

[24:02] think would just be >> permitting maybe

[24:04] » permitting. Yeah. >> And [snorts]

[24:08] making sure it's done according to the code.

[24:13] » Yeah. I think I think >> and for those outside the city limits,

[24:18] um you'd probably be talking to the county.

[24:21] » Yeah. >> Um I think my confusion lies in the fact

[24:25] that um [snorts] uh from what I my research shows that NDC,

[24:31] as far as I can see, has never individually and independently

[24:35] administered a grant. That's one of the things that we talk about all the time.

[24:38] We have matching funds for loans. We uh refer people to grant programs. We can

[24:43] help you fill out your grants, that kind of thing. But I don't see that we've

[24:47] ever as a as an independent entity administered a grant. So that's the part

[24:53] that I'm still a little gray on.

[24:59] Anything else? >> Thanks. Okay. Thanks, guys.

[25:04] » Thank you.

[25:09] » Okay. And next on the agenda is ordinance number 1449,

[25:18] second reading. Ordinance number 1449 is before the council for a second reading.

[25:24] Please read ordinance number 1449 by title. An ordinance to adopt the

[25:30] 2026-2027 budget statement to be termed the annual

[25:35] appropriations bill to appropriate sums for necessary expenses and liabilities

[25:40] directing the publication of this ordinance and prescribing the time when

[25:44] this ordinance shall be in full force and effect.

[25:49] » Okay, discussion.

[25:53] We got to have some discussion.

[26:01] and it is closely tied together with the the budget. Um,

[26:07] and of course the the big question on the horizon is what's our

[26:14] tax rate going to be? Um we did receive

[26:22] the valuation for the city.

[26:27] Um total taxable value is 372,77,474

[26:38] $470 and the prior year was 3 million $342,890,580.

[26:47] Our gross value was 1,514,920.

[26:53] And if I interpret those things correctly, if I take the t current one,

[26:59] subtract the prior year and subtract the growth,

[27:04] our assessed value increase on the same properties

[27:10] went up by 28 million, which is about 8 and a4%

[27:17] communitywide. Um

[27:21] I think this year this was this was the year for residential increases and not

[27:26] commercial. The county assessor tends to

[27:31] and there could be some variations to that. They one year they'll do

[27:36] commercial and the next two they do residential and they do that to bring it

[27:40] in compliance with the state law that it has to be stacked assessed at a certain

[27:46] level of what the sales are. So the I always term that is the valuations chase

[27:53] the sales um to try to get up to that level. So if

[28:00] anybody has a different of opinion about how that works,

[28:05] let me know.

[28:14] So in in the budget

[28:19] » which will be close to what you kind of estimated too, wasn't it?

[28:22] » Yeah, Tom. >> Yes. As far as what we estimated for

[28:26] that, when Michelle and I met this last week, the numbers that we had estimated

[28:33] for that, we felt it was close enough to that those numbers that we asked for um

[28:39] was that we stayed with the same numbers of the the 1,427,192.

[28:48] that'll actually lower the mill levy based off of that information. Last year

[28:54] we had a growth rate of of 3.03. This year our growth rate's only going

[28:59] to be 2.44. So um we feel that that's is adequate.

[29:06] So the mill levy will actually go down with what we actually have here unless

[29:10] the council decides that they would like to maintain the mill levy and then that

[29:15] would add some extra dollars into the the funds. Yeah.

[29:20] The property tax advalorum that's in the budget is like Tom

[29:26] mentioned was 1,427 $192.93

[29:31] and last year's was 1,3302

[29:38] 421,330,242

[29:43] which is a 7.29% 29% increase which is slightly less than 1% of that previous

[29:52] figure that I gave you. So, and that's why Tom mentioned that the mill levy

[29:58] will actually decrease ever so slightly,

[30:04] but your taxes will go up. Uh if if you had if you had an increase

[30:12] on your property, if they stayed the same, you'll benefit actually couple

[30:17] dollars.

[30:21] But the things that received an increase,

[30:24] I looked at that in my home, I'm probably going to be looking at um

[30:31] an extra four or $500.

[30:37] » [laughter]

[30:40] » $40 a month.

[30:49] So, any other questions, comments about what we looking at?

[31:01] » What is the mill levy right now? 39 something something something

[31:05] something

[31:19] » I think Michelle's got the actual numbers in front of her on the mill levy

[31:23] itself. I don't have the actual from last year,

[31:28] but the um

[31:33] property tax request for this year for 2627

[31:39] ends up being a mill levy rate of 3.86794.

[31:46] And so the 20 526 mil levy is about

[31:55] a hundth higher 3 point or 39 76 something like that.

[32:04] It's it's pretty close but it did go down. Um the request uh the actual

[32:12] property tax request is 1,441 because they have us add in [laughter]

[32:18] the treasurer fee and that's part of our request. But of that, we would we

[32:24] wouldn't we wouldn't get all of that. So, um

[32:37] that's that's it in a nutshell. However, um

[32:42] wanted to point out that the TA property tax request that that we

[32:49] are filing for this year does require us to go to the P postcard joint meeting.

[32:57] So,

[33:02] » you said we will have to >> Yes.

[33:04] » I thought you said we didn't have to earlier.

[33:07] » No. Um, in order to avoid that meeting,

[33:13] uh, our levy would have to go down to 1 36 million.

[33:27] So, um, before I fill out the questionnaire

[33:32] from the treasurer, I need to

[33:36] let you know that the 1.44 44 requires us to go to the joint meeting. And if

[33:42] you don't want to do that, then I'll have to

[33:46] change things around a bit.

[33:56] in the conference uh in June that I went to the the

[34:02] finance and clerks conference, the state auditor um gave an a budget

[34:09] update and he said that this year it's not

[34:14] required to go to the pink postcard meeting, but next year they're going to

[34:18] make it required for everybody whether or not you

[34:22] um surpass that limitation or Not. So that's that's what he said. Whether they

[34:29] enforced that or not, I don't know. But he did say that he was they were going

[34:34] to make it required to go to the joint meeting um in future years.

[34:50] Well, if we got to go to the bank postcard, he's got to go to the bank

[34:53] postcards. Good. >> When's that meeting?

[34:57] » They haven't said it yet. >> Be set by the county.

[35:00] » County is still working on budget. >> Yeah, they haven't said it yet.

[35:06] I tried to find it out. I got transferred to all forms of offices in

[35:13] the county today, but um yeah, they haven't said it yet.

[35:31] Okay. Um,

[35:36] anyone knows any other comments? This is our second reading and

[35:42] um, so there'll be one more coming, but um,

[35:52] Unless somebody buys the lottery ticket and wins the lottery that we can and

[35:58] donates it all to the city and we can change this. So, [cough]

[36:06] okay. Ordinance number 1449 has been read by

[36:10] title on its second reading. The third and final reading of ordinance number

[36:15] 1449 will be on September 8th, 2026,

[36:25] which is a really late date for the first meeting of a month,

[36:31] but because Labor Day is the latest it can ever be.

[36:44] Oh, now that we close this um hearing, I

[36:51] Michelle on page 40 in the aquatic center.

[37:05] um that

[37:09] first column total operating expenses is not totaled

[37:13] correctly. It only picks up the last item.

[37:18] And then I I wondered in the budget you have zero in as far as

[37:26] building maintenance expense, special equipment maintenance expense, and plant

[37:31] maintenance expense. >> Yeah. The um

[37:37] the narrative points you to fund 45 44410.

[37:48] » Tom, I think you kind of explained that last time, right?

[37:52] » Uh how those were going to be coming out of that other

[37:56] » be coming out of the account 45 for those expenses.

[38:23] How would that relate to our reimbursement with the college if we

[38:28] don't show those operating expenses.

[38:33] » When we do our spreadsheet for the college, we pull everything in because

[38:40] there's things that don't show up in in in the fun 43 anyway, like our water

[38:48] usage, we pull that from another line item anyway.

[38:53] And um we have a whole another spreadsheet that we give Carrie Gazwit.

[38:59] So, we'll just pull those back in. from

[39:03] um fund 45. >> Fund 45 is on page 61.

[39:14] And you'll see there three new accounts, building maintenance, special equipment.

[39:20] » We take things out that they won't pay for anyway. That's why we have a

[39:25] separate spreadsheet that we give to the college when we um when I meet with her

[39:32] every June.

[39:54] Huh?

[40:06] Okay. Answer is that I forgot the

[40:11] I don't know if there's room to make any notations on that, but you might want to

[40:22] I don't know. If in those lines that say that the

[40:29] existing line and over there on the budget request, if you can notice C

[40:38] uh >> C fund 45

[40:39] » C fund 45 and I think if you put that kind of

[40:44] verbiage in there, it won't mess up your formulas.

[40:49] » Okay, >> you can try it and see.

[40:51] » I can do it.

[40:57] But I I should have remembered that. But I

[41:01] I like to think I remember everything, but I don't. [laughter]

[41:12] Okay. I guess we already concluded that um

[41:19] ordinance 1449. >> Okay, we concluded ordinance number

[41:25] 1449. Ordinance number 1450

[41:30] is before the council before its second reading. Please read ordinance number

[41:34] 1450 by title. an ordinance to establish the amount of

[41:40] certain fees and taxes charged by the city of Shaturn for various services

[41:44] including but not limited to building and use zoning, library, occupation

[41:49] licensing and pet licensing, water, sewer and drainage systems and facility

[41:54] of the city for residential users and commercial users including industrial

[41:59] users of the city of Shatron for the 2026-2027

[42:04] fiscal year to provide for the repeal of conflict licting ordinances to provide

[42:09] for an effective date.

[42:14] » Okay. Um I believe we have the same information,

[42:19] but Janet, if you could help us out. >> Yep. The only change that was made

[42:24] between the first reading and this reading is on page eight

[42:29] and that is and that corresponds to your next ordinance that we're going to be

[42:34] talking about with the sewer utility fees.

[42:39] Uh the sewer tap fee determined by ordinance um is we're suggesting that

[42:44] that be 105 and that will be for sanitary sewer district number 70 which

[42:49] is at 6th in Lynden and sanitary sewer district number 71 which is Cedarbutes

[42:56] and like I said that will tie into the next ordinance that we'll be we'll be

[43:01] talking about.

[43:06] Um do we do we have uh we also going to do something out by

[43:14] um >> Domino's?

[43:15] » Yeah, >> Domino's is sixth in London.

[43:17] » Oh, >> that's number that's number 70.

[43:20] » Gotcha.

[43:24] » Okay. for the information of the public. What is being changed other than the

[43:29] item that Janet mentioned is a red on the carousel hanger goes from $150 a

[43:36] month to $175 a month.

[43:41] Um Saturday burials

[43:46] um has changed to same charge all day. Um, it goes so morning service is the

[43:56] same as the present afternoon service on Saturday, which is $500.

[44:05] Um, >> page six is the next one.

[44:09] » Then page six, [cough] running for city council application fee is 1% of the

[44:15] council member's annual salary. And then the

[44:21] the ouchie thing is the um franchise fees

[44:28] for electricity, water and wastewater. Electricity being raised from 13.5% to

[44:36] 14% of gross revenues. And water raised from 12% to 14% of

[44:44] gross revenues. and wastewater too.

[44:53] » Yeah. Water and waste water. Yeah. >> Yep.

[44:56] » Um [clears throat] and sewer utility fees.

[45:02] The sewer connection tap fee, not to be confused with the new district's tap

[45:08] fee. >> Yes. That

[45:10] » goes from $450 to $500. >> Correct.

[45:15] And usage charge base unit fee goes from

[45:21] $34.65 to $36.40

[45:26] per month. And multiple units um first unit is the

[45:32] same as the single family dwelling and then additional units go from $29.15

[45:40] to $30.60. And consumption fee goes from the base

[45:48] fee of $1.21 21 uh per 100 cubic feet of water used to

[45:55] 127 and that's used in excess

[46:01] that's based on excess of 800 cubic feet on a monthly and each year the city runs

[46:08] a December February usage when you're not

[46:14] watering any watering outside to get a base of what

[46:20] you use because that be hard to calculate each month and changing it.

[46:28] And commercial wastewater hauler minimum dumping fee goes from $22

[46:34] to $23. And that covers 0 to 100 gallons and over 100 gallons.

[46:41] It goes from $44 to $46. And all of those charges are an increase

[46:47] of 5%.

[46:53] » And that's everything that I see in red. >> Correct.

[46:59] » On that sewer tap fee, the $500. Is that is that going to be enough?

[47:05] » Um for an just a an regular tap fee on an older district,

[47:11] » right? It's It's what we've been kind of going up $50 every few years.

[47:20] I mean, we could increase that if you think we should, but

[47:24] » Well, in other areas I've been in, the the sewer tap fees and the water tap

[47:30] fees are significantly >> Well, I can [clears throat] tell you

[47:33] that when we started increasing this um sewer tap fee, it was $25,

[47:39] which was ridiculous. And so, [laughter] we have been incrementally increasing

[47:45] it. So, is on what page nine is the water tap

[47:51] fees. >> Yeah, water tap the water tap fees are

[47:55] um we suggested increasing those next year

[48:00] in 2728's budget. Well, I I view that maybe keeping it at

[48:06] that level kind of a

[48:11] a reason for people to maybe build something new on an existing vacant lot.

[48:18] um to kind of instead of having the town sit here with a lot of vacant lots

[48:25] around, it's be nice to get a new home on some of

[48:30] those, right?

[48:33] » And that that was a question I kind of had because the two districts, sewer

[48:37] districts, you have one that's going to be business operated, so they have a

[48:42] $10,500 tap fee, but they're going to be generating revenue. And in the other

[48:46] sewer district, it's homes that do you think that that tap fee could be a

[48:52] deterrent for people building in that area

[48:55] » in a in the residential district? >> Yes.

[48:57] » Um the one person that's already come in and talked to me about building up

[49:01] there. Um and I told him that it was going to be at the time we were talking

[49:07] 10,000 but I said I don't know if it's going to stay at 10,000. I said it could

[49:11] go to 12. He did not say anything at all that that was going to be

[49:16] » I'm familiar with the Shanees in construction dealt with that a lot more.

[49:20] Is that reasonable? >> Seem to be

[49:24] » a lot of municipalities when they put the infrastructure in they try to recoup

[49:29] a certain percentage of the overall cost of that infrastructure. Not 100% just a

[49:36] certain percentage of that. So, I would say that would be adequate

[49:41] » and that's what we're doing here. >> Yes, we're trying to recoup. And I was

[49:45] going to discuss this when we get to the actual ordinance, but that's okay. We

[49:48] can discuss it now. Um, what we did, where we got this from, where we got the

[49:54] 105. Um, and Tom and I talked, you know, at length. Um, we're trying to recoup

[50:02] just less than 50% of what the district costs the city. we're recouping almost

[50:07] 48%. If if we go with this 105 um on the commercial lots, there's only three lots

[50:15] to um collect this tap fee from. On the residential lots, there's six. And it

[50:21] just so happened that they both came out at 48% at 105. So that's where we got

[50:27] this. Um we could have gone more. I mean, we I did 50, I did 55, I did 60,

[50:34] and it was anywhere from 105 to $12,000 roughly. And um Tom felt pretty strongly

[50:43] that he'd like to keep it under the 50% showing the community that this city's

[50:47] got some skin in the game. I mean, we're trying to add to our tax base, and

[50:53] that's, you know, what the city's giving the community as an incentive is over

[50:59] 50% of putting in these sanitary sewer districts.

[51:04] » No, it makes sense. I think Thank you for that explanation.

[51:06] » Yep. Like I said, I was going to do it when we actually got the ordinance, but

[51:09] this is okay.

[51:17] Any other questions or comments?

[51:23] » Ordinance number 1450 >> has been read by title on its second

[51:27] reading. The third and final reading of ordinance number 1450 will be on

[51:32] September 8th, 2026. Okay. Moving on to item E on the agenda.

[51:42] Someone care to introduce ordinance number 1451? I can introduce Ordinance

[51:48] 1451 to establish water and sanitary tapping

[51:51] fees.

[51:55] » Ordinance number 1451 has been introduced. Please read ordinance number

[52:00] 1451 by title. An ordinance to amend chapter 3 business regulations article 4

[52:06] plumbing and draining of the municipal code of the city of Shaturn Nebraska to

[52:11] enact section 3-418 water and sanitary sewer tapping fees

[52:17] establishing water and sanitary sewer tapping fees providing for the payment

[52:21] of such fees prior to connection to the municipal water and/or sanitary sewer

[52:26] system providing for the administration of such fees repealing all ordinances

[52:31] are parts of ordinances in conflict therewith and providing for an effective

[52:36] date.

[52:40] » Okay. The next thing do we want to suspend the rules about three readings?

[52:50] » If you do, you can

[52:55] make a motion. I'll I'll move the motion. Um who the motion the sanitary

[53:02] rules in regard >> statutory.

[53:05] » Yeah. Statuto rules in regard to the passage and adoption of ordinance number

[53:10] 1441 be suspended so that the ordinance number 1451 might be introduced approved

[53:17] and passed at the same meeting.

[53:22] » Can we get a second? >> I'll second.

[53:28] Okay, we had a motion by Shane and a second by

[53:33] Mark. Is there any discussion?

[53:39] » I asked my question previously, I guess. [laughter]

[53:42] Yeah, I think this is a >> and the re the reason we want to get it

[53:47] done in one reading is >> so that when you pass your ordinance on

[53:52] the fee ordinance, it's all this is already in place so that we can have it

[53:56] by resolution in the fee ordinance or have it already

[54:01] in the fee ordinance so that everything follows in the proper order of things.

[54:07] Um, I have to really thank Katie on this one. she found this um

[54:15] all of this ordinance language and then Adam looked at it and we all said, "Hey,

[54:21] this really looks good." So, but she found this language and it's

[54:26] exactly what we were hoping to achieve. I think it

[54:32] does exactly what we all talked about.

[54:36] » Okay. [clears throat] Okay. So now we will have roll call on

[54:41] the suspension of the rules. >> Graves,

[54:45] » yes. >> Anderson,

[54:47] » yes. >> Klein,

[54:48] » yes. >> Shepard,

[54:49] » yes. >> I declare that the statutory rules in

[54:53] regard to the passage and adoption of ordinance number 1451

[54:57] be suspended so that ordinance number 1451 may be approved and passed at the

[55:03] same meeting.

[55:08] Okay, now we're going into final passage of ordinance number 1451.

[55:17] I move for the final passage of ordinance of number 1451.

[55:25] » I'll second. >> Motion by Shane, seconded by Mark for

[55:30] final passage of 14 ordinance number 1451.

[55:36] Is there any discussion? Maybe I should say additional

[55:40] discussion. Uh

[55:44] » so Janet, those on that district 71, those new residential lots, the city

[55:49] owns those empty lots. Is that >> the city owns? Um all of them, but two.

[55:55] » Okay. Is there any way like we could create like an incentive

[55:59] to like I know there's other municipalities they give those lots away

[56:06] if as long as homes are built. >> Well, first the first things the city

[56:11] has to do is we have to we can't even offer them for sale yet. We have to have

[56:16] them appraised and put a to get a price tag on them. And um there are a couple

[56:23] of them that don't have street in front of them. So, we can't even offer them

[56:26] for sale. So, our first step is, like I said, is to get the property appraised.

[56:32] And at that time, once we know what they're worth in the appraisal prop

[56:38] process, then that would be the time that I would think you would want to

[56:41] have this conversation. >> Okay?

[56:43] » So, but that's what we have to start. That's where we have to start. Like I

[56:47] said, we can't even offer property or put property up for sale until after we

[56:52] go through that pro that process. So, we have to hire an appraiser to start that.

[56:58] And um I don't know um I it's not online yet,

[57:04] but I don't know how much the lot right next to Dunar sold for yet cuz it's not

[57:11] online yet. But once it is, then that appraisal

[57:16] process can start [laughter] in my opinion [clears throat]

[57:20] because our lot is just slightly smaller than that lot. So, they would have a a

[57:25] good like comparison to do that appraisal.

[57:30] » Just trying to think of other ways we could help make it easier, especially

[57:34] with that 10,500 tapping fee. Mhm. But you you got to realize that whoever is

[57:41] going to buy that lot is not going to um put a small house on it. Probably

[57:47] we're talking somebody that's going to probably build a 300,000 plus home on

[57:51] that piece of property. So Oh, Adam's Adam is mouththing to me

[57:59] 500,000. >> I was gonna say to [laughter]

[58:01] » Okay. So and so is Shane. So, so we're talking, you were talking a pretty, you

[58:07] know, pretty good size home. So,

[58:11] any other questions? >> Thank you.

[58:16] » Ordinance number 1451 has been read by title and moved for passage. The

[58:21] question is, shall ordinance number 1451 of the city of Shatron, Nebraska,

[58:26] finally pass? Could we have roll call, please?

[58:30] » Graves. >> Yes. Anderson,

[58:33] » yes. >> Klene,

[58:35] » yes. >> Shepard,

[58:36] » yes. Ordinance number 1451 is hereby passed and adopted.

[58:43] » Like to introduce resolution 2026-70 and move forth approval.

[58:48] » I'll second. Motion by Shane, seconded by Clay for resolution number 2026-70,

[58:57] which is to approve the request for a state aid project application form for

[59:03] fiscal year 2027 projects for the Shat Municipal Airport.

[59:12] Any discussion of >> I'll I'll talk for a little bit and

[59:16] Janet will make sure that I talk properly. Uh this is on runway uh 21 on

[59:22] the hammer uh head at the end of it. Uh we're needing to put in some new um

[59:27] lighting just for safety reasons itself, not only for the planes but for also for

[59:31] our snow removal equipment as well. Um what the engineers have come up with the

[59:37] estimate is $182,000. Uh we believe that we will be eligible

[59:42] for $163,800 uh from state funding. The remaining

[59:48] $18,200 uh is going to be coming out of the

[59:52] airport's system improvements, which will allow us to have approximately

[59:56] $11,800 left to finish off any other um projects

[1:00:02] such as some concrete or anything else that's out there. We budgeted uh for

[1:00:06] this year's uh budget unit was $30,000. So, we're not asking for any additional

[1:00:12] funds. Uh this is just an opportunity where the state is able to to help us

[1:00:16] out with this particular funding. >> And these estimates do include the

[1:00:24] engineering and administration is the way I read the summary.

[1:00:28] » Yep. Approximately $41,000 for engineering.

[1:00:32] » Quarter of the >> Oh yeah. It's just like our S sur

[1:00:35] building, >> right?

[1:00:37] But you look at the documents that they have to produce

[1:00:41] uh is pretty extensive when you're dealing with any kind of state and or

[1:00:45] federal >> government.

[1:00:47] » Yes. >> That by America stuff.

[1:00:50] » Yes. >> And so that's just this little loop in

[1:00:53] the picture. It's just this little loop at the very end.

[1:00:55] » Yes. >> Okay.

[1:00:56] » Yep. >> Turn around.

[1:00:57] » Yep.

[1:01:02] » Any other questions? If not, could we have a roll call,

[1:01:06] please? >> Graves,

[1:01:08] » yes. >> Anderson,

[1:01:09] » yes. >> Flying,

[1:01:10] » yes. >> Shepard, [clears throat]

[1:01:12] » yes. To introduce resolution 2026-71

[1:01:17] and move for its approval. >> I'll second that. Motion by Shane,

[1:01:21] second by Mark for resolution 2026-71,

[1:01:27] which is to approve progress estimate number one to KO Wooden Company LLC for

[1:01:33] the construction of the snow removal equipment, otherwise referred to as the

[1:01:39] S sur building access drive and approach at the Shatan Municipal Airport.

[1:01:46] And I'll talk again for that uh if that's acceptable to you, mayor. Um what

[1:01:51] it is basically is Kalewood is just asking for that first estimate of the

[1:01:56] $37,716.72

[1:02:00] for the materials that they've already gotten with uh projects supposed to be

[1:02:05] this week is what they're estimating. Is that correct, Janet?

[1:02:09] » Correct. um where they're going to start moving some dirt and such and start

[1:02:13] moving mobilization for this particular project.

[1:02:17] » So is that are those materials out there at the airport?

[1:02:20] » No, that's in their yards. >> That's in their yards

[1:02:23] » alliance and it was >> in a mischievous sort of way. I was

[1:02:28] explaining this to Emily. They said they could get paid for this, use it on some

[1:02:34] other project and then [laughter] >> they have to produce uh documents to our

[1:02:41] engineers, >> produce invoices and everything like

[1:02:44] that. Um this is actually for their the doors and they had to um put down money

[1:02:50] to get the doors ordered >> and um they're pretty big doors so

[1:02:54] they're not going to use them just on anybody else's garage. So

[1:03:00] But yeah, but they have to they have to start um

[1:03:05] scarifying the site and moving dirt and everything this week.

[1:03:11] » Okay. Any other questions? If not, could we have roll call, please?

[1:03:17] » Graves, >> yes.

[1:03:18] » Anderson, >> yes.

[1:03:20] » Klene, >> yes.

[1:03:21] » Shepard, >> yes.

[1:03:24] I'll introduce resolution 2026-72 and move for its approval.

[1:03:28] » I'll second. >> Motion by Mark, seconded by Clay.

[1:03:33] Resolution 2026-72, which is to approve contractor

[1:03:39] application for payment number one to Infinity Construction, Inc. for the East

[1:03:45] 6 Street, Cedar Street to Spruce Street improvement project.

[1:03:51] Okay, this is payment number one for 122,82265.

[1:03:58] Um, actually this project is now done. Um, they opened the um street up on last

[1:04:05] Tuesday, several days, actually almost a week ahead of schedule. Um, if you

[1:04:11] haven't driven the street yet, >> you need to.

[1:04:15] » It's wonderful. Um the transition off of Cedar Street is very smooth. You don't

[1:04:21] even know that it wasn't constructed at the same time, which usually there's

[1:04:27] some kind of transition, >> right?

[1:04:29] » Um uh very very well done project. The uh

[1:04:33] residents in the area are very pleased. Um,

[1:04:39] I was sitting there waiting for the construction meeting to begin and I'm in

[1:04:44] Dustin's pickup and I said, "I wonder when they're going to crack seal." And

[1:04:48] he said, "It's already done." I said, "No, it's not." He said, "Yes, it is."

[1:04:52] And I says, "Well, there aren't any slobers anywhere. You know, when the

[1:04:56] they dribble the the tar everywhere and they overfill and they none of that. It

[1:05:04] is the cleanest, nicest crack seal I've ever seen, but it's a

[1:05:10] very, very well completed project. I'm very, very happy with this project. So,

[1:05:15] um I'm sure we will have our final pay payment number two and final at our next

[1:05:21] meeting. Very very nice job. >> Yeah, I I I saw it, too. It's it's a

[1:05:25] nice nice job. And um as far as all the homeowners up there

[1:05:32] said they were easy to get along with and

[1:05:35] » Yep. Yep. >> and being ahead of schedule even.

[1:05:38] » Yeah. >> Very nice.

[1:05:40] » They said they'd be done before school started. They were which was very very

[1:05:44] nice. >> So

[1:05:50] any other questions or comments? Could we have roll call, please?

[1:05:55] » Graves. Yes. >> Anderson.

[1:05:57] » Yes. >> Klene.

[1:05:59] » Yes. >> Shepard.

[1:06:00] » Yes. We won't disclose when the drag race takes taking place.

[1:06:07] [clears throat] >> Yeah. Let's not have

[1:06:08] » leave rubber marks on it. >> Let's not have any of that. [laughter]

[1:06:18] » I'll introduce resolution 2026-73. Move for its approval.

[1:06:24] » I'll second that. Motion by Shane, seconded by Mark for resolution 2026-73

[1:06:32] is to approve contractor's application for payment number two to KO Wooden

[1:06:38] Company for the fourth street water main replacement project.

[1:06:44] uh to zoo utility super dam for a city um $1590 South Maple. Um yeah, so that

[1:06:51] total amount will be 111,000 9 $930.90.

[1:06:58] Uh the waterline part of this is all done.

[1:07:03] Um they're just doing touch-up stuff on the outside and then like on grounds and

[1:07:08] then um concrete work now. So,

[1:07:15] » has anybody [cough and clears throat] in past it? I I've looked it a little bit,

[1:07:19] but I can't look too much when I'm driving. So,

[1:07:23] » yeah, it's kind of a congested street right there. So, right now, so it's kind

[1:07:28] of hard to unless you actually stop and get out and look. It's kind of tough to

[1:07:31] look as you're going by. But, [snorts]

[1:07:36] » but the water is thin and flowing, right?

[1:07:39] » Yes. Yep.

[1:07:46] » I only imagine they reported to you without any problems that they ran into

[1:07:50] or >> Yeah, I was there for most of them that

[1:07:53] they had little issues here and there, but um

[1:07:58] yeah, we got those resolved. So, >> Yep.

[1:08:02] » And you were there to make sure they hooked up the lines correctly to the

[1:08:06] » Yeah, we were on there. We were there for the most of the tie-in stuff. So,

[1:08:10] yep.

[1:08:16] » Okay. Any other questions? >> If not,

[1:08:21] » you had that question. So, have we had that problem in the past?

[1:08:26] » They they tied it in wrong. [laughter]

[1:08:32] » We have a roll call, please. >> Graves,

[1:08:34] » yes. >> Anderson,

[1:08:36] » yes. Klein, >> yes.

[1:08:37] » Shepard, >> yes.

[1:08:42] » I'll introduce resolution 2026-74

[1:08:47] and move for its approval. Second that. >> Motion by Clay, second by Shane for

[1:08:54] resolution number 2026-74, which is to approve contractor's

[1:08:59] application for payment number two to Bitner Construction for the water main

[1:09:04] replacement project on an street. >> Yeah. And so this is just for that 300

[1:09:11] block of AM. We still have the 200 block to do yet. Um, so that total amount

[1:09:16] right now is going to beund $100,31459.

[1:09:21] Um, that's went really well. Um, there's been a few issues here and there that

[1:09:26] they've come across, but they've gotten those resolved and some service line

[1:09:30] issues. So, where they had to fix things and go a

[1:09:35] little further than what they wanted to, but it had to be done. So, other than

[1:09:40] that, it's been pretty smooth over there.

[1:09:49] Hey, any other questions?

[1:09:54] » If not, um, could we have roll call, please?

[1:09:57] » Graves, >> yes.

[1:09:58] » Anderson, >> yes.

[1:10:00] » Flying, >> yes.

[1:10:01] » Shepard, >> yes.

[1:10:06] » Um, item number K on the agenda.

[1:10:12] I'll introduce resolution 2026-75. Move for its approval.

[1:10:17] » Second that >> motion by Shane, second by Mark for

[1:10:21] resolution 2026-75 which is to approve the Shatron State

[1:10:27] College and city of Shadron Shatan Police Department interlocal agreement

[1:10:32] for facilities use. Good evening mayor, city council uh

[1:10:37] members. the Rick Hickstein representing the Shatter Police Department located at

[1:10:40] 125 Main Street here in Shatter, Nebraska. Um Dr. Wat with the Criminal

[1:10:45] Justice Department brought this to me. They've got a vacant building up there,

[1:10:48] I believe, Brooks Hall that's due for demolition coming up relatively soon,

[1:10:52] but in the meantime, while it's still there, it he offered up using that

[1:10:56] building as training for law enforcement. Sounds like the state

[1:10:59] patrol is doing the same thing we are with um partnering with them to use a

[1:11:02] building with actual we can use we can go in building clear

[1:11:06] if you will active shooter type training domestic violence type calls. So we'd

[1:11:12] like to have this agreement approved so that we can work with the college to get

[1:11:15] that done. It's a rare opportunity to actually have a a space to train in.

[1:11:19] » So it's a good opportunity for my staff.

[1:11:24] » Sounds great. Yeah. >> Yeah. No, it's it's it's a win for us.

[1:11:27] Absolutely. >> How long do you think how many years

[1:11:32] will be? One year or two? Three? >> I think we'll have it for this year. I I

[1:11:36] don't I'm not going to pretend to try to plan out what the college will do with

[1:11:39] that. Okay. When they'll tear it down. >> I always

[1:11:45] as a builder I when a building gets torn down, it's sad to me to see the history

[1:11:50] of that. But I guess college has to do what they have to do.

[1:11:54] » They do. I think if you look at it right now, the bottom windows are already torn

[1:11:56] out of it and and boarded up. So, they're they're starting to prep for it.

[1:12:00] So, I'm sure it's about a year and we'll get use out of it. But, it's a nice

[1:12:04] opportunity for the guys and gals of the department to be able to do something

[1:12:07] like that in

[1:12:13] any other questions? If not, have roll call, please.

[1:12:17] » Graves, >> yes.

[1:12:19] » Anderson, >> yes.

[1:12:20] » Klene, >> yes.

[1:12:21] » Shepard, >> yes.

[1:12:25] Okay. Um, September is the end of a fiscal year for the city and we always

[1:12:33] have year-end bills to take care of. Um, so the con the city staff is request

[1:12:44] recommending a special meeting be held on September 30th to approve the bills

[1:12:49] that they prepare to end the year and they have suggested on about 4:30 on

[1:12:57] that. Um, don't anticipate a lot of questions

[1:13:02] but if we ask questions we'll deal with it. What was the What date was that?

[1:13:06] » September 30th. >> It's a Wednesday.

[1:13:11] » Okay,

[1:13:16] that >> works to me.

[1:13:20] » Problems. >> Okay. I make a motion that we

[1:13:25] schedule a special meeting on September 30th to approve year end fiscal year

[1:13:31] claims. I'll second.

[1:13:35] » Motion by me, seconded by Clay. Could we have roll call, please?

[1:13:41] » Graves, >> yes.

[1:13:42] » Anderson, >> yes.

[1:13:43] » Klein, >> yes.

[1:13:44] » Shepard, >> yes.

[1:13:47] » Make a motion to approve the claims that are presented in our packet.

[1:13:53] » I'll second that.

[1:13:57] » Motion by me, second by Shane for the claims. Um,

[1:14:04] we'll make uh a couple comments going over the bills that Axon

[1:14:11] Enterprises it says incar camera system. It was seven of them. Um, according to

[1:14:19] what I read on the invoice. Um,

[1:14:24] and Blue Logic was an annual renewal of 21 times $52.40.

[1:14:34] Please report. [laughter] Mayor, Council, Sir Kickstein, again,

[1:14:39] um, Blue Logic is the training platform that we use at the police department.

[1:14:43] It's u it's a software basically and those are the for $52 a year I can go in

[1:14:47] as a supervisor assign scenario-based training to my staff. It maps it out. So

[1:14:52] we talked about school shootings earlier. So if we want to train an

[1:14:55] active shooter training I can set up and actually it this platform allows us to

[1:14:59] use an actual map of Shatron High School or of the primary school and the the

[1:15:04] officers have to go through the scenario put X's on where they would park where

[1:15:09] they would make entry and then it ask policy questions. So we use this on and

[1:15:12] off throughout the year for the the staff, not only for the officers, but

[1:15:16] also for the dispatchers and how they dispatch things out as well. So fairly

[1:15:21] cheap training for the price. Um I mean 52 bucks.

[1:15:25] » And the previous one, are we replacing old incar systems?

[1:15:30] » No, that's a contract we have with Axon for the current cameras that we have in

[1:15:34] the cars. It's not a replacement. >> That's an annual fee.

[1:15:37] » That is correct. They maintain them for everything that can go

[1:15:43] wrong or >> correct. Yes. And then we have they have

[1:15:46] to get installed when we outfit the car. They get taken out and then put into the

[1:15:49] new car. So like the last the truck that we got, we took the old camera out and

[1:15:54] then had the installers put that one in. Uh also for our body cameras as well. We

[1:15:58] have a contract for that as well. >> So we never really own those things. No.

[1:16:03] » No. Um it's technology. I don't know. So, how do they determine if it's needs

[1:16:08] to be replaced? >> So, like our body cameras back in May,

[1:16:11] we actually within the contract, 2 and 1/2 years into the contract, they

[1:16:15] refresh them all. So, they send you brand new equipment, you send the old

[1:16:18] equipment in, and so they they give you new halfway through.

[1:16:22] » Mhm.

[1:16:25] » Well, I like know stuff. Absolutely. [laughter]

[1:16:29] Um, >> be curious, not judgmental. George,

[1:16:33] » yeah, curious. Don't make a bad joke about curious George. [laughter]

[1:16:41] » Walt Walt Whitman said that >> um

[1:16:45] I just wanted to note under KO Wood that takes care of that.

[1:16:52] The amount is $149,000 some dollars. that takes care of both

[1:16:57] the airport deal at 37,000 and then the the water project for 111 almost

[1:17:04] $112,000.

[1:17:07] Um, and then that

[1:17:12] deductible and insurance claim related to a sewer backup,

[1:17:18] which the total cost was $9,89.90.

[1:17:24] And we had to stand the deductible of 5,000.

[1:17:30] And in Sunset Law Enforcement, it says PD firearm,

[1:17:35] but I believe that way I read the invoice, it's for shells, 240 boxes of

[1:17:41] them at $118. >> That's 12,000 rounds of 9mm handgun

[1:17:45] ammunition for training purposes. When you consider that I've got 12 full-time

[1:17:48] law enforcement officers within my department, you can do the math. It's

[1:17:51] not really that many, but it seems like a lot. Um, we Sunset is a law

[1:17:56] enforcement distributor. We order it from them. They ship it to us for free.

[1:17:59] So, it's an all-inclusive press.

[1:18:08] Okay, that's really the only comment I had. Um,

[1:18:15] I was really wondering about the weed control chemicals. Is that something

[1:18:21] that we will use a lot yet this year or did we get those some before? Well, it's

[1:18:29] weed control, but it's also mosquito control because he'll buy the larvaide

[1:18:33] » tablets now while they're still available and then come January,

[1:18:38] December, he'll start throwing them out in the areas that we need them.

[1:18:41] » So, he gets stocked up for those things. Uh, but then yes, there is also Roundup

[1:18:46] Pro and Confront and I think he's got some Super Trimax on those invoices if I

[1:18:52] remember correctly. All of those items are being used for the end of the season

[1:18:57] type stuff. And if he doesn't get them used, then obviously he got a warm spot

[1:19:02] to keep them so that we can utilize them for next year.

[1:19:06] » And a lot of times if we don't buy them now, they're not available in the

[1:19:10] spring, >> especially the larvaite, the mosquito

[1:19:13] control stuff. >> So,

[1:19:20] okay. Um, could we have roll call, please?

[1:19:24] » Graves, >> yes.

[1:19:25] » Anderson, >> yes.

[1:19:27] » Klene, >> yes.

[1:19:28] » Shepard, >> yes.

[1:19:32] » Like to introduce resolution number 2026-76

[1:19:39] to excuse Kevin Alexi from this council meeting. He had training to go through

[1:19:48] in Wyoming, he stated. So, >> I'll second that

[1:19:53] » motion by me, seconded by Shane to excuse Kevin.

[1:19:57] Could we have roll call, please? >> Graves,

[1:20:00] » yes. >> Anderson,

[1:20:01] » yes. >> Fine.

[1:20:02] » Yes. >> Shepard,

[1:20:03] » yes. >> Um, public comment. Anyone wishing to

[1:20:07] address the council on a matter not on this agenda may now do so. Individuals

[1:20:13] are allowed a total of three minutes to speak.

[1:20:21] Now, I'm Carolyn Brennan, 800 Main Street.

[1:20:25] I'd like to know what our ordinances are, the rules of the road or whatever

[1:20:30] for these electric scooters. I saw one a week ago yesterday.

[1:20:37] I see this kid going up and down Main Street a lot.

[1:20:42] And that particular Sunday afternoon, he was going on the left side of the street

[1:20:46] and then he was on the right side of the street and then the left side of the

[1:20:48] street back and forth. There was a car in front of me that had his foot on the

[1:20:53] brake, not knowing which way he was going. When he got to Common Sense, he

[1:20:59] zipped through Common Sense and got across the highway and before I could

[1:21:03] get around onto the highway, he was way down in Safeway parking lot on the

[1:21:09] sidewalk and he was flying. I could see him just about over the hill

[1:21:16] out by Ace Hardware then and I finally found he went around the corner behind

[1:21:20] Ace Hardware. I see him a lot this morning.

[1:21:26] I didn't. Thank God it didn't happen. There was a kid coming from on 8th

[1:21:32] Street on an electric scooter. He was in the middle of the intersection.

[1:21:37] There was a car coming from the south that couldn't have been two car lengths

[1:21:41] away from him. Another one was coming from the north. He was making a

[1:21:46] right-hand turn. So, I assume the kid thought, "Okay, I can go." But didn't

[1:21:49] see the one in the south coming north. I've seen a kid on a bicycle hit by a

[1:21:56] semi years ago. And I don't want to see a kid around town here get hit. There's

[1:22:02] got to be some kind of control. The one this morning didn't have a helmet on. I

[1:22:07] don't think a helmet would help them anyway, but I just wanted to know what

[1:22:11] the rules of the road are for those. And not just the scooters.

[1:22:16] Bicycles, too. You don't see a lot of kids riding the bicycles. I saw a lot of

[1:22:20] them on scooters this summer. And one girl went by and she looked at me the

[1:22:25] whole time she went a half a block. Just kept looking at me like she could have

[1:22:30] hit a hole in the street and gone over. And I just think we need to watch those.

[1:22:37] I've had other three or four people say, "Oh, that guy I he turned a U-turn right

[1:22:42] in front of me. I just about hit him." Well, that was my granddaughter.

[1:22:46] I've had a couple other people that have said those little suckers pop out of

[1:22:51] nowhere and I'd be the I can I can see a couple of people that might miss them

[1:22:57] and then accidentally hit them and that I hate to see that happen. So I don't

[1:23:01] know what the rules are. Yeah. Well, thank you for your comments and it's

[1:23:07] been a topic of discussion at the agenda

[1:23:11] meetings and probably other meetings uh about it and um

[1:23:17] just this evening coming out of my office instead of being on the street

[1:23:21] they were on my sidewalk. Um the young girl did slow up when she

[1:23:28] saw me, but um she was going pretty a pretty good click down the sidewalk. So,

[1:23:36] » but we appreciate why I'm here. We appreciate your com. We appreciate your

[1:23:41] comments. >> Where we live, they're going to school.

[1:23:44] » Yeah. You know, >> come over by Wilson Park and watch them

[1:23:46] over there. Hasn't >> started yet.

[1:23:49] » Yeah. Go-karts, everything. Anyway. Yeah,

[1:23:56] » Nelson Stevens, 402 West 8th Street. I was at the last meeting and caught the

[1:24:03] conversation about the license plate cameras and I want to be on the other

[1:24:07] side. I appreciate those that were against the system that was after I

[1:24:14] researched it. I hadn't really looked into these and the name of that company

[1:24:18] comes up pretty regularly, pro and con, but I am for the city maintaining some

[1:24:25] type of license plate camera system as is used now because I think that's a

[1:24:30] valuable tool to catch people. People can be so elusive

[1:24:36] and I appreciate the job law enforcement does. A lot of times it's thankless and

[1:24:41] I really support them in using these tools reasonably. If it ever gets out of

[1:24:47] hand and comes to mind, then there needs to be a mechanism in place that might be

[1:24:52] a joint law enforcement and committee of citizens

[1:24:57] that oversees this would be a nice compromise,

[1:25:02] but and the company that's been mentioned most often, I don't know if

[1:25:06] they're the only one. I don't believe they are. So maybe at some point in the

[1:25:10] future an alternate company if this one gets a bad reputation or goes out of

[1:25:14] business. But I am for the use of those readers. I think they're a good

[1:25:18] deterrent or can be used as a tool. >> Thank you for your comments.

[1:25:28] That okay city manager report.

[1:25:32] » Thank you mayor. I just wanted to mention it to the council and then also

[1:25:36] to the citizens of Shatron. We're having a program here on September 2nd and 3rd

[1:25:41] since we're not going to have another meeting before then in which it's called

[1:25:45] the community partnership program. It is a program that we're going to have our

[1:25:50] National Guard representatives here into in in our community. Uh we're going to

[1:25:55] be doing a wreath laying. Uh we're going to have several meetings with different

[1:26:00] community members that'll be invited. Then then we're going to have some

[1:26:03] different opportunities for them. Uh they're going to finish up on Thursday

[1:26:07] the September 3rd where they're going to be down at the uh Legion. Uh we're going

[1:26:12] to have Major General Craig Strong. Is that correct, Kelsey?

[1:26:17] » Yes. uh which will be here uh to to represent and it's a way to have just a

[1:26:24] collaboration with what the National Guard does mean to our community, what

[1:26:27] they do for our area, what they do for the state, and then what they also do

[1:26:32] for the nation as well. Um so I'd encourage anybody uh we are trying to

[1:26:37] get the information out to everybody. It's on the website. Um, it's one of

[1:26:42] those things that if you have an opportunity to come and and just

[1:26:45] participate or just see what they're all about, I' I'd encourage everyone and

[1:26:50] anyone to come out to to see what they have to offer and and just ask a lot of

[1:26:55] questions. Um, that's what they're here for. Um, it's a celebration

[1:27:00] slashinformation slash whatever else it needs to be for that uh those two days.

[1:27:06] So, I just encourage everybody to do that. And then uh just wanted to also

[1:27:10] just put one more thing out there for our citizens. Um you know with the the

[1:27:15] use of our community service officer, he's been going around and doing a lot

[1:27:19] of things. Uh trying to just help everybody to understand what what the

[1:27:24] expectations are, what the ordinance state as far as weed trees, different

[1:27:29] things throughout the whole thing. I think it's been very very successful.

[1:27:33] Um, want to also just stress to everybody that it's not a a a ticket

[1:27:38] catching type thing. It's a way of just informing our public this is what the

[1:27:43] standards are set. And if they see something that we maybe need to change

[1:27:46] or or switch around, I'd encourage the public to come in and talk to the

[1:27:51] council, talk to any of the city staff, let us know what we need to be working

[1:27:55] on, too, because it needs to be both ways. Uh, the communications needs to be

[1:28:00] just opened up. And I I think for as far as our staff itself, it's been very very

[1:28:05] good. Um because we are digging into those things and and we'll be expanding

[1:28:09] more things as Mike gets more comfortable in his position and what's

[1:28:13] being responsible for. So I just wanted to thank everybody for cooperating with

[1:28:18] us on all those things. I believe he's sent out in excess of what 300 now

[1:28:25] letters that he's talked to different people. Um, and it's just a basic way,

[1:28:30] like I said, it's to let everybody know what's what the expectations are. That's

[1:28:34] what the ordinance are stating. Um, and it's just a way for everybody to be on

[1:28:39] the same page. And I just wanted to appreciate everybody that's been very

[1:28:42] receptive to it on on all of the things that we've talked about. Um, it actually

[1:28:48] has helped us as a city too to uh make sure that we're following what we are

[1:28:52] asking our public to do. And we are. Uh it's just sometimes we can't get to

[1:28:57] everything like we see all the all the time too. I know Mike's pointed out

[1:29:02] several things to the uh parks and cemetery guys on some of the different

[1:29:07] things and it is just one of those things that we're trying to let

[1:29:10] everybody know. So I appreciate that and and that's all I have for tonight.

[1:29:16] Okay, >> council closing comments. We'll start

[1:29:20] with Mark. I >> I guess I really don't have too much. I

[1:29:23] I drive by this sign multiple times a day and I I glance at I never really

[1:29:29] think much about it. Uh but it's in a in a citizen's yard and and I I got to

[1:29:34] thinking about it. It seems pretty profound to me today for some reason,

[1:29:37] but it's it says truth builds democracy, misinformation destroys it. And I got to

[1:29:45] thinking about that as much social media and other media types that we have. Uh

[1:29:51] and at the bottom of the sign it says uh research and think. So I think you know

[1:29:55] if we can all be critical thinkers and think for ourselves and not take

[1:29:59] everything at face value uh I think that'll make us uh

[1:30:04] stronger better community. >> That's all I have.

[1:30:10] [clears throat and snorts] >> I'll just add on to what Mark said just

[1:30:14] a little bit. You know, part of doing the research is, you know, looking at

[1:30:18] other people's deferring opinions and perspectives and not just looking for

[1:30:23] confirmation bias as you research any topic. That's

[1:30:30] be safe as the school year gets started. And

[1:30:36] that's all I've got.

[1:30:40] Okay. Well, this Thursday

[1:30:44] is bands on Bordeaux. It's kind of the welcoming back of the Shadron State

[1:30:50] College students. And I got a little challenge for the council members.

[1:30:56] I got some name tags for you. I think it'd be a nice idea if we stood by the

[1:31:02] gate. I'm going to be working one of the gates at 9:30 or 7:30,

[1:31:08] but we could be behind the people that attach the wristbands and just welcome

[1:31:13] the pe out of towners to Shadron. I think it'd be kind of nice. Um I plan to

[1:31:20] do that. Um so it be a challenge to you. um

[1:31:27] going to mention and Do County Museum

[1:31:33] has a special program that's right at this

[1:31:39] um museum right now. It's called Spark um at Places of Innovation

[1:31:47] and it's here until September 11th. So, uh you need to take advantage of it and

[1:31:53] go out and see it. um uh before it departs town. Um and I had

[1:32:01] on my little list the National Guard um

[1:32:06] partnership thing and and if and I have to do a little talk a couple times. If

[1:32:12] any National Guard members have something that some story that they want

[1:32:16] to tell me, good or bad, um let me know. I'll probably leave out the bad stuff,

[1:32:22] but I appreciate knowing it um that maybe I could use in my five or six

[1:32:28] minutes. Um and then Crawford on September 8th, they

[1:32:34] have the escort from Whitney to Crawford for the traveling wall from Vietnam and

[1:32:42] other activities scheduled from September 9th through the 13th. So, I

[1:32:47] think most of us should probably get over there and try to support Crawford

[1:32:51] in this endeavor. Um,

[1:32:55] and my personal Emily and I's condolences to Keith Spencer and his

[1:33:01] family um and the death of his wife Nita. Um, I was thinking when we Emily

[1:33:09] and I came here and I talked to Keith and then

[1:33:14] he took us out to dinner at the chuck wagon.

[1:33:17] And so Nita was except for maybe someone in the motel where we registered to stay

[1:33:23] and I couldn't tell you their names, but Nita would been the second person I met

[1:33:27] in Shadron. Uh, Keith would have been the first one. And then

[1:33:34] we had after dinner um took us over to his house and Bevon Bump and Maxine were

[1:33:41] there. So that's [snorts]

[1:33:45] back in 1981. And then I wanted to mention um I've kind of done a little

[1:33:53] more work trying to get people to to do some weed control. and I had little

[1:33:59] success with the corner of Third and Lake um both properties

[1:34:07] east and west of the intersection there. Um so I like to get the weeds out of the

[1:34:14] streets. I I think and maybe it's just me, but when I drive into town and I see

[1:34:19] those growing there and I think this town doesn't really care. When we lived

[1:34:24] in liberal Kansas, we had kind of similar discussions. It

[1:34:31] would have been on the chamber of commerce

[1:34:34] and without it, everyone when they went from liberal Kansas to Witchah, you went

[1:34:40] through Pratt, Kansas. They said, "How does that community get everybody

[1:34:47] that lives on Main Street to make it look nice?" And I probably should call

[1:34:53] and ask Pratt if they're still continuing that and how they do that.

[1:35:01] » Well, uh I think I think you guys um said almost everything I had to say. Um

[1:35:09] challenge accepted. George, I'll have my name tag on.

[1:35:14] » Okay. And uh uh I would also like to wish Mark a happy birthday tomorrow

[1:35:21] 29 and Janet a happy belated birthday from yesterday. So

[1:35:26] » yes I was 30 >> 30. [laughter]

[1:35:32] So um other than that I didn't have a whole lot. So

[1:35:38] » 38. >> Thank you. [laughter]

[1:35:40] » I make a motion we adjourn. I'll second that. Motion by me, seconded by Shane.

[1:35:47] Could we have a roll call, please? >> Graves,

[1:35:49] » yes. >> Anderson, [snorts]

[1:35:50] » yes. >> Fly,

[1:35:52] » yes. >> Shephard,

[1:35:53] » yes.

Chadron City Council Meeting: August 17, 2026

Transcript