Regular City Council Meeting                                                                                     August 7, 2007

City Council Chambers                                                                                                          7:00 p.m.

 

Present:   Mayor –                    Joyce Hudson                           Absent:  City Attorney          Mike Bacon

               Council members        Jeff Kennedy                                          

                                                Jim Aden                                                         

                                                Roger Dudley                              Press:  Gothenburg Times – Deb Egenberger

                                                Jeff Whiting

                City Administrator     Bruce Clymer

                City Clerk                 Connie L. Dalrymple

    Police Sgt                 Matthew Langley

 

Also present:  Jeanne Janssen, Eppie Sisneros, Jim Ambler, Anne Anderson, Denise Brittenham, Ken Christensen, Ron & Sandy Jobman, Dick Larson, Keith Block, Norris Eckland, Shirley Lake, Sandy Widholm

 

Mayor Hudson opened the meeting at 7:00 p.m.  Advance notice and a copy of the agenda were given to the Council and members of the press.  City Council meetings are conducted in accordance with the Open Meetings Act, a copy of which is available for public inspection on the north wall of the Council Chambers.

 

Dudley moved, Kennedy seconded, to approve the consent agenda that included:

            City Council minutes- July 10

            Treasurer’s Report – June

            Cemetery Board minutes – July 23

Roll call vote: Yea -  Whiting, Aden, Kennedy, Dudley.  Nay - none.

 

Dudley moved, Aden seconded, allowing payment of the claims against the City, except #1047, #1920, and #1868; $171,783.76; Public Works Division $105,187.93; the July 12 payroll of $32,144.74 and the July 26 payroll of $32,386.74.  Roll call vote: Yea – Whiting, Kennedy, Aden, Dudley.  Nay - none.

 

Aden moved, Kennedy seconded, approval of claim #1047 to the Animal Hospital.  Roll call vote: Yea – Whiting, Kennedy, Aden.  Nay – none.

 

Dudley moved, Whiting seconded, allowing payment of claims #1868 to Quality Fire Extinguishers and #1920 to Kennedy Landscape Services.  Roll call vote: Yea – Aden, Whiting, Dudley.  Nay – none.

 

Open Forum:

      -     Job’s Daughters will hold a dance at the Avenue I tennis courts on August 10 from 9:00 - 11:00 p.m.

-          The Airport Authority submitted a resolution requesting $53,000 property tax for FYE 2008.  Action will be required during the budget process.

-          Received a thank you from the Rotary Club for use of the 4-plex for their ball tournament.  They received many good comments on the condition of the fields.

-          Jason Anderson will transfer from the water / sewer department to the electric department as an apprentice lineman and we’re advertising for a water / sewer position

-          Administrator Clymer received notice from NPPD of an increase in their wholesale rates of 13.6% in 2008, 9% in 2009 and 3.3% in 2010.  The City absorbed the 7% increase in 2006 but will be forced to increase rates in 2008.

 

Dudley moved, Whiting seconded, to advance Ordinance 818 to third and final reading.  Roll call vote: Yea – Kennedy, Aden, Whiting, Dudley.  Nay – none.

 

Angie Barkmeirer, Senior Center Director, asked Council to consider installing a sidewalk from Lake Avenue along 20th Street to the Senior Center parking lot, approximately 200 feet.  Council requested a firm distance and installed price and will include it in the budget.  Prices should consider either 4 foot or 6 foot wide walks, contractor or city crew installation prices.

 

Since the new school faces Avenue I instead of Avenue G, it may be possible to remove the stop sign at 15th Street on Ave G.  The remaining signs at 16th Street, 14th Street and 13th Street will still control traffic.

 

Kennedy moved, Whiting seconded, instructing Atty. Bacon to prepare a resolution to remove the stop sign at 15th Street on Ave G.  Roll call vote:  Aden, Dudley, Whiting, Kennedy.  Nay – none.

 

The franchise with the trash haulers will renew October 1, 2007 and the following changes were agreed upon:       A 5-year agreement instead of 3 year

            Fuel cost language was removed and Council will consider new rates in January each year to be reflected on February bills.  Franchisees can make written requests to the Council regarding rates at other times of the year.

            A rate was added for two 96-gallon containers.

 

Dudley moved, Kennedy seconded, approving the trash hauler franchise agreement as proposed.  The new rate will be included in an ordinance with electrical rate increases.  Roll call vote: Yea – Aden, Whiting, Kennedy, Dudley.  Nay – none.

 

Ken Christensen asked Council to address the traffic issue on 13th Street between Avenues H and I and on Ave H between 12th and 13th Streets.  He would like to see the street widened one lane or make one-way traffic.  Residential parking on the north and / or south sides of 13th Street further complicates traffic with the school drop off zone on the east side of the school.

 

Discussion was had and while sympathetic to the issue, the Council sees it as a school issue.  Several options were discussed including, crossing guards, flashing lights with no traffic access on 13th Str during school hours, or street monitors with street cones in place during drop off and pick up times. 

 

Ultimately, it was decided to have Administrator Clymer set up a meeting with the Mayor, Police Dept, and school officials to discuss the situation and possible solutions.

 

As a result of a petition for paving on 22nd Street between Avenues H and J, proposed ordinance 819 will create the district and establish an estimated cost of $249,256.25.  A public hearing will be held on Sept 4 to establish the sufficiency of the petition. 

 

In answer to questions, Attorney Bacon said names cannot be removed from a petition.  Jeanne Janssen, representing the Housing Authority and Crestview Housing, voiced opposition to the creation of the district based on the cost assessment.

 

Councilmember Dudley introduced Ordinance 819 entitled:

 

An ordinance of the City of Gothenburg, Nebraska creating Street Improvement District #100; defining the boundaries and limits thereof; providing for paving, grading, curbing, guttering, and other necessary and incidental work; providing for the payment of such improvements and other incidental expenses by the issuance of warrants, bond anticipation notes, and bonds; providing for assessment of the costs of such improvements against the property specially benefited thereby and the levy of general taxes; providing for the publication of this ordinance; and related matters

 

and moved that the statutory rule requiring reading on three different days be suspended.  Councilmember Aden seconded the motion.  On roll call vote, the following voted “Yea”:  Kennedy, Whiting, Aden, Dudley.  “Nay”: none.

 

Mayor Hudson declared the motion adopted by a full vote of the Council and the statutory rule suspended for consideration of said ordinance.  Ordinance 819 was then read by title and Councilmember Aden moved for final passage.  Councilmember Whiting seconded the motion.

 

Mayor Hudson asked the question “Shall Ordinance 819 be passed and adopted?”  On roll call vote the following voted “Yea”:  Dudley, Kennedy, Whiting, Aden.  “Nay”: none.

 

Mayor Hudson declared Ordinance 819 adopted and signed it in the presence of the Council and the Clerk attested the signature.

 

Dudley moved, Aden seconded, approval of a one-day license to dispense beer, wine, and distilled spirits at a Business After Hours event sponsored by All Points Co-op, Gothenburg Tire, and Eustis Plumbing on August 17, 2007 from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at 302 8th Street in Gothenburg.  Roll call vote: Yea – Whiting, Aden, Kennedy, Dudley.  Nay – none. 

 

Administrator Clymer provided two scenarios for City staffing with the establishment of a parks department.  The first combined the parks with the cemetery and streets and established a department head, one full time and three seasonal positions for a total of 29 full time and 16 part time employees.  The second scenario put all the departments under one supervisor, City Services Director, and added two full time and two seasonal employees.  This option results in 28 full time and 16 part time positions.

 

Under scenario one, the cemetery sexton duties would be the responsibility of the department head.  In the second option, lot sales would be handled in the office and could involve some overtime hours.

 

Discussion was had and it was the consensus that scenario two is the best option.  Labor and equipment can be shared between departments.  Park mowers and equipment will probably move from the Lafayette Park shed to the maintenance facility on Ave L.

 

Dudley moved, Aden seconded, approving the scenario two organizational chart as presented.  Roll call vote: Yea – Kennedy, Whiting, Aden, Dudley.  Nay – none.

 

Aden moved, Dudley seconded, to adjourn the meeting at 8:00 p.m.    Roll call vote: Yea – Kennedy Whiting, Aden, Dudley.  Nay – none.  The next regular meeting will be September 4 at 7:00 p.m.

 

 

 

 

___________________________________                               _________________________________

Joyce Hudson, Mayor                                                                                   Connie L. Dalrymple, City Clerk