City Council - Regular Meeting

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[Music] Facebook. [Music] [Laughter] Good evening everybody. It's 7 o'clock. Will the clerk please call the Councilman Weissber? Yes. Councilman Turman here. Vice Mayor Masher

here. Councilman Lack here. And Mayor McGee

here. Invocation of pledge of allegiance will be led by uh Councilman Lipac tonight. Oh God, creator of our Lord, of our city, as well as of our individual lives, we humbly acknowledge your interest in your presence at this council meeting tonight. Before we begin our business, we deliberately open our minds and spirits to your holy will. Help us to be worthy of the trust of the citizens of Alliance have placed in us. guide us in each decision we make that it might be as fair and just as it is economically sound. To that end, our community may achieve its highest potential and become all you want it to be. Amen. Please join me for the pledgece to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. For the public's reference, a copy of the open meetings laws are posted on the northeast corner of this room in the audience area. The posting complies with the requirements of Nebraska legislation. First item on the agenda today is uh tonight is police department awards and promotions. Chief Le, I will give you the floor. Thank you, sir. [Music] So, one of the best things about my job is that I get to recognize my folks uh when they do good work, which is every day, but once in a while, someone does something that goes above and beyond and deserves a special recognition, not only within the police department, but within the community. The first person I would like to talk

about is dispatcher Emma Rinard. Emma was here and then left and then missed Alliance Nebraska and her wonderful community and co-workers and came back. Um, so we're glad she did. On April 1st, 2025, the Alliance Police Department, Boxby County Sheriff's Office consolidated their dispatching services into one communication center. With this consolidation came the new responsibilities of maintaining sheriff's office paperwork for the National Crime Information Center such as warrants and protection orders. This was a new task for dispatchers was as it was previously responsibility of the sheriff's office. Fortunately, Emma had experience in entering warrants with her previous employment as a dispatcher for Saline County in Nebraska. Emma was more than willing to step in and train the dispatchers on how to enter and validate warrants. Emma was willing to dedicate her free time to come in during the day and help train dispatchers she doesn't usually interact with as she works the night shift. She responded quickly and efficiently when tasked with the beauty of creating standard operating procedure form detailing the process step by step. Emma should be recognized for her dedication to the overall success of her team and to the department. A letter of accommodation is presented to dispatcher Emma Riner. [Applause] Oh, you're fine. Next, we're going to talk about another dispatcher. This one, who I'm not so fond of right now because this one is unfortunately leaving us in the near future um to take a job in another state. However, I cannot tell you how much Liz Bonds has become kind of my right hand in dispatch. What I'm about to read to you is just one example. Liz takes on

special projects. Um, helps us get things done on a very regular basis and uh I appreciate that. With her choosing of technologies as her area of focus in her dispatch career, Liz was tasked with researching a new, more reliable phone and radio recording program. Being able to access recordings is vital not only for recordkeeping, but also allowing for exporting copies of recordings, transparency, and quality assurance, among other things. Elizabeth took the time to dig in with her research and presented many options in a professional, efficient manner. Through her hard work and dedication, the Alliance Police Department was able to sign a contract with a new vendor that Elizabeth had presented, bringing more reliability and accountability to the police department's recording services. Elizabeth should be proud of the hard work and time she devoted to this project knowing that she made an important impact on the department and they were here beginning the installation on our new reporting system today. So, thank you Liz. Come on. We're under accommodation. Now, we're going to do some police officers. On February 20th, 2025, Sergeant Norris responded to the report of an inappropriate relationship between a teenager and an adult male. Sergeant Norris's initial investigation revealed the information obtained constituted serious criminal allegations. Sergeant Norris coordinated with Sergeant Leuke and Officer Sherlock to assist with obtaining evidence for the investigation, which included numerous interviews and search warrant executions over the span of two months. Evidence obtained secured a guilty plea from the perpetrator, who was sentenced to six years in prison for possession of child pornography and two additional years for

enticement by electronic device. Key forensic evidence was obtained from the perpet perpetrator's cell phone. And without this crucial evidence, this case could have ended differently, perhaps without any prison time. And I want to add the software that we have, the great key software that we have that we use to get into phones and obtain forensic evidence um is very expensive. It's expensive every single year when we pay the bill. And so I really appreciate the council's support um and continuing to allow us to have this technology. We are the only police department in the western half of Nebraska that has this technology and without it, we probably would have waited so long to get this evidence um that we wouldn't have been able to secure conviction. Um thanks to us having it here locally, we had the information we needed literally within days. So, I really commend these officers um for their hard work on this case and many others um not only within the Alliance Police Department, but in surrounding agencies where we've had successful condition convictions um because of Sergeant Leuk and Officer Sherlock being able to get into these phones and get this evidence. So, with that, I would like to present Sergeant Norris, Sergeant Leuk, and Officer Sherlock with accommodation. [Applause] [Music]

All right, one more thing. So, you may remember about a year ago, we promoted Lieutenant Felker to Captain Felker, and we've had a lieutenant vacancy ever since. Sergeant Tim Peterson has been with the police department for 15 years. He is a trusted leader in this department. He is our one of our training coordinators. He is one of our firearms instructors. Every time we've had a major incident since I've been here and well before then, I'm sure Sergeant Peterson is one of the first ones to show up. Um, and I've been on two incidents where Sergeant Peterson was the incident commander and I showed up and I didn't I didn't even take command. He was doing such a good job, I just let him run it. Um, that's the kind of leader he is. And I'm proud today to promote him to Lieutenant Tim Peterson. If you would come up, please. [Applause] So, if you know Holly, you know that Holly has to live in the same household with Tim Peterson, which I'm sure is also a unique experience. So, I'm going to give her the pleasure of pinning the badge. And this is your opportunity to, you know, have a slip.

success. Ladies and gentlemen, for the first time, Lieutenant [Applause] You want to get one of

Thank you everyone. The next item on tonight's agenda is the consent calendar, which consists of approval of minutes, payroll, claims, and council proceedings, and cemetery certificates. Resolution number 25-77, Second Street Sewer Extension Data Award. Resolution number 25-78, Southeast Municipal Solar Non-Disturbance Agreement and resolution number 25-79, Central Park Playground Equipment Purchase. Mr. Mayor, I make a motion that we approve the consent calendar.

Second. All right, there's a motion and a second. Is there any discussion on the consent calendar? See, hearing none, would cl Councilman Turman? Yes. Councilman Weise? Yes. Councilman Lip, yes. Vice Mayor Mashurn, yes. And Mayor McGee, yes.

Next item on the calendar is resolution 25-80 for San Canyon Therapy LLC for the LD840. This resolution will approve the Sand Canyon Therapy LLC for economic development assistance in the amount of $150,000. Mr. Mr. Mayor, I make a motion to approve resolution 25-8. Second. There's a motion in a second. Is there any discussion? Um Hannah, do you want to come up or is anybody from Sandy here would like to address the request?

State your name and address. Um Hannah Robinson, 114 West 8th Street. also um executive director of Mon Development Corporation. Um so you'll see that St. Canyon Therapy has applied for $150,000 um to the OB fund for economic development assistance. With these funds, they'll be able to um purchase a building, make remodels, and also bring five jobs to our community. Um so we see it as a great investment. Also in talking with the ED Ed or the economic development plan application review committee, they obviously made this Um, and I'd be happy to entertain any questions.

And what does Sand Canyon do? So, S Canyon can follow me and they can tell you all about themselves if you're hearing everyone. Um, I'm Jenny Lee Wman. I'm a speech language pathologist and this is Melissa. You give your name and address. Thank you.

Juan 7373 Arthur Road, Nebraska 624, Nebraska. Um, and like I said, so I'm a speech language pathologist and I have a private practice which is called San Canyon Therapy. Um, we're located in Hemingford. We've been there for a little over a year and we are rapidly expanding. we need more room and we want to bring in more therapists. Uh so we have a therapy business but we are also adding a software business and the software is right along with our speech therapy um is geared towards neurode divergent um patients and so we really want to grow. We have the means to grow. We just need the room.

So are you looking for a facility strictly in Hemingford or It doesn't matter where you located. Um I I would like to say New York stay here near Heming for my kids go to school there and then our ranch is is near there. So um out of location they need to be established but I'd really like to stay in Heming forward and it's worth really to have it there and we're having um we have so many people that are driving there and you know if they're driving over an hour and a half then not complaining. So I it would be most ideal if you stay there and I drive from here to there to work. All right. Okay. Any questions? All right. Thank you very much. All right. Thank you.

I understand there was a little bit of feedback on social media that the business is located in Henry Ford. Um I was on the LB40 application review committee for about 20 years. And one of the things that we always discussed was LBA40 is funded out of sales tax that's collected here in alliance for residents pay a lot of that sales tax. They come here to shop and the jobs as the one uh woman the therapist there lives here in alliance and works in Heming for so we always felt as a application review committee that even though the the presence of the business was in Hemingford it benefited Alliance as well and was probably funded by the Hemingford residents by their sales tax purchases in Alliance. So, I just wanted to kind of point that out. And if anybody has any questions about feel free to answer any questions. I can also add that this is a a loan is partially forgivable by job credits. The job credits are based on employees to be eligible for the job credits. They have to live within 50 miles of that's standard for all other LBA loans that the city.

All right. The other thing that we will clarify on this request um the amount that we had budgeted for major loans out of LB840 um has already primarily been has been mostly used. We budgeted $500,000. We've always already committed $450,000 in this budget year. So um see Canyon Therapy is aware that we cannot fully fund their request in this budget year. that part of it will have to be budgeted in the next next calendar year but I think they're aware of that and I don't think there's any questions about this so to be clear that is also budget authority that's not the fund is has much more right but it's just budgets you have a question Come on.

I'm Sheila Walker. I live at 1031 Sweetwater here in Alliance. Do I understand correctly that this is TIFF funding? No. No. This is LB840 which is a economic development fund for job creation and it's funded from sales tax income. Is that just sales tax income here in Alliance? Yes. Generated by businesses here in Alliance. Yes. Okay. So, this has nothing whatsoever to do with tech funding. No, it does not. You took care of all my questions. Thank you very much.

Thank you. Okay. Any other questions or comments on that? Will the clerk please call the role? Councilman Lip, yes. Councilman Turman, yes. Councilman Weisser, yes. Vice Mayor Mashurn, yes. And Mayor McGee,

yes. The next item on tonight's agenda, item number D, resolution number 25-81, Barrian Insurance, LBD840. Resolution 25-81 will approve the Caitlyn Barrian doing business as Barrian Insurance for Economic Development Assistance in the amount of $4,400. Mr. Mayor, I make a motion that we approve resolution 25-81. Second. We have a motion and a second. Is there any discussion? Hearing none. Would the clerk, please call the vote. Vice Mayor Master? Yes. Councilman Weisser? Yes. Councilman Lip?

Yes. Councilman Turman? Yes. And Mayor McGee? Yes. Can we explain the amount in it to the public? In what way? The amount of how much they're getting for their bar insurance. No, that one is for

Did you want to come down? Well, just if you want to explain that it's this is the difference is called small business assistance for the grant for working capital fixed assets and it's basically 25% the the amount of what they need it for. how they 17,000 and then it's forgivable contingent on the meeting. Next item on tonight's agenda is resolution number 2582, Flannel Brothers LB840. Uh resolution number 2582 will approve the past department flannel brothers for economic development assistance in the amount of $5,000. Mr. Mayor, I make a motion to approve resolution 2582.

Second motion and second. Is there any discussion? John, maybe you'll just explain briefly what this same thing called business assistance basically mostly equipment and that their ask was for over $21,000 and so 25% is 5,000 max to get the guidelines for small business assistance um grant and it's forgivable based on that state business discussion if not call Councilman Weisser yes Councilman Turman yes Councilman Lai yes Vice Mayor Mashford

yes and Mayor McGee Yes. Next item on the agenda is resolution 25-83, the 2025 2026 insurance renewal. Resolution 25-83 will renew property and casualty insurance with Lauren in the amount of 1,172,84. Mr. Mayor, I make a motion to approve resolution number 25-83. Second. I have a motion and a second. Is there any discussion?

I'm just curious, was the uh what was the refund amount from the insurance with previously because didn't we pay that annually out of this budget year? Was there a refund? We did get a refund. We actually quarterly on track insurance, but we did get a refund for the unused portion. Okay. And do we have this money available to pay this This this will be in October. Oh, so the fiscal year brand new

the changes that we discussed with property insurance and deductions those were all the changes we just wanted to make sure. Any other comments or questions? Okay. Will the clerk please call the role? Councilman Turman. Yes. Vice Mayor Mash. Yes. Councilman Rise. Yes. Councilman Li. Yes. And Mayor McGee. Yes.

Next item on the agenda is resolution number 25-84 which will authorize a onetime payment to the city manager and now $1,000 for satisfactory annual review. Um we completed uh Mr. Sornson's review at the last council meeting. Uh it was a is a positive review from all council members present. And um the the practice of the city is for a department head with a with a performance review to receive a $1,000 stipen based on that review. There is no uh change in his salary with the uh with the review. uh we'll be having some discussion on this contract but this is merely standard practice for department head without a change in this the salary level. So I would make a motion for resolution number 25-84.

Second. There's a motion and a second. Is there any other discussion? The clerk please call. Councilman Lip. Yes. Councilman Weisser. Yes. Vice Mayor Mashber. Yes. Councilman Turman. Yes. and Mayor McGee. Yes.

Item H on tonight's agenda is the board appointment. I make board appointment uh for Troy Strain to be on the planning commission. I'd like to make a motion on Oh, I lost that page. What number is it? It's not really just I may make a motion to accept exception. Sorry.

Second. We have a motion and a second. Is there any other discussion? Will the clerk, please call the role. Councilman Weissber, yes. Councilman Lip, yes. Councilman Chairman, yes. Vice Mayor Masher, yes. and mayor. Yes. Next item on the agenda is a discussion item um which was a rate study at the Alliance Municipal Landfill. A member of the SCS engineers is present to give us a report on the landfill revenue sufficiency analysis study. So IA is Helia. It's Helia. I'm gonna up here first.

Okay. So Ros the public works director for those of you that don't know me. I want to give you a brief introduction um for Helia Lee K works with SCS engineering and she's the one that prepared for land revenue sufficiency analysis staff came to you earlier um last year with some information you asked if we um contact this this agency this workforce outside the agency to evaluate some of that information. So she's done that. She's going to give a presentation and then I'll come back up for any questions you might have, answer what I can, and we'll direct your question to the right person. Hopefully get the most accurate answers for you. We got landfill staff here and finance staff and engineering staff and myself. So, I'll I'll let Helia come up presentation. Welcome back.

My name is Ali. I'm the management analyst at SCS Engineers. It's a pleasure to be here.

Let me know if surprising. Got it. Thank you. All right. So, I'm here to present um a short but comprehensive overview of the race study that was done. Um I'll begin the game of conclusion. Our analysis concluded that there needs to be some rate increases for the collections and disposal um services which is ins. So as we've um conducted this study, we were able to identify three key um rate increase drivers. First one being that there's an overall increased cost. Um to highlight we're seeing a operations in double in cost. Secondly, there is a lack of a strong reserve. Um and the last key driver is that there are some there's some large planned capital projects and that sort of goes with the lack of reserve of course. Um so when we talk about reserves um best practice is that we aim to get about 3 to six months of operations and maintenance cost. Our study assumed that our reserves so our sort of like a savings account goal is that is about three months of the operations at LMS. Um it became pretty evident early on that the rate increase is going to be rather significant. So we began by you know making shifts to make sure that impact on the residents minimized and that is always our goal um that the financial sustainability is reached with minimizing impact. Um despite the shifts in postponing of some projects and also debt funding a

lot of the capital projects um the city will begin to see a negative fund balance starting in fiscal year 2026 and it is projected that by fiscal year 2027 um that amount will snowball to about $680,000. So we were able to identify two different scenarios. The first one being with the goal of needing a healthy reserve as soon as possible. That onetime increase will result in a increase of $8.87 in residential fees and that is across the board.

$887 increase for residential fee. Um and that is followed by an inflationary increase there of 51 cents thereafter. Um it's projected that the city will have a minimum reserve will reach minimum reserve target by fiscal year 2026 with this one increase. Um however we were able to also test the scenario where we implement a phase 10 increases as well. So with that um approach, the residential fee will increase about $5.7 in fiscal year 2026 followed by another $456 in this year 2027. And as I mentioned before, that percentage is across the board in both collections and disposal services. And with the phasing approach, it is projected that the city will have will reach minimum reserve target by fiscal year 2028. So these are the findings of the rate study and of course I'm here to gain some buy in and make sure that I am here to help the city reach its financial goals. Um there were other topics of conversation in our race study. There were two um main ones. First one being looking into charging for agricultural waste. So at the landfill currently um grass is composted for free. Um grass includes yard waste, agricultural waste such as corn husks. Um, composting agricultural waste is labor intensive and it is also a liability because it's