City Council - Regular Meeting

Will you uh join us in the pledge of allegiance? I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

All right, George is got a cold and doesn't feel like spreading it, so I'm going to try to run this tonight. Um uh as required by section 841412 subsection 8 Nebraska statute notice hereby given copy the open meaning act post for examination on the wall inside the door of the city council chamber. Uh roll call. George Klene absent. Shane Shepard here. Mark Graves here. Kevin Alexi here. Clay Anderson here.

Uh, approval of agenda. I'll make a motion to approve the agenda. I'll second. Mark approved. Uh, Kevin. Kevin seconded. Grape. Yep. Grace. Yes. Alexi. Yes. Anderson. Yes. Shepard. Yes.

All right. The consent agenda um consists of uh minutes of the city council December 15th meeting. Um correspondence. Uh there's a Midwest conference in January 31st. Um the board of commissions have a meeting on November. Let's see. No, is it uh the board of board's uh commission's uh minutes from the November 20th meeting. Um monthly treasures report and attaches a motion for designate Dustin Glass as superintendent. No,

but I'll make a motion to approve the consent agenda. I'll second. Graves, yes. Alexi, yes. Anderson, yes. Shepard, yes. Okay. See, uh, B, we have B. Oh, gotcha. B. So, I'll make a motion to designate Dustin Glass as the street superintendent um, effective January 1 through December 31st of this year. I'll second. Roll call. Graves. Yes. Alexi, yes. Anderson, yes. Shepard, yes.

Okay. I'd like to introduce a new police officer. Um, Ashley, you want to come up here? The chief introduce her before we do her swearing. We hired Ashley back in October last year and that's where she's been all she graduated on December 18th with honors actually student pretty happy with She started her field training this last couple weeks. She's working off right now and she'll rotate back and forth between a little grew up in Nebraska. I for college and I graduated from a bachelor's and during the time I was in college. So, was was law enforcement your intent when you went to as a criminal justice degree?

Yes.

Want to come up? Ashley, if you would raise your right hand, repeat after me. I, Ashley Tolstead, solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States of America and the Constitution of the State of Nebraska. I, Ashley Tolstead, solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States of America and the Constitution of the State of Nebraska. that I will obey the laws of Nebraska and the ordinances of the city of Shen. that I will obey the laws of Nebraska and the ordinances of the city of Shadron, familiarize myself with and be obedient to the rules and regulations and policies and procedures of the Shatron Police Department.

familiarize myself with and be obedient to the rules and regulations and policies and procedures of the Shadron Police Department and faithfully serve the citizens of Shadron in the discharge of my duties as a police officer to the best of my knowledge and ability. So help me God. and faithfully serve the citizens of Shadron in the discharge of my duties as police officer to the best of my knowledge and ability. So help me God. I also understand the badge I wear is a symbol of public faith and trust charging me to perform my duties impartially. I also understand the badge I wear is a symbol of public faith and trust, charging me to perform my duties impartially,

without favor or ill will and without regard to race, religion, political beliefs or aspirations. without favor or or ill will and without regard to race, religion, political beliefs or aspirations. Congratulations. Thank you. All we have unless the council has further questions for Ashley. Good luck with everything. Thank you.

She's our officer. Awesome. Good to hear. All right. Resolution J. Uh, I think you skipped some D. D.

Where am I at? All over the place. Yeah, you're right. D. I'll introduce resolution 2026-1 and move for its approval. I'll second. pretty hard to come by. All of our money, but everyone reiterate the fact that it's really nice. still going to be a while. But I do want to say

I'm glad to hear that. What? What was the other one? We had the What? Gotcha.

Most takes about two people about six hours to get through. Back in the day, we used to do nearly as many, right? And this was a budgeted item, right? This was a budgeted item.

Like I said, we'll take the old one and we'll probably auction at least. Sounds like a good plan. Thank you. Roll call. Grace, yes. Alexi, yes. Anderson, yes. Shepard, yes. Just a quick second. I got a message that the the mic at the uh podium wasn't working or was very very low. Just Oh, okay. Okay. Nothing's picked up on it.

It's not plugged in.

Will you test that, Janet, please? Is it working now? Oh, yeah.

Working all over the place. Yeah, you can hear it. Yeah. Yep. And I'm next. Yep. You are next. E, building permit report for 2025.

Good evening, council. Janet Johnson, zoning building official. Um, so we have you have in front of you the building report for the year 2025. Um the number of permits is right in the ballpark where we typically are with 38. Um we had two new homes, two stick built homes, and we had two manufactured homes. Well, actually we had three stick build homes and two manufactured homes for a total of five. Um, and had how we group when I group my residential that also includes additions, carports and garages and that was just over 2 million in the valuation of those permits. Um, we had no multifamily um permits this year and we had four commercial permits with a little over um value of three million. So, our total valuation of permits was $5.3 million. Um, last year we had almost 8 million in permits. So, we're $2.6 million less than we were last year. So, overall I thought we had a pretty good year in the number of permits and in the total valuation of permits. I don't know if you any have any specific questions. So, LA was last year more of commercial permitting?

Um, yeah, last year we had 14 commercial permits and probably the big one last year that um made it valuewise would have been the um permit for Swans building. Yeah. But for like I said actually we did have a pretty good number of permits. 10 garages, five in the corporate limits and five on the in out in the two mile be better than being stagnant. Yes. Yes. That was a pretty good year actually. Yeah.

Construction. So you have no questions. I'll talk to you in just a bit about change order. Oh, I guess we're change order is next. So I'll just wait here for you to introduce that. Resolution 2026-2 and move for it approval. I'll second that. Mark and All right.

Okay. So, a couple meetings ago, we talked about um the masonry units, the change from a 6inch block wall to an 8 inch block wall on the mechanical chaseway. And at that time, I thought we were talking about a change order. Um Fuller Construction changed um terminology and process just a little bit with this this year with JEO. Um that was actually a conceptual change and then now we're doing the change order for that um concrete masonry units and we're also including that in the privacy screen change that we've been talking a couple times at meetings an actual change order. This we're actually accepting the change order right now. Um so we've got two different things we're talking about here. The price of the change in the block from a 6inch block wall to an 8 inch block wall in the amount of $1,375. and then changing from the Timber Tech privacy screen to the actual metal privacy screen, which they started putting that up today. They'll be done with that tomorrow. And the price change on that is $6,753.20. So, the total um change order tonight is $8,12820. And I know that you have in front of you the They got to that price of $6,753 where they deduct the timber tech and then from the the steel pricing and then they put it together and we get the $6,753.

So, our total um change order is with the two different CCPs is what they're calling them for the $8,128.20. So, that's the change order that we're accepting tonight. The other thing that I wanted to talk briefly about is because that JEO made this mistake in a material that would not actually work on that privacy screen. Tom and I negotiated with them um on their mistake and on their contract for their um fees for what they did for us, their engineering and their architecture and their construction management. They are deducting from their fees $2,250. So that's not something that you guys are going to see in a change order, but is something that they're going to take off their bill. So that is

So is that like the difference in cost of the timber tech to the steel? Okay. And some in some of it. Yes. Right. So we negotiated that with them because well it was their mistake, right? So we Tom was actually very firm on this negotiation with them and so we got another $2,250 off of the price of this. And what was the the interior wall going with 8 in?

It we we had to go from a 6 in block to an 8 inch block because of the um fixtures that we already had. the the toilets were designed for an 8 inch block wall instead of six inch block wall. And I personally probably should have caught that except for we bought those toilets like 10 years ago, right? And had them in storage and I didn't look at that, right? So, but then this change order will then be on the next um pay request. So, we need to finalize it so that they can get the pay request put together. So, I hope all that makes sense. It's kind of convoluted just a little bit.

So, so in effect, the difference is about $6,000. Yes. Yes. Just slightly under it. Yes. Any other questions? Thank you. Yep. Thanks, Janet. Roll call. Grace. Yes, Alexi. Yes, Anderson. Yes, Shepard. Yes. [clears throat] Resolution G. I'll introduce resolution 2026-3 and move for its approval.

I'll second it. Kevin Mark. Um, I'll talk to that if that's all right.

Yeah, that' be fine. Mayor, um, this is the first pay app and the final to Mark Chrisman trucking for the cowboy trail phased one of this project. Um, and that total is $1835. Yeah. $183,521. You will notice that the bid was accepted for a little over 199,000, but due to um some of the balances that we were able to save, we were able to save $16,478 and some materials, which was able to get us down to that 183,521. And like I said, this is the first and final for Christmas. After this, tonight's bill is there will be no longer any bills for it. I had someone ask me about this and and this is just pass through money coming from a grant uh

yes from it's coming from parks state of Nebraska and the federal game of parks. Yep. Part of it is now I'm not going to say all of it is because they also had some local contributions going through that too. Do county I believe did some additional funding too through this stuff. So, it's it's a combination, but there was no city funds put into that. The city funds that we did was in labor where the pass through on this. Do do you know, Tom, if the trails association gets to hang on to that or is that part of the grant? Does that have to come back? As far as who who possesses it, the 16,000 the 16,000 is that Oh, no. That's that uh

so they can continue to use it? Yes. Yeah, the way I understand it at this time. Yep. Yes, it is. So, that money Yeah, that money is not in the Okay. I couldn't remember what type of grant that was. I don't know. I I'd have to look. Allow me to look. Curious. [snorts] Yep. Thanks. Roll call. Graves. Yes. Alexi, yes. Anderson, yes. Shepard,

yes. All right. And H, I think uh I I'm going to make a motion to table that. Just no action. No action. Just no action. No action. Okay. Haven't agree to approve yet.

Okay. move on to I proclamation of uh natural radon action month. I think Kevin George isn't here to make Shane read this. So Shane has asked me to read it. Uh proclamation of radon action month. Whereas radon is a colorless odorless radioactive gas that may threaten the health of citizens and their families. And whereas radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. And whereas radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. And whereas the National Academy of Sciences estimates that up to 21,000 lung cancer deaths occur in the United States each year. And whereas radon is found in one in 15 homes across the United States with elevated radon levels. And whereas any home in Shadron may have elevated levels of radon even if other homes in the same neighborhood do not. And whereas testing for radon is simple and inexpensive. And whereas identified radon problems can be fixed. And whereas panhandle public health department, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, and the US Environmental Protection Agency are supporting efforts to encourage Americans to test their homes for radon, have elevated levels of radon reduced, and have new homes built with radon resistant features. And now therefore, I, Shane Shepard, uh, vice mayor of city of Shatter, Nebraska, in recognization of the importance in testing homes for radon, do hereby proclaim the month of January 2026 as National Radon Action Month. I urge everyone uh, members of the community to

test their homes by [snorts] contacting the Panel Public Health District. Um, and it's as a as a person that's put a lot of rate on uh systems and in homes, it's it's very important. Um, dated this fifth day of January 2026, city of Shaton. Okay. Moving on. See, we had

or did J make a guess. It would be It's a joint motion. Yeah. Joint motion for resolution 2026-5 and -6. I guess it's not a motion. It's a introducing a resolution. Thank you. Yes. Introduce a resolution 2026-5 and 2026-6.

I'll second introduced them. I second it. Um uh these are for outstanding leans um utility charges against uh lot 10 block 93 in the Pioneer Town site um company's third edition city of Shaturn. Um and um against the south half of lot 25 and all of lot 26 block 14 of the original town city of shatter. Um yeah, I was just letting the council know we went through our normal procedures on this in which we uh go through three consecutive billing. If they're not um contacting with us to make any arrangements and they have not made any efforts to make any payments, we are forced to go to this next step and this is the next step procedure for us. Anyone else have any comments? So with the one where the inoperable curb stop that they continue to not make their payments, is there any way that like it would the city be apt to fix that curb stop at all at their cost or shut it off? What we we would like to have is the property owners notify us of what they have, but since there's been no communication, it's tough to find out what their goals are or what they're wanting to do. We do have options out there for people to do, but they need to communicate with us to do it. And we've been unsuccessful in getting the communications going between us. But we do have a program that we are able to do some delayed payments on

stuff for inop curb stops. It is the homeowner's responsibility according to the way we have our policies written up for that. Um the city is not responsible for that. We stop at the corp and then we also have the responsibility of the meter tales and the meter itself. The rest of is the responsibility of the service line is the homeowner's responsibility or the property owners. Right. Anyone else? Not. Roll call. Graves. Yes. Alexi, yes. Anderson, yes. Shepard,

yes. All right. We uh next moving on, we have appointment and reappointments of various board and commissions. Um several of these have the terms that have expired for members serving in various boards and commissions. Um let's see. Regarding um the library board, um Rob Walstrom and Drew Peterson's terms have expired and they both like to serve another term. Um Teresa Haynes and Bev Bartlett have expressed interest in serving on those boards as well. Um letters from Teresa and Bev are attached as well as Rob Bolstrom, Drew Peterson with the intent to serve another term on the library board. um thinking this over um with the projects coming up for the library um with Rob and Drew already part of the board um my opinion would be to continue with them um they know a lot of the ins and outs what's going on um on the board um

whereas I really enjoy having people uh step up and volunteer to to be on boards such as this. Uh I would have to agree at this time. I think Drew I think these uh are four-year terms. I think uh Drew's maybe been on 12 years and so some of the things that have been voted on in the past uh he knows why they've been voted on. Uh so I I kind of would have to lean towards uh Shane's opinion on this as well as keeping the status quo through this uh grant money and uh utilization um might be in the best interest of the library.

I I appreciate the interest of Teresa and Bev. Um but I I do think Drew and Rob have been effective members of the library board. And since they do wish to continue in that, I I see no reason to upset the apple cart. [clears throat] Any words, Clay? Or good? No, I'm good.

I'll make a motion to reappoint Drew Peterson and Rob Walstrom to the library board. I'll second. So, shouldn't we move to um there are other reappoints on that list? Should we just do that all as one or Well, if if it's reappoint,

Graves. Yes. Alexi, yes. Anderson, yes. Shepard, yes. [clears throat] If you don't if you're just reappointing people that are already on and you don't have multiple positions, I think you can do it in one and all of them are reappoints. Okay. So, I I'd make a motion to reappoint the board members as written in that document, unless you would like me to read them out. [laughter] No, I as provided. As provided. Yeah,

I'll second. Clay. Second. Um, roll call. Graves. Yes. Alexi, yes. Anderson, yes. Shepard,

yes. All right, moving on to the claims. I did look through them briefly. Anyone else got any questions or anything? Nothing especially stood out to me. We got a motion.

I like I I I move to approve of the claims. I'll second. Graves, yes. Alexi, yes. Anderson, yes. Shepard, yes. Okay. And I uh I'd like to introduce resolution 2026-7 to excuse George Klene. Um he is feeling well tonight and approve of his absence. I'll second. Okay. Roll call. Graves. Yes. Alexi,

yes. Anderson, yes. [clears throat] Yes. All right. Anyone with uh any public comments? If you feel free, you have three minutes um for an individual. Nobody wants extra credit. No extra credit. [laughter] All right, moving on. City manager report. Tom.

Yeah, thank you, Vice Mayor. Um, I've just got one thing. With the opening of the cowboy trail, I wanted to stress to everybody that cowboy trail is for pedestrians and bicycles, not for motorized vehicles, um, not for livestock, horses, cattle, anything that people would want to ride down through that trail. It is strictly for the the bicycles and uh for those that are wanting on the pedestrians. And there are crossing paths. Um the also the cowboy trail committee has assured me that they got signs ordered and uh just also there are some yields that are out there and that is a way for people to kind of help themselves if they have a bunch of people out there at one time. But um I think the project uh went fairly smooth um and I anticipate it the next phase to go even better for us. And that's all I have for you.

All right. Thanks Tom. All right. Uh, moving on to city council's closing comments. Big Mark, you're first.

I guess I guess that would be me. Uh, so over this past weekend, I was rereading a a book that the local author wrote called Love and Terror on the Howling Plains of of Nowhere, which uh is unfortunate and tragic story. But within the book, the the uh author talks about a lot of the places in Shadron and a lot of the people that that live in Shadron that are uh living and and not living anymore. But it got me thinking about his perspective of the people and the places in Shadron. And and it got me thinking of my perspective of Shadron and how fortunate I feel that uh I grew up with some of the same people that he mentioned, some of the colorful characters uh that he portrayed in his his novel. And I just feel fortunate to be in a community that is so diverse. People coming from all over the world uh whether they're going to college or working in Shadron or being police officers. Uh I just uh it just it just gave me a good feeling reading the book and that I lived in the community that I did.

Well, kind kind of on a sort of similar vein. Um over the the holiday, somebody sent me a um YouTube video produced by an outfit called the Dispatch. Um and it's about a 30 minute travel log kind of thing about the city of Shadron. Um and it was just really neat little slice of life to watch. They went to several local businesses. Uh they did a quick interview with our mayor, George. Um and just kind of did some cool drone flyovers of the town. Um and you know, as a resident, it was it was really just a sweet thing to see our town through the eyes of of someone who doesn't live here. Um so check that out if uh you're on YouTube. Again, it's from the Dispatch and it's just city of Shattered. That's all I got this evening.

I got to watch that, too. That was pretty neat. I don't really have much to say tonight, so I'll just keep it short like that. All right. Um I I did do uh uh watch that video and it was a good video. They put a lot of time into it. I think they're here three days. That's

what it was. Anyway, and then I'd like also like to remind people of the 50th annual uh a banquet January 17th at uh Daw County Fairgrounds. If you're haven't been to it, it's a good it's a good banquet to go to. I I don't have anything. Um I think uh um like to go into executive session personal matters. Motion make a motion that we go into executive session for personal matters.

I'll second roll call. Graves. Yes. Alexi, yes. Anderson, yes. Shepard, yes.

fall down. All right. Executive session. Um I move to ajourn. No, you have to take us out of session. Oh, I move to take us out of executive session. Hold on. Okay, we have a second. I'll second. Graves. Yes. Alexi, yes. Anderson, yes. Shepard, yes. I'll make a motion to adjourn. Second. Graves. Yes. Alexi, yes. Anderson, yes. Shepard, yes.