City Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening and welcome to this night's city council meeting May 4th, 2026. This time I'd like to call this meeting to order and inform the public of location meetings act posted in the council's chambers and accessible to members of the public. Right now we'll start with a moment of silence. We'll follow by the pledge of allegiance. To the flag of United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Roll call, please.

Granquist, here. Arn here. Webb here. McCarthy here. Beckman here. Jensen here. Langy here. Elder Brand here. I'm here too. Here. Here. All right. With that being said, we'll move on to the public comment period which takes place at the first regular scheduled city council meeting each month. Anybody like to come forward? Please do so. Now going once. See Don Wisnki doesn't want to come and say anything. You sure?

All right. Okay, with that being said, we will close that and move on to recommended actions. This time I need approval of the consent agenda, removing 21 and 23 and placing them on the regular agenda. Your honor, I'll be abstaining from this vote. Okay, I'll second. We have a motion to second. Any other discussion? All right, seeing none, please vote. Voting in the affirmative. Granquist, Arns, Jensen, Langy, Web, Hilderbrand, Beckman abstaining. McCarthy. Motion carries.

Okay, with that, we'll move on to approval of the full agenda adding 21 and 23 to that agenda. So move. Second. We have a motion, a second. Any other discussion? All right, seeing none, please vote. All council members voting in the affirmative. Motion carries.

Okay, that bring us to our special presentations this evening and we have two of them. We'll start off with the American Legion Auxiliary Poppy Day Proclamation. Whereas America is a land of the free of freedom preserved and protected willingly by freely by citizen soldiers. Whereas millions who have answered the call to arms have died on the field of battle. Whereas a nation of peace must be reminded of the price of war and the debt owed to those who have died in war. Whereas a red poppy was has been designated as a symbol of sacrifice of the lives in all wars. And whereas the American Legion Auxiliary has pledged to remind American annually of this debt through the distribution of the memorable flower. Therefore, I Shane Clawson, mayor of the city of Norfor, along with the city council, do hereby proclaim May 16th, 2026 as poppy day in Norfor and ask all citizens pay tribute to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of freedom by wearing the memorial poppy on this day. Okay. Is anybody here want to come up right now? And you might be able to say a few words and I'll

y'all are welcome to come up.

Then I'll stand up and I can come to you too. I can come out to you guys. I'll just do that. Nobody wanted to say anything.

I know. You a little bit. Yeah. Hold it in the middle. All right. Here we go. Ready? Three, two, one. Thank you. Do you each want a coffee? I did bring

Yes, please. Drinking water. You want to

Jessica? one or you want to take give that to the ladies. Can I Here we go. Here we go. Thank you. Thank you.

All right. That'll be move us to our next proclamation. Drinking water week May 3 through 9, 2026. Whereas water is our most viable valuable natural resource. And whereas drinking water serves a vital role in daily life, serving as an essential purpose to health, hydration, and hygiene needs for the quality of life of our citizens to enjoy. And whereas Tap Water delivers public health protection, fire protection, support for our economy, and the quality of life we all enjoy. Whereas the hard work performed by the entire water sector, designing capital projects, operating operators ensuring the safety and quality of drinking water or a member of a pipe crew maintaining the infrastructure communities rely on to transport highquality drinking water from its source to the consumer's taps. And whereas the corona virus pandemic has shown a light on the importance of drinking water for health, hydration and hygiene needs. And whereas we are all stewards of the water infrastructure upon which current and future generations depend. And whereas the citizens of our city are called upon to help protect our source waters from pollution, whereas water conservation and get involved with their water by familiarizing themselves with it. Now therefore, be resolved that by virtue and authority vested as mayor of our city, I do hereby proclaim May 3rd through 9th, 2026 as drinking water week. And I call upon all residents to acquaint themselves with the issues involved in providing safe, clean, and reliable drinking water to the public and recognize the contributions the North Fork water and sewer divisions

make every day to our health, safety, and comfort and quality of life. Who's all coming up? All right. I see got a haircut, too. Get all break the camera. Here we go. Three, two, one. Perfect.

All right, one little thing I wanted to say and invite everybody out. Tomorrow we have our open house at the water treatment plant from 5:00 to 7:00. opportunity to come out there and see what it all takes to get the water from the ground, bring it to the plant, and bring it to your house. So, bring your kids, everything else. We'll have cookies out there and the freshest water in town. That's a pretty tight space. I think that's the right.

Okay, we'll move on to the meeting here to the public hearing related action. Uh, I'd like to open this hearing. Public hearing regarding the proposed repurposing of the community development block grant CDBG housing revolving loan funds to support the city of Norfor in implementing an accessibility improvement project. I'll make a motion for consideration of approval. Yeah, we're just on a public hearing right now. So, hold your motion. I'll hold my motion. Okay. Anette is here. I believe we're going to be leading discussion on this for us this evening.

Hi, I'm Andrea Larson. I'm with Ned Um, so would you like me to read the public hearing or Okay, it's extensive. I don't think you need to read the whole thing. I think it's um,

so basically um, the CDGB program in the past had a housing component. That program has been discontinued and so the revolving loan funds either have to be sent back to the state or used for CDGB approved activity. Um the city of Norfolk has determined that a good use of the funding will be to um improve public building entrances in compliance with the Americans uh with Disabilities Act. This project will include the installation of automatic door equipment um at uh at the city administration building right here. Um there will be let me see there's 18 doors total. There will be doors um improved with ADA access at the city administration building, at fire station one, at fire station two, and at the public library. Um there are uh the project total cost is estimated at about $130,000. This includes $5,000 for general administration and $2,000 for construction management. Funding sources include approximately $16,088 in those discontinued revolving loan funds and up to $25,000 in supplemental funding from the city which has uh to my understanding already been budgeted for. So I'm happy to uh entertain any questions. The project has already been environmentally cleared. It's been approved by the Department of Economic Development. So, this is just a box we're checking so we can continue with the project.

So, why was it discontinued? Sorry. Uh, the program actually ended. It ended back, I believe, in 2020. Okay. And so, we've gotten to uh the Department of Economic Development has gotten to the point where these funds that are sitting idle either have to go back to the state or be used. I see. Thank you. So, when will we actually see any activity in in making progress in this? Sure. So, uh, the Department of Economic Development has, um, encouraged the funding to be expended by June 30, the end of their fiscal year, but the project will be completed by December 31st of this year.

I'll ask you a question. So are these funds are they can they only be repurposed for situations like this like accessibility into public spaces or Yeah, there are very limited project activities that the funding can go for can go toward. Um this to my understanding seem to make the best use of those available funds without the city contributing a lot more funding. So we can use up this $106,000 and get a project completed. Thanks Andrea.

Thank you. Any other discussion of the anyone from public any input they want to add to this? If not, we will close the hearing and move on to our regular agenda this evening. And that will start with item number 21. Uh consideration of approval memorandum for understanding which with pro progressive property inspections LLC doing business as progressive builders to allow construction of the two northmost lots in Hawks Crossing edition adjacent to Benjamin Avenue addressed as 2014 and 2012 Hawk Drive without the necessary installment of infrastructure, water, sewer hydrants, and street paving.

All right, I'll go ahead and make a motion for consideration approval of this memo memorandum of understanding. Second that. What I say? Did I not say that? No, just Oh, okay. All right. Okay. Yeah, you do. All right. Who else? Anybody else? We got a motion. And do we get a second? Okay, we got a second. Okay. So, this will be up for discussion. who is going to believe in discussion in this Val will okay thanks Val

I will open this uh so this is aouou that we put together because normally we do not issue building permits if there is not anything really to hook onto with water sewer having hydrants there for fire protection as they're building the street there um there is nothing there right now uh they just started grading from my understanding late April but they have everybody lined up we wanted to do this to at least let them move on with the first two duplexes because they do have uh lowinccome tax credit money and they have a deadline to have those essentially four cos ready to go in November. So if we were to wait to not have them start on the actual construction before everything was put in place, I believe that would probably be until about August. And so it would be really difficult to have four duplexes, four units, two duplexes built in three months. And so we just wanted to uh have some cover here for everybody to understand what was expected of the developers so that they would have uh some sort of not pavement obviously but a um something for the fire rescue if something were to happen that they weren't just being stuck in mud, things like that. And there is a fire hydrant out on Benjamin that they actually could hook on to if they needed to. And so that's what we were trying to accomplish with thisou. Okay. Any other questions for Val? Anybody from the public have a question about this? Okay. All right. Seeing none, please vote.

All council members voting in the affirmative. Motion carries. All right. That moves on to item number 23. Consideration approval of the request from Benusal to hold fireworks display on Sunday, March 17th, 2026 at 1803. Oh, for I guess it's for a graduation party. Is that what it said? Yeah. Yep. May 17th. on uh May 17th and he is here this evening. So we need a motion and a second. So moved. Second. All right. Have a motion second. And

yep. So I received an email request from Menuzel who is a licensed pyroch who essentially received a request directly to himself um asking for a fireworks display. The first step in this process is council approval because this is this is outside the designated fireworks window. Um the applicant is here to discuss this. Um I was notified that the date is incorrect and it is supposed to be Thursday, May 14th. Um so if you would like to move forward with this, we will have to have an amendment. So, but the applicant is here if you have any questions.

Any questions for Ben? But what would be the time frame I guess on having the display?

Ben, make sure you sign in and state your name for us too. Still need a taller microphone. Yep. So, my name is Ben Usuzel. Um, so the time frame we're looking at is starting the show at approximately 9:00. The duration of the show would be approximately 10 minutes. So, end of the show would be approximately 9:10. Okay. I was just checking because obviously neighbors, you don't want it going late at night on a Thursday night. So, correct. Then are these going to be consumer grade or

No, these are commercial grade fireworks that require a pyro technician's license to to acquire the fireworks. So it's not something you can go to the store and buy. It's uh that was a concern that was brought up to me was if you guys allow me to do a show like this, who's to say Joe Smith can't say, "Well, Ben got to do it. Why can't I do it?" This is a professional show put on by professionals with professional products. Yep. So, just so everyone is aware, because they are not consumer grade, there is a second step to this process and there will be a permit application that goes to staff which includes our our fire division that will need approval as well.

How long will that take to to get all that taken care of? Uh that al that depends I guess on Ben as well because insurance needs to be provided, a site plan, things like that. So, that depends on their correspondence as well. Okay. Thanks, Ben. Any other any other comments, questions? Anybody else from the me audience have anything? You'll be able to see it from pretty far away. I'll make a motion to amend the u uh the dates to Thursday, May 14th.

Second. Okay, we have a motion second to amend it to May 14th, Thursday. Any other discussion on that? All right, seeing none, please vote. All council members voting in the affirmative. Motion carries. Right. That brings us to our regular agenda this evening. Um, just have to approve as amended. Oh, sorry. As amended. Right. And I need a motion to I need a motion and a second to approve as amended. I would make a motion to approve the amendment. Second motion to second. Any other discussion? All right. Seeing none, please vote.

All council members voting in the affirmative. Motion carries. Right. We're on to our regular agenda now. Skip ahead. Okay. Item number 28, consideration of approval to award a contract gearing construction and ready mix of Columbus. a Nebraska paving district number 524, water extension district number 134, sanitary sewer extension district number 260, and a schedule D or Chestnut Street project for the amount of $29,229.

I'll make a motion for consideration of approval. Second.

And we have a motion second and Chad will be leading us in discussion. Uh good evening, mayor and councel. So on uh April 23rd, 2026, there was three bids that were received. Uh the one that we have advertised up here from Garing Construction, and then the other two we received was from uh Rutens Construction of Tilden in the amount of $225,549.50. And then the third bid that we received was from Hesp Construction Company of Northfor in the amount of 369,679 $79.50. Uh staff went through the bid that we received. Everything looked to be in place. Uh checked the references with Gearing Construction out of Columbus and staff recommends approval for uh for this project here in the amount of $29,229. Any questions? Not a question, your honor, but I will be abstaining. Okay. Obviously.

Yeah.

Anyone have any further thoughts on this? Please come forward now. Come on. Yep. Better move the mic down from Ben here. Um, I just had a question. It when I looked at this, it seemed like we were mixing road construction companies with underground construction companies. Um, and maybe I'm mistaken, but Rutchen typically does, you know, the water and sewer in installations and not paving and gearing. I looked at their website and it doesn't look like they really specialize in the water and sewer. And if it looked like if that had been split into two separate bids, one for the paving and one for the underground that we could have saved $16,000 on it. So, I was just wondering why those were combined into one instead of split up into two separate bids to make it less expensive because I assume each of them are going to have to hire others or subs to to do the job. But anyway, just a question.

Good question. I could, you know, I won't be voting on it at all. But the reason behind that it's like uh less than 250 lineal foot and the coordination between the water sewer and paving installation. I mean that eats up the 16 pretty easy just the coordination end of it. Coordin who so who would eat that 16k when it's coordinated? Well, you had a if if you broke that all apart, you would have problems with coordination on it in that tight of a quarters. If if you haven't been down to Chestnut Street and seen how tight that is down there, I did.

Well, then I guess I'm not really quite understanding that you don't see that. That's a major coordination problem. Yeah, it coordination. You have to do that on every project. Anyway, it was just a a question that we were mixing those two different vendors together and it seemed like it was going to ultimately result in a higher cost. Thanks. Right. Anyone want to address the question? I think Jim addressed it. Chad, you want to address the question?

Yeah, Jim's got the right answer on there. um small project like that if we broke that out to individual wretchins separately and everything else we'd have a higher mobilization cost. So that's what we're saving right there is mobilization. All right. Thank you. Anything else? All right. Seeing no more discussion, please vote.

Voting in the affirmative. McCarthy, Granquist, Arns, Jensen, Web, Hildebrand, Beckman, abstaining. Langy, Langy. Motion carries. Right, we are on to item number 29, consideration approval of change order number 1F with Rutens Construction, Inc. for the West plant reaction basin 20x 24 pipe connection project, resulting in a net decrease of 67,194. I'll open for consideration the approval of change order number one F. Second. All right. And Chad, we have a motion second. Chad's going to address. I'm assuming that's not a typo. Nope. Okay.

That's not a typo. And so uh as you guys are aware on February 2nd, 2026 uh contract was awarded to Rretchens to do the Westwater aeration project uh bypass and the airators and then also to tie the two the 20-in and the 24 in uh pipes the north of the plant for a bypass. And that contract was originally 438,127. Um after the project was completed and reviewing the uh material that we used saved some cost savings out in the field by eliminating some fittings. Uh we were able to bring that down to $67,194. So the final cost of the project will come in at $370,933 and we're we're seeking your guys' approval.

Was that a bonded project? I can't remember. Was that coupled with another Did we bond that or? So, so this one was part of the bond. Yeah, that is correct. Um, originally this was part of the Westwater treatment plant improvement project. It was an overall project that originally came in from the first time at about 4 million and then we went through that project and eliminated what we actually physically need to get done to meet the requirement of the new well 14 coming online. So, this will obviously that bond hasn't been created yet. This will lower the amount of that bond. Yeah. Yeah. So the bond that we're on right now is the bond that we got last year and right now we're not seeking to do any more bonds go moving forward with the projects. So

thank you. Thank you Chad. Any other discussion on this item? Anybody from the any public input? All right. Seeing none, please vote. All council members voting in the approval. Motion carries. With that, we are adjourned at 5:58 p.m. That's got to be a record. That's it. So, we got out of here. You got