City of Blue Springs, Nebraska

December 17, 2013

The Regular Meeting of Mayor and Council was held on December 17, 2013, in the Blue Springs City Hall, Blue Springs, NE.

PRESENT: Mayor Meyer, Council members Mewes, Neumann, Reedy, Wolf

ABSENT:

OTHER ATTENDEES: Employees Mike Pike, & Eldon Izer, City Attorney Andrew Carothers, Gilmore Representative John Berry, Connie Mewes, Gladys Cary

Notice of the meeting/hearing was given in advance by posting in at least three public places as shown by the certificate of posting placed on file. Notice of the hearing/meeting was simultaneously given to the Mayor and all members of the City Council and a copy of their acknowledgment of receipt and agenda are placed on file. Availability of the agenda was communicated in the advance notice and in the advance notice to the Mayor and City Council of the hearing/meeting. Proceedings hereafter shown were taken while the convened hearing/meeting was open to public attendance.


At 7:30 PM, Mayor Meyer called the Regular meeting to order and roll call was taken. A motion was made by Council member Wolf, seconded by Mewes, and followed by a 4-0 affirmative vote to approve as sent the December 3, 2013 Regular meeting minutes. After review of claims, a motion was made by Council member Neumann, seconded by Reedy, and followed by a 4-0 affirmative vote to approve claims as follows: Salaries: $2,039.40; Direct-Bank Payment - NE Dept. of Revenue - Sales Tax - $224.85; Behrens Meat Plant - (Employee Christmas) $200.00; Black Hills Energy - $50.05; Morris Used Cars - $114.47; Municipal Supply - $1,922.45; One-Call Concepts - $5.15; Milton Pike (Reimb.) - 25.67; Roehr’s Machinery - $53.16; Security First Bank (Pike - IRA) - $55.00; Windstream - $64.82; Wymore Arbor State - $81.00; Wymore Lumber - $136.01; TOTAL CLAIMS $4,972.03.



ANNUAL APPOINTMENTS, PRESIDENT OF COUNCIL, EMPLOYEE BENEFITS:

Motion was made by Council member Neumann, seconded by Mewes, and received a 4-0 affirmative vote to appoint the following:
PRESIDENT OF COUNCIL: Tom Wolf

Motion was made by Council member Wolf, seconded by Reedy, and received a 4-0 affirmative vote to appoint the following:
TEMPORARY CLERK: Gary Neumann

Motion was made by Council member Wolf, seconded by Mewes, and received a 4-0 affirmative vote to appoint the following:
CITY ATTORNEY: Andrew Carothers
DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY: Mike Willet
CITY PHYSICIAN: (No designee)
CITY ENGINEER & STREET SUPERINTENDENT:
Rick Bogus of Gilmore & Associates
-Class A - License (S-1424)
CITY AUDITOR: Brian Blobaum


Following discussion in which Council member Neumann suggested an “across the board 1.5% payroll increase to employees Pike, Izer, Roche, and Hohensee, (and he provided support information), Mayor Meyer suggested a 2% increase. A motion for a 2% increase was made by Council member Wolf, but it died from lack of a second. Mayor Meyer suggested to “split the difference.” A motion was then made by Council member Reedy, seconded by Neumann for a 1.75% payroll increase, and it received a 4-0 affirmative vote. Calculations from the approved motion to increase payroll are listed below. Other factors, as also listed below, remained unchanged.

STREET SUPERINTENDENT:
Milton Pike - Rate -$19.41- hourly.
Monthly Reimbursement for Health Insurance - approved at 80% of Policy Cost for him on wife’s policy.
Bi-monthly Retirement ($55.00) City Contribution
Vacation: 4 wk. paid vacation
No comp time. instead OT
Paid Holidays: (10) - New Years, Martin Luther King Jr., Presidents, Memorial, Independence, Labor, Columbus, Veterans, Thanksgiving, Christmas
48 HOURS REMAINING in previously-designated sick leave bank
CITY CLERK:
Katherine Roche - $816.99 monthly salary.
Office Hours 8:30AM - Noon - Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
Holidays: Office may be closed: (10) - New Years, Martin Luther King Jr., Presidents, Memorial, Independence, Labor, Columbus, Veterans, Thanksgiving, Christmas
PART-TIME HELP:
Eldon Izer - $11.53 hourly. 10 paid holidays - New Years, Martin Luther King Jr.,
Presidents, Memorial, Independence, Labor, Columbus, Veterans, Thanksgiving, Christmas
Linda Hohensee -$9.43 hour
MISC. PART-TIME HELP: Wage set by Council as per circumstance


WATER RATE INCREASE/ORDINANCE #450: (Hellbusch recommendation: 16.50 basic, 1.50 per Thou. Gallons) & Effective date) Ordinance will be available for potential approval at the January 7th Regular session.


MFA/MFO: No current business.


ONE AND SIX YEAR PLAN - WORK-UP: Public Hearing set for 7:30 PM January 7th.


BLACK HILLS ENERGY FRANCHISE RENEWAL/ORDINANCE #449: Attorney Carothers continues communications with Black Hills Energy to arrive at a mutually acceptable renewal agreement/ordinance.


PLANNING & ZONING: No current business.


CLEAN-UP, CURRENT ISSUES: Employee Pike was requested to contact Robinson in reference to a lumber/brush pile now within a suitable timeline for burning.

CABIN (INTERIOR REPAIRS ESTIMATE): No current business.

ELEVATOR -WATER ISSUES, inc. BACKFLOW: Employee Pike updated members on liability issues (Water Operator/City) in reference to backflow issues. Attorney Carothers reviewed the present City ruling on backflow/cross connection. Spring was identified as a suitable “further address time” for the Elevator (by Pike) Correlation will continue within that timeline - between City, Elevator and State to assure compliance with safety measures.


NEXT AGENDA:


PUBLIC HEARING OF THE ONE & SIX YEAR PLAN (1 HR.)

followed by Regular Session:

WATER RATE INCREASE/ORDINANCE #450

MFA/MFO

BLACK HILLS ENERGY FRANCHISE RENEWAL/ORDINANCE #449

PLANNING & ZONING

CLEAN-UP, CURRENT ISSUES

CABIN (INTERIOR REPAIRS ESTIMATE)


Motion to adjourn: 8:17 PM - Mewes - No objection.


The minutes of the Regular session were read and approved January 7 , 2013.


Mayor: Lonnie D. Meyer (Regular Session
City Clerk: Katherine A. Roche (Regular Session)