City of Blue Springs, Nebraska

September 4, 2018

The 2018-2019 Budget Hearing and Regular Meeting of Mayor and Council was held on September 4, 2018, in the Blue Springs City Hall, Blue Springs, NE.

PRESENT: Mayor Meyer, Council members Carmichael, Mewes, Neumann, Reedy
ABSENT:

OTHER ATTENDEES: City Attorney Andy Carothers, Brian Blobaum, Employee Mike Pike, Connie Mewes, Mr./Mrs. Chris Canfield, Carol Hughes, Rex Adams, Dan Disney, Steve Porter

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 7:00 PM, Mayor Meyer called the Regular meeting to order and roll call was taken.
Motion, second and vote (Neumann, Mewes, 4-0 affirmative) to approve as sent minutes for the August 21, 2018 Regular meeting.
After review -- motion, second, and vote (Neumann, Carmichael, 4-0 affirmative ) to approve claims as follow: Bank Direct - Internal Revenue Service (941) - $2,071.55; Payroll 3,145.66; Blobaum & Busboom (Budget Support) - $1,300.00; Constellation Energy - $3.71; Fireman’s Memorial Hall - $100.00 - (Municipal Publicity); More Than Games (Municipal Publicity) - $537.50; Municipal Supply - $126.88; NE Dept. of Revenue (501N) - $287.72; Norris Public Power - $1,198.36; Milton Pike (Tel. Comp.) - $25.00; Postmaster - $170.00; Katherine Roche (Cert. Letter Reimb.) - $13.40; Security First Bank (Pike-IRA) - $55.00; Shell - $219.36; Sullivan Construction - $360.00; Tractor Supply - $207.91; Uhl’s Sporting Goods - (Municipal Publicity) - $1,895.00; Weyer Repair - $15.00; Milford Woutzke - (Tel. Comp.) - $5.00; Wrenchman Service - $153.52; Wymore Oil Co. - $130.01; - TOTAL CLAIMS: $12,020.58; -- and Blue Springs Keno $415.19 from the Keno Proceeds Checking Account - (July Report).


2018-2019 BUDGET HEARING/ Resolution 2018-2
Motion (Carmichael) and second (Mewes) to open the Budget Hearing: (Vote: 4-0 affirmative).
Call for comments and questions (none), summarization by Blobaum of the Budget Notes (herein included) :
2018-2019 Budget Notes: The City appears to be continuing to produce revenues in excess of regular operating expenditures. The General All-Purpose Fund is producing roughly $37,000 per year (nearly the same as last year), and the Keno Fund is producing roughly $20,000 per year (a decrease from the previous year). These funds produced are held in reserve available for capital outlays (paving, new equipment, water lines, etc.)... It is estimated that as of October 1, 2018, you will have cash reserves of about $300,000 General and $220,000 Keno. This compares to the prior year amounts of $260,000 General and $230,000 Keno.… For the year 2018-2019, proposed budget property tax has been left at the levy limit of 45 cents, which increases the tax request from $29,366 o $29,836. This increase (of approx. 1.6%) is due to higher total assessed valuation for the City from $6,525,958 to $6,630.423. All of the increased valuation of $104,465 is attributable to new growth… Other operating revenues have been estimated conservatively at $120,000 based on the prior year amounts for the general funds. $600,000 has been included in other operating revenues based upon prior years’ estimated Keno game gross proceeds... $543,000 has been budgeted as potential capital outlay in the General All-Purpose Fund and no capital outlay has been budgeted in the Keno Fund beyond your normal operating expenditures. However, $311,000 has been budgeted to be transferred from the Keno Fund to the General All-Purpose Fund to assist in financing potential capital outlay projects. Normal operating expenditures have been budgeted liberally at $330,000 for the General All-Purpose Fund (this includes $60,000 for distribution of demolition grant and match) and $510,000 (includes game winner payoffs) for the Keno Fund at 85% payout... The budget process and document perform two legal functions: 1. Sets the property tax request-budgeted at $29,836. 2. Establishes an overall expenditure limit-budgeted at $1,694,000.... The budget must be adopted by September 20. The property tax requested in the budget will be final; however, the expenditure limit may be amended, if needed, throughout the year...The expenditure limit included in the proposed budget allows for expenditure of nearly all cash reserves which are expected to be available. Since some cash reserves will be necessary, we don’t expect, nor do we recommend, that the full amount budgeted of $1,694,000 be spent. GENERAL BUDGETING NOTES: The lid law is assigned to limit the growth of non-utility government revenues to inflationary increases. Exceptions are allowed for revenues required to pay off bonded debt, real estate improvement capital outlays, and interlocal agreements... Due to the Lid Law restrictions, it continues to be advantageous to pay real estate capital outlays, pay off of bonded debt, and participate in interlocal agreements from funds where property tax, sales tax, and state pass-through revenues are deposited (i.e. General and Street). This will help keep this law from limiting your non-utility source revenues...The lid law has become a significant factor for future budgets. Although you have adequate unused budget authority at this time, this is a factor that should be monitored.
Motion, second, and vote (Reedy, Neumann, 4-0 affirmative- Carmichael, Mewes, Neumann, Reedy) to approve/accept a 1% allowable additional increase in the Restricted Funds Authority.
Since no changes were required to the Budget, motion (Reedy) second (Neumann) to accept the 2018-2019 Budget: (Vote: 4-0 affirmative = Carmichael - Yes, Mewes - Yes, Neumann - Yes; Reedy - Yes) .
Motion (Mewes) and second (Carmichael) (,vote 4-0 affirmative) to open a Special Budget Meeting within the Budget Meeting.
Resolution #2018-2 was read (Blobaum)--- (WHEREAS, Nebraska Revised Statute 77-1601.02 provides that the property tax request for the prior year shall be the property tax request for the current year for purposes of the levy set by the County Board of Equalization unless the Governing Body of the City of Blue Springs passes by a majority vote a resolution or ordinance setting the tax request at a different amount and WHEREAS, a special public hearing was held as required by law to hear and consider comments concerning the property tax request, and WHEREAS, it is in the best interests of the City of Blue Springs that the property tax request for the current year be a different amount than the property tax request for the prior year. NOW, THEREFORE, the Governing Body of the City of Blue Springs by a majority vote, resolves that-- 1. The 2018-2019 property tax request be set at $29,836. 2. A copy of this resolution be certified and forwarded to the County Clerk prior to October 13, 2018.
Motion (Reedy), second(Carmichael), vote (4-0 affirmative - Carmichael, Mewes, Neumann, Reedy) to adopt Resolution #2018-2 for a property tax amount different than that of the previous year, and the dollar amount ($29,836.00).
Motion (Mewes), second (Carmichael) (vote 4-0 affirmative - to close The Budget Hearing and return proceedings to Regular session.

ORDINANCE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER: Council member Reedy noted that one community he reviewed (DeWitt) designates $2,500 annually for the service. Another community (Odell) may be contacted for comparison. Rex Adams summarized his previous information which was comparable to information Carothers offered: $28-30 hourly rate, liability-worker’s compensation possibilities, need for designation of uniform/clothing. Carothers will “reach out” to Gustafson to determine interested off-duty officers (primary, or alternating) for the position, and to see if interested person(s) might attend a meeting for more pervasive discussion of alternatives and degree of involvement. Also touched upon was the possibility (suggested by Adams) of Gage County interest in getting monetary support of communities without law enforcement officers and also the benefit of routine availability of City Hall (for paperwork) to officers on duty through the community.


ANNUAL CITY CELEBRATION (FINANCIAL RECAP): Insufficient information available for final analysis.

PLANNING & ZONING: No new applications.

DILAPIDATED HOUSES: ONGOING PROCEDURE: City Attorney Carothers reported: All but two authorizations are signed. Those not signed were noted to have deteriorated exterior and interior condition to support inclusion in the demolition program. Carothers will make necessary contact for remaining asbestos testing needs (Bockman/Ron Thompson) and demolition (Fossler) aspects. Rex Adams and Dan Disney provided information regarding the training of a local (Mike Plihal) for asbestos testing (and later on - asbestos abatement), and the benefit of utilizing Plihal services (Adams: “If not now, in upcoming asbestos testing”, due to cooperative stance between One Property at a Time and Plihal that would have cost-effective results. Controlled burns was discussed, as well as the necessary documentation (signed Fire Training Notification forms to State).

CLEAN UP: Carothers advised that one property owner on the current clean-up list is scheduled for court in two weeks. He will drive by another property after the meeting and determine advisable legal action. It was noted that no response has yet been received from Witowski in reference to boundary designation (property owner-City), and a second contact will be made. A property showing improvement will continue in the review process. Carothers requested pictures of another property.


NEXT AGENDA:
ORDINANCE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER -CONTINUED
ANNUAL CITY CELEBRATION (FINANCIAL RECAP)
PLANNING & ZONING
DILAPIDATED HOUSES: ONGOING PROCEDURE
OCCUPIED DWELLINGS WITHOUT UTILITIES
CLEAN UP

Motion to adjourn: By: Reedy Time: 7:49 PM. No objections.
The minutes of the Regular meeting were read and approved September 18, 2018.

Mayor: Lonnie D. Meyer (Regular Session)

City Clerk: Katherine A. Roche (Regular Session)