January 19, 2021
The Regular Meeting of Mayor and Council was held on January 19, 2021, in the Blue Springs City Hall, Blue Springs, NE.
PRESENT: Mayor Meyer, Council members Neumann, Reedy, Sedlacek
ABSENT; Council member Seeman
OTHER ATTENDEES: Employee Mike Pike, City Attorney Andy Carothers, Connie Mewes, County Supervisor Don Schuller
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 (Neumann), second (Reedy) and vote (3-0 affirmative) to approve as sent minutes for the January 5, 2021 Regular meeting.
After review -- motion (Neumann) , second (Sedlacek), and vote (3-0 affirmative) : to approve claims: Bank Direct - NE Dept. of Revenue (10) - $283.21; Payroll - $2,146.48; Beatrice Iron/Metal - $229.44; Black Hills Energy - $82.43; Lauby Plumbing, Heating/Air - $407.45; NE Dept. of Revenue - (51C) - $70.00; NE Public Health Environ. Labs - $15.00; NE UC Fund - $6.79; 888-Log Guys (Cabin Chinking - Exterior) - $912.50; One-Call Concepts - $3.46; Pavers, Inc. - $2,744.00; Roehr’s Machinery - $396.28; Security First Bank (IRA/Pike) - $55.00; Temps Disposal Service (Mandatory Garbage) - $2,625.13; T. O. Haas - $1,069.18; Visa - $177.52; Wex Bank - $143.98; Cline Williams Wright Johnson & Oldfather - $120.00; Windstream - $83.12; Wymore Arbor State - $218.71; Wymore Oil Company - $238.90; TOTAL CLAIMS: $12,028.58.
COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT/TAX INCREMENT FINANCING; BLIGHT AND SUBSTANDARD STUDY/ORDINANCE(S) - FIRST READING/ AND ANY NEW INFORMATION: A motion was made (Sedlacek), seconded (Neumann) and approved by a 3-0 affirmative vote to suspend the rule of three readings for Ordinance # 465. A motion was made (Sedlacek), seconded (Neumann) to approve Ordinance # 465, and was read (Carothers), per: AN ORDINANCE CREATING THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF THE CITY OF BLUE SPRINGS, NEBRASKA; DESIGNATING THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL TO CONSTITUTE SUCH AGENCY AND PROVIDING FOR THE FUNCTIONING AND POWERS OF SUCH AGENCY, which was then followed by a 3-0 affirmative vote to approve Ordinance #465 and authorize mayoral signature. A copy of Ordinance # 465 is attached to the office copy of the minutes. The first reading of Ordinance #466 was tabled until the next Regular meeting, pending clarification/change/correction of land tracts.
DEMOLITION PROJECT: 90-day period is still running for two properties, and inspection warrants pending on others.
CLEAN-UP including: ORDINANCE OFFICER INFO (REEDY): Council member Reedy, having contacted the Ordinance Officer, volunteered to “go around with Tim Hanson” for the purpose of evaluation, photographing properties for which letters have been mailed. Attorney Carothers thanked Reedy for his agreed-upon participation, and he will send Reedy the action-list.
PLANNING AND ZONING:): An application for a building permit (concrete pad for exterior walk-in cooler) for Steve Borgman (Keno Lounge), and which was not approved by the Planning & Zoning Commission, is to be scheduled for on-site evaluation/measurement/clarification by designated individuals (Sedlacek, Reedy) with the applicant Steve Borgman.
FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE BENEFITS: SICK LEAVE (COVID, AND OTHERWISE), AS WELL AS VACATION PAY, OVERTIME VS. COMP TIME - WITH ATTENTION ON ALLOWANCE, ACCUMULATION, LIMIT FOR ALL ASPECTS: Attorney Carothers provided copies of a “Covid-19 Pandemic Leave” policy for employees, which, in summary and based on evidence of positive test results, provided leave pay -- equivalent to double the hours of one normal “work week” -“for the year 2021.” Regarding other aspects under consideration, Sedlacek suggested (with full agreement of members) discussion with applicable full-time employees in regard to preference between overtime vs. comp time. Sick pay and vacation allowance will also be addressed at the next Regular meeting.
OTHER: County Supervisor Don Schuller addressed members, calling for concerns or history of concerns, and stressed his willingness to collect information to support applicable planned/desired activities of the City.
NEXT AGENDA:
COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT/TAX INCREMENT FINANCING; BLIGHT AND SUBSTANDARD STUDY/ORDINANCE(S) - FIRST READING ORDINANCE # 466/ AND ANY NEW INFORMATION
DEMOLITION PROJECT
CLEAN-UP
PLANNING AND ZONING
FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE BENEFITS: AS VACATION; SICK TIME, OVERTIME VS. COMP TIME - WITH ATTENTION ON ALLOWANCE, ACCUMULATION, LIMIT FOR ALL ASPECTS
Motion to adjourn - Neumann - 8:05 PM. No objections.
The minutes of the Regular meeting were read and approved February 2, 2021.
Mayor: Lonnie D. Meyer (Regular Session)
City Clerk: Katherine A. Roche (Regular Session)
Tuesday, January 19, 2021
Tuesday, January 5, 2021
January 5, 2021
The Regular Meeting of Mayor and Council was held on January 5, 2021, in the Blue Springs City Hall, Blue Springs, NE.
PRESENT: Mayor Meyer, Council members Neumann, Reedy, Sedlacek , Seeman
ABSENT;
OTHER ATTENDEES: Employee Mike Pike, City Attorney Andy Carothers, Gene Reedy Sr., Rex Adams
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 (Neumann), second (Seeman) and vote (4-0 affirmative) to approve as sent minutes for the December 15, 2020 Regular meeting.
After review -- motion (Reedy) to approve claims, but excluding payroll check for Milford Woutzke $1,288.35, which was approved within the Covid-19 Sick Leave Agenda Topic below, and therefore updated herein) , second ( Neumann), and vote (4-0 affirmative) : Bank Direct - Internal Revenue (941) - $2,055.19; Payroll - $4,905.22; Arbor Ink - $62.34; Beatrice Sand & Gravel - $130.47; Constellation Energy - $112.16; Gage County Clerk (Election) - $217.74; NE Dept of Rev. (941N) - $201.00; NE Public Health Environmental Labs - $15.00; Norris Public Power - $1,135.30; Milton Pike (Tel. Comp.) - $25.00; Milton Pike (Water Sample/Postage Reimb.) - $26.75; Security First Bank - (Pike-IRA) - $55.00; Milford Woutzke (Tel. Comp.) - $5.00; Wymore, City of (Tower/Individual/Hydrants) - $2,801.51; TOTAL CLAIMS: $11,747.68 & From Keno Proceeds Account to Lucky Bridge Lounge (Oct. Report) - $1,905.17.
COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT/TAX INCREMENT FINANCING; BLIGHT AND SUBSTANDARD STUDY/ANY NEW INFORMATION: Carothers provided a “Proposed Redevelopment Area Map” (attached to Office copy of minutes) compiled by Hanna:Keelan Associates, per: Blue Springs Corporate limits 537.4 acres, Redevelopment area - 256 acres (254.9 acres within Blue Springs Corporate limits, Blight coverage - 47.4 percent of City of Blue Springs. And the indication of a proposed redevelopment area boundary. Accuracy will be verified (Carothers), and attention will be given to a triangle of ground (Blue Springs Welcome sign), and annexation verifications. CRA (individuals) vs. CDA (City members) panels were described, with Carothers giving preference for the establishment of a CDA panel. Determinations made and applicable specifics will result in the necessity for ordinance(s) to be drafted for a first reading (two other meetings to follow) prior to approval. When asked specific questions about TIFF (by Adams) , Carothers provided base information but stated that he preferred to utilize a TIFF attorney for full clarification and range and scope of particulars. Arrangements may be made in that regard, as requested (as per Adams).
DEMOLITION PROJECT: Per Carothers: Project proceeding through 90-day period for two inspected properties, with expectation of a City-oriented demolition of structures, possibly utilizing Crawford equipment, incorporating all necessary requirements for asbestos inspection, 2nd party inspection, and remediation. Inspection warrants to be requested for previously designated secondary properties. Rex Adams inquired as to the number of anticipated properties, stating that One Property at a Time will still pay for three inspections, as previously agreed, and the number was reported as “five.”
CLEAN-UP: Carothers will be maintaining contact with Tim Hanson in reference to “review of properties to determine improvements” (as a result of previous correspondence), or to “file complaints” as necessary. Previous correspondence to one individual will be redirected to the identified property owner. And new issues will fall under scrutiny. Rex Adams requested specific attention to one property and it was suggested that Tim contact (call) the occupant. A semi trailer recently moved from one location to another was also set for notification by correspondence (for removal).
PLANNING AND ZONING: No new applications.
COVID-19 SICK LEAVE: Following explanation of State expectations/determinations by Carothers, a motion was made by Sedlacek, seconded by Reedy, and approved in a 4-0 affirmative vote to pay Milford Woutzke for 56 hours (of an up to 80-hr. allocation) for Covid leave sick time, to be incorporated with his earned income for the current payroll cycle. It was further decided that Carothers would review full-time employee benefits in the current employee manual, in particular to update the policy on sick-time allowance, accumulation, and limit.
CABIN (Gene Reedy): Reduced billing (to allow for the use of materials - chinking compound previously purchased by the City) is expected in the near future, per contact with the service provider (888-Log Guys) by Gene Reedy Sr.
OTHER: Adams asked about current activity at the Keno Lounge. He stated that “he knows of another interested party if the project is not going to go forward.” Review will be conducted.
NEXT AGENDA:
COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT/TAX INCREMENT FINANCING; BLIGHT AND SUBSTANDARD STUDY/ORDINANCE(S) - FIRST READING/ AND ANY NEW INFORMATION
DEMOLITION PROJECT
CLEAN-UP
PLANNING AND ZONING
FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE BENEFITS: SICK LEAVE (COVID, AND OTHERWISE), AS WELL AS OVERTIME VS. COMP TIME - WITH ATTENTION ON ALLOWANCE, ACCUMULATION, LIMIT FOR BOTH ASPECTS
FUND TRANSFER TO ADDRESS NEGATIVE BALANCE: GENERAL TO PARK
Motion to adjourn - Reedy - 7:45 PM. No objections.
The minutes of the Regular meeting were read and approved January 19, 2021.
Mayor: Lonnie D. Meyer (Regular Session)
City Clerk: Katherine A. Roche (Regular Session)