June 15, 2021

    The Regular Meeting of Mayor and Council was held on June 15, 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, Attorney Andy Carothers,
    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 June 1, 2021 Regular meeting.
    After review -- motion (Seeman) , second (Neumann), and vote (4-0 affirmative) :  to approve claims Bank Direct -NE Dept. of Revenue (10)- $191.95; Payroll - $2,334.44;Arbor Ink - $71.52; Cline Williams Wright Johnson & Old father -$70.00; Lauby Plumbing/Heating/Air - $41.50; Mars - City of Beatrice - $300.00; O’Reilly Automotive - $25.78; Milton Pike (Water Sample Postage Reimb.) - $26.75; Postmaster - $182.00; Security First Bank - (Pike/IRA) - $55.00; Sta-Bilt Construction (Armor Coat) - $12,992.42; Temps Disposal Service (Mandatory Trash) - $2,617.50; Visa - $498.85; Windstream - $78.64; Wymore Arbor State - $247.56; Wymore Super Foods - $9.58; TOTAL CLAIMS : $19,743.49.  

COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT/TAX INCREMENT FINANCING/ BLIGHT STUDY REVIEW/ORDINANCE# 466 ( as applies), ANY NEW INFORMATION: Chris Witulski (Land Survey Tech) has not been available for contact.  Attorney Carothers will continue with efforts to reach him, but provided contact information to members and suggested they try to make contact also.

DEMOLITION PROJECT:  Demolitions are slated for October.  Carothers advised that One-Property-at-a-Time has been awarded a Thomas Foundation Grant and will pay for demolition of certain properties. One demolition property (Woutzke - burned house) has been determined for demolition as a City-financed/manned project.  It is believed that approval may have been signed by the property owner, but contacts will be made to validate that assumption or further pursue the signatures of approval.  It was determined to go ahead with asbestos testing (Sedlacek) on this property.

CLEAN-UP: Tim Hanson (per Carothers) will run the plates on several vehicles to determine violation based on “unlicensed/inoperable/junked vehicle” City ordinance, and Carothers will be prepared to file, as applies, after results are in.

PLANNING AND ZONING:  No new applications.

FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE BENEFITS:  REVIEW/APPROVAL OF CHANGES TO  THE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS PACKAGE  - COMP vs. OVERTIME (POSSIBLY: SICK TIME/ EARNINGS/ CEILING/ ETC: Discussion resulted in the following determinations:  Sick Leave - earn 96 hours on anniversary of hire, with 480 hour cap/carryover.    Sick leave will be added to the current Covid-19 designations (Covid policy may be reviewed/changed in the future).  OVERTIME PAY vs. COMP TIME:  This will be discretionary, but with no more than 16 hours comp time carried on the books.  Changes will be made to the employee handbook, and approval is expected at the next Regular meeting (July 6).



NEXT AGENDA:
COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT/TAX INCREMENT FINANCING/ BLIGHT STUDY     REVIEW/ORDINANCE# 466 ( as applies), ANY NEW INFORMATION
DEMOLITION PROJECT
CLEAN-UP
PLANNING AND ZONING
EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK- APPROVAL OF CHANGES

Motion to adjourn  - 7:25  -   P.M.  -Neumann  -  No objections.

The minutes of the Regular meeting were read and approved July 6, 2021.

Mayor:  Lonnie D. Meyer  (Regular Session)

City Clerk:  Katherine A. Roche (Regular Session)

 June 1, 2021

    The Regular Meeting of Mayor and Council was held on June 1, 2021, in the Blue Springs City Hall, Blue Springs, NE.
PRESENT:  Mayor Meyer, Council members Neumann, Sedlacek, Seeman
ABSENT;     Council member Reedy                                           
OTHER ATTENDEES:  Employee Mike Pike, Attorney Andy Carothers, Connie Mewes, 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 (3-0 affirmative) to approve as sent minutes for the May 18, 2021 Regular meeting.
    After review -- motion (Neumann) , second (Sedlacek), and vote (3-0 affirmative) :  to approve claims Bank Direct - Internal Revenue Service (941) - $1,670.24; Payroll - $6,634.20; Blue Springs Cemetery (Annual Taxes) - $2,800.00; Blue Springs Rural Fire -(Annual Taxes) - $2,900.00; Constellation Energy - $36.04; League of NE Municipalities - $55.00; NE Dept. of Revenue (501N) - $220.00; NE Public Health Environmental Labs - $15.00; Norris Public Power - $1,064.34; Security First Bank (Pike - IRA) - $55.00; Milton Pike (Tel. Comp.) - $25.00; Milford Woutzke - (Tel. Comp.) - $5.00; TOTAL CLAIMS: $15,479.82.

RECYCLING TRAILER/”ALLEY CAT”: Owner of trailer was verified by Attorney Carothers - Beatrice.  Carothers covered options.  1.  Continue recycling and paying the fee.  2.  Surcharge on garbage billing to customers.  3.  Get own trailer (Sedlacek advised of grant opportunity in the future), and take loads to another available recycling  location. Mayor Meyer suggested surrendering trailer to owner.  Motion (Seeman), second (Neumann) and a 3-0 affirmative vote approved “termination of the recycling contract,” A copy of these minutes will be provided to the trailer owner as notification of termination, with other documentation to be provided as requested.  Employee Pike will call (Jason), and ask where they want the trailer left.    

COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT/TAX INCREMENT FINANCING/ BLIGHT STUDY REVIEW/ORDINANCE# 466 ( as applies), ANY NEW INFORMATION: Carothers advised that Witulski is not quite done. Carothers suggested that members (at the next meeting) ask questions/make comments about the Proposed Blight and Substandard Study and Redevelopment Area, and told that the first reading of the Ordinance could be at that meeting on June 15th.  There was also some discussion about the price range of expectations for new home construction, with $250,000 an unrealistic prospect and something comparable to Summerfield homes more in line of possibility.  

DEMOLITION PROJECT:  Asbestos testing: Hobaugh property tested “clean.”  Lance property results not yet received, but depending on outcome, possibility exists for removal of structure without remediation, -- “as all.”  Brent Schlake has expressed genuine concern for the community and is prepared to make his equipment available for demolition at a reasonable contracted price ($500? Each incident/$500 repairs cap), providing timeline for delivery of it to site will not conflict with his other activities.  It is hoped that Wymore and Blue Springs can utilize the equipment on a joint timeline, and split the fees .  Rex Adams will contact Brent Schlake to clarify issues/timeline/cost.  Since stipulations have been set on several properties (need 90-days for removal of valuable items from structures/and other concerns - Izer - 3),  Carothers suggested November demolition. This would give ample time to firm participation issues, contact the landfill for estimate of costs, talk to Shelby Temps (Sedlacek) about roll-offs, and give Black Hills Energy notice, and to advise property owners of timeline.   It was decided to give the Bill Woutzke home (burned) first place in the lineup.

CLEAN-UP:   Some complaints have been filed.  A complaint is being filed.  Another complaint is pending.

PLANNING AND ZONING: Attorney Carothers will contact County Assessor to discuss a property  that is in Commercial Zoning but is carded as “single family” on record, with intent to change the card coding to “Commercial.”

FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE BENEFITS:  REVIEW/APPROVAL OF CHANGES TO  THE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS PACKAGE  - COMP vs. OVERTIME (POSSIBLY: SICK TIME/ EARNINGS/     CEILING/ ETC: Tabled until all members are present.   

Other:  Employee Pike indicated that Topkote will be doing the Cemetery road, and wanted to know if the City wanted to do the remaining 4-5 blocks (A’ Street) to the stop sign at Broad Street.  Discussion resulted in determination to take advantage of the cost-effective opportunity there and at 2 other minimal locations while other work was being done, with all members in agreement to proceed.  Employee Pike will make the necessary contacts.

NEXT AGENDA:
COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT/TAX INCREMENT FINANCING/ BLIGHT STUDY     REVIEW/ORDINANCE# 466 ( as applies), ANY NEW INFORMATION
DEMOLITION PROJECT
CLEAN-UP
PLANNING AND ZONING
FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE BENEFITS:  REVIEW/APPROVAL OF CHANGES TO  THE EMPLOYEE     BENEFITS PACKAGE  - COMP vs. OVERTIME (POSSIBLY: SICK TIME/ EARNINGS/             CEILING/ ETC.

Motion to adjourn  -  Neumann - 8   P.M.  -  -  No objections.

The minutes of the Regular meeting were read and approved June 15, 2021.


Mayor:  Lonnie D. Meyer  (Regular Session)

City Clerk:  Katherine A. Roche (Regular Session)