City of Blue Springs, Nebraska

April 2, 2024 The Regular Meeting of Mayor and Council of Blue Springs, Nebraska, was held starting at 7 PM, April 2, 2024, at the Blue Springs City Hall. Mayor Meyer called the meeting to order, and roll call was taken. PRESENT: Mayor Meyer, Council members Neumann, Reedy, Riensche ABSENT: Council member Sedlacek OTHERS PRESENT: Employee Mike Pike, Attorney Andy Carothers, Derek Kostal, Dean Cole, Rex Adams, Jodi Adams, Verlyn Dodge Notice of the Hearing/meeting 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. Motion (Riensche), second (Neumann), 4-0 affirmative vote to approve the minutes of the March 19, 2024 Regular meeting. Motion (Neumann ), second (Riensche), 4-0 affirmative vote to approve claims as follow: Bank Direct - Internal Revenue Service (941) - $2,149.75; Payroll - $4,588.74; Champlin Tire Recycling - $1,206.51; Fairbury Journal-News - $54.73; 5 H Repair, LLC - $125.00; League of Nebraska Municipalities - Utilities Section (Pike Workshop) - $65.00; NE Dept. of Revenue (941N) - $316.00; NE U.C. Fund - $47.62; One-Call Concepts - $2.36; Milton Pike (Tel. Comp.) - $25.00; Security First Bank - (IRA/Pike) - $55.00; Temps Disposal Service (Mandatory) - $2,598.00; Winwater - $1,935.84;Milford Woutzke (Tel. Comp.) - $25.00; Wymore Oil Company - $20.00; TOTAL CLAIMS: $13,214,55. PLANNING & ZONING - APPLICATION FOR BUILDING PERMITS (as submitted): After recommendation for passage/approval by the Planning & Zoning Commission (meeting 4/2 - 6:30 PM - City Hall), building permit application #24-3 for Tom Barker for a new home was addressed by Mayor and Council, with the following outcome: Motion for approval (Neumann), second (Riensche), 3-0 affirmative vote. Applicant will be notified of approval and fee. DEMOLITION PROJECT: Asbestos inspection lined up (per Carothers) for several houses in the demolition program Then wait for results for remediation. CLEAN-UP/VEHICLES: Pre-trial conference scheduled for one individual. Carothers will draft a letter to one property owner with a nuisance violation. Plans regarding discarded tires; after discussion of many options and preventative measures. (Per Meyer) - Put up sign to prohibit dumping. Camera was suggested (Meyer) but no decision was made at this time. Per information from Dodge, “Beatrice Dump will take tires for a fee… Each: $5, $10 on rim, more for semi/larger tires.” No opposition was voiced regarding Employee Pike “accumulating to a total of ten, and then taking them to Beatrice.” CRACK-SEALING/ARMOR COATING: Anticipated service providers are “very busy” already. Reedy will make a contact call for determination of a remaining possibility. CHANGE NAME OF BROAD STREET TO CHAMBERLIN /OR/ CITY PARK: Will be removed from the agenda while Reedy continues review and information gathering. CITY TREE PROGRAM(S) - (DEAN COLE): Cole covered information regarding last year’s tree assessment, including parks, which was done at no charge for the City. (State Forestry) They would be willing to go over the assessments and make recommendations. State Wide Arboretum is interested in working with small communities, to take out, trim, replace trees. Both have funds available. State-Wide Arboretum (11 million); State Forestry (1 million) - with their program requiring “no fund match.” Cole indicated that the deadline for that would be May 24th, and suggested a meeting soon since they are very interested and willing to meet with the Council to discuss the next steps (about 45 minutes to a hour for information and Q & A. Members were in agreement to set an Open meeting at City Hall for 6PM on April 16th - open quorum for trees. Cole went on to provide input regarding setting priorities for the beautification of the community and the implementation of a 5 & 10 year plan. He stressed that there are many opportunities for grants that go beyond State/Federal, as the possibility of funds from local organizations as well as foundations (Morris, Thomas, Eisenhauer), and the establishment of fundraisers to address putting a permanent toilet in Feit Memorial Park, showers for campers, and said there was an anonymous donor who was interested in providing a bench. SIGNAGE(MAY INCLUDE ORDINANCE REVIEW/CHANGE): FEIT MEMORIAL PARK - PAINTING/REPLACEMENT/NEW/and OTHER ACTIVITIES: Ordinance # 476 will be drafted to address specific circumstances, as cost for electrical hookup, cost without electrical hookup, etc. Neumann will notify Cecelia Seachord who offered to donate paint to be used by Derek Kostal for the park sign. Reedy continues to work on the creation of another new sign for Feit Park. A motion was made (by Reedy), second (by Neumann) and followed by a 3-0 affirmative vote to arrange for a portable toilet again from April -August. ORDINANCE #475 - CAMPER PERMANENT OCCUPANCY, APPROVAL/OR/THREE READING: Input received from Sedlacek prior to the meeting was added to the conversation, and the result was to add terminology to the draft to address “special circumstances, which might include, among other possibilities, campers on construction sites for new homes. HJP PEST CONTROL - ANNUAL SPRAYING (9 SPRAYING DATES BETWEEN MAY 21 AND SEPT 10 - DISCOUNTED PRICE $2419.20 ): No opposition was raised to continuing with the HJP Pest Control (Seasonal) spraying for mosquitoes. NEXT AGENDA: APPROVAL OF MINUTES APPROVAL OF CLAIMS PLANNING & ZONING - APPLICATION FOR BUILDING PERMITS (as submitted) DEMOLITION PROJECT CLEAN-UP/VEHICLES CRACK-SEALING/ARMOR COATING NEW SIGNAGE, AS WELL AS PAINTING FEIT MEMORAL PARK SIGN (LETTERS/SIDES ALSO?) PAINT TO BE DONATED BY CECELIA SEACHORD/PAINTING DONE BY DEREK KOSTAL ORDINANCE #475 - CAMPER PERMANENT OCCUPANCY, APPROVAL/OR/THREE READINGS ORDINANCE # 476 - CAMPING REGULATIONS There being no further business, a motion was made by Riensche at 8:05 PM to adjourn. The minutes of the Regular meeting were read and approved April 16, 2024. Mayor: Lonnie D. Meyer (Hearing/Regular Session) City Clerk: Katherine A. Roche (Hearing/Regular Session)