Council Minutes - August 25, 2020
COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS
CITY OF GRANT, NEBRASKA
August 25, 2020
Mayor Lisa Schmitt convened a meeting of the Council of the City of Grant, Nebraska in open and public session on August 25, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. Notice of this meeting was given in advance by publication in the Grant Tribune Sentinel, the City’s designated method for giving notice, August 19, 2020, and members of the City Council and a copy of their Acknowledgment of Receipt and the Agenda are attached to these minutes. Availability of the Agenda was communicated in the advance notice and in the notice to the Mayor and Council of this meeting. All proceedings hereafter shown were recorded while said meeting was open to the attendance of the public.
Mayor Lisa Schmitt announced the posting of the Open Meetings Act and its location.
Roll call: Present Council members: Bishop, Brueggeman, Greenwood, Petersen and Mayor Schmitt.
Others present: City Superintendent Edward Dunn, City Clerk/Treasurer Jessie Faber, City Attorney Tawna Holmstedt, et al.
The motion was made by Bishop and seconded by Petersen to approve the agenda as presented.
Roll call vote: Yeas – all present. Nays – none. Motion carried.
A motion was made by Brueggeman to approve the minutes of the August 11, 2020 meeting and waive the reading and seconded by Petersen.
Roll call vote: Yeas – all present. Nays – none. Motion carried.
COMMUNICATIONS: City Superintendent, Edward Dunn announced that the City will be participating in Pinnacle Bank’s Bike Ride Around Grant on August 31st as the City Park will be one of the locations to have your passport stamped. Dunn also informed the Council that he will be attending the NMPP/MEAN meetings on September 2nd & 3rd. Dunn stated that the City office will be closed on September 7th to observe Labor Day. Dunn also gave an update on the sewer line at the park and pool progress.
STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS:
Council member, Petersen – none. Council member, Bishop – none. Council member, Brueggeman – gave an update on the Library board meeting. Council member, Greenwood – none.
FINANCIALS – Acknowledged as received.
PUBLIC COMMENT – none.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
Action and Discussion on Ordinance No. 20-08-01 Compensation of all Officers and Employees (2nd Reading) – City Clerk, Jessie Faber read the second reading of Ordinance No. 20-08-01 “AN ORDINANCE FOR THE COMPENSATION OF ALL OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF GRANT FOR THE BUDGET YEAR OF OCTOBER 1, 2020 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30, 2021; REPEALING ALL OTHER CONFLICTING ORDINANCES INCLUDING ORDINANCE NO 19-09-01 AND CONFLICTING SECTIONS OF ORDINANCES; AND PROVIDING FOR THE EFFECTIVE DATE.”
NEW BUSINESS:
Action and Discussion on Request for CDBG Grant #18-HO-33061 Funds for Project Housing Rehabilitation and Housing Management Draw Down #10 – A motion was made by Petersen to approve the request for CDBG Grant #18-HO-33061 funds for project housing rehabilitation and housing management draw down #10 in the amount of $33,648.30 and authorize the Mayor & City Clerk to sign and seconded by Bishop.
Roll call vote: Yeas – Bishop & Petersen. Nays – Greenwood. Abstain – Brueggeman.
Yea – Mayor Schmitt. Motion carried.
Brueggeman stated that she is abstaining due to being an officer on the Southwest Nebraska Community Betterment Corporation Board.
Action and Discussion on Request for CDBG Grant #18-HO-33061 Funds for General Administration Draw Down #11 – A motion was made by Bishop to approve the request for CDBG Grant #18-HO-33061 funds for general administration draw down #11 in the amount of $9,000.00 and authorize the Mayor & City Clerk to sign and seconded by Petersen.
Roll call vote: Yeas – Bishop & Petersen. Nays – Greenwood. Abstain – Brueggeman.
Yea – Mayor Schmitt. Motion carried.
Brueggeman stated that she is abstaining due to being an officer on the Southwest Nebraska Community Betterment Corporation Board.
Action and Discussion on Contract Amendment Request to Move $643 From 530 Rehab Funds to 580 Housing Management Funds to Cover the Extra Expenses in Inspections as it Pertains to CDBG Grant #18-HO-33061 – A motion was made by Bishop to accept the contract amendment request to move $643 from 530 Rehab Funds to 580 Housing Management Funds to cover the extra expenses in inspections as it pertains to CDBG Grant #18-HO-33061 and authorize the Mayor & City Clerk to sign and seconded by Petersen.
Roll call vote: Yeas – Bishop & Petersen. Nays – Greenwood. Abstain – Brueggeman.
Yea – Mayor Schmitt. Motion carried.
Brueggeman stated that she is abstaining due to being an officer on the Southwest Nebraska Community Betterment Corporation Board.
Presentation from Almquist, Maltzahn, Galloway and Luth on 2020-2021 Budget (Tracy Cannon) – Tracy Cannon with Almquist, Maltzahn, Galloway & Luth summarized the financial status of the City and answered any questions the council had on the budget. No Action Taken.
Action on Proposed Tax Asking for FY 2020-202 – A motion was made by Bishop to keep the tax asking for the 2020-2021 fiscal year at the same rate reducing the levy to .386974 and seconded by Brueggeman.
Roll call vote: Yeas – all present. Nays – none. Motion carried.
A motion was made by Bishop to approve the tax asking for the debt service fund for the 2020-2021 fiscal year at a levy amount of .0798 and seconded by Petersen.
Roll call vote: Yeas – Bishop, Brueggeman & Petersen. Nays – Greenwood. Motion carried.
Action on Cemetery Boards Proposed Budget – A motion was made by Brueggeman to accept the 2020-2021 Cemetery Board’s proposed budget and seconded by Petersen.
Roll call vote: Yeas – all present. Nays – none. Motion carried.
Action and Discussion on Employee Benefits – Health Insurance Considerations – A motion was made by Bishop to go into executive session to discuss employee benefits and to include the Council Members, Mayor and City Attorney and seconded by Brueggeman.
Roll call vote: Yeas – all present. Nays – none. Motion carried.
Entered Executive Session at 7:47 pm.
Exited Executive Session at 9:30 pm.
A motion was made by Brueggeman to move out of executive session and seconded by Bishop.
Roll call vote: Yeas – all present. Nays – none. Motion carried.
The Mayor stated the Council will recess for a few minutes.
Recess began at 9:30 p.m.
The Mayor reopened the meeting at 9:37 p.m.
A motion was made by Greenwood to table employee benefits until the September 8th Meeting. Motion died due to lack of second.
A motion was made by Bishop to maintain 100% employee coverage for employee and family health insurance and to remove the City contribution to the H.S.A. and seconded by Petersen.
Roll call vote: Yeas – none. Nays – all present. Motion failed.
A motion was made by Bishop to have the City continue to pay 100% employee and dependent health insurance and effective October 1st cease the City H.S.A. contribution and the employee pays contributions if any are required and seconded by Petersen.
Roll call vote: Yeas – all present. Nays – none. Motion carried.
Action and Discussion on FY 2020-2021 Budget – Discussion took place on the FY 2020-2021 Budget. A motion was made by Brueggeman to approve the fiscal year 2020-2021 capital outlay budget considerations to put the considerations into the budget and seconded by Petersen
Roll call vote: Yeas – Bishop, Brueggeman & Petersen. Nays – Greenwood. Motion carried.
Action and Discussion on Approving City Superintendent Edward Dunn as the Delegate for the City of Grant to the Nebraska Cooperative Government Commission – A motion was made by Brueggeman to approve City Superintendent Edward Dunn as the delegate for the City of Grant to the Nebraska Cooperative Government Commission and seconded by Bishop.
Roll call vote: Yeas – Bishop, Brueggeman & Petersen. Nays – Greenwood. Motion carried.
Action on Bills and Claims – AFLAC, employee benefits – 243.04; Balderston, Samaantha, utilities refund – 148.92; Black Hills Energy, utilities – 61.90; Blue Cross Blue Shield of NE, employee benefits – 6,735.81; BSN Sports Inc., sports equipment – 772.47, Dutton-Lainson Company, capital outlay – 103.39; Eakes Office Solutions, supplies – 130.94; Faber Signs, supplies – 70.95; Harm, Stan S., utilities refund – 75.10; Hendricks, Cecil, refunds – 300.00; League of NE Municipalities, dues & training – 808.00; MEAN, transmission charge – 113,601.67; Macqueen Equipment Group, sweeper brooms – 2,091.72; Midwest Electric, utilities – 396.12; Nebraska Public Health Environmental, lab & well tests – 30.00; Principal Life Insurance Company, employee benefits – 138.30; Sandhills State Bank, employee benefits – 475.00; Southwest Nebraska Community Betterment Corp., grant expense – 42,648.30; Wagnitz, Kayla, utilities refund – 73.83; Western Resources Group, contract labor – 320.00; American Funds, retirement – 786.52; Nebraska Department of Revenue, sales tax – 13,300.27; United States Treasury, federal tax withholding – 2,968.09; Overtime Wages 8/1-8/15 – 856.91. Total Bills and Claims $187,173.25.
The motion was made by Bishop and seconded by Petersen to approve the Bills and Claims in the amount of $187,137.25.
Roll call vote: Yeas – Bishop & Petersen. Nays – Greenwood. Yea - Brueggeman on all bills in the amount of $144,488.95 and abstaining on the amount not included for the claims to Southwest Nebraska Community Betterment Corporation the amount of $42,648.30. Brueggeman stated that she is abstaining due to being an officer on the Southwest Nebraska Community Betterment Corporation Board. Yea – Mayor Schmitt. Motion carried.
Bishop, Brueggeman, Greenwood, & Petersen reviewed the bills and claims prior to the meeting.
Mayor Lisa Schmitt adjourned this meeting of the Grant City Council at 10:12 P.M.
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Lisa Schmitt, Mayor
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Jessie Faber, City Clerk