12/04/2012 Minutes CITY OF GRAND ISLAND, NEBRASKA
MINUTES OF CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING
December 4, 2012
Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, a Regular Meeting of the City Council of the City of
Grand Island, Nebraska was conducted in the Council Chambers of City Hall, 100 East First
Street, on December 4, 2012. Notice of the meeting was given in The Grand Island Independent
on November 28, 2012.
Mayor Jay Vavricek called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. The following City Council
members were present: Chuck Haase, Larry Carney, Bob Niemann, Kirk Ramsey, Peg Gilbert,
Mitch Nickerson, Linna Dee Donaldson, Scott Dugan, Vaughn Minton, and John Gericke. The
following City Officials were present: City Administrator Mary Lou Brown, City Clerk RaNae
Edwards, Finance Director Jaye Monter, City Attorney Robert Sivick, and Interim Public Works
Director Terry Brown.
INVOCATION was given by Pastor Harvey Johnson, Messiah Lutheran Church, 708 North
Locust Street followed by the PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
Mayor Vavricek introduced Community Youth Council member Alex Trejo and board member
Craig Garrett.
CITY COUNCIL REORGANIZATION:
APPROVING MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 27, 2012 CITY COUNCIL MEETING. Motion by
Gericke, second by Niemann to approve the minutes of the November 27, 2012 City Council
meeting. Upon roll call vote, all voted aye. Motion adopted.
ACCEPTANCE OF ELECTION CERTIFICATE: Motion by Haase, second by Donaldson to
accept the Election Certificate for the November 6, 2012 General Election. Upon roll call vote,
all voted aye. Motion adopted.
COMMENTS BY OUTGOING OFFICIALS: Councilmember Larry Carney commented on the
duties of a Councilmember. Councilmember Kirk Ramsey commented about his service on the
City Council and thanked his family, Barr Middle School, citizens of Grand Island and fellow
Councilmembers.
Mayor Vavricek presented plaques to outgoing Councilmembers Larry Carney and Kirk Ramsey
and thanked them for their service to the City of Grand Island.
RECESS: at 7:15 p.m.
Council reconvened at 7:21 p.m.
ADMINISTRATION OF OATH OF OFFICE TO NEWLY ELECTED COUNCILMEMBERS:
City Clerk RaNae Edwards administered the Oath of Office to newly elected Councilmembers
Mike Paulick and Julie Hehnke and returning Councilmembers Bob Niemann, Scott Dugan and
Chuck Haase.
Page 2,City Council Regular Meeting,December 4,2012
SEATING OF NEWLY ELECTED COUNCILMEMBERS FOLLOWED BY ROLL CALL:
The following members were present: Mayor Vavricek, Councilmembers Vaughn Minton, Mike
Paulick, Scott Dugan, John Gericke, Peg Gilbert, Mitch Nickerson, Julie Hehnke, Chuck Haase,
Linna Dee Donaldson, and Bob Niemann.
COMMENTS BY NEWLY ELECTED OFFICIALS:
Councilmembers Bob Niemann, Scott Dugan, Julie Hehnke, Mike Paulick, and Chuck Haase
each thanked the citizens of Grand Island for the opportunity to represent them. They also
thanked their families, friends and looked forward to working with the other councilmembers.
ELECTION OF CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT: Mayor Vavricek reported that the City Council
was required to elect one Councilmember to the office of Council President for a term of one
year and that the Council President automatically assumed the duties of the Mayor in the event
that the Mayor was absent or otherwise unable to fulfill his duties. Councilmember Gilbert
nominated Bob Niemann; Councilmember Nickerson nominated Scott Dugan; and
Councilmember Paulick nominated John Gericke.
Motion by Nickerson, second by Minton that nominations cease. Upon roll call vote, all voted
aye. Motion adopted.
City Clerk RaNae Edwards called for the first ballot. It was reported that Councilmember
Niemann had received 4 votes, Councilmember Dugan had received 4 votes, and
Councilmember Gericke had received 2 votes.
City Clerk RaNae Edwards called for the second ballot. It was reported that Councilmember
Niemann had received 6 votes and Councilmember Dugan had received 4 votes.
Mayor Vavricek declared Councilmember Bob Niemann the new Council President for 2013.
Motion by Gilbert, second by Dugan to make the vote a unanimous one for Councilmember Bob
Niemann as City Council President for 2013. Upon roll call vote, all voted aye. Motion adopted.
PUBLIC HEARINGS:
Public Hearing Regarding State Revolving funds for the Extension of City Sanitary Sewer along
US Highway 281 to Interstate 80. Interim Public Works Director Terry Brown reported that the
NE Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) and several businesses along US Highway
281 in the vicinity of Interstate 80 had contacted the City about extending City sanitary sewer to
serve their property. The total cost of the project was estimated at $2.5 million, with funding
provided from the NDEQ State Revolving Funds (SRF) at 2.5% interest for 20 years. There was
also approximately $350,000 in environmental penalty money from JBS Swift that would be
applied to the project. Marian Ferguson, 2808 Apache Road spoke in support. No further public
testimony was heard.
Page 3,City Council Regular Meeting,December 4,2012
ORDINANCE:
Councilmember Gilbert moved "that the statutory rules requiring ordinances to be read by title
on three different days are suspended and that ordinance numbered:
#9413 —Consideration of Amending Salary Ordinance Relative to Crime Analyst
be considered for passage on the same day upon reading by number only and that the City Clerk
be permitted to call out the number of this ordinance on second reading and then upon final
passage and call for a roll call vote on each reading and then upon final passage."
Councilmember Nickerson seconded the motion. Upon roll call vote, all voted aye. Motion
adopted.
Human Resources Director Brenda Sutherland reported that Ordinance #9413 would add a new
position— Crime Analyst to the Police Department as recommended by the ICMA Safety study.
This position would be part of the non-union employee group.
Motion by Dugan, second by Donaldson to approve Ordinance#9413.
City Clerk: Ordinance#9413 on first reading. All those in favor of the passage of this ordinance
on first reading, answer roll call vote. Upon roll call vote, all voted aye. Motion adopted.
City Clerk: Ordinance#9413 on final passage. All those in favor of the passage of this ordinance
on final passage, answer roll call vote. Upon roll call vote, all voted aye. Motion adopted.
Mayor Vavricek: By reason of the roll call votes on first reading and then upon final passage,
Ordinance#9413 is declared to be lawfully adopted upon publication as required by law.
CONSENT AGENDA: Motion by Gericke, second by Niemann to approve the Consent Agenda.
Upon roll call vote, all voted aye. Motion adopted.
#2012-347 —Approving Contract for Digital Antenna Project with Alive Telecommunications of
Mokena, IL in an Amount of$62,000.00 or less.
#2012-348 — Approving Bid Award for Feedwater Heater #5 Replacement with Thermal
Engineering International of Santa Fe Springs, CA in an Amount of$376,500.00.
#2012-349 — Approving Capacity Agreement with the Municipal Energy Association of
Nebraska(MEAN).
#2012-350 — Approving License Agreement with Hall County Housing Authority for Radio
Repeater.
#2012-351 — Approving Certificates of Final Completion with K2 Construction of Lincoln, NE
and Setting Board of Equalization Hearing Date of January 22, 2013 for Water Main Districts
457, 459, 460 and 461 (Parkview Area).
Page 4,City Council Regular Meeting,December 4,2012
#2012-352 - Approving Subordination Agreement with Hector R. & Beatrice R. Vasquez, 515
East 1St Street.
#2012-353 - Approving Agreement for Negotiation Services for the US-30 Drainage
Improvement Project with Midwest Right of Way Services, Inc.
RESOLUTIONS:
#2012-354-Approving Power Transaction Authorization Policy with the Southwest Power Pool
(SPP). Utilities Director Tim Luchsinger reported that prior to 2009, Nebraska utilities conducted
power purchases and sales with each other via bilateral transactions. In 2009, all the large
Nebraska utilities joined Southwest Power Pool (SPP) which is a Regional Transmission
Operator that provides a real-time energy market where participants can buy and sell power
directly. In 2014, SPP planned to deploy a new market called the Integrated Market. SPP
required a copy of those authorized to conduct a transaction and financial limit of that
authorization.
Motion by Gilbert, second by Haase to approve Resolution #2012-354. Upon roll call vote, all
voted aye. Motion adopted.
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 7:50 p.m.
CT<bno.12_ 0.1-1-0=2-•
RaNae Edwards
City Clerk