02/10/2015 Minutes CITY OF GRAND ISLAND, NEBRASKA
MINUTES OF CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING
February 10, 2015
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 February 10, 2015. Notice of the meeting was given in The Grand Island Independent
on February 4, 2015.
Mayor Jeremy L. Jensen called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. The following City Council
members were present: Mitch Nickerson, Mark Ste lk, Jeremy Jones, Chuck Haase, Julie Hehnke,
Linna Dee Donaldson, Michelle Fitzke, Vaughn Minton, Roger Steele, and Mike Pau lick. The
following City Officials were present: City Administrator Marian Ferguson, City Clerk RaNae
Edwards, Interim Finance Director William Clingman, City Attorney Robert Sivick, and Public
Works Director John Collins.
INVOCATION was given by Reverend Theresa Mason, Trinity United Methodist Church, 511
North Elm Street followed by the PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
Mayor Jensen introduced Community Youth Council members Diana Bueno and Keagan Palmer
and board member Ryan Seaman.
PRESENTATION AND PROCLAMATIONS:
Presentation by Almquist, Maltzahn, Galloway, & Luth for Fiscal Year 2014 City Single Audit
and General Purpose Financial Statements and Electric and Water Audit Reports. Terry
Galloway from Almquist, Maltzahn, Gallowy & Luth presented a Power Point regarding the 2014
Fiscal Year City Single Audit and General Purpose Financial Statements along with the Electric
and Water Audit Reports.
Total outstanding debt was $71,134,082 which was a 44% increase during the fiscal year due to
the issuance of $36,915,000 of Electric Revenue Bonds. Total net position was $642,695,721.
Net position of the Fiduciary Funds was $2,518,610 which was held in trust for pension benefits.
Reviewed were the General Fund, Capital Projects Fund, and Debt Service Fund budgetary
comparison schedules.
Discussion was held concerning the cash reserve balance and best practices. Mr. Galloway stated
to lower the cash reserves he would suggest paying down the debt service and/or using the
money for future contracts so we wouldn't have to bond them. Mr. Galloway stated the City of
Grand Island was in the best financial shape it has ever been.
PUBLIC HEARINGS:
Public Hearing on Acquisition of Utility Easement located at 2323 Bellwood Drive (Grand
Island Mobile Home Community LP). Utilities Director Tim Luchsinger reported that acquisition
Page 2,City Council Regular Meeting,February 10,2015
of a utility easement was needed in order to have access to install, upgrade, maintain, and repair
power appurtenances, including lines and transformers. The easement would be used to widen
the existing easement to provide the ability to upgrade the electric system at the Mobile Home
Park. Staff recommended approval. No public testimony was heard.
Public Hearing on the One & Six Year Street Improvement Plan. Public Works Director John
Collins reported that the action on this item would take place at the February 24, 2015 Council
meeting after the Regional Planning Commission had approved it at their February 18, 2015
meeting. No public testimony was heard.
CONSENT AGENDA: Consent Agenda item G-14 was pulled for further discussion. Motion by
Haase, second by Paulick to approve the Consent Agenda excluding item G-14 (Resolution
#2015-41). Upon roll call vote, all voted aye. Motion adopted.
Approving Minutes of January 27, 2015 City Council Regular Meeting.
#2015-29 - Approving Surety Bond for Councilmember Jeremy Jones.
#2015-30 - Approving Acquisition of Utility Easement - 2323 Bellwood Drive - Grand Island
Mobile Home Community LP.
#2015-31 - Approving Bid Award - Precipitator, Bottom Ash and Boiler Industrial Cleaning -
Spring 2015 Outage at Platte Generating Station with Veolia North America of Liberty, MO in
an Amount of$207,140.10.
#2015-32 - Approving Certificate of Final Completion for Water Main Project 2014-W-5 at
Airport Road &Academy Drive with The Diamond Engineering Company of Grand Island, NE.
#2015-33 - Approving Bid Award - Substation Switch Retrofit Services with IES Commercial,
Inc. of Holdrege, NE in an Amount of$75,169.00.
#2015-34 - Approving Bid Award - Burdick Station Detention Pond Upgrades with The
Diamond Engineering Company of Grand Island, NE in an Amount of$46,821.91.
#2015-35 - Approving Construction Agreement between the City of Grand Island and Nebraska
Public Power District for Upgrade of Transmission Line 1093.
#2015-36 - Approving Contract Renewal for Annual Pavement Markings for the Streets Division
of the Public Works Des artment with Strai• t-Line Stri sin. Inc. of Grand Island NE in an
Amount of$65,083.70.
#2015-37 - Approving Agreement for Engineering Consulting Services Related to Swift Road
Paving District No. 1263 with Alfred Benesch & Company of Lincoln, NE in an Amount of
$28,286.00.
Page 3,City Council Regular Meeting,February 10,2015
#2015-38 - Approving Time Extension to the Contract with Van Kirk Brothers Contracting of
Sutton, NE for Sanitary Sewer District No. 528 and No. 530T to April 24, 2015.
#2015-39 - Approving Change Order No. 1 for North Interceptor Phase II; Project No. 2013-S-4
with S.J. Louis Construction, Inc. of Rockville, MN.
#2015-40 - Approving Amending the 2014/2015 Fee Schedule Relative to Bulk Industrial Waste
Discharge.
#2015-41 - Approving Change Order #1 for Utility Billing Customer Information System with
N. Harris Computer Corporation for an Increase of$30,000.00 and a Revised Contract Amount
of$962,500.00. Discussion was held concerning the delays in this project.
Motion by Minton, second by Haase to approve Resolution #2015-41. Upon roll call vote, all
voted aye. Motion adopted.
PAYMENT OF CLAIMS:
Motion by Donaldson, second by Nickerson to approve the Claims for the period of January 28,
2015 through February 10, 2015, for a total amount of$4,002,988.19. Unanimously approved.
ADJOURN TO EXECUTIVE SESSION: Motion by Donaldson, second by Paulick to adjourn to
Executive Session at 7:51 p.m. for the purpose of a strategy session with respect to labor
negotiations with IBEW Service/Clerical. Unanimously approved.
RETURN TO REGULAR SESSION: Motion by Stelk, second by Hehnke to return to Regular
Session at 8:14 p.m. Unanimously approved.
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 8:14 p.m.
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RaNae Edwards
City Clerk