01/17/2017 MinutesI
CITY OF GRAND ISLAND, NEBRASKA
MINUTES OF CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION
January 17, 2017
Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, a Study Session 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
January 17, 2017. Notice of the meeting was given in the Grand Island Independent on January
11, 2017.
Mayor Jeremy L. Jensen called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. The following Councilmembers
were present: Mitch Nickerson, Mark Stelk, Jeremy Jones, Chuck Haase, Julie Hehnke, Linna
Dee Donaldson, Vaughn Minton, Roger Steele, and Mike Paulick. Councilmember Michelle
Fitzke was absent. The following City Officials were present: City Administrator Marlan
Ferguson, City Clerk RaNae Edwards, Finance Director Renae Griffiths, City Attorney Jerry
Janulewicz, and Public Works Director John Collins.
Mayor Jensen introduced Community Youth Council member Megan Woods.
INVOCATION was given by Community Youth Council member Megan Woods followed by
the PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
SPECIAL ITEMS:
Reco�nition of Life Savin� Award to Police Officer's O'Connor and McFarland. Police Chief
Robert Falldorf presented the Life Saving Award to Police Officer's Hank McFarland and Andre
O'Connor for saving the life of Shawn D. Lehn on November 27, 2016. Officer's McFarland and
O'Connor were present for the recognition.
Presentation and Discussion Concerning the Grand Island Police Department. Police Chief
Robert Falldorf presented the operations of the Police Department. He gave a brief history of the
Police Department which was formed in April 1877. There were currently 109 total personnel,
85 sworn positions and 24 civilian positions. The 2017 budget for salaries was $6,696,433.
Captain Dean Elliott presented the Patrol Division. The following positions were mentioned: 10
Sergeants, 42 patrol officers, 5 SRO's, 4 full-time CSO's and 3 part-time CSO's, 1 Housing and
Urban Development (HUD) officer, 1 Cyber Crime Investigator, 1 Crime Analysis (civilian), and
2 K9 Unit Officers. There were 4 new Officers in training. Training for the Officers was
reviewed.
The majority of the officers answer calls for service which included investigating criminal
complaints, accidents and disturbances. They are a proactive enforcement such as traffic stops,
DUI's, patrol high crime areas, stolen vehicles, bar checks, house checks, and patrol city parks.
Special operations officers target problem areas such as State Fair traffic control and Harvest of
Harmony Parade. They also provide coverage at the Central NE Regional Airport.
Page 2, City Council Study Session, January 17, 2017
Discussion was held regarding the area of town the officers cover. Captain Elliott stated half of
the shift is assigned north and half assigned south of the Union Pacific Railroad tracks.
Captain Jim Duering gave a presentation of the Administration Division. This division covered
the administration and support of police functions; budgeting and grants; records and service
desk; training, recruiting, hiring, and retention; victim/witness services; building maintenance;
and fleet services. There were 2 Sergeants in Fleet and Training, 1 training officer, 1 office
manager, 6 records clerks, 2 victim/witness advocates, 1 full-time building maintenance
employee and 2 part-time custodians.
Explained were the duties of the Training and Hiring Division, Records Division, Fleet Services,
Building Maintenance, and Victim Witness Unit.
Captain Duering answered questions regarding the Fleet Services. Maintenance was done by the
City shop.
Captain Kerry Mehlin gave a presentation of the Criminal Investigation Division (CID). There
were four areas of duties: General investigations, Child Abuse investigations, Drug Task Force,
and Evidence Section. There were 2 Sergeants, 5 General investigators, 3 Drug Task Force
investigators, 2 Child Abuse investigators, 1 Evidence and Property investigator, 2 civilian
Evidence Technicians, and 1 Records Clerk.
Explained were the duties of the General Investigations, Child Abuse Investigations, Central
Nebraska Drug and Safe Street Task Force, Evidence, Pawn & 2"d Hand Goods Stores, Social
Media, Liaison with outside agencies (SCALES), Liquor License investigations, Adult Abuse
investigations, Nebraska Fusion Information Network (NFIN) entries, cell phone account
management, Nation Crime Information Center (NCIC) validations, department subpoenas, and
Crime Stoppers.
Chief Falldorf commented on the 2011 citizen survey of the Police Department being reactive
instead of proactive. This was the same year the International City/County Management
Association (ICMA) did a study for the City of Grand Island. At that time the crime rate in
Grand Island was high. ICMA recommended an increase of 10 officers from forty-two officers
assigned to patrol to fifty-two officers assigned to patrol. This had taken place. Reviewed were
calls for services and offenses from 2009-2016 which decreased in all areas.
The following concerns moving forward were:
• ICMA set recommended minimum staffing.
• Property Crime Rates and Violent Crime Rates may continue to rise if we move back to
reactive policing.
• Increasing population/diversity.
• Grand Island Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (GIAMPO) Goals include:
o Increasing the safety of the Transportation System (ranked #2 goal).
o Increasing the security of the Transportation System (ranked #3 goal)
• Police Departments don't generally provide many revenue generating services.
• Fees are pretty much set at comparable standards across profession.
Page 3, City Council Study Session, January 17, 2017
• Grants/Interlocal Agreements.
• Airport Security.
Chief Falldorf answered questions concerning the Police Department being at full-staff.
Currently they were 6 officers short. Mayor Jensen recommended the Councilmembers take the
opportunity to do a ride-a-long.
Jarrett Daugherty, 1605 East 17th Street, Aurora, NE representing the FOP stated they supported
the report that had just been given. He commented on the importance of keeping the number of
sworn officers at the IMCA recommended level. Mentioned were changes in state statutes that
impacted the Police Department in a negative way.
Council took a recess at 8:21 p.m. and reconvened at 8:27 p.m.
Presentation and Discussion Concerning the Grand Island Public Library. Library Director Steve
Fosselman introduced Alan Lepler, President of the Grand Island Library Board of Trustees. Mr.
Lepler reported that there were seven Grand Island citizens appointed by the Mayor and
confirmed by the City Council on the Library Board. They establish regulations for the
government of the library for preservation, usefulness, efficiency, and exercise power to carry
out State Statutes. The first Library Board was appointed prior to 1884.
The Library Board had authority over all money collected or donated to the credit of the library
funds established within the City of Grand Island. There were two funds: donations from the
Myrtle Grimminger estate in the Edith Abbott Memorial Library project fund of the city's
Special Revenue Fund for projects outside the scope of the Library's general fund budget and the
Abbott Trust fund was for purchase of nonfiction books.
Mr. Lepler reviewed the GILIBRARY 2020 Plan mission statement and guiding principles. In
2013 a report to the Council included the building space modifications. The Edith Abbott
Memorial Library was especially designed to accommodate modifications as needs change and
evolve. Several strategic planning initiatives may involve some modifications to better serve our
patrons through use of donated funds.
Mr. Fosselman reviewed the 2016 highlights which included: restoration of County funding;
uniform year-round hours of operation; partnership with Stuhr Museum and Hall County
Historical Society; partnership with Humanities Nebraska and Moonshell Council; preliminary
work with City PIO on library web sub-site; progress on implementing advanced technologies
for more efficient patron services; participation in L1NL Innovation Campus satellite makerspace
grant application; work on design concepts for needed facility renovations; continued
improvements to Children's Area in partnership with Sixpence program; and staff
reorganization.
Mentioned were changes in Library services due to technology. 70% of the budget was for
personnel. Currently there were 25 full-time employees.
Page 4, City Council Study Session, January 17, 2017
Presented was the following 2017 GILIBRARY 2020 Plan:
• Registration of additional County Patrons
• Additional Nebraska 150, Nebraska Warrior Writers Project and other community
programming partnerships
• Roll-out of library web sub-site
• Full implementation of advanced technologies for more efficient patron services and
examination of other technological efficiencies
• Improvements in collection development and utilization
• Continued improvements to Children's Area including designated Ready-to-Read and
after/out-of-school programming space
• Moving forward with current project for needed facility renovations and development of
a multi-faceted long-range facilities master plan
Reviewed were the four major components of needed non-tax supported facility renovations:
1. Meeting Rooms/Friends-Internet Cafe
2. Admin Area Flip
3. Teen/Makerspace/Study Rooms
4. ADA Parking and Patron Walkway Access
Mr. Lepler stated the preliminary costs for the interior renovations were estimated at $850,000
plus contingencies and architect/engineering to be determined. The preliminary costs for the
ADA parking and patron walkway access would be completed soon. The next steps would be the
issuance of an RFP for Architectural Design & Build and presentation to Council for approval to
proceed with non-tax funding sources fully secured and the implementation of long-range library
facilities master plan beyond 2020.
Discussion was held regarding building partnerships. Mentioned were exploring business and
county partnerships. Access to the library through transportation was being looked at along with
getting books to neighborhoods with no transportation to the library.
Discussion was held regarding the Library Foundation. Mentioned was that the Library Board
was responsible for the finances, funding, and paying bills for the library. Comments were made
that libraries were created under State Statutes §16 and §51.
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 9:45 p.m.
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RaNae Edwards
City Clerk