04/04/2023 MinutesC1TY OF
GRAND�ISLAND
City Council Meeting Minutes
Council Chambers
City Hall
100 East First Street
Study Session of April 4, 2023
7:00 PM
1.
CALL TO ORDER
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 April 4, 2023. Notice of the meeting was given in The Grand Island Independent on
March 29, 2023. Mayor Roger G. Steele called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM. The following
City Council members were present: Maggie Mendoza, Mike Paulick, Michelle Fitzke, Mark
Stelk, Mitchell Nickerson, Doug Lanfear, Jack Sheard, and Chuck Haase. Councilmembers
Bethany Guzinski and Jason Conley were absent. The following City Officials were present: City
Clerk RaNae Edwards, Interim City Administrator Laura McAloon, Finance Director Patrick
Brown, Assistant City Attorney Stacy Nonhof and Interim Public Works Director Keith Kurz.
2.
ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION
a. Presentation bv the Parks & Recreation Department Re ag rdin� the South Locust Trail
Parks and Recreation Director Todd McCoy reported that a proposed trail project along South
Locust Street could potentially connect Grand Island bicyclists and pedestrians to the scenic
Platte River valley south of Grand Island. The trail would begin at the Riverway Trail along
South Locust Street, extend south, crossing two channels of the Platte River, run west along the
river and end near the west lake of Mormon Island Recreation Area. The 10' South Locust Trail
will be constructed in right-of-way acquired during the South Locust interchange development.
The estimated cost of the trail was between 5 to 7 million dollars. Grants would be looked into
along with local support. Funding sources were discussed. Mr. McCoy stated they would work
on recreational grants and work with the Nebraska Game and Parks. The Food & Beverage funds
would qualify for this project. This would be at least a two-year project. Interim City
Administrator Laura McAloon stated she had worked with the city's grant writer and there were
several grants available.
b. Presentation by Brad Mellema Re ar�d'�ng Camp Au u�L stine
Brad Mellema, Director of the Convention and Visitors Bureau, gave a presentation regarding
Camp Augustine. Reviewed was a map of the area of Morman Island (172 acres), the
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Department of Transportation (176 acres), and the Boy Scouts of America (123 acres) where
Camp Augustine was located. East of these properties was a 40 acre piece of land owned by the
U.S.A. The plan was to acquire land from the Boy Scouts of America. The request from Mr.
Mellema was that the Council look at this project as an asset to Grand island and evaluate what
the City could do to help see this project through.
Discussion was held regarding the price of the land. Mr. Mellema stated it was currently being
appraised. Dave Plond, 1519 W. Division Street representing the Boy Scouts of America
explained the reasons they were selling the property and stated there were several people
interested in this property.
c. Presentation by the Fire Department Regardin� Fire Station #3
Fire Chief Cory Schmidt reported that Grand Island was currently served by four fire stations
which were strategically located to help ensure a fast response time and also to allow for a
certain degree of overlapping coverage. Fire Station #3, 2310 South Webb Road, was built in
1987 and has seen many changes during that time. Fire Administration expressed the need to do
a renovation/addition or total replacement of Fire Station 3 during internal budget talks over the
last several years. Response time was reviewed and he mentioned the importance of the four
minute response time from each of the stations.
Chief Schmidt presented a PowerPoint showing the need for improvement in Fire Station #3. He
presented the following four options:
1. Take no action
2. Addition to current station
3. Build new station at alternative location
4. Build new station at current site
The Fire Department's recommendation was to build a new station at the current location
because it was ideally located for the foreseeable future and would be similar in size and design
to Fire Station #4. Based on a rough estimate from Chief Industries, it would be $4 million.
Discussion was held concerning Station #2 and whether that station needed to be looked at too.
Chief Schmidt stated eventually we would have to, but with the addition a few years ago, Station
#2 would get by for the time being. Comments were made regarding a fifth station in the future,
possibly to the west. Finance Director Patrick Brown stated this could be put under a bond.
Gracie Smith, representing The Grand Island Independent, asked what would happen to Fire
Station #3 if a new one was built. Chief Schmidt stated the old building would be utilized while
the new station was being built. The plan was to move the old building to Fire Station # 1 for
training purposes. The new station would be moved west of the current station and would stay
open until the new station was built.
d. Questions and Answers Regarding CivicClerk
Finance Director Patrick Brown asked the Council if there were any questions about the new
Council management system. Comments were made regarding the Council not being able to get
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on to other sites during the meeting. Mr. Brown stated that once the Council gets familiar with
using the new system there would be that possibility.
e. Presentation bv Councilmember Chuck Haase Regardin� the Ci Mana�er Form of
Government
Councilmember Chuck Haase brought forth the discussion of a City Manager form of
government. He stated a manager form of government would stop the revolving door. The last
change was held in 1976. Since the 1976 change from Manager to Mayor/Council form, there
have been 9 Mayors, 10 City Administrators, and 8 Interim City Administrators. Of the 9
comparable cities for setting wages, five had a Manager form of government.
Jay Vavricek, 2729 Brentwood Boulevard stated the form of government we have right now was
the best representation for the people of Grand Island. He suggested there be a person to assist
the City Administrator and be trained in their absence. Dan Thayer, 2604 Cottonwood Road
commented on visiting with the Nebraska League of Municipalities about other communities
with a Manager form of government. There were none in the MSA area. Mr. Thayer stated he
was against a change in the current form of government for the City of Grand Island. Gerald
Clausen, 7855 South 25th Street, Lincoln, Nebraska representing ICMA was present to answer
questions about the different forms of government.
Assistant City Attorney Stacy Nonhof explained how the Mayor was selected under a Manager
form of government. She stated the Mayor is chosen by the Council and there would be 7
Councilmembers of which one would be selected as Mayor. She explained the state statutes of
the five statutory positions: City Clerk, Treasurer, Public Works Director/Engineer, City
Attorney, and City Administrator.
3.
ADJOURN
The meeting was adjourned at 9:52 p.m.
� � , , ' i .�.
RaNae Edwards
City Clerk