3/19/2024 Minutes GcRANDISLAND
City Council Meeting Minutes
Council Chambers
City Hall
100 East First Street
Study Session of March 19, 2024
7:00 PM
1. CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Roger Steele called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
3. ROLL CALL
The following City Officials were present: City Administrator Laura McAloon, City Clerk Jill
Granere, Assistant City Administrator/CFO Patrick Brown, City Attorney Kari Fisk and Public
Works Director Keith Kurz.
The following City Council Members were present: Bethany Guzinski, Jack Sheard, Mike
Paulick, Michelle Fitzke, Mark Stelk, Mitchell Nickerson, Doug Lanfear and Jason Conley.
Chuck Haase and Maggie Mendoza were absent. Mike Paulick left the meeting at 8:09.
4. SUBMITTAL OF REQUESTS FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
5. RESERVE TIME TO SPEAK ON AGENDA ITEMS
6. ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION
6.a) Street/Fleet Study Presentation
Cover Page
Presentation
GI Street Fleet Maintenance Feasibility
Street Superintendent Shannon Callahan reported the Street Division shared a campus at 1111
W. North Front Street, 346 N. Lincoln Avenue, and 353 N. Lincoln Avenue. Part was owned by
the City of Grand Island and part was leased from the Union Pacific Railroad. Ms. Callahan
reported the following facility issues:
Street Division:
• 700+hours/year back and forth
• Security
Page 2 of 5,City Council Study Session,March 19,2024
• Supervision
• Inventory/deliveries !
• Inefficient
• Future Broadwell Overpass
North Front Campus (East Site) I'
• Used by Streets&Fleet
• Ingress/Egress
• Fuel Pumps
• Parked Equipment
• Employee Parking
Fleet Services:
• Bay Size
• Number of Barys
• Lack of Storage
• Safety, Outdated Work Area
• Code Compliance
Ms. Callahan reported the projected lane mile 50 year forecast growth would increase by 37%.
Traffic volume increase, wear and tear on the roadway and longer travel times.
Mike Wachal from Davis Design reported the Street's potential program expansion would be
based on the need to expand certain programs which was driven by community and level of
service. This would increase to 3 foreman with a total of 36 crew members which was an
increase of 15 plus 1-2 support staff for inventory ordering and receiving.
The Fleet potential program expansion would be based on the need for other departments
equipment and level of service needs. They would be expecting to branch out to more specialty
positions vs.just adding more bodies. This would be an increase of 15 plus 1-2 support staff for
inventory ordering and receiving.
Mentioned were the future facility goals:
• Improve Efficiency
• Accommodate Large Equipment
• One Campus/Avoid Future Silos
• Safety& Code Compliance
• Employee Parking
• Capacity for Bulk/Large Material Storage (Salt, Dirt, Sand, Pipe, Signal Poles, etc.)
• Sweepings Storage& Wash Out Area
• Security of Equipment and Inventory
• Expansion Capability
Page 3 of 5,City Council Study Session,March 19,2024
The future facility process would be done in various stages requiring budget approval and City
Council updates at various stages.
Site Option#1 Highlights:
West Site(29,764 sf)
• New Fleet Maintenance
• Demo Salt Storage and Grounds Building
• Add other Miscellaneous Yard Needs
East Site (29,671 sf)
• Renovation of Vacated Fleet Maintenance Space (Sign& Signal)
• Add Material Storage
• Add Salt Storage
• Add Other Miscellaneous Yard Needs
*Total combined area of East& West Site= 59,435 sf
Site Option#2 Highlights:
West Site (22,061 sf)
• Demo Salt Storage
• Demo Grounds Building
• Demo Shop and Equipment
• New Fleet Maintenance Facility
• New Truck Wash Facility
• Add Miscellaneous Yard Needs
East Site(61,831 sf)
• Renovate Vacated Fleet Space (Sign& Signal)
• Add New Equipment Storage Buildings
• Add New Material & Salt Storage Buildings
• Add New Fueling Island
• Add New Miscellaneous Yard Needs
• Close and Vacate Lincoln Avenue
• Purchase personal property and Lots to Clark St.
*Total combined area of Ease & West Site= 83,892 sf
Stie Option#3 Highlights (Ideal Site)
• West Site: Abandon& Sell as Excess Property
• East Site: Abandon& Sell as Excess Property
• New Ideal Site (156,214 sf)
1. 20 to 30 Acres Required
2. Provide for Safety&Efficiency in Yard Setup
3. Allow for Expandability into the future
4. Possible location of future transit facility
Page 4 of 5,City Council Study Session,March 19,2024
Discussion was held on the future of contracting out more work and the need to have everything
in one location.
6.b) Update on Housing Projects TIF Related and Others
Cover Page
Community Development Director Chad Nabity reported new housing development had been a
major topic of conversation and concern in the City of Grand Island for more than 20 years. Mr.
Nabity reported the City of Grand Island had used Tax Increment Financing to support housing
projects for more than 30 years. The first TIF project in Grand Island was the redevelopment of
the Yancey Hotel and associated condominiums. The next projects were the Cherry Park
Apartments. Since 2019 the City had seen more of a total of 2175 units (including an assumed
250 units for Conestoga Marketplace) have been approved for the use of TIF. 1326 multifamily
units (353 of those marketed specifically to seniors 55+) along with 849 single family detached,
single family attached townhomes or row houses, and duplexes. The expected timeframe for
development of all of these units was upwards of 10 years from now.
The City of Grand Island issued 986 permits for new housing between January of 2019 and
December of 2023.
Mr. Nabity highlighted the housing development across the City including TIF and non-TIF
projects that have been approved over the last several years. The Community Development
Department had created a StoryMap using ArcGIS to offer a virtual tour and information about
several projects that were underway or recently completed. The StoryMap includes details about
the project along with pictures or video of the progress. StoryMap can be found at
https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/96948d9733914a749994783df97dc4c2.
6.c) Presentation regarding P25 Radio System
Cover Page
Migration to 800 MHz Trunked Radios January 2024
P25 Radio System Presentation Feb 2024
Emergency Manager Jon Rosenlund reported what was being proposed regarding P25 Radio
System which included:
• Two trunked repeater sites: City Hall and Alda Towers.
• Dispatch Consoles for Main and Alternate 911
• Complete the migation to 800 MHz radio system
• Tied into the Statewide Radio System(SRS)by MOU
• Ability to tie into Buffalo County System by MOU
Mr. Rosenlund reported the following costs:
• Roughly $3M for towers and consoles
• Five years of software and hardware support/replacement (between $145,000 and
$155,000 annually)
• Entering into an MOU with the SRS would save $132 per radio per year in their
subscription fee
• Estimates are from 2022
Page 5 of 5,City Council Study Session,March 19,2024
Mr. Rosenlund explained cost sharing:
• Recommended following the same 50/50 split for these communications assets as others in the
past through an Interlocal Agreement.
• Both entities need a tower, one in the county for the entire coverage area, one in the City for in
building signal penetration.
• Both entities benefit equally from towers and consoles.
• Both entities agreed in principle to this 50/50 cost share in 2023 when the CPF Grant was
submitted to Republican Adrian Smith's office.
Mr. Rosenlund mentioned they are awaiting notification of the CPF Grant. 75% Federal cost
share, 25% local cost share divided by the City and County 50/50 which had signed resolutions
in March 2023. He mentioned other partnerships were unlikely.
Mr. Rosenlund reported the coverage maps provided by Motorola had displayed 95% signal
strength for variety of circumstances. Areas outside will still have great coverage,just not to the
same level. He reported overcoming converge and penetration issues would be Wi-Fi capable
Radios, wireless data capable radios and vehicle repeaters. The Sheriff had tested radios with the
FirstNet wireless card and found excellent reception in areas that UHF radios could not
effectively reach today.
Mr. Rosenlund mentioned the following Public Benefits as follows:
• Radio System Security
• 800 MHz Building Penetration(Schools,Factories, Retail)
• Wi-Fi and Wireless Provider options
• Vehicle Repeaters
• Routine Call Interoperability with State Agencies
• Talkgroup Expansion for additional radio traffic
• Large Planned Events: State Fair and Husker Harvest Days
• Large and Complex Events: Kidnaping/Car Theft
7. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 9:22 p.m.
Ji 1 Granere
City Clerk