11-19-2002 City Council Study Session PacketCity of Grand Island
Tuesday, November 19, 2002
Study Session Packet
City Council:Mayor:
Ken Gnadt
City Administrator:
Marlan Ferguson
City Clerk:
RaNae Edwards
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7:00:00 PM
Council Chambers - City Hall
100 East First Street
Joyce Haase
Margaret Hornady
Gale Larson
Glen Murray
Jackie Pielstick
Larry Seifert
Robert Sorensen
Scott Walker
Tom Ward
Fred Whitesides
City of Grand Island City Council
Call to Order
Pledge of Allegiance
Roll Call
A - SUBMITTAL OF REQUESTS FOR FUTURE ITEMS
Individuals who have appropriate items for City Council consideration should complete the Request for Future
Agenda Items form located at the Information Booth. If the issue can be handled administratively without Council
action, notification will be provided. If the item is scheduled for a meeting or study session, notification of the date
will be given.
B - RESERVE TIME TO SPEAK ON AGENDA ITEMS
This is an opportunity for individuals wishing to provide input on any of tonight's agenda items to reserve time to
speak. Please come forward, state your name and address, and the Agenda topic on which you will be speaking.
City of Grand Island City Council
Item -1
Presentation by Central Nebraska Humane Society for Use of
Stolley Park for Holiday Lighting Display Fundraiser
As per Council request representatives of the Central Nebraska Humane Society will present
a plan for the use of Stolley Park for the Holiday Lighting Display Fundraiser. The
representatives will address the various concerns presented at the Council meeting dated
October 22, 2002. It is the goal of the Central Nebraska Humane Society to develop an
agreement with the City for the use of Stolley Park for the fundraising activity. Given
Council approval staff anticipates developing an agreement with the Humane Society for the
use of Stolley Park to be presented for Council action at the November 26, 2002 Regular
Council meeting.
Tuesday, November 19, 2002
Study Session
City of Grand Island
Staff Contact: Steve Paustian
City of Grand Island City Council
Item -2
Presentation by Progress for Grand Island Regarding Economic
Development Program
Each year the City Council goes through a day long process discussing community needs and
identifying City goals and priorities for the upcoming year. It is always exciting to celebrate
the accomplishments, identify changes in needs from year to year, and reiterate the
importance of working on goals that went unmet throughout the year. The Retreat is an
opportunity for some real soul searching by not only the elected officials but for the
professional staff and community at large. A lot of effort is put into preparing for the Retreat
and ensuring accurate “pictures” of the community, as well as the City’s role in meeting the
community’s expectations are presented.
For the past several years, economic development has emerged as a priority for the City
Council at their annual Retreats. Even more important, economic development or JOBS,
JOBS, JOBS was the #1 priority of the community during the 1997 Heartland Vision process
– a strategic planning process that involved over 2,300 residents of the Grand Island/Hall
County area. From a City Administrator’s perspective I believe the following to be true: 1)
people in Grand Island and central Nebraska want to work; 2) People need good paying jobs
to support themselves and their families; 3) Municipalities benefit from diverse business and
industry in the community; 3) Those who aren’t moving ahead are falling behind.
An economic development program is a huge tool the Nebraska Legislature made available
to cities across the state. The benefits of positioning a city for economic growth can not be
underestimated. Most importantly, the Legislation comes with safeguards. The checks and
balances required by the economic development program can help a Mayor and City Council,
City Administrator and Finance Director feel comfortable that the funding allocated for
economic development activities are actually used for this purpose. Specifically, the program
requires three levels of approval. The first is through the Economic Development
Corporation; the second by the Citizen Review Committee (of which the Administrator and/or
his designee serve as advisory members) and the third, and most important, is through the
City Council. This approval process means that each request for assistance is reviewed
thoroughly by people who are intimately familiar with the project, the finances, and the
process.
Representatives from the community and the Progress for Grand Island committee will be
asking the City Council to consider holding a special election in May 2003 for the voters to
consider implementing an economic development program. The question of why a special
election instead of the regular elections in 2004 has been asked. In my opinion, the special
election is the right time. The special election allows the Council to be responsive to the
Tuesday, November 19, 2002
Study Session
City of Grand Island
City of Grand Island City Council
increasingly important issue of economic development; allows the voters to really educate
themselves on this single issue ballot question; and, most importantly, does not confuse the
economic development program with the ½ cent sales tax ballot issue already scheduled for
May 2004.
Staff Contact: Marlan Ferguson
City of Grand Island City Council