9/3/2024 Minutes Special Meeting (2) CITY OF
GRANDE ISLAND
City Council Meeting Minutes
Council Chambers
City Hall
100 East First Street
Special Meeting
September 3, 2024
6:15 PM
1. CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Roger Steele called the meeting to order at 6:15 p.m.
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
3. ROLL CALL
The following City Officials were present, City Clerk Jill Granere, City Administrator Laura
McAloon, Assistant City Administrator/CFO Patrick Brown, Finance Director Matthew
Gleason, City Attorney Kari Fisk and Public Works Director Keith Kurz.
The following City Council Members were present: Maggie Mendoza, Bethany Guzinski, Chuck
Haase, Jack Sheard, Mike Paulick, Michelle Fitzke, Mark Stelk, Mitchell Nickerson, Doug
Lanfear and Jason Conley.
4. SUBMITTAL OF REQUESTS FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
5. RESERVE TIME TO SPEAK ON AGENDA ITEMS
6. ORDINANCES
6.a) #9982- Consideration of Vacation of A Portion of Easement in Stewart Place
Subdivision(2104 &2120 S Blaine Street) (Final Reading)
Cover Page
Ordinance
Exhibit
Public Works Director Keith Kurz reported the property owner of 2120 S Blaine Street had
requested a building permit for a garage in the area of the current easement, which was what
brought this matter to the City's attention and there not being a need for it, as there are no utilities
located within the area.
Motion by Behtany Guzinski, second by Doug Lanfear to approve #9982- Consideration of
Vacation of A Portion of Easement in Stewart Place Subdivision(2104 & 2120 S Blaine Street).
(Final Reading) Roll Call: Ayes: Maggie Mendoza, Bethany Guzinski, Chuck Haase, Jack
Sheard,Mike Paulick,Michelle Fitzke,Mark Stelk,Mitchell Nickerson,Doug Lanfear and Jason
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Conley. Motion adopted.
6.b) #9983 - Consideration to Adopt a Good Life District Economic Development
Program, to Reorganize and Retitle Chapter 38 of the Grand Island City Code, to Add Article II
"Good Life District Economic Development Program" to Chapter 38, along with Code Sections
38-12 to Authorize any other Actions Necessary to Implement the Program, and to Provide for
Publication and.an Effective Date of this Ordinance
Cover Page
Ordinance
City Attorney Kari Fisk reported that the Nebraska Legislature had authorized the Good Life
District Economic Development Act (the "Act") which allows the citizens of a city in which a
Good Life District had been authorized to vote on whether a Good Life District Economic
Development Program should be adopted by the city.
The State of Nebraska, Department of Economic Development, approved an application of
Woodsonia Real Estate Inc. for the creation of a Good Life District within the boundaries of the
City of Grand Island on June 5th, 2024 (the "District"), as authorized by the Good Life
Transformational Projects Act. This approval would cause the State sales tax assessed within the
portion of the District located in the City to be reduced from 5.5% to 2.75% effective at the
beginning of the fourth calendar quarter of 2024 pursuant to Neb. Rev. Stat. §77-2701.03.
On August 13, 2024, voters authorized the establishment of a Good Life District Economic
Development Program and empowered the City with the responsibility to develop and adopt a
Good Life District Economic Development Program.
The Ordinance serves many important purposes:
• It addressed housekeeping and procedural matters such as the reorganization of Chapter
38 of City Code to codify this program, the creation of the Good Life District Program
Fund, and the legal framework necessary for compliance with the Good Life District
Economic Development Act. It created the administrative framework for this Program's
next thirty years and codifies important rights necessary to insure this Program is
successful.
• It codifies the goals, priorities, and aspirations of this once in a lifetime opportunity for
the City of Grand Island to leverage revenue which otherwise would have gone to the
State of Nebraska to spur transformational growth on a local level.
• It would create a 2.75%Good Life District Occupation Tax,which would serve to replace
the 2.75% reduction in the State Sales & Use Tax within the Program Area. This
Occupation Tax would become an important local source of revenue for the Program
Fund and would result in no effective change in the taxation rate on existing transactions
within the Program Area.
• It would create the process by which eligible businesses could request Program Funds in
support of their proposals for unique and transformational projects within the Program
Area.
• The Ordinance reflected the complexity of administering a long-term program whose
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needs would likely evolve over its thirty-year life, but strived to create the structure with
which the City could meet the needs and responsibilities of this Program.
Motion by Mike Paulick, second by Doug Lanfear to suspend the rules - #9983 - Consideration
to Adopt a Good Life District Economic Development Program, to Reorganize and Retitle
Chapter 38 of the Grand Island City Code, to Add Article II "Good Life District Economic
Development Program" to Chapter 38, along with Code Sections 38-12 to Authorize any other
Actions Necessary to Implement the Program, and to Provide for Publication and an Effective
Date of this Ordinance. Roll Call:Ayes: Maggie Mendoza,Bethany Guzinski, Chuck Haase,Jack
Sheard,Mike Paulick,Michelle Fitzke,Mark Stelk, Mitchell Nickerson,Doug Lanfear and Jason
Conley. Motion adopted.
Motion by Jack Sheard, second by Chuck Haase to approve #9983 - Consideration to Adopt a
Good Life District Economic Development Program,to Reorganize and Retitle Chapter 38 of the
Grand Island City Code,to Add Article II "Good Life District Economic Development Program"
to Chapter 38, along with Code Sections 38-12 to Authorize any other Actions Necessary to
Implement the Program, and to Provide for Publication and an Effective Date of this Ordinance.
Roll Call: Ayes: Maggie Mendoza, Bethany Guzinski, Chuck Haase, Jack Sheard, Mike Paulick,
Michelle Fitzke, Mark Stelk, Mitchell Nickerson, Doug Lanfear and Jason Conley. Motion
adopted.
7. OTHER ITEMS
7.a) Executive Session to Discuss Contract and Real Estate Negotiations and for
Protection of the Public Interest
Cover Page
Motion by Doug Lanfear, second by Mike Paulick to adjourn to executive session. Roll Call:Ayes:
Maggie Mendoza, Bethany Guzinski, Chuck Haase, Jack Sheard, Mike Paulick, Michelle Fitzke,
Mark Stelk, Mitchell Nickerson, Doug Lanfear and Jason Conley. Motion adopted.
Adjourned to executive session at 7:09 p.m.
Motion by Michelle Fitzke, second by Jason Conley to return to regular session. Roll Call: Ayes:
Maggie Mendoza, Bethany Guzinski, Chuck Haase, Jack Sheard, Mike Paulick, Michelle Fitzke,
Mark Stelk, Mitchell Nickerson, Doug Lanfear and Jason Conley. Motion adopted.
Returned to regular session at 8:05 p.m.
11. ADJOURMENT
Thex meeting was adjourned at 8:05.
ail1-t�i` -tC-
y ClerkG
Jill Granere