10/17/2000 Minutes
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OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
CITY OF GRAND ISLAND, NEBRASKA
MINUTES OF CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION
October 17,2000
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
October 17, 2000. Notice of the meeting was given in the Grand Island Independent on October 11,
2000.
Mayor Ken Gnadt called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. The following members were present:
Mayor Gnadt, Councilmembers Larson, Hosier, Preisendorf, Whitesides, Ward, Samuelson, Murray
and Sorensen. Councilmember Pielstick and Seifert were absent. The following City Officials were
present: City Administrator, Marlan Ferguson, City Clerk RaNae Edwards, Finance Director David
Springer, City Attorney Charlie Cuypers and Steve Riehle Public Works Director.
PRESENTATION OF LIBRARY BOARD ANNUAL REPORT AND STRATEGIC PLANNING:
Steve Fosselman, Library Director, reported on the Library Annual Report for October 1999 -
September 2000 and the Strategic Planning Update. Internet access at the Library were mentioned as
an area that is becoming widely used. An overview of other areas the library offers was reviewed.
Mr. Fosselman presented the growing needs at the library as parking and drive-up access,
Children's/Family Place, magazine/newspaper lounge area, audiovisual materials area, adult
fiction/nonfiction stacks, multilingual services, young adult section, reference section, computer lab,
bookmobile/outreach programs, staff work area, and meeting rooms. Jerry Bryant, Library Board
President, presented the long-range needs of the library. Phase I provides for the architectural study
to determine the feasibility of building expansion. The architectural feasibility study will be
presented to the Council in January 2001.
DISCUSSION CONCERNING CITY CODE AMENDMENTS: Charlie Cuypers, City Attorney,
reported on a number of technical changes to the City Code. Four major changes were mentioned,
those being: a.) bicycle registrations; b.) deleting the use of mini-bikes at Webb Road; c.) requiring
all dogs on hikelbike trails be controlled by a leash; and d.) allowing persons of any age to be able to
fish at the City lakes.
DISCUSSION CONCERNING GRAFFITI TO UTILITY POLES, TRAFFIC CONTROLS AND
PUBLIC PROPERTY: Charlie Cuypers, City Attorney, reported on the number of signs that are
being placed around the City against City Code regulations. Mentioned were the damage done to
utility poles by these signs. The change to City Code would allow for anyone to take down the signs.
PRESENTATION OF ZOO REPORT: Steve Paustian, Parks and Recreation Director, presented the
Zoo Report. Introduced were the Zoo Advisory Committee members and Mike Rice representing
ZooPlan. Mr. Rice presented the findings of the Zoo study for the future of the Zoo. A presentation
was made to the Council outlining the master plan for the zoo, using statistics compiled from the
study with an estimated cost of $4,770,000. The study focused on the zoo's potential market area,
similar communities with zoos, attendance potential, capital investment, and operational costs.
Page 2, City Council Study Session, October 17,2000
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Mr. Rice presented a slide presentation, walking through the proposed zoo plan explaining each
exhibit along the way. It was mentioned that the location and the size of the zoo were positive aspects
in the overall view to the zoo plan. Councilmember Larson, Chairman of the Zoo Advisory
Committee, thanked the committee for their hard work. Demographics and cost were mentioned as
issues that were looked at by the committee. Councilmember Ward asked about the time frame if the
Council decided to approve the zoo plan. Mr. Rice commented that this could be done within one
building season in which the zoo would need to be closed, but that off-site educational programs
could be continued.
Dee Hanssen, 3604 South Blaine and Lori Dethloff, 4204 Kay A venue, spoke in support of the Zoo.
Leo Tylkowski, 1916 North Sheridan, spoke relative to the budget and asked whether this would be
put up to a vote of the people. It was stated that this will be brought back to the Council with a
recommendation by the Zoo Advisory Committee and will be put to a vote of the people.
Councilmember Whitesides, Murray and Larson stated that this is an issue that effects the people of
Grand Island and will be put to a vote of the people. Mr. Paustian stated that the original vision of the
zoo back in 1983 when the zoo was created were for a complete zoo and not just a petting zoo. Jerry
Bryant, 1313 West Hagge A venue, asked the Council to take a look at the financing and operational
costs. Amye Lilienthal, 5700 South Locust, spoke in support of the zoo. Allen Bartels, Farwell,
Nebraska, volunteer at the Zoo, encouraged the marketing of the Zoo.
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 8:40 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
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RaN ae Edwards
City Clerk
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