10/23/2001 Minutes
I
I
I
OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
CITY OF GRAND ISLAND, NEBRASKA
MINUTES OF CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING
October 23, 2001
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 October 23,2001. Notice of the meeting was given in the Grand Island Independent on
October 17, 2001.
Mayor Ken Gnadt called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. The following members were present:
Councilmembers Pielstick, Ward, Seifert, Hornady, Whitesides, Haase, Murray, Walker and
Sorensen. Councilmember Larsen was absent. The following City Officials were present: City
Administrator MarIan Ferguson, City Clerk RaNae Edwards, Finance Director David Springer,
Public Works Director Steve Riehle and City Attorney Charlie Cuypers.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE was said followed by INVOCATION given by the Reverend
Dennis Reich, Calvary Lutheran Church, 1304 North Custer Avenue. Lisa Koewn and Racheal
Strong presented an It's About Kids! Asset.
PRESENTATIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS:
Proclamation, October 24, 2001, "United Nations Day". Mayor Gnadt proclaimed October 24,
2001 as "United Nations Day" and encouraged all citizens to participate in all activities related to
this observance.
PUBLIC HEARINGS:
Public Hearing on Request of Union Pacific Railroad for Renewal of Conditional Use Permit for
a 10' x 12' Skid-mounted Shed Located at l219~ West North Front Street. Craig Lewis,
Building Department Director, reported that Jim Colbert, representing Union Pacific Railroad, 23
Old Town Square, Suite 250, Fort Collins, Colorado, had submitted an application with the City
Clerk's Office for a renewal of a Conditional Use Permit for a 10' x 12' skid-mounted shed
located at l2l9~ West North Front Street. No public testimony was heard.
Public Hearing on Acquisition of Utility Easement Located on Stuhr Road, ~ Mile South of
Seedling Mile Road. (Melvin W. & Joann Meyer) Gary Mader, Utilities Director, reported that
acquisition of a utility easement located on Stuhr Road, ~ Mile south of Seedling Mile Road,
was required in order to have access to relocate overhead power lines for the East Highway 30
project. No public testimony was heard.
Public Hearing on Acquisition of Utility Easement Located on Stuhr Road, ~ Mile South of
Seedling Mile Road. (M.J. Lake, L.L.C.) Gary Mader, Utilities Director, reported that acquisition
of a utility easement located on Stuhr Road, ~ Mile south of Seedling Mile Road, was required
I
I
I
Page 2, City Council Regular Meeting, October 23,2001
in order to have access to relocate overhead power lines for the East Highway 30 project. No
public testimony was heard.
ORDINANCE:
Councilmember Sorensen moved that the statutory rules requiring ordinances to be read by title
on three different days be suspended and that ordinances numbered:
#8700 - Consideration of Creating Street Improvement District #1241 (Jay Street from
Capital Avenue to Dack Avenue)
#8702 - Consideration of Creating Water Main District #434T (Schimmer Drive)
be considered for passage on the same day upon reading by number only and that the City Clerk
be permitted to call out the number of these ordinances on their first reading and then upon final
passage and call for a roll call vote on each reading and then upon final passage. Councilmember
Ward seconded the motion. Upon roll call vote, all voted aye. Motion adopted.
Mayor: Is there anyone in the audience interested in these ordinances? No public testimony was
heard. Steve Riehle, Public Works Director, stated that a request had been made for the creation
of Street Improvement District #1241 to provide for paving Jay Street from Capital Avenue to
Dack Avenue. This district is subject to protest by adjacent property owners. A ten (10) year
assessment period was recommended. No further public testimony was heard.
City Clerk: Ordinances #8700 and #8702 on first reading. All those in favor of the passage of
these ordinances on first reading, answer roll call vote. Upon roll call vote, all voted aye.
City Clerk: Ordinances #8700 and #8702 on final passage. All those in favor of the passage of
these ordinances on final passage, answer roll call vote. Upon roll call vote, all voted aye.
Mayor: By reason of the roll call votes on first reading and then upon final passage, Ordinances
#8700 and #8702 are declared to be lawfully passed and adopted upon publication as required by
law.
CONSENT AGENDA: Item G-9 was removed from the consent agenda. Motion by Pielstick,
second by Ward, carried unanimously to approve the Consent Agenda minus G-9..
Receipt of Official Document Including Civil Service Minutes of September 18, 2001.
Approving Minutes of October 9,2001 City Council Regular Meeting.
Approving Minutes of October 16, 2001 City Council Study Session. Councilmember Ward
abstained.
Approving Request of Union Pacific Railroad for Renewal of Conditional Use Permit for a 10' x
12' Skid-mounted Shed Located at 1219Yi West North Front Street.
I
I
I
Page 3, City Council Regular Meeting, October 23,2001
#2001-289 - Approving Acquisition of Utility Easement Located on Stuhr Road, ~ Mile South
of Seedling Mile Road. (Melvin W. & Joann Meyer)
#2001-290 - Approving Acquisition of Utility Easement Located on Stuhr Road, 'is Mile South
of Seedling Mile Road. (M.J. Lake, L.L.c.)
#2001-291 - Awarding Bid for (4) 2002 Vehicles for the Utilities Department Under State
Contracts: CA5706 Ford F-250 XLT Truck to Anderson Ford, $31,049.00; CA5697 Chevrolet
Impala to Husker Auto Group, $16,597.77; CA5707 Ford F-250 Truck to Anderson Ford,
$32,138.00 and CA5709 Ford 'is Ton F-150 Pickup to Anderson Ford, $22,729.00.
#2001-292 - Awarding Contract for 115 kV Manual Disconnect Switches to USCO Poer
Equipment Corporation, Birmingham, Alabama, in the Amount of$75,516.00.
#2001-293 - Awarding Contract for 115 kV Circuit Breakers to General Electric-Hitachi-HVB,
Suwanee, Georgia, in the Amount of$149,585.00.
#2001-294 - Awarding Contract for Railroad Track Tie Replacement to Railworks Track
Systems, Inc., Grand Island, Nebraska, in the Amount of $49,304.25.
#2001-295 - Approving Amendment No.1 to the Gas Supply Agreement with ONEOK Energy
Marketing.
#2001-296 - Awarding Contract for Consulting Engineering Agreement with Olsson Associates
for Northwest Transportation Study on Independence Avenue in an Amount Not to Exceed
$71,980.00.
#2001-297 - Approving Renewal ofInterlocal Agreement with Hall County Relative to Juvenile
Accountability Block Grant Funds.
#2001-298 - Approving Certificate of Final Completion for Skate Park Equipment with
American Ramp Company, Joplin, Missouri.
#2001-299 - Approving Certificate of Final Completion for Installation of Irrigation System at
Webb Road Athletic Field with Tilley Sprinkler Systems, Grand Island, Nebraska.
#2001-300 - Approving Certificate of Final Completion for Site Preparation for Park
Maintenance Building with Dobesh Land Leveling, Grand Island, Nebraska.
#2001-301 - Approving Continuation and Construction of Sanitary Sewer District #501
(Freedom Acres Subdivision and a Portion of Stolley Park Road to North Road).
#2001-303 - Approving Change Order #2 for Irrigation and Landscape Changes to Street
Improvement District #1221 (South Locust Proiect) with The Diamond Engineering Company,
Grand Island, Nebraska, in a Net Increase of $71,834.65, for an Adiusted Contract Amount of
$5,150,257.36.
I
I
I
Page 4, City Council Regular Meeting, October 23,2001
#2001-302 - Approving Continuation and Construction of Sanitary Sewer District #502
(Livengood Subdivision. Rapien Subdivision. Sharon Rose Subdivision. and a Part of Section 10.
Township 11. Range 9). Motion was made by Pielstick, second by Seifert to approve Resolution
#2001-302. Steve Riehle, Public Works Director, stated that Sanitary Sewer District #502 was
created by Ordinance #8689 on August 28, 2001 by a petition request. This Sanitary Sewer
District provides for the construction of a sanitary sewer line and related appurtenances. State
law provides for a 30-day protest period, during which time owners of the property within the
district may protest the district creation. Receipt of protest owners representing over 50% of the
front footage in the district prohibits continuation ofthe district. The protest period ended at 5:00
p.m. on October 4, 2001. There were two protests filed against this district or 24.27%.
Continuation and construction of Sanitary Sewer District #502 was recommended.
Randy Rapien, 226 Lakeside Drive, spoke in opposition. Councilmember Pielstick made a
motion to table Resolution #2001-302 to a study session to further study this issue. Second by
Seifert. Unanimously approved.
RESOLUTION:
#2001-304 - Approving Policy of Militarv Duty Leave. Brenda Sutherland, Personnel Director,
reported that with the recent events that had occurred in our county, a few employees of the City
had been or may be called to active duty. The current Military Duty Leave policy follows state
statutes, allowing 15 working days of paid military leave in a year's time. After reviewing this
matter, it had been recommended that Council approve extending the pay for two full pay
periods following the expiration of the 15 day allotment, minus any time that the employee may
have worked during that period and to allow the continuation of their health insurance benefits at
their current level for three calendar months.
Ranae Ehlers, 204 East 22nd Street, wife of a Grand Island Police Officer who had been called to
active duty spoke about her concerns for the military duty leave. Mentioned was the fact that the
military health doctors were located in Lincoln.
Much discussion took place on this subject with suggestions of the City supplementing military
coverage and working with the local doctors to be designated by the military as preferred
providers. City Administrator Marlan Ferguson, stated that staff had discussed these issues at
length and recommended the two full pay periods and an additional three months insurance
coverage. Mr. Ferguson stated that this was above what the state statures requires.
Councilmember Pielstick stated that she had no problem with extending the pay, but felt that
Council needed to look at the insurance issues at a study session. Councilmember Whitesides
stated that Council could approve Resolution #2001-304 to give the families coverage and still
discuss this issue at a study session.
Motion was made by Whitesides to approve Resolution #2001-304 with an effective date of
September 11, 2001, second by Hornady, approved unanimously.
I
I
I
Page 5, City Council Regular Meeting, October 23,2001
PAYMENT OF CLAIMS:
Motion by Whitesides, second by Murray, carried unanimously to approve the Claims for the
period of October 10, 2001 through October 23, 2001, claims #110755, #111160, #111201,
#111266, #111267, #111353, #111439, #111522, #111623 and #112147 through #112786 for a
total amount of $3,280,908.70.
Councilmembers Haase and Walker abstained.
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 8:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
PJ\~ WW~
RaNae Edwards
City Clerk