05/04/2010 MinutesCITY OF GRAND ISLAND, NEBRASKA
MINUTES OF CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION
May 4, 2010
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
May 4, 2010. Notice of the meeting was given in the Grand Island Independent on April 28,
2010.
Mayor Hornady called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. The following Councilmember's were
present: Gericke, Nickerson, Zapata, Ramsey, Dugan, Carney, Haase, Gilbert, Niemann, and
Meyer. The following City Officials were present: City Administrator Jeff Pederson, City Clerk
RaNae Edwards, City Attorney Dale Shotkoski, Public Works Director Steve Riehle, and
Finance Director Mary Lou Brown.
INVOCATION was given by Mayor Hornady followed by the PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
MAYOR COMMUNICATION: Mayor Hornady introduced CYC members Lauren Cantrell and
Michael Hollman. Also mentioned was the National Day of Prayer breakfast to be held at Trinity
Lutheran School on Thursday, May 6, 2010.
Discussion Re ag rding Odor Ordinance. City Administrator Jeff Pederson reported that the odor
issues in Grand Island had been dealt with for several years. The Public Works Department had
been monitoring odor for several years using the Nasal Ranger and the Odor Hotline. Assistant to
the City Administrator Shannon Oster presented a PowerPoint on how an odor ordinance would
be shaped along with research from other municipalities, odor studies, and odor experts.
Reviewed were the calls to the Odor Hotline. Overall the odor calls had decreased. Rendering
waste odors were recorded more often than other odors. Ms. Oster outlined the framework of an
Odor Ordinance. She stated an odor ordinance would likely be treated as a nuisance and would
go through a process of: 1) Complaint System; 2) Investigation of Odor; and 3) Odor Violation:
Remedial Plan, Review, and Implementation Process. Ms. Oster explained these three processes
along with the fiscal impact.
Stated was that there were few places which had an odor ordinance because of the subjective
issue and was difficult to measure in an affordable and timely manner. Of those cities surveyed
that had an odor ordinance, a complaint response system in combination with an odor
investigation was common. Because of the multiple steps necessary to determine an odor as
offensive, an ordinance would create a new program.
Ron Miller, 704 South Cherry Street complained about the Odor Hotline and odors from JBS
Swift. Bud Jeffries, 28 Kuester Lake commented on being involved with the odor issues in
Grand Island, being on an odor committee, and odor issues dating as far back as 1927. He stated
he thought the odor ordinance might help.
Page 2, City Council Study Session, May 4, 2010
Discussion was held regarding the odor investigator and if it would require a new FTE. Ms.
Oster stated the Health Department would be a part of this process. Questions concerning the
Community Odor Board and their duties were discussed. Costs for the Odor Hotline and an
investigator were mentioned along with other odors within Grand Island. The number of readings
of the Nasal Ranger were explained. The Nasal Ranger does not work under 32 degrees
Fahrenheit.
Public Works Director Steve Riehle answered questions concerning DEQ samplings. The odors
were not a health risk but more of a nuisance. Ms. Oster stated a final cost would be hard to
estimate, but significant staff time would be required.
City Attorney Dale Shotkoski stated he did not know what the maximum penalties would be for
violations, it would depend upon if it ended up in court. Those businesses outside of the City
causing odors like feedlots would not fall under this ordinance. Discussed was the make-up of an
odor board. City Administrator Jeff Pederson stated they had talked with the Health Department
concerning the administration of this issue and were the responsibility would fall.
Mr. Shotkoski stated odor fines would go to the school fund. JBS and the Waste Water
Treatment Plant odors were mentioned as being about 50/50. Enforcement from other cities was
discussed. Ms. Oster commented on several cities and the processes they took which worked
well.
Review of Capital Improvement Plan (CIP City Administrator JeffPederson stated the City had
been working on the CIP programs and the challenges of funding. He reported on the Five Year
Capital Fund (400 Fund) programs as identified and prioritized through the Program
Prioritization. Operating capital from the General fund had dropped to zero. Funds for CIP came
from Gas Tax, Keno, and Special Assessments in the amount of approximately $1 million.
Public Works Director Steve Riehle commented on the scoring for the Public Works CIP
projects done through his office. Reviewed were the current year projects and funds budgeted.
Funding for a new Lincoln Pool in an amount of $1.1 million was mentioned vs. renovation of
the current facility. It was mentioned that way-side horns and round-a-bout funding could be
pushed back.
Finance Director Mary Lou Brown reviewed the 2009/2010 funding sources. Explained was the
different funds and what they could pay for. Debt Service Fund from the General Fund was
reviewed.
Report on Program Prioritization Model. City Administrator Jeff Pederson reported that the City
of Grand Island began the Program Prioritization process several months ago. Presented was an
update of the model for the 2010/2011 budget process. Program scoring had been completed and
information compiled into the four quartiles for General Fund programs.
Page 3, City Council Study Session, May 4, 2010
The following reductions through the program prioritization were made:
Community-Oriented Pro rg ams:
Ranking 2010 Proposed Budget
Qrt 1 $11,866,803
Qrt 2 $10,013,714
Qrt 3 $ 5,320,562
Qrt 4 $ 2,304,147
Increase (Reducel
-2.00%
-6.50%
-11.00%
-16.00%
2011 Target Budget
$11,629,467
$ 9,362,822
$ 4,735,300
$ 1,935,483
Totals $29,505,226 -6.24% $27,663,073
Governance Pro _rg ams:
Ranking 2010 Proposed Budget
Increase (Reducel
2011 Target Budget
Qrt 1 $1,252,869
Qrt 2 $ 892,180
Qrt 3 $ 477,024
Qrt 4 $ 747,059
-2.00%
-3.00%
-4.00%
-2.00%
$1,227,812
$ 865,415
$ 457,943
$ 732,118
Totals $3,369,132 -2.55% $3,283,287
Finance Director Mary Lou Brown commented on the labor costs to each budget and the
challenges for each department to create next year's budget. Compliments were made by the
Mayor and Council for the work done on this process by City staff.
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 9:30 p.m.
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RaNae Edwards
City Clerk