VILLAGE OF ELM CREEK
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
OCTOBER 17, 2024 7:00PM
A Regular Meeting of the Elm Creek Village Board of Trustees was convened in open and public session at the Elm Creek Village Center, 535 W. Boyd Avenue, Elm Creek, Nebraska at 7:00pm on October 17, 2024. Advance Notice of this meeting was given in advance thereof by posting of Notice in three public places within the Village and publication in the Beacon Observer, as shown in the Certificate of Posting affixed to these minutes. Advance Notice was simultaneously given to the Chairman and all members of the Board of Trustees and their acknowledgment of receipt of Notice and the agenda are affixed to these minutes. Tanner Tool called the meeting to order at 7:01p.m. by calling for the roll with the following members responding: Tanner Tool, Davis Miner, Michael Strong, Kyle Lawrence, and Mike Brown. Absent: None. Tanner announced that in accordance with Section 84-1412 of the Nebraska Revised Statutes, a current copy of the Open Meetings Act is available for review and is posted on the east wall of the meeting room.
CONSENT AGENDA
It was moved by Tanner and seconded by Michael to approve the Consent Agenda consisting of the minutes of the Budget Hearing, Special Meeting and Regular Meeting from September 19, 2024, and the Claims for the month of October in the amount of $197,574.42. Ayes: Kyle, Mike, Davis, Michael, and Tanner. Nays: none. The motion carried.
SHERIFF’S REPORT
Sgt Andersen was present for the Sheriff’s office. Nothing out of the ordinary to report. They are busy preparing for the winter months. I-80 will be opening back up in Mid-November.
REGULAR AGENDA
AGENDA ITEM #1 Discuss lease on farm ground
Dusty, Tanner and Davis met with the engineer to discuss releasing water onto the farm ground. We are still waiting on the numbers to know what it will cost for infrastructure to get the water from the lagoon to the field. We are not required to put the lease out for bid, but it was agreed that we will. We will have a bid proposal ready for review at the November meeting with a goal of getting a renter identified by January 1.
AGENDA ITEM #2: Discuss Truck Traffic of South Tyler
There are safety concerns about traffic backing up on highway 30 due to the trucks turning onto S Tyler Street and trucks coming across the railroad tracks on S Tyler Street. A truck route was proposed that would potentially eliminate the traffic on S Tyler and force all trucks to use the overpass. An ordinance will be created for approval at the November meeting.
AGENDA ITEM #3: Consider and approve a new snowplow for the new pickup.
Dusty had bids from Central Hydraulic and Matt Friend Truck Equipment for a snowplow identical to what we currently have. Central Hydraulics’ bid was cheaper by $200.00. It was moved by Tanner and seconded by Michael to approve the purchase from Central Hydraulic for $11,006.96. Ayes: Michael, Tanner, Kyle, Mike, and Davis. Nays: None. The motion carried.
AGENDA ITEM #4: Approval of Ordinance 2024-13: AN ORDINANCE RELATING TO THE MUNICIPAL SEWER DEPARTMENT; TO REQUIRE USE OF VILLAGE SERVICES FOR CERTAIN RESIDENTS; TO ALLOW THE VILLAGE TO CAUSE THE CONNECTION TO BE MADE AND THE COST TO BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE PROPERTY
It was moved by Tanner and seconded by Davis to suspend the statutory rule requiring that ordinances be read on 3 separate occasions, so that ordinance 2024-13 might be introduced, read by title 3 times and adopted at the same meeting. Ayes: Michael, Kyle, Mike, Tanner, and Davis. Nays: None. The motion carried.
Tanner introduced and read the ordinance by title:
ORDINANCE 2024-13: AN ORDINANCE RELATING TO THE MUNICIPAL SEWER DEPARTMENT; TO REQUIRE USE OF VILLAGE SERVICES FOR CERTAIN RESIDENTS; TO ALLOW THE VILLAGE TO CAUSE THE CONNECTION TO BE MADE AND THE COST TO BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE PROPERTY; TO REPEAL ALL ORDINANCES OR PARTS OF ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT HEREWITH; AND TO PROVIDE AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
It was moved by Tanner and seconded by Davis to approve Ordinance 2024-13. Ayes: Davis, Kyle, Tanner, Michael, and Mike. Nays: None. The motion carried.
AGENDA ITEM #5: Approval of Ordinance 2024-14: AN ORDINANCE RELATING TO THE MUNICIPAL WATER DEPARTMENT; TO REQUIRE USE OF VILLAGE SERVICES FOR CERTAIN RESIDENTS; TO ALLOW THE VILLAGE TO CAUSE THE CONNECTION TO BE MADE AND THE COST TO BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE PROPERTY
It was moved by Tanner and seconded by Mike to suspend the statutory rule requiring that ordinances be read on 3 separate occasions, so that ordinance 2024-14 might be introduced, read by title 3 times and adopted at the same meeting. Ayes: Mike, Michael, Kyle, Davis, and Tanner. Nays: None. The motion carried.
Tanner introduced and read the ordinance by title:
Ordinance 2024-14: AN ORDINANCE RELATING TO THE MUNICIPAL WATER DEPARTMENT; TO REQUIRE USE OF VILLAGE SERVICES FOR CERTAIN RESIDENTS; TO ALLOW THE VILLAGE TO CAUSE THE CONNECTION TO BE MADE AND THE COST TO BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE PROPERTY; TO REPEAL ALL ORDINANCES OR PARTS OF ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT HEREWITH; AND TO PROVIDE AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
It was moved by Tanner and seconded by Davis to approve Ordinance 2024-14. Ayes: Michael, Kyle, Mike, Tanner, and Davis. Nays: None. The motion carried.
AGENDA ITEM #6: Consider and approve the authorization and issuance of a Bank of America credit card to the Utility Superintendent, Tanner Hemmingsen
It was moved by Tanner and seconded by Mike to approve issuing a credit card to Tanner Hemmingsen. Ayes: Mike, Davis, Tanner, Michael, and Kyle. Nays: None. The motion carried.
AGENDA ITEM #7: Transfer money from CD to General Checking Account
Both of our CD’s mature this month so we will not have a penalty to move the money over. It was moved by Tanner and seconded by Mike to transfer $100,000 from a CD to the General Checking Account. Ayes: Davis, Kyle, Michael, Tanner, and Mike.
DEPARTMENT REPORTS
BUILDING PERMITS – Eric Steiner was issued a permit to add egress windows and a small addition onto his house.
LIBRARY REPORTS- Angie Blankenship and Paula Hunt’s terms on the library board are up but they both agreed to stay on for another term.
EMPLOYEE REPORTS – Davis and Dusty had a meeting with folks at the Elm Creek Public School to discuss a grant opportunity for the track. The grant is typically used for parks or community buildings but since the Village of Elm Creek owns the property the track and football field are located on the Village could apply for this grant on behalf of the school. There was a question as to how many times we could apply for and be awarded this grant. Tanner would like to build a new community building in the next few years so this could potentially be a source of funding for that. The board agreed that at this time we won’t apply for the grant for the school but that they would consider it after more discussion with the Elm Creek School Board in the future.
There was a citizens request to add a stop sign going north and south on Church Street at Boyd Ave making it a 4 way stop. There are a lot of kids that use this street to walk home, and folks fly down the street. The only north and south stop sign on this street is at Oak and Church. We will talk to the Sheriff’s office and see if they can monitor it and discuss it more at the November meeting.
The Elm Creek Childcare Initiative hired a consultant to help them plan the childcare center. They have put together a budget and would like to have something in place by the next school year. They have been talking to the Churches about using their facilities as temporary locations.
Blake Egenberger has been hired to fill the open utility worker position. He will begin in mid-November.
Currently we are paying for ALL employees to be randomly selected for drug testing. Amy asked if it was necessary for the NON-DOT staff to continue being tested. The last time she went the staff at the testing site said we are one of the only employers that the NON-DOT staff are tested. The board agreed that it wasn’t necessary for them to continue being tested.
Amy asked the board if we could repeal the ordinance regarding dog licenses with the Village. There are only 25 dogs licensed. Since it is not a state law that they are licensed, it is hard to enforce it. Our attorney will create an ordinance to be voted on at the November meeting.
Figgins Construction is supposed to be in Elm Creek the week of October 21 to work on N Easy St and W Elm Ave.
The nuisance property owners are making progress. The board asked that we put in the next newsletter the ordinance regarding nuisance properties and unlicensed vehicles. We are going to set a date that property owners are required to be in compliance by or we will start issuing fines.
AGENDA ITEM #8: Adjournment
All agenda items having been considered, it was moved by Michael Strong and seconded by Mike Brown to adjourn this Regular Meeting. Ayes: Mike, Michael, Tanner, Davis and Kyle. Nays: none. The motion carried and the meeting was adjourned at 8:44p.m.
