VILLAGE OF ELM CREEK
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
DECEMBER 16, 2024, 7:00 P.M.
A Regular Meeting of the Elm Creek Village Board of Trustees convened in open and public session at the Village Center, 535 W. Boyd Avenue, Elm Creek, Nebraska at 7:00 p.m. on December 16, 2024. Advance Notice of this meeting was given in advance thereof by publication in the Beacon Observer and posting of same in three public places within the Village, 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 7:00pm by calling for the roll, with the following members responding: Davis Miner, Michael Strong, Tanner Tool, Mike Brown, and Kyle Lawrence. 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 Mike to approve the Consent Agenda consisting of the minutes of the Regular Meeting on November 21, 2024, and the approval of the Claims for the month of December 2024 totaling $117,508.92. Ayes: Kyle, Michael, Davis, Mike, and Tanner. Nays: None. The motion carried.
It was moved by Tanner and seconded by Davis to adjourn the meeting Sine Die at 7:01pm. Ayes: Davis, Michael, Tanner, Mike, and Kyle. Nays: None. The motion carried.
Tanner Tool and the Village Board presented Mike Brown with a plaque and thanked him for his 8 years of service on the Village Board.
Oaths of office were administered to the new Village Board Members Davis Miner, Michael Strong and Brian Florell.
Reorganization
The Clerk asked for nominations for Chairperson of the Board and Michael Strong nominated Tanner Tool. It was then moved by Davis and seconded by Kyle to cease nominations. Ayes: Michael, Davis, Kyle, and Brian. Nays: none. Abstain: Tanner. The motion carried and the nominations ceased. There was no need to carry out a secret ballot vote. Tanner Tool was appointed as Chairman. Tanner then called the meeting to order at 7:06pm by calling the roll with the following members responding: Davis Miner, Michael Strong, Tanner Tool, Brian Florell, and Kyle Lawrence.
Tanner appointed Davis Miner as Vice-Chairman. It was moved by Tanner and seconded by Michael to ratify the appointment of Davis Miner as Vice Chairman. Ayes: Brian, Michael, Kyle, and Tanner. Nays: None. Abstain: Davis. The motion carried.
SHERIFF’S REPORT: Captain Bob Anderson reported we made it through November with a lot less accidents and emergency issues. There were a few ordinance enforcements but all in all pretty quiet.
REGULAR AGENDA
AGENDA ITEM #1: DISCUSSION/ACTION RE: Designate depositories for Village funds; designate legal publication.
It was moved by Tanner and seconded by Davis to approve FirsTier Bank as the designated depository for the Village funds. Ayes: Kyle, Michael, Tanner, Brian, and Davis. Nays: none. The motion carried.
It was moved by Tanner and seconded by Davis to approve the Beacon Observer as the legal publication. Ayes: Davis, Brian, Michael, Kyle, and Tanner. Nays: None. The motion carried.
AGENDA ITEM #2: DISCUSSION/ACTION RE: Appointment of Village officials and Boards
It was moved by Tanner and seconded by Kyle to appoint the following officials and boards:
- Village Attorney- Taylor L’Heureux Dewald Deaver L’Heureux Law Firm
- Village Engineer-Lance Harter with Oak Creek Engineering
- Street Superintendent- Lance Harter with Oak Creek Engineering
- Municipal Administrator – Dusty Newton
- Municipal Clerk/Treasurer-Amy Gillming
- Utilities Superintendent – Tanner Hemmingsen
- Emergency Management Director-Tanner Hemmingsen
- Librarian-Jane Walker
- Zoning Administrator-Dusty Newton
- Board of Health-Captain Bob Anderson, Carol Jorgensen, and Tanner Tool
- Board of Adjustment – to remain the current Village Board members
- Committees: the following committees will be restructured via ordinance and appointed at the January meeting.
Park/Cemetery –
Sewer/Water
Streets/Garbage
Ayes: Davis, Michael, Tanner, Brian, and Kyle. Nays: None. The motion carried.
AGENDA ITEM #3: Remove Mike Brown from all Village Bank Accounts
It was moved by Tanner and seconded by Davis to remove Mike Brown from all Village Bank Accounts
Ayes: Kyle, Michael, Davis, Brian, and Tanner. Nays: None. The motion carried.
AGENDA ITEM #4: Add new authorized signers to all Village Bank Accounts
It was moved by Tanner and seconded by Michael to add Dusty Newton, Amy Gillming, Tanner Tool and Davis Miner as authorized signers to all Village Bank Accounts.
Ayes: Michael, Brian, and Kyle. Nays: None. Abstain: Tanner and Davis. The motion carried.
AGENDA ITEM #5: Discuss Preliminary Site Plan of the effluent pipe layouts for the land application
Lance Harter with Oak Creek Engineering presented the plans and how they would tie the new piping into the existing piping that runs along Bison Road. The new piping would run to the west and then be split by a “T” to push water north and south for application. Lance will write up the plans and specs for the January meeting so that we can put it out to bid before the February meeting.
AGENDA ITEM #6: Consider and approve Ordinance 2024-16: An ordinance relating to the Village Officials; to increase compensation of elected officials of the Village; to repeal all ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith; and to provide an effective date.
Currently our Trustees are paid $50.00 per meeting and the Chairperson paid $60.00 per meeting. The passing of this ordinance would increase the Trustee pay to $75.00 per meeting and the Chairperson to $100.00 per meeting.
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 2024-16 might be introduced, read by title 3 times and adopted at the same meeting. Ayes: Michael, Kyle, Brian, Tanner, and Davis. Nays: None. The motion carried.
Ordinance 2024-16: An ordinance relating to the Village Officials; to increase compensation of elected officials of the Village; 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 Brian to approve Ordinance 2024-16. Ayes: Davis, Michael, Tanner, Brian, and Kyle. Nays: None. The motion carried.
AGENDA ITEM #7: Discuss Strategic Planning Committees
Strategic Planning Committees will be formed once we have restructured our current standing committees. Tanner presented a list of visions and goals based on the findings of the strategic planning survey. Dusty is working on a grant application with T-Mobile for more park pathway improvements.
DEPARTMENT REPORTS
Only one building permit for Adam Pickel to increase the size of his shed. Ravenna Sanitation will be picking up trash on Thursdays for the next couple of weeks due to the Christmas and New Years Holiday falling on Wednesday. The sewer at the school still needs to be switched over to the new lines. VanKirk was the original company that was going to do this but they have not been back so Lance said they are looking for someone else that can do it. We received a tax bill for the property that we purchased so Dusty is seeking guidance from our attorney on how to handle this as we are tax exempt. The Village Agency is looking at redoing the floors in the Village Center. The Village Offices will be closed on Christmas Eve & Christmas Day and New Years Day.
Street work to consider in 2025 would be the McComb Street and Highway 30 intersection. The maintenance staff filled some potholes with crushed concrete, but it is too cold to use the cold patch.
AGENDA ITEM #8: Adjournment.
All agenda items having been considered, it was moved by Brian and seconded by Michael to adjourn this Regular Meeting. Ayes: Davis, Michael, Tanner, Brian, and Kyle. Nays: None. The motion carried and the meeting was adjourned at 7:54pm.
________________________________________
Chairman-Elm Creek Village Board
| December 2024 Claims | |
| To Whom | |
| Wages | $ 17,649.35 |
| FICA | $ 5,501.06 |
| State Income Tax Withholding | $ 878.53 |
| Principal Financial – Employee | $ 1,362.30 |
| Principal Financial – Employer | $ 593.72 |
| BCBS-Employee Health | $ 282.84 |
| BCBS – Employee Dental | $ 21.18 |
| BCBS-Employer Health/Dental | $ 2,624.95 |
| Mutual of Omaha – Vision Employee | $ 6.98 |
| Mutual of Omaha – Vision Employer | $ 46.86 |
| Mutual of Omaha – Life & AD&D | $ 28.80 |
| AFLAC – Employee | $ 179.68 |
| Ace Hardware | $ 32.47 |
| Bank of America | $ 1,034.21 |
| Black Hills Energy | $ 336.25 |
| Buffalo Cty Sheriff Dept | $ 3,607.07 |
| Buffalo Outdoor Power | $ 387.00 |
| Central Hydraulic | $ 1,290.62 |
| Clevenger Petroleum | $ 928.51 |
| Cochran, Sheryl | $ 75.00 |
| Cornhusker Press | $ 17.00 |
| Dana F Cole & Company LLP | $ 19,730.00 |
| Depository Trust | $ 1,923.75 |
| DeWald Deaver L’Heureux Law Firm | $ 1,159.14 |
| DPPD | $ 41.84 |
| Eakes | $ 370.47 |
| Figgins Construction | $ 34,536.00 |
| FirsTier Bank | $ 40.00 |
| Graczyk Sprinklers | $ 146.59 |
| Great Plains Communications | $ 270.70 |
| Menards | $ 229.99 |
| NE Dept of Environmental Quality | $ 6,763.41 |
| NE Dept of Revenue | $ 803.96 |
| Nebraska Generator | $ 1,172.34 |
| NPPD | $ 3,235.41 |
| One Call Concepts | $ 16.60 |
| Post Office | $ 304.96 |
| Ravenna Sanitation | $ 8,197.80 |
| Tractor Supply | $ 99.98 |
| Village Center Agency | $ 646.46 |
| Wex Bank | $ 590.14 |
| Winnelson | $ 279.00 |
| WPCI | $ 66.00 |
| TOTAL | $ 117,508.92 |
