January 5, 2026 at 6:00 PM - Beatrice Regular City Council Meeting
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1. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
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2. ROLL CALL
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3. MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARD – Jeff Creek and Charles Elliott
Discussion:
JM
Mayor - employees do go above & beyond, thank you |
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4. CONSENT AGENDA
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4.a. Approve agenda as submitted.
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4.b. Receive and place on file all notices pertaining to this meeting.
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4.c. Receive and place on file all materials having any bearing on this meeting.
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4.d. Approval of minutes of regular meeting on December 15, 2025, as on file in the City Clerk's Office.
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4.e. Approval of Treasurer’s Report of Claims in the amount of $2,558,562.49.
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4.f. Approval of BASWA Report of Claims in the amount of $105,255.92.
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4.g. Approval of BPW Report of Claims in the amount of $1,599,022.39.
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4.h. Approval of Pay Request #5 in the amount of $109,864.70 to Van Kirk Brothers Contracting for the 2025 Corral Crossing Addition project.
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4.i. Approval of Pay Request #4 in the amount of $46,525.65 to Van Kirk Brothers Contracting for the 2025 Heritage Heights Addition project.
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4.j. Approval of a new keno sales satellite application for The Manes Way, LLC, 2223 Court Street, Beatrice, Nebraska.
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4.k. Approval of public funding request from Rotary Club of Beatrice in the amount of $6,000.00 for the Patriotic Beatrice 4th of July Fireworks event.
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4.l. Resolution Number 7692 appointing Craig Zarybnicky to the Beatrice Housing Authority Board.
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4.m. Resolution Number 7693 appointing Julie Feist to the Citizens Advisory Review Committee.
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4.n. Resolution Number 7694 executing the Donation Agreement between the City and the Beatrice Pickleball Association (Association), regarding the donation from the Association to be used for the construction of a shade structure over the seating area of the pickleball courts located at Chautauqua Park.
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4.o. Resolution Number 7695 executing the Donation Agreement between the City and the Beatrice Public Library Foundation, Inc. (Foundation), regarding the donation from the Foundation to be used to reimburse the City for the City’s eighty percent (80%) of tuition and book costs for classes and training for Morgan Fox at Emporia State University.
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4.p. Resolution Number 7696 executing the Donation Agreement between the City and the Beatrice Girls Softball Association for the expansion of the concession stand at Hannibal Park.
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4.q. Resolution Number 7697 executing the Agreement for Professional Services retaining JEO to perform MS4 Compliance Assistance Services during FY26.
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
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5. PUBLIC HEARINGS/BIDS
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5.a. Public Hearing for the purpose of considering adoption of a Workforce Housing Tax Increment Financing Incentive Plan pursuant to Neb. Rev. Stat. § 18-2142.05.
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
Discussion:
TT - state statute, must have TIF incentive plan in place. Defined in statute, a few identified: TIF, rural workforce, has to be in blighted & substandard; contractor can not be unjustly enriched - not defined.
Terry - anything we are not doing? TT - no TD - housing study every 5 years? TT - yes, current in 2020, working to get new one done through University. |
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5.b. Public Hearing for the purpose of discussing the draft EPA Brownfields grant application for the clean-up and remediation of the Dempsters Site.
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
Discussion:
TT - same hearing couple momths ago, applying for just under $4 million to clean up Dempsters, demo & removal of buildings on Eastern side, initially did this, federal government closed, asked to do again.
Ted - get timeline from TED part of thing - we didn't own all until 3 months ago. EPA started cleaning up in 2024. Mayor put together committee: Ted, Gary & Terry. Talked with ___ from EPA? Fire - some cleanup. December 2025 clean up began. 12 rolloffs & 146 dump trucks full of stuff. street dept couldn't keep up with the kids working. piles of scrap, locals can't take as too large.haven't disturbed any soil, Terry - very concise summary outlining & what will happen Eskra - applying for $4 million 0 when will be awarded? Ted - May 1st, funds should be available TT - will have to make application to State, etc. Eskra - MM involved? Ted - yes, they did the last one & this is night/day in information. Gary - stability of the front of the structure? TT - have not had structural engineer look at to know at this time. GB - any additional liability? TT - dont' believe so, monitor & take care of as needed Ted - commend Street Department, did a super job, as well as the young kids. far out worked what they got paid. very little left to do if we get the grant. ALex- total? TT - 10-11 million Ted- grant will not remove floors...only takes the buildings to the ground, some will be easy, but others will be more difficult. have $100,000 budgeted aside from the grant Eskra - will they look at if we get a grant & will they be more willing to do more? TT - only awarded 1 grant for 1 parcel ever - Dana - only a piece of the puzzle, grant will not take down all buildings Ted - we are doing something about this, have been working very diligently to get it done eskra - ted has spent lot of time |
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6. RESOLUTIONS
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6.a. Resolution Number 7698 adopting the Workforce Housing Tax Increment Financing Incentive Plan for the City of Beatrice.
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
Discussion:
plan just talked about - does not obligate city to do anything
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6.b. Resolution Number 7699 executing any and all documents necessary to apply for the 2026 United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Brownfield Grant Program for site cleanup at the Dempster’s Site.
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
Discussion:
auth to sign docs, passed before, pass again while in process
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6.c. Resolution Number 7700 executing Supplement #1 of the Agreement for Professional Services dated March 3, 2025 to retain JEO to inventory additional trees for the City’s tree inventory.
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
Discussion:
city able to acquire grants for trees, latest alows us to extend current tree inventory. JEO competed last year, this will hire JEO on every tree on city row east of Hwy 77 $28,250 - may be out this week.
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6.d. Resolution Number 7701 executing the Letter Agreement for Professional Services with Olsson, Inc., to retain Olsson, Inc., for Wellhead Protection Area Amendment support services.
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
Discussion:
2 wellfields located northwest of town. older further west, city farm newer located further east. in past, both came to city. recently no longer use further to west for drinking water - been there since 1930s, have not been bringing back to city for a number of years. expanded to include the swanenger property to the east, since no longer use wells to the west, proposing to eliminate west of big blue river. hire Olsson to study to ensure will not have any effect to our drinking water. hire OA to complete study, assuming that is what study shows, will look to reduce wellhead protection area.
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6.e. Resolution Number 7702 entering into a State Grant Agreement with the Nebraska Department of Transportation, Aeronautics Division for Project No. 3-31-0009-024-2025 for the purpose of obtaining state financial aid in the development of the Beatrice Municipal Airport.
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
Discussion:
2 years ago awarded 2.8 million from SEn FIscher - 90/10 split - build new hanger & install PAPI lights about $3 million, city's share $300,000 state ____________ which would be applied to City's share of these projects
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6.f. Resolution Number 7703 dedicating All of Lots Twenty-Three (23) and Twenty-Four (24), South Beatrice, an Addition to the City of Beatrice, Gage County, Nebraska as a public park to be known as A.J. Stoddard Park.
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
Discussion:
stoddard school site, sold bldg to hoppe development, part of their grant appliation has to have a playground located on parcel. asking to dedicate 2 lots along 8th street as city park & name A.J. Stoddard, born in AUburn, superintendent 1917-1922.
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6.g. Resolution Number 7704 approving the Declarations of Restrictive Covenants for Corral Crossing Addition and Heritage Heights Addition, both Additions to the City of Beatrice, Gage County, Nebraska.
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
Discussion:
city developing - proposing to install convenants, pretty identical on both
have to have min 1250 living space, basement with 1 egress window, muted, earth tones, 25% front has to be stone, brick, stucco, 2 car garage, start construction within 90 days of acquiring lot, prices ready at CC - $500 down payment. Application available on website tomorrow morning. once get application, will contact to prep legal docs - under development tab on website. Gary - committee spent good amount of time on these, not going to make everyone happy. Terry - have 18 months to get done, 90 days starts after sell & obtain building permit. made if this does not work out the way we anticipate, can change under circumstances, etc. Gary - flexible Mike - will these pictures be available? TT - Amanda has ordered sign to be installed at CC. Ted - HH getting ready to pour more streets, big lots, will be nice addition. |
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7. ORDINANCES - None
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8. PUBLIC FORUM
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9. DISCUSSIONS/REPORTS - None
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10. MISCELLANEOUS
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10.a. The next regular City Council meeting is January 19, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. in the BPS Administration Building Board Room.
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
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