April 20, 2026 at 6:00 PM - City Council Regular Meeting

1. STATEMENT OF COMPLIANCE WITH OPEN MEETINGS ACT AND ROLL CALL

2. PRAYER

3. NATIONAL ANTHEM AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

4. CONSENT AGENDA - The following items are considered to be routine by the city council and will be enacted by one motion. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a city council member or citizen so requests, in which event the item will be removed from consent status and considered in its normal sequence on the agenda.

4.A. Minutes of April 6, 2026, City Council meeting.

4.B. Reappointment of Neil Carnes and Mark Bierman to the Board of Adjustment for three-year terms. 

4.C. Renewal of solid waste hauling licenses for Ace Sanitation Service, Inc., Beemer Lumber LLC dba Discount Dumpster, Hilltop Rolloff LLC dba Callaway Rolloff, S2 Roll-offs Refuse & Recycling, Smash the Trash Sanitation LLC, U & I Sanitation LLC, and Waste Connections of Nebraska, Inc., contingent on bond requirements being met.

4.D. Finance department report.

4.E. Payroll and bills on file.

5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Included in Consent Agenda

6. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS

6.A. Proclamation declaring the week of April 26, 2026, as National Apprenticeship Week. 

6.B. Proclamation declaring April 28, 2026, as Kind Columbus Day.

7. PUBLIC HEARINGS

7.A. Public hearing - Application from Williams Midwest Housemovers, on behalf of Jim Connot, for a permit to move a house from 1808 E 23rd Street, Columbus, NE to land outside of city jurisdiction. (Planning Commission recommends approval.)

7.B. Public hearing - Application from Advanced Consulting Engineering Services on behalf of Keyes Development, LLC for final plat and development agreement of Dubas Addition (extensions and connections of Isaiah Drive and 44th Avenue). (Planning Commission recommends approval.)

7.B.1. Resolution No. R26-54 approving final plat and development agreement.

7.C. Public hearing - Application from Clark Grant on behalf of Dr. Jeffrey Gotschall and Tammi Gotschall for final plat and development agreement of J.C. and T.L. Gotschall 2nd Subdivision (west side of 26th Avenue and 33rd Street). (Planning Commission recommends approval.)

7.C.1. Resolution No. R26-55 approving final plat and development agreement.

7.D. Public hearing - Application from Clark Grant on behalf of Dr. Jeffrey Gotschall and Tammi Gotschall to rezone property located in Lots 1, 2, 3, and 4, Block B, and lots 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, Block C J.C. and T.L. Gotschall 2nd Subdivision to the City of Columbus, Platte County, Nebraska from "R-1" (Single-Family Residential) to "R-2" (Two-Family Residential) and to amend the Future Land Use Map of the Comprehensive Plan (west side of 26th Avenue and 33rd Street). (Planning Commission recommends approval.)

7.D.1. Ordinance No. 26-06 approving rezoning.

7.E. Public hearing - Application from Dale and Patricia Labenz to rezone property located in Lots 1, 2, 3, and 4 Lying South of the Union Pacific Right-of-Way and all of Lots 5, 6, 7, and 8, Block 73 and Lot 1, Block 74, Original City of Columbus, Platte County, Nebraska from "R-3" (Multiple-Family Residential) to "ML/C-1" (Light Industrial District) and to amend the Future Land Use Map of the Comprehensive Plan (northwest corner of 12th Street and 14th Avenue). (Planning Commission recommends approval.)

7.E.1. Ordinance No. 26-07 approving rezoning.

8. PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS: None

9. REPORTS OF CITY OFFICES: Finance department report included in Consent Agenda

9.A. 2025 tax increment financing report.

9.B. Update on Nebraska Department of Transportation Loup River South Bridges project.

9.C. Columbus in Focus - General Services.

10. REPORTS OF COUNCIL COMMITTEES

10.A. Public Property, Safety, and Works Committee - April 20, 2026.

10.A.1. Permanent Utility Easement located in Lot 1, JLO Subdivision, to the City of Columbus, Platte County, Nebraska (Howard Blvd and Evans Lane)

10.A.2. Minutes of January 21, 2026, Americans with Disabilities Compliance Committee meeting. 

10.A.3. Traffic Control Device Committee report for 1st Quarter 2026.

11. REPORTS OF SPECIAL COMMITTEES: None

12. REPORTS ON LEGISLATION: None

13. NEW BUSINESS

13.A. Appointment of Greg Sealock to the Civil Service Commission for five-year term.

13.B. Appointment of Bret Kumpf to the Board of Adjustment for three-year term.

13.C. Appointment of Russ Strehle to the Board of Adjustment for three-year term.

13.D. Appointment of Michael Duesman as an alternate to the Board of Adjustment for three-year term.

13.E. Plans, specifications, estimate of cost in the amount of $204,590, and authorization to advertise for bids for Columbus Loup River Bridge Mitigation 2026 (plans and specifications on file in the engineering department) CIP# 25-25

13.F. Comments from mayor and city council members.

14. RESOLUTIONS

14.A. Resolution No. R26-56 approving and accepting permanent utility easement with JLO Properties, LLC located in Lot 1, JLO Subdivision, to the City of Columbus, Platte County, Nebraska (Howard Boulevard and Evans Lake).

14.B. Resolution R26-57 awarding contract to Midlands Contracting dba Johnson Service Co. in the amount of $133,409.75 for Sanitary Sewer Rehabilitation 2026. CIP #20-94

14.C. Resolution R26-58 approving professional engineering services agreement with Kirkham Michael & Associates, Inc. in the amount of $125,384.19 for Airport Runway and Taxiway Lighting Improvements. Reallocated CIP #26-15

14.D. Resolution R26-59 approving professional engineering services agreement with Kirkham Michael & Associates, Inc. in the amount of $20,000 to provide geographical information system and AutoCAD files for runway approach zones for Columbus Municipal Airport. Reallocated CIP #26-15

14.E. Resolution No. R26-60 amending award of Community Development Block Grant funds to the amount of $19,126.70 to Melissa Spearman for downtown revitalization. 

15. ORDINANCES ON FIRST READING: None

16. ORDINANCES ON SECOND READING: None

17. ORDINANCES ON THIRD READING: None

18. PAYROLL AND BILLS ON FILE: Included in Consent Agenda

19. UNFINISHED BUSINESS: None

20. ADJOURNMENT