September 21, 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 September 8, 2026, budget hearing.

4.B. Minutes of September 8, 2026, City Council meeting.

4.C. Reappointment of Diane Scheffler and Joyce Schmid to the Columbus Senior Center Advisory Board for three-year term. 

4.D. Resolution No. R26-115 authorizing the mayor to sign the Municipal Annual Certification of Program Compliance 2026 to Nebraska Board of Public Roads Classifications and Standards.

4.E. Resolution No. R26-116 authorizing payment of various improvement projects.

4.F. Payroll and bills on file.

5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Included in Consent Agenda

6. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS: None

7. PUBLIC HEARINGS

7.A. Public hearing - Property tax request for Fiscal Year 2026-2027.

7.A.1. Resolution No. R26-117 setting the property tax request at $7,899,955.48.

8. PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS: None

9. REPORTS OF CITY OFFICES

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

10. REPORTS OF COUNCIL COMMITTEES: None

11. REPORTS OF SPECIAL COMMITTEES: None

12. REPORTS ON LEGISLATION: None

13. NEW BUSINESS

13.A. Appointment of Russ Strehle to the Civil Service Commission filling unexpired term until April 2029.

13.B. Application from Nissen Winery, Inc. for special designated liquor license at 1554 18 Avenue from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., December 6, 2026, for a craft fair.

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

14. RESOLUTIONS

14.A. Resolution No. R26-118 approving Change Order No. 2 with Rutjens Construction, Inc. in the amount of $57,369.10 for Change Proposal Requests 6 and 7 for North Well No. 20. CIP#25-67

14.B. Resolution R26-119 approving total acquisition in the amount of $235,000 plus closing costs for Walter Lee Kittrell and Tami Renee Kittrell in conjunction with the 8th Street 12th Avenue Intersection Improvements project.  CIP #25-35

14.C. Resolution No. R26-120 adopting Schedule of Fees for Fiscal Year 2026-2027.

15. ORDINANCES ON FIRST READING: None

15.A. Ordinance No. 26-18 adopting Pay Plan for Fiscal Year 2026-2027 .

15.B. Ordinance No. 26-19 adopting Budget for Fiscal Year 2026-2027.

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