September 7, 2021 at 7:00 PM - 1st Council Regular Meeting

1. The City of St. Paul Council will hold two (2) meetings on Tuesday, September 7, 2021; the 1st Council meeting will begin at 7:00 p.m. regarding: (1) City of St. Paul's 2021-2022 Budget and Budget Statement public hearing; and (2) the 2nd Council meeting will commence immediately upon adjournment of the Budget Hearing.

2. Mayor Bergman calls meeting to order, with the "Pledge of Allegiance" and the "Open Meeting Statement" as required by NE State Statutes 84-1407 through 84-1414; Mayor Bergman also states that the City Council may vote to go into Closed Session on any agenda item as allowed by NE State Statute 84-1410. 

3. Per Nebraska State Statute 13-506(1), as amended by LB148 (2020): Each governing body shall each year conduct a public hearing on its proposed budget statement.  Such hearing shall be held separately from any regular scheduled meeting of the governing body and shall not be limited by time.  After such hearing, the proposed budget statement shall be adopted, or amended and adopted as amended at a separate and distinct meeting, and a written record shall be kept of such hearing.

City of St. Paul proposed 2021-2022 Budget Statement public hearing: Gary Hinrichs with Dana F. Cole & Co. will be present at the meeting.
a.  Mayor Bergman opens the public comment period regarding the City of St. Paul's proposed 2021-2022 Budget Statement.
b.  Mayor Bergman closed the public comment period.

4. Mayor Bergman adjourns the public hearing regarding the proposed City of St. Paul's 2021-2022 Budget and Budget Statement.

5. Mayor Bergman calls the 2nd City Council meeting to order, with the "Open Meeting Statement" as required by NE State Statutes 84-1407 through 84-1414; Mayor Bergman also states that the City Council may vote to go into Closed Session on any agenda item as allowed by NE State Statute 84-1410. 

6. Submittal of Request for Future Agenda Items

7. Reserve time to Speak on an Agenda Item

8. Discuss - Approve / Deny the 2021 Municipal Annual Certification of Program Compliance to the Nebraska Board of Public Roads Classifications and Standard (NBCS).
a. Approve / Deny Resolution #2021-07, whereas the governing body authorizes the signing of the certification by Mayor Joel M. Bergman.

9. Discuss - Introduce Ordinance #1024; authorizing the execution and delivery of a loan contract between the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) and the City of St. Paul, and issuance, pursuant to said contract, of a promissory note of the City of St. Paul, NE, in the principal amount of up to five million, eight hundred, twenty thousand and 00/100 dollars ($5,820,000.00) for the purpose of constructing additions and improvements to the Wastewater Treatment System of the City as a Clean Water project; pledging and hypothecating the revenues and earnings of the Combined Utilities owned by the City for the payment of said note; and ordering the Ordinance published in pamphlet form.
***Introduce ordinance with NO second;
***Waive three readings of ordinance with second and roll call;
***Final Passage of ordinance with second and roll call.

10. Discuss - Approve / Deny Loan Agreement between the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) and the City of St. Paul, Project No: C318049 in the amount of $5,820,000; the interest rate and administration fee will draw zero percent (0.0%). The loan will finance construction of wastewater treatment facility improvements for ammonia and nutrient removal; included in the loan are engineering and inspection fees, scada upgrade, and sewer maintenance equipment, jet trailer, vac trailer and a sewer utility pickup.  Installments of principal and interest shall be paid semiannually on December 15 and June 15 of each year in accordance with the Loan Repayment Schedule.

11. Discuss - Approve / Deny Transfers for Fiscal Year End 2020-2021 = $499,585.00:
Light to Police $140,000 (operating); Light to Park $66,800 (operating); Light to General $18,335 (US Wage); Water to General $18,335 (US Wage); Sewer to General $18,335 (US Wage); Landfill to Park $10,000 (operating); Street to General $18,335 (US Wage); Street to General $11,500 (seasonal tractor); and Street to VP Bond $197,945 (assessments).

12. Discuss - Approve / Deny the proposed 2021-2022 Budget and Budget Statement.

13. Discuss - Approve / Deny the ADDITIONAL one percent (1%) increase regarding the total allowable restricted fund authority. 

14. Discuss - Approve / Deny Resolution #2021-8, whereas the 2021-2022 property tax requests be set at $670,236.00 for the General Fund and $176,750.00 for the Bond Fund.  The total assessed value of property differs from last year's total assessed value by 11.34 percent.  The tax rate which would levy the same amount of property taxes as last year, when multiplied by the new total assessed value of property would be 0.589924 per $100 of assessed value.  The City of St. Paul proposes to adopt a property tax request that will cause its tax rate to be 0.590521 per $100 of assessed value.  Based on the proposed property tax request and changes in other revenue, the total operating budget of the City will increase last year's budget by 24.93 percent.  A copy of the resolution will be certified and forwarded to the Howard County Clerk on or before Wednesday, October 13, 2021.

15. Discuss - Introduce "Annual Appropriation Bill" Ordinance #1023 for the operation of the General and Utility funds of the City of St. Paul, in Howard County, NE, appropriating the sums of money deemed necessary to defray all expenses and liabilities for the fiscal year commencing on the first day of October, 2021 and ending the last day of September, 2022.
***Introduce Ordinance, with NO second or roll call
***Waive three (3) readings of Ordinance, with a second and roll call
*** Final Passage of Ordinance, with a second and roll call 

16. Discuss - Approve / Deny Consent Agenda Items:
(1) July 2021 Treasurer's Report; (2) August 16, 2021 Council minutes; (3) August 30, 2021 Zoning Permits; (4) September 7, 2021 disbursements; (5) Mike Coghlan as a St. Paul Emergency Medical Technician (EMT); and (6) Andrew Wilshusen as a St. Paul Firefighter; Chief of Police Howard approved background checks on both EMT and Firefighter.

17. Discuss - Approve / Deny Kinsey A. Bosselman as the new manager for Bosselman Pump & Pantry Inc. (License #D-113932); Chief of Police Howard performed a background check and granted his approval.

18. Discuss - Approve / Deny transferring $40,000 from the Sales Tax Money Market account to the Sales Tax Checking account.  This is for the purpose of paying disbursements regarding the Street: Motor Vehicle Tax and the 25% Infrastructure out of the Sales Tax, along with any other authorized disbursements from the City Council. 

19. Discuss - Approve / Deny transferring $200,000 from the City Heritage Checking account and placing the funds in the City Homestead Bank Checking account.  This is to pay disbursements and bond payments for October 2021 and November 2021.

20. Discuss - Approve / Deny the bid for the 2010 Chevrolet / Tahoe K1500 LTZ - White Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV); the City reserves the right to reject any and all bids regarding the 2010 Tahoe.

21. Utility Superintendent Helzer updates

22. City of St. Paul Police updates:

23. City Council member updates

24. Mayor Bergman updates:
(1)  As soon as the NE League of Municipalities completes the changes to the Nebraska "Open Meetings Law", posters will be sent to the City (8-17-21); 
(2) St. Paul Development Corp. (SPDC) will carry insurance coverage on the Civic Center by October 1, 2021; this is due to the management of the day-to-day operations of the Civic Center by SPDC: LARM stated that SPDC should be an additional insured party on the City's policy (SPDC's address was email to LARM on 8-17-2021) AND SPDC will carry their own liability and work comp insurance and make the City an additional insured on their policy for this location;
(3) Firefighter Anthony Dush Life insurance case

25. Public Comment Period - restricted to items on the agenda

26. Public Announcements

27. Closed Session: Pending Litigation; Strategy Session with respect to real estate purchase; and prevent needless injury to the reputation of an individual

28. Mayor Bergman adjourns City Council meeting

29. Informational Items:
a. Receipts July 2021;
b. Sales Tax Receipts: 2020-2021; 2019-2020; 2018-2019

30. This agenda, including supporting documentation, is available for public viewing during normal business hours at the City Office, 704 6th Street, St. Paul, Nebraska.