December 5, 2022 at 7:00 PM - 1st Council Regular Meeting

1. City of St. Paul REORGANIZATION MEETING on Monday, December 5, 2022 beginning at 7:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers.

2. Mayor Bergman calls the City Council 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. Submittal of Request for Future Agenda Items

4. Reserve time to Speak on an Agenda Item

5. Discuss - Approve / Deny Consent Agenda Items: (1) November 21, 2022 (regular) Council minutes and the November 28, 2022 (special) Council minutes; and (2) December 5, 2022 disbursements. 

6. Presentation of Plaque regarding "Years of Service" by Joel M. Bergman, Mayor
a.  Jerry Thompson, Council member: December 3, 2018 to December 5, 2022.

7. (RAISE RIGHT HAND FOR OATH OF OFFICE)  Oath of Office regarding Catherine L. Kowalski and Bill Peters as new City Council members; their term will be from December 5, 2022 to December 7, 2026.

8. Joel M. Bergman, Mayor opens the Council meeting with the newly elected City of St. Paul Council member Bill Peters; SIGN NEW ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF MEETING FORM.

9. Joel M. Bergman, Mayor voices his 2022-2023 City Appointments (add appointments to minutes).
a. Mayor Bergman request nominations from the floor regarding the appointment of a City Council President;
b. Approval to cease and appoint a Council President, with a second and roll call.

***Mayor Bergman extended his appreciation to all volunteer members in dedicating their time to the City of St. Paul.

10. Discuss - Approve / Deny Mayor Joel M. Bergman's 2022-2023 City Appointments.

11. Discuss - Approve / Deny Agreement of Code of Professional Ethics of the City of St. Paul, Nebraska.

12. Discuss - Approve / Deny Resolution 2022-24 naming a City Council member as the Loup Central Landfill representative, along with naming an alternate representative when the Loup Central Landfill representative cannot attend a meeting. 

13. Discuss - Approve / Deny Rutjens Construction Inc. Pay Request #8 regarding the St. Paul Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF) Project #020-2586 in the amount of $469,534.16.  The pay request consists of some finishing work on the lift station manholes and lean to structure, framework on the control building, concrete work, stairs and hand-rail installation, and piping installation in and around the Sequencing Batch Reactors (SBR) tanks, site piping, and electrical work around the entire site.  The percentage of loan expended to date is 65%.
Note: Due to the work on the Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF) being 50% completed, the retainage has been moved from 10% to 5%.

14. Discuss - Approve / Deny repairing the St. Paul Civic Center marquee sign from Love Signs, Inc. in the amount of $3,850.
a. Disbursement of funds from what City account. 

15. Discuss - Introduce Ordinance #1036; an ordinance amending the St. Paul Municipal Code; to amend Section 1-903 pertaining to compensation of Elected Officers and Officials; to repeal any ordinance, or parts of any ordinance in conflict with this ordinance; to provide for the effect date of such ordinance; and to provide for the publication of this ordinance.
***Introduce, with NO Second and NO roll call;
***Waive three (3) readings, with second and roll call; and
***Final Passage, with second and roll call.

16. Discuss - Approve / Deny repairing or removing the east Howard Avenue "Welcome Sign".
a. Repair cost total?

17. Discussion on investing with Nebraska Class Trust; Nebraska Class Trust authorizes local government entities to exercise their powers and functions, including financing, jointly or in cooperation with other governmental entities and Nebraska law express allows public agencies to invest surplus or excess funds.  Also authorizes public agencies to enter into an interlocal agreement in order for such agencies to take joint or cooperative action.
The investment funds are secured in a number of ways:
a. Funds are secured and backed by the underlying assets that NE Class own (deposits, CD's, US Treasuries, US Agencies, and Repurchase Agreements);
b. Deposits and Repurchase agreements are fully collateralized (under State Statute, the "NE Investment Act");
c. All US Treasuries are backed by the full faith and credit of the US of America;
d. NE Class utilizes a "stable NAV or Net Asset Value".  Every dollar invested in the pool equals 1 share (e.g. $10 million = 10 million shares). That $1 share never changes in value.  The main focus of our pools is prioritized in this order: (1) Safety of principle investment; (2) Yield; and (3) Liquidity.

18. Discuss - Approve / Deny St. Paul Police Sergeant Scott Greenwalt's letter of resignation with regret.

19. Utilities Superintendent Helzer updates

20. Chief of Police Howard updates:

21. City Council member updates

22. Mayor Bergman updates:
a.  The CNA Surety bond coverage for the Mayor (Joel Bergman), Council members (Kowalski, Schmid, Feeken & Peters) and the Custodians of the Civic Center (Dream Solko & Joe Maus) will change and be effective on Monday, December 5, 2022;
b. City Clerk Beck will be attending a LARM meeting on Wednesday, December 14, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. at the Cornhusker Hotel in Lincoln, NE;
c. Mayor Bergman will be attending a LIGHT meeting on Friday, December 16, 2022 at the Cornhusker Hotel in Lincoln, NE;

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

24. Public Announcements

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

26. Mayor Bergman adjourns City Council meeting

27. Informational Items:

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

29. City Council may hold a closed session by the affirmative vote of a majority of its voting members if a closed session is clearly necessary for the protection of the public interest or for the prevention of needless injury to the reputation of an individual and if such individual has not requested a public meeting.  The subject and the reason necessitating the closed session shall be identified in the motion to close.