September 5, 2023 at 6:30 PM - 1st Council Regular Meeting

1. The City of St. Paul Council will hold two (2) meetings on Tuesday, September 5, 2023; the 1st Council meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. regarding: (1) a public hearing regarding the City of St. Paul's 2023-2024 Budget AND Budget Summary; and (2) the Regular Council meeting will commence immediately upon adjournment of the budget hearing. 

2. Mayor Bergman calls the Special 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. Per Nebraska State Statute 13-506(1): Each governing body shall each year conduct a public hearing on its proposed budget and 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 and 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.

Public Hearing regarding the City of St. Paul's proposed 2023-2024 Budget and Budget Statement
a.  Mayor Bergman opens the public comment period regarding the City of St. Paul's proposed 2023-2024 Budget and Budget Statement.
b.  Mayor Bergman closed the public comment period.

4. Mayor Bergman adjourns the Special meeting regarding the proposed City of St. Paul's 2023-2024 Budget and Budget Statement.

5. Mayor Bergman calls the Regular City Council meeting to order. 

6. Submittal of Request for Future Agenda Items

7. Reserve time to Speak on an Agenda Item

8. Presentation of Plaque from the NE Department of Economic Development (Kelly Gewecke) pertaining to the completion requirements to recertify as a "Leadership Certified Community".

9. Discuss - Approve / Deny City of St. Paul's 2022-2023 Sinking fund deposits; deposits into the City's Insured Cash Sweep (ICS) accounts at Citizens Bank and Trust : (1) Ambulance $9,000; (2) Fire $3,000; (3) Library (City) $2,500; (4) Light $6,000; (5) Pool $2,700; (6) Senior Center $2,500; (7) Streets $30,000; and (8) Water $27,500; total $83,200.

10. Discuss - Approve / Deny City of St. Paul Transfers for Fiscal Year End 2022-2023 = $349,087.00:
Light to Police $178,000 (operating); Light to Park $66,800 (operating); Light to General $19,282 (US Wage); Water to General $19,282 (US Wage); Sewer to General $19,282 (US Wage); Landfill to Park $10,000 (operating); Street to General $19,282 (US Wage); and Street to VP Bond $16,659 (assessments).

11. Discuss - Approve / Deny the proposed 2023-2024 Budget and Budget Statement.

12. Discuss - Approve / Deny the 2023-2024 Budget's ADDITIONAL one percent (1%) increase regarding the total allowable growth restricted fund authority. 

13. Discuss - Approve / Deny Resolution #2023-08, whereas the 2023-2023 property tax requests be set at $736,946.50 for the General Fund and $135,340.00 for the Bond Fund.  The total assessed value of property differs from last year's total assessed value by 1.36 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 0.500086 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 0.515639 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 43.58 percent.  A copy of the resolution will be certified and forwarded to the Howard County Clerk on or before Saturday, October 15, 2023.

14. Discuss - Introduce "Annual Appropriation Bill" Ordinance #1039 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 2023 and ending the last day of September 2024.  The following sums are hereby appropriated to defray the necessary expenses and liabilities of the City during the fiscal period commencing October 1, 2023, and ending September 30, 2024, to wit: (1) Operating Expenses $5,837,723; (2) Capital Improvements $8,792,397; (3) Other Capital Outlay $372,600; (4) Debt Service $2,730,058; and (5) Other & Transfers $563,969; of which $872,286.50 is to be raised by property taxation. 
***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

15. Discuss - Approve / Deny Rutjens Construction Inc. Pay Request #12 regarding the St. Paul Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF) Project #020-2586 in the amount of $249,030.89.  The pay request covers finishing up the earthwork and electrical work around the site, along with the majority of work was the lagoon earthwork (building two (2) cells).  The percentage of loan expended to date is 96%.  There is no WWTF "Change Orders" to consider.

16. From Planning Commission on August 28, 2023:
Discuss: Approve / Deny Dustin Anderson's zoning permit application #2023-32 regarding the demolition of house at 807 Farnum Street (ratify administrative approval).
 

17. From Planning Commission on August 28, 2023:
Discuss - Approve / Deny Zoning Permit #2023-33, Tony Walch: place an addition to the home at 703 9th Street.  This was denied by the Planning Commission on 8/28/2023 for the reason that it does not comply with setback requirements, and the addition would increase the degree of an existing nonconformity (Section 2.7.02).

18. From Planning Commission on August 28, 2023:
Discuss - Approve / Deny Waiver of Subdivision Requirement on the following described real estate: The North Half of the East Half (N1/2E1/2) of Lot Fifteen (15), Aleshire's Subdivision to St. Paul, Howard County, Nebraska.  The current owner of the property is John O. Gebhardt, Trustee of the John O. Gebhardt Trust, of St. Paul, Nebraska.  The anticipated division of the lot by the current owner will allow the current owner to sell to Larry Lange and Rhonda Lange, husband and wife, the following real property: the South Fifteen (15) feet of the North Half of the East Half (N1/2E1/2) of Lot Fifteen (15), Aleshire's Subdivision to St. Paul, Howard County, Nebraska.  The City Council of the City of St. Paul now waives the statutory 120 day objection period to the proposed conveyance which divides a lot into two (2) or more tracts, resulting in a subdivision.  Neb. Rev. Stat. 76-2,110(2).

19. From Planning Commission on August 28, 2023:
Discuss - Approve / Deny moving forward with public hearings to allow Multi-family housing on Lots Two (2), Three (3) and Four (4) of the Middle Loup Subdivision.  On August 28, 2023, the Planning Commission recommended to NOT allow housing in the Middle Loup Subdivision.

20. Discuss - Approve / Deny Consent Agenda Items:
(1) Treasurer's Report for July 2023; 
(2) Council minutes for August 21, 2023 (special); Council minutes; August 21, 2023 (regular); and 
(3) Zoning permits August 28, 2023; and
(4) Disbursements September 5, 2023.  
 

21. Discuss - Approve / Deny proceed to abate 1220 Farnum Street property (Todd and Michelle Padrnos)  -  Chief of Police Dan Howard.

22. Discuss - Approve / Deny setting City of St. Paul Police Dept. and Secretary wage, along with the Administrative wages per Mayor Bergman.

23. Utilities Superintendent Helzer updates

24. Chief of Police Howard updates:

25. Mayor Bergman updates

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:
(1) Sales Tax Proceeds;
 

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.

The City of St. Paul abides by the Nebraska Open Meetings Act in conducting business.  A copy of the Nebraska Open Meetings Act is on display in the meeting room as required by Nebraska State Law.
The Mayor and City Council reserve the right to enter into an Executive Session at any time during the meeting, in accordance with the Nebraska Open Meetings Act, even though the closed session may not be indicated on the Agenda.
It is the intention of the Mayor and City Council to take up the items on the agenda in sequential order.  However, the Mayor and City Council reserves the right to take up matters in a different order to accommodate the schedules of the City Council members, person(s) having items on the agenda, and the public.  The City of St. Paul reserves the right to adjust the order of items on the agenda.
Anyone wishing to speak may be limited to three (3) to five (5) minutes per person.  Please utilize the podium and clearly state your name and address for the record and the agenda topic you wish to speak upon in a professional manner.