October 2, 2023 at 6:30 PM - 1st Council Regular Meeting

1. Mayor Bergman calls 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. 

2. Submittal of Request for Future Agenda Items

3. Reserve time to Speak on an Agenda Item

4. Discuss - Approve / Deny Agreement between the City of St. Paul, NE and Fiber Nebraska LLC for the purpose to furnish Telecommunication services to the persons residing in the City of St. Paul, NE and vicinity, and therewith will need to erect and maintain aerial cables, wires, and associated appliances throughout the area to be served, and will attach such cable, wires and appliances to the poles of the City. The Operator shall pay the City for the attachments made to the City's poles at a rental rate of $4.00 per pole.
a.  Approve / Deny the Telecommunication Franchise Agreement.  The Franchise Agreement will be for a Term of ten (10) years and the Grantee shall pay an Occupation Tax of three (3) percent on the gross receipts. The payments shall be made quarterly.

5. Discuss - Approve / Deny Mayor Bergman appointing Dan Scheer to replace Jerry Woodgate on the St. Paul Planning & Zoning Committee; Mr. Scheer is a representative within the City's one-mile extraterritorial jurisdiction.

6. Discussion - Update on rezoning to allow housing in the Light Industrial District, and City costs to move forward - possible action.

7. BID SPECS REGARDING ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT 
Discuss - Approve / Deny Electrical Commissioner Jamie Summers bid specs on: (1) used Altec 41M or Equivalent used unit AND (2) 2-Man End Mounted Platform with 180 degree Platform Rotation; up to 600 lb. (272 kg) capacity; safety features on this unit must include a platform liner, fall protection system, wheel chocks and outrigger pads.
 

8. In March the NE Dept. of Economic Development awarded the City of St. Paul $1 million in funds remove/rehab dilapidated houses.  Program requirements changed the grant to a zero percent (0%) loan that would have to be repaid.  If all communities awarded money decline the funds, the NE Legislature may be tasked with re-allocating the funds with more favorable terms however a new application process will be required.
Discuss - Approve / Deny declining the ARPA Rural Workforce Land Development (RWLD) funds awarded in March 2023.

9. Discuss - Approve / Deny Consent Agenda Items:
(1) Council minutes regarding September 18, 2023 (regular); 
(2) Zoning permits September 25, 2023; and
(3) Disbursements October 2, 2023.  

10. Discussion regarding pets at the City of St. Paul's Elmwood Cemetery; possible action in forming a pet ordinance.  
Note: Currently, there is no Municipal Code for pets in the Elmwood Cemetery under Chapter 3, Article 10. 

11. Utilities Superintendent Helzer updates

12. Chief of Police Howard updates:

13. Mayor Bergman updates include:
(1) Citizens Bank & Trust will increase interest rates on the City's Intrafi Insured Cash Sweep (ICS) accounts from 3.85% to 4.40% effective Wednesday, September 20, 2023;
(2) Sales Tax Revenue;
(3) St. Paul Library Board minutes of September 20, 2023, and April 13, 2023;
(4) Chief of Police Dan Howard has hired Malik Bearheels as a City of St. Paul part-time City Officer at an hourly rate of $21; currently, Mr. Bearheels is employed at the Howard County Sheriff's Office full-time;
(5) Please see the attached instructions on how City patrons can retrieve the City Agendas and Minutes through the City of St. Paul website; this will be placed in the Phonograph Herald next week;
(6) City's 2022-2023 Property Tax: The City allocated $837,600 for 2022-2023; the City collected $849,686 = an increase of $12,086; 

14. Public Announcements

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

16. Mayor Bergman adjourns City Council meeting

17. Informational Items:

18. 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.