January 16, 2024 at 6:30 PM - 2nd Council Regular Meeting

1. Mayor Mike Feeken 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 Feeken 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 Requests for Future Agenda Items

3. Reserve Time to Speak on an Agenda Item

4. City of St. Paul's Municipal Code 1-105 "ELECTED OFFICIAL VACANCY":
Whenever a vacancy occurs in an elected office of the Municipality, except Mayor, notice of said vacancy shall be presented in writing to the City Council at a Regular Council meeting (January 2, 2024) and said notice shall appear as a part of the minutes of such meeting.
NOTE: "PUBLIC NOTICE REGARDING COUNCIL MEMBER VACANCY" was posted in four (4) usual places in St. Paul, NE on Thursday, December 21, 2023, and was also published in the Phonograph Herald on Wednesday, January 3, 2024 (please see the attached documents). 
NOTE: The Mayor shall, within two (2) weeks after the regular meeting at which such notice has been presented, submit the name of a qualified elector to fill the vacancy for the balance of the unexpired term.  Upon a majority vote of approval by the City Council, the vacancy shall be filled.  If a majority vote is not reached, the nomination shall be rejected and the Mayor shall, at the next regular meeting, submit the name of another qualified elector.  
APPROVE / DENY Mayor Feeken's name of a qualified elector to fill the vacancy for the balance of the Council members' unexpired term.

5. Mayor Feeken requested nominations regarding the Council President: 
a. Mayor Feeken ceases the nominations for Council President.
b. Approve City of St. Paul's Council President. 

6. Discuss - Approve / Deny the City of St. Paul applying for the State & Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP) FY 2024 with the assistance of Hamilton and COR (Doug Cramer).  The amount of the grant will be approximately $75,000; the City match will be 20% ($15,000).  Hamilton and COR will assist the City in completing all documentation for the grant, along with assisting the City to form a Cybersecurity Policy and Procedures for future reference.  It was stated that if the City of St. Paul bypasses FY 2024, then the grant will be more the following year.  Doug Cramer (COR) Grand Island, NE stated that the grant is important; this is due to the constant changes in cybersecurity with ransomware and phishing.  The Grant Application is due Friday, February 2, 2024.
a. Funding mechanism for the City share $15,000 (possible action)

7. At the City Council meeting on Tuesday, January 2, 2024, the City officials allowed Mr. Eiberger until January 16, 2024, to remove the Blue Honda Civic from the property at 304 8th Street.
Discuss - Approve / Deny City abating the nuisance at 304 8th Street (David Eiberger) pertain to an unlicensed Blue Honda Civic vehicle.

8. Discuss - Approve / Deny the NE Dept. of Transportation (NDOT) "Certificate of Compliance" regarding services performed in calendar year 2023. The amount due to the State of Nebraska for snow removal is 5.10 lane miles x $665 per lane mile = $3,391.50.

9. Discuss - Approve / Deny Maintenance Agreement No. 47 between the NE Dept. of Transportation (NDOT) and the Municipality of St. Paul for the period of January 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024, pertaining to surface maintenance and/or snow removal in the amount of $3,391.50.  The maintenance agreement consists of: (1) West City Limits and (2) South City Limits to North City Limits.

10. Discuss - Approve / Deny Consent Agenda Items: (1) Treasurer's Report December 2023; (2) January 2, 2024 (regular) Council minutes; (3) January 16, 2024, disbursements; and (4) Mayor Feeken's appointment of Sally Einspahr to the Housing Authority Board of Commissioners to complete Mrs. Fanta's term of office to October 31, 2027.  Commissioner Fanta resigned from the Housing Board of Commissioners as of December 31, 2023; Mrs. Fanta has served since October 2017. 

11. The St. Paul Civic Center (423 Howard Avenue) north door required repairs to the automatic door opener.  Island Glass Co., Grand Island, NE invoiced the Civic Center for the amount of $2,853 regarding the repairs.
Discuss - Approve / Deny disbursing from which City account? 

12. Discuss - Approve / Deny the REVISED City of St. Paul Rural Economic Development Loan Grant (REDLG) Revolving Loan Fund Plan.  The "Plan" is required for the new Howard County Medical Center REDLG application.  The "Plan" will be emailed to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in Kearney, NE.

13. Please review the "Outdoor Storage Container" ordinance regarding any changes, additions or deletions. The Planning Committee will have a public hearing first to review and discuss the "Outdoor Storage Container" regulations, then the City Council will have a public hearing once it is heard by the Planning Commission.  

14. St. Paul Council to discuss and review the City Municipal Code book, Chapter One (1), Articles One (1) through Six (6)  -  (possible action).

15. Discuss - Approve / Deny removing Joel M. Bergman (previous Mayor) from the three (3) St. Paul Financial Institution's (Homestead Bank; Citizens Bank & Trust; and Heritage Bank) signature cards, along with removing Joel M. Bergman from the NE CLASS and NPAIT Investment signature cards.  The new Mayor (Mike Feeken) and the new Council President will be added to all signature cards.  Connie Jo Beck, City Clerk/Deputy Treasurer; Laura Berthelsen, Deputy Clerk; and Sally Einspahr, City Treasurer, Liana Wroblewski, Utilities Clerk, and Kristie Fousek, Payroll Clerk will be added to the accounts as depicted in the St. Paul Financial Institution, NPAIT and NE Class letters that will be signed by Mayor Feeken. 

16. Discuss the Intersection at "M" Street and Nelson Street (Keith Harris purchased the Pelc property at 1221 Nelson Street) - possible action.

17. Discuss - Approve / Deny the attendance of the 2024 Midwinter Conference at the Cornhusker Marriott Hotel, Lincoln, NE on February 26-27, 2024 (see attached agenda).

18. Updates from the previous Council meetings:
a. GCA Baseball Signage: Loren Studley stated the sign is still a work in progress; will keep in contact with City; 
b. St. Paul Fire Department place numbers on residential homes:  Fire Chief Becker stated that this has been postponed until April or May 2024, due to weather; 
c. Status of new Fire Hall (Utilities Superintendent Helzer);
d. Status of Verizon Tower lease payments (Utilities Superintendent Helzer);
e. Status of Fiber Nebraska project (Utilities Superintendent Helzer); and
f.  Status of the Middle Loup Subdivision;
 

19. Utilities Superintendent Helzer updates

20. Chief of Police Howard updates: 
(1) Nuisance & Incident Report;

21. Mayor Mike Feeken updates:
(1) Part-time custodial work in the City Office will be published in the Phonograph Herald on Wednesday, January 17, 2024; bids are due on or before January 26, 2024, at 3:00 p.m.;
(2) The City of St. Paul's Lottery Compliance Procedures Report from October 1, 2022, to September 30, 2023 can be reviewed at the City Offices;
(3) The first half (1/2) of the City's Electrical Bucket Truck has been paid to Altec Capital Services on January 8, 2024, in the amount of $53,950; the second (2nd) half of the Electrical Bucket Truck will be paid in full upon delivery of the truck;
(4) The Meter Based Surge Protection Device will be paid in the amount of $4,378 on Monday, February 5, 2024; a Hold Harmless will be signed by all persons that receive the device;
(5) City Clerk Beck is working on changing the Western Surety Bond regarding the new Mayor, Council President and City Council at Christensen Insurance; the City Office Staff Fidelity Bond is also being updated according to City title;
(6) The City of St. Paul's Solar savings from May 2023 to November 2023 is in the amount of $15,568;
(7) Mayor and City Council information regarding City Outstanding Assessments for Street Paving, Water Improvements and Sewer Improvement; Outstanding Sales Tax LB840 Loans; Outstanding Rural Economic Development Loan Grants (REDLG); and Outstanding Tax Increment Financing (TIF) projects - see attached;
(8) City of St. Paul will be taking Recycling Center Hay bids this year; the contract will be for three (3) years unless decided differently.  Advertising in the Phonograph Herald will be in May 2024.


 

22. Public Announcements

23. Closed Session: The City of St. Paul reserves the right to go into Closed Session when it is clearly necessary to protect the public interest or for the prevention of needless injury to the reputation of an individual; or pending litigation

24. Mayor Feeken adjourns City Council meeting.

25. Informational Items:

26. 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.