February 5, 2024 at 6:30 PM - 1st 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 Request for Future Agenda Items

3. Reserve time to Speak on an Agenda Item

4. (RAISE RIGHT HAND FOR OATH OF OFFICE)  Oath of Office regarding Brian Victor Sack as the new Council member to fill the vacancy in the City of St. Paul Council.  Council member Sack's term will be fulfilled on December 2, 2024.

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

6. On December 4, 2023, Council member Kowalski was appointed as the Loup Central Landfill representative and Councilmember Peters was appointed as alternate representative.
Discuss - Approve / Deny Resolution 2023-12 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 the meeting. 

7. Discussion pertaining to the re-utilization of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds in the amount of $257,569 (Brian Friedrichsen - Olsson) - Possible Action.
When finalizing the Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF) project numbers, Brian Friedrichsen (Olsson) realized that he had incorporated the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars ($257,269); this was to offset the loan amount when the City increased the total loan agreement amount with the NE Dept. of Environment & Energy (NDEE) State Revolving Loan Fund (SRF). 

8. Discuss - Approve / Deny Olsson letter of "Completion of the Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF) 2021" project. 
Warranty items have been completed by HOA Solutions Inc.; the warranty item pertained to screens that help relay information back to the Water Treatment Plant. The screens were not showing the correct values, dates, etc.  HOA Solutions Inc. was on site the week of January 22 - 26, 2024 to correct the problem.  
Sewer Operator Trae Anderson stated that a new power supply was ordered for the UV building control panel. The alarms for the grinder and auger need to be repaired, along with the lift station run times not being correct; they need repair.

9. Discuss - Approve / Deny Olsson Change Order No. 4 (Final) regarding Engineer's Project #020-2586 to the increased amount of $2,986. This involves American Fence providing and installing an additional 70 linear feet of six feet (6') tall galvanized chain link fence at the sewer lift station.

10. Discuss - Approve / Deny Rutjens Construction Inc. final Pay Request #13 regarding St. Paul Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF) Project #020-2586 in the amount of $528,093.27.  The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) will absorb $257,569 and the remaining will be absorbed by the Checking (sewer) account #100027 in the amount of $270,524.27.
The pay request covers the final Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF) site work; it consists of fencing; north cell decommissioning and final scada work. The percentage of loan expended to date is 99%. 

11. Discuss - Approve / Deny the City purchasing a Phase Contrast Microscope and HDMI Camera for the Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF) in the amount of $4,980.  
Although the microscope the staff possesses currently will take care of a good portion of the items needed, it is not quite enough to see the smaller items that can cause a plant to have unexpected results. It is believed that this was a factor in the issues that the plant is working through currently. Per Olsson, the City would need to pay $1,600 out of pocket. 

12. Discuss - Approve / Deny Consent Agenda Items:
(1) Council Minutes regarding January 16, 2024 (regular); 
(2) Disbursements February 5, 2024; and (3) Mayor Feeken appoints Parker Klinginsmith to the Housing Authority Board of Commissioners to complete Mike Feeken's term of office until November 30, 2025. Mr. Feeken has served since December 2016.    

13. 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? 

14. Discuss / Review the State of Nebraska "Lease Agreement Addendum #8" pertaining to the NE State Patrol building rent amount and term of lease (Possible Action).  Currently, the City is receiving $250 monthly for rent; this is on a two (2) year lease.  The lease agreement will term on Thursday, February 29, 2024.  

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 - Approve / Deny hiring a custodial service, along with cost to clean the City Offices and the Police Dept. offices.  It will take approximately eight (8) hours biweekly to clean.
 

17. A position in the City of St. Paul Sewer and Wastewater Treatment Superintendent was open to the City's current employees.  The job opening was posted for a period of ten (10) working days, during which time all employees were permitted to apply for the position.  Applications were accepted until Friday, January 19, 2024, at 5:00 p.m.  The vacancy position was posted at the City Office; the Wastewater Treatment Facility; the Water Treatment Facility; the City Park Shop and the North Electrical Yards.
Discuss - Approve / Deny hiring a City "Sewer and Wastewater Treatment Superintendent" to oversee the Wastewater Treatment Facility, along with approving the hourly wage (effective immediately?).

18. Discuss - Approve / Deny replacing St. Paul Police Dept. "evidence door"; this is due to the overheating of the room (Chief of Police Howard);
a. Disbursement from which account?
 

19. NUISANCE UPDATES FIRST COUNCIL MEETING OF MONTH: POLICE CHIEF DAN HOWARD
Discuss - City of St. Paul nuisance updates (possible action).

20. Discuss - Approve / Deny the Howard County utilizing the City of St. Paul's North Recycling Center for a "tire disposal" day on Saturday, April 6, 2024; 
a. Approve one (1) City employee and one (1) City pay-loader for the event.

21. St. Paul Council to discuss and review the City Municipal Code book, Chapter One (1), Articles Six (6) and Seven (7) - (possible action).

22. Utilities Superintendent Helzer updates

23. Chief of Police Howard updates:
(1) St. Paul Police Department's main computer mother board has failed; still under warranty through Dell.  Doug Cramer (Hamilton Information Systems) will pick up and ship to DELL;
(2) Police Officer Matthew Sample will begin work (from injury) on Monday, January 29, 2024, on light desk duty only; 

24. Mayor Feeken updates:
(1) Loren Studley contacted City Clerk Beck stating that the Grover Cleveland Alexander Baseball sign had been placed on hold; Mr. Studley will contact the City when there are changes;
(2) City Clerk Connie Jo Beck submitted the CyberSecurity Grant on Monday, January 29, 2024, at 2:40 p.m. with the assistance of Eli Hunter with Hamilton Telecommunications;
(3) City of St. Paul's ACE Member Distribution for 2023 is in the amount of $4,434;
 

25. Public Announcements

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

27. Mayor Feeken adjourns City Council meeting

28. Informational Items:
(1) List of Receipts regarding December 2023;
(2) Sales Tax Proceeds;
(3) Information attached RE: EPIC (Elimination of Property Tax, Income and Corporate Tax);
 

29. 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.