January 11, 2022 at 8:00 PM - Village of Kenesaw - Board of Trustees Meeting

Discussion:  Chairman Kroos called the meeting to order at 8:00 p.m.
Attendance: Kroos-present, Knuth-present, Uden-present, Ehly-absent.  Others Present:  Village Clerk/Treasurer-Shelley Dick, Village Superintendent-Jeff Edmondson, Southern Public Power-Sam Reinke, Edward Jones-Tim Schirmer, W Design-Steve Wolford and Jones Group-Kevin Krull.

Discussion:  Chair Kroos gave notice of the location of the Open Meetings Act Literature to be on the south wall of the meeting room.

Discussion:  Tim Schirmer-Edward Jones thanked the board for choosing Edward Jones to invest the Finnigsmier Youth Fund.  He stated to the board that the investment proposal he discussed with the board a few months ago had changed because of new investment opportunities.  The money will be invested in the 60% equity/40% fixed income portfolio.  Tim requested the three signatures needed to sign paperwork for the village; which were Chair Kroos, Trustee Knuth and Clerk Dick.  He asked the board when they would like him to report on the investment to them.  The board agreed that a quarterly report would be sufficient.  Tim stated that Clerk Dick needed to send the investment check to his office and then he would get the investment started.

Discussion:  Sam Reinke of Southern Public Power updated the board on the SPPD Annual Report.  Last year, Kenesaw sales were $ 697,235 and Lease Payments received of $104,585.  He stated that the monthly service charge will stay the same and this is the ninth year that there has not been an increase.  Rates have decreased by 6% since 2017.  Sam expressed that SPPD is still looking for a site of five to eight acres in or around Kenesaw to put solar panels on and urged the board to  disperse this information throughout the community.  He reported that $211,000 was given out in incentives.  These incentives will continue through 2022 with some changes and additions mainly to residential services.  Sam said that more information can be found at SPPD.com.

Discussion:  Clerk Dick informed the board that Randy Hellbusch of Nebraska Rural Water Association (NRWA) needed to postpone his presentation until the next board meeting due to a scheduling conflict.

Discussion:  Steve Wolford of W Design presented to the Village three different options for new building sites; 212 N Smith Ave, 214 N Smith Ave and 208 N Perkins Ave.  He described the three sites to the board with the pros and cons of each.  Steve gave the board estimates of what it would cost to build each site.  Chair Kroos suggested that someone speak with the owner of 212 N Smith Ave and 214 N Smith Ave, to make sure it is for sale and get an appraisal of the property.  Clerk Dick stated that she would ask the appraiser that is appraising the "old" village office property to see if he would also appraise the other property.  

Discussion:  Kevin Krull of Jones Group presented the board with a list of village property that the insurance company suggests be increased.  The board discussed with him that they thought the increased values were accurate except the swimming pool.  They thought the pool increase was too much and asked that its valuation only be raised to $500,000 instead of $750,000.

Discussion:  Clerk Dick notified the board of Rene Colon's resignation from the Kenesaw Village Board of Trustees as of December 15, 2021 due to health reasons.

Discussion:  Clerk Dick presented the board and Jeff Edmondson with the revised Kenesaw Youth Sports Contract.  The clerk only removed the statement stating that the village was supplying storage for the equipment for the group.  Jeff and the board looked over the contract and thought the contract looked valid.

Discussion:  Clerk Dick explained to the board the chance of the village to become a vendor for the Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP).  Chair Kroos asked if this would create more work for Clerk Dick and she replied that it would not.  Trustee Knuth said that LIHWAP is very good idea as long as it wasn't going to create work that Clerk DIck didn't have time to handle and she replied that it would not.

Discussion:  Clerk Dick presented the board with the new Willscot Lease Agreement.  Trustee Knuth asked why the price increased.  The clerk stated that she asked the Willscot representative why the price of the rental increased and was told that the increase was due to current market value.

Discussion:  Clerk Dick introduced the board with two new Ordinances.  The first one, 540-2022, is amending Village Ordinance 6-116 Staffordshire Terrier, Pit Bull or part Pit Bull and Other Dangerous or Vicious Dogs.  The second one, 541-2022, is amending Village Ordinance 6-108 Keeping Dangerous and Vicious Animals.  Chair Kroos and Trustee Knuth stated that they had been trying to get these ordinances amended for quite sometime.  Clerk Dick expressed that she didn't know anything about these ordinances needing amended until Trustee Knuth brought it to her attention on December 27, 2021.

Discussion:  Clerk Dick explained she received a call from Shannon of the Adams County Assessor's office.  Shannon stated that Lamoine Beal had planted crops over a portion of Spruce St. and Potter St., which had resulted in him receiving income from government property.  She asked if the village had vacated these portions of the streets, and after speaking with Judy Mignery of Adams Planning & Zoning, the village had not vacated these portions of the streets.  Chair Kroos stated that we need to take the proper steps to vacate the portions of Spruce St. and Potter St.

Discussion:  Clerk Dick informed the group that Robin Hendricksen of Hendricksen Appraisals would be appraising the vacant "old" village office lot for $1,500 and could do it in the middle of February.

Discussion:  The board discussed at length the Kenesaw Child Care Coalition's application for a donation from the Finnigsmier Youth Fund in the amount of $50,000.  The board concluded that with the possibility of new park equipment needing to be purchased and the recent investment of some funds, that there wasn't enough funds to donate.