September 13, 2022 at 8:00 PM - Village of Kenesaw - Board of Trustees Meeting

Discussion:  Assistant Chair Knuth called the meeting to order at 8:03 p.m.  In attendance: Chair Kroos (joined meeting at 8:30 p.m.) Assistant Chair Knuth, Trustee Ehly, Trustee Uden and Trustee Higel.  Others present:  Village Superintendent- Casey Hughes, Asst. Village Superintendent- Glen Kuehn, Village Clerk/Treasurer- Shelley Dick,  Business Owners- Doug and Nancy Putnum, Jones Group- Kevin Krull, Adams County- Dawn Miller, Greg Anderson & Greg Schmidt, SCEDD - Sharon Hueftle and LeAnn Jochum, Residents- Chad Wagoner & Christian Kroos.

Discussion:  Clerk Dick called Roll Call to establish a quorum:  Assistant Chair Knuth, Trustee Ehly, Trustee Uden and Trustee Higel were present to form a quorum.

Discussion:  Nothing to report.

Discussion:  Nothing to report.

Discussion:  Nothing to Report.

Discussion:  Trustee Ehly stated she would have the employee review forms done by next meeting.

Discussion:  Nothing to report.

Discussion:  Clerk Dick informed the board of the status of the three Nuisance Properties the board discussed at the previous meeting.  The property owner of 220 S. Perkins Ave. stated she contacted the KVFD about possibly doing a controlled burn for training.  She also stated that she sold her other property, 218 S. Perkins Ave., to a nearby neighbor but this has not been verified.  Clerk Dick explained to the board that the property owner of 201 S. Perkins picked up their certified nuisance letter on August 3rd, 2022 and has made no improvements to the property.  

Discussion:  Casey Hughes accepted the position of Village Utility & Maintenance Superintendent.

Discussion:  The board and Dawn Miller, Adams County Hwy Dept., discussed the closure of the railroad crossing on Constitution Rd.  Dawn suggested inviting a railroad representative to come to a board meeting to discuss the closure.  Doug Putnum has a business on Constitution Road that is affected by the closure of the railroad crossing and expressed his concerns about the flooding that happens on his property.  The board, Dawn, Doug and Glen Kuehn-Assistant Village Superintendent discussed at great length the problems and the possibilities that could or should happen to stop the flooding on the property.  Dawn suggested contacting Jeff Palik, Village Street Superintendent, and discuss with him the drainage situation on Constitution Rd.  Doug also brought up the possibility of just closing, from public access, Constitution Rd from W. Elm St. to the railroad crossing.  Dawn explained the procedure the village would need to do to possibly get that section of road abandoned.  Trustee Knuth brought up the fact that the Holstein Ave Railroad crossing needs to be raised because he has seen several vehicles, trailers, etc. almost get hung up on the crossing.  Dawn suggested talking with the railroad representative about this when they came to a board meeting to discuss the closure of the Constitution Rd crossing.  Tabled.

Discussion:  The board is waiting for Shon Lieske, Village Attorney, to contact Clerk Dick about the ADA guidelines for dogs.  Tabled.

Discussion:  Clerk Dick presented the board with copies of the Dog Licensing Friendly Reminder, Dog Licensing Notice and Dog Licensing Final Notice.  The board decided the Friendly Reminders would be mailed out in December of every year and the Notice will be mailed out around February 10th of every year and the Final Notice will be mailed out 30 days after the Notice was mailed.  The board also decided that if dog(s) running at large without tags are picked up by the Adams County Sheriff's Office, they will be taken to Heartland Pet Connection.  Before the owner(s) of the dog(s) can retrieve their animal, the owner(s) will have to show Heartland Pet Connection a current rabies vaccination and proof of a current pet license from the Village of Kenesaw.  Owner(s) of dog(s) will have to pay any and all fees required from Heartland Pet Connection to house and vaccinate dog(s).

Discussion:  Kevin Krull, Jones Group, reviewed the October 1st renewal of insurance policies with the board.  He explained to the board that many of the values of the properties rose due to what it would cost to rebuild the buildings if a claim was submitted.  He also informed the board that the Workers Compensation Rate was lowered and the EMOD (Experience Modifier Reduction) was lowered from 1.41 to .930.  Both of these being lowered, saves the village $1,508.00 per year.  The board made no changes to the policies.

Discussion:  Sharon Hueftle and LeAnn Jochum of South Central Economic Development District (SCEDD) addressed the board about what SCEDD has to offer the village.  Sharon explained their successes with different towns' nuisance properties, helping write grants, organize and instruct town hall meetings, and constructing surveys.  Sharon explained that SCEDD could help with writing a grant for up to three hours for free with SCEDD membership and then $70.00/hour after the three hours are used.  Sharon told the board how SCEDD helps with nuisance properties in detail and that it would cost $70.00/hour to help the village tackle the problem.  Chair Kroos suggested that the board have a workshop to get a game plan for the nuisance properties and the rest of the board agreed.

Discussion:  South Heartland District Health Department Board of Health asked if they could set up a mini-health fair for the residents of Kenesaw.  The board discussed it and thought if they did it during Wasenek Days, they would have a better turn out.  Clerk Dick remarked that she would let them know the Board's suggestion and the dates for next year's Wasenek Days.

Discussion:  Chad Wagoner, a Kensesaw resident, addressed the board with his concern about a German Shepard dog named Ellie that was on the property across the street to the north from his home.  Chad explained to the board the things he had seen this dog do many, many times that concerned him and he tried to speak with the dog's owners about his concerns.  He stated that Ellie had broken her chain at least three times in the last month and he offered help to the owners to fix the chain with swivels so she could move around easier, but the help was turned down. 
Christian Kroos, a Kenesaw resident, also addressed the board about Ellie.  He explained to the board that while he was out on a run one morning, he was bit in the calf by this same dog.  He told the board that he had seen Ellie running from behind the house on a broken chain, so he stopped running thinking it would calm her.  He said that the dog circled him, profusely barking and then bit his calf.  He did say that one of the owners was running after her but didn't get the chain in enough time, but it also took the owner about five minutes to catch Ellie.  Both Chad and Christian expressed to the board that something needed to be done about this dog and they were afraid of what she might do to a child if she got off of her chain again.  The board discussed the incident of the bite and Chad's concerns and ultimately deemed that Ellie is a Dangerous Dog.  Trustee Ehly asked Clerk Dick to have Shon Lieske, Village Attorney, construct a Dangerous Dog notification to the owners of Ellie that explains what they have to do to comply with the Dangerous Dog Village Ordinances.

Discussion:  Clerk Dick informed the board that the Village's Dangerous Dog Ordinances are right in line with the Nebraska State Statutes.  Trustee Knuth asked Clerk Dick to get more information on whether a resolution could be made to make the owner of the dangerous dog be muzzled if not within its required confinement.  Tabled.

Discussion:  Cleerk Dick explained to the board that she was asked by Neel Keiser, KCDC, to start a Brownfields Assessment at the Kenesaw Auditorium and for the village office to be located.  Several board members stated there was no need for Clerk Dick to start an assessment because they did not want the village office to be in the auditorium.

Discussion:  The board was given a list of possible grant writers to be hired to write grants for the village.  Clerk Dick explained that she was waiting for a quote back from Dana Steiner, owner of Blue Ink Writing.  Tabled.

Discussion:  Clerk Dick asked the board to open a Holiday Decor Donation Account at Adams County Bank to put the free will donations from the 150th Anniversary draw string bags.  She also asked if she could put donation boxes around the village to help promote the bags for new holiday decor.

Discussion:  Casey Hughes, Village Superintendent, asked the board if he could dispose of the 1974 Plow Truck.  The truck was put up for sealed bid last year during an auction and was not sold.

Discussion:  Casey Hughes, Village Superintendent, provided the board with different options for a new tractor.  He discussed with the board what he thought would be needed to do the necessary work in and around the village.  Trustee Ehly asked Clerk Dick if funds were budgeted in the 2022-2023 fiscal budget for a new tractor.  Clerk Dick told the board that there was $50,000.00 budgeted for it.  

Discussion:  Clerk Dick expressed to the board that she had received a verbal complaint from a resident about a waterway between Doane and Perkins not being kept up by all of the residents that shared it.  Casey Hughes, Village Superintendent, explained to the board that it had mostly been taken care of but there were a few residents that didn't completely clean up their part.  Clerk Dick asked the board if they wanted her to put a reminder in the Fall Letter that is sent out to residents that explained their responsibilities in the upkeep of such things.  The board thought that was a good idea.

Discussion:  Clerk Dick provided the board with a letter from Angie Keiser asking to close part of Doane Ave to have a ribbon cutting for Kenesaw United Child Care Center on October 8th, 2022.  The board agreed to the closure but it was her responsibility to notify any property owners the street closure may affect.