February 20, 2024 at 7:00 PM - Beatrice Regular City Council Meeting

Discussion:  2 years ago loan to envision landscape.  refinancing.  city has 2nd, asking to go up to $500,000??? on original loan.  sufficient collateral & also has DOT of residential house, enough equity as well, even after refinancing city will have plenty of collateral.  Kerr - how long?  TT - our loan 10 years, roughly 8 left & is current.

Discussion:  DTR grant first time city used funds.  had to ensure improvements stayed for 5 years, all recipients have kept, therefore fulfilling all requirements, release all DOT, etc., release to close out grant
KERR - do we have any more???  TT - another finishing up & reviewing applications at this time for 3rd round.  35-36, hoping to award 10-12 projects

Discussion:  TT - discuss sale & discharge June 28th to July 4th.  add 1 day to sale of fireworks from proposal last meeting. 
Barnard - when brought forth, had 6 to buy & set off, had couple time limits, when look at this not much different.  will not vote for this amendment as presented.
Kerr - amendment confusing 1 more day than proposed for selling & from JUne 29 to July 2, 3&4 until midnight.  Tim - what part is confusing?  Kerr - 6 days sell/6 days shoot, now want 7 days of selling/6 days shoot. TIM _ difference is they can drive 20 min to purchase, will allow sales to stay here.  Kerr - not dark at 8pm if shooting out.  TIM - everything has been after hours or wrong days.  no issue has been on sale of 
Ruh - cortlands sales JUne 25 - ______; Hickman - 10am to 10pm 6/25 to 7/1, adding a few days doesn't make sense when can go buy elsewhere.  Omaha sales 6/28 to 74, discharge 7/2 7/4 noon - 11pm.  Lnk - sold & discharge 7/3 7/4 8-midnight only 
Barnard - should take advantage of mr eskra expertise
Fralin- don't care where they go, would like them to purchase here instead of elsewhere

Mitch Menke, 210 Granville Avenue, amendment selling 1 more day than shoot.  words of Eskra at last meeting.  people will break rules no matter what rules are set.  with what Fralin said, keep tax dollars here, which is important.  not different than what was proposed, if simplify the hours to reduce confusion.  with this amendment not changing alot, but would benefit many people because of tax dollars that can be used for stuff here in city

Chris Cullison, 1725 Ella Street, say speakers for community & listen to what community wants to do.  Mandy VanLaningham did poll - agree with lighting 6/28 - 7/5, think 7/5 needs to be dropped.  52% in favor of ordinance being proposed.  ___% disliked, 17% no care, if that is case, seems they want to allow this.  Lnk sells 2 days & citizens go elsewhere to purchase & still shoot off.  most have 7-10 day selling season, what is wrong with us doing 6 days selling, no different than what other communities are doing now.

Dana Hydo, 208 Sherman Street, clarification - 6 day discharge?  only change was sell 1 additional day  her point is experience of someone who lives here & still thinks 6-7 days.  only selling 7, only shooting 6, just said they go elsewhere & shoot off prior so if they shoot off prior to days, whats the difference?  Fralin - can go elsewhere 10 days, comes down to people following established rules, had nothing to do with selling dates.  tax dollars   Dana - also have rules & laws that limit tax dollars from coming into community. don't think only reason.  Frali - not only reason, most are run by youth groups as a fundraiser.  Hydo - other ways to fundraise.  not sure that   Fralin - would rather have them stay here, 

RUH's AMENDMENT - 1st thru 4th, understand idea of sales, changed amendment to allow sales 6/29, but not discharge until 7/1 to 7/4.  want to keep in town & don't want to hurt business, but amount of people contacted about issues not going ot stop those who discharge.  still feel, if opportunity to sell longer, businesses get sales, will bring back & shoot off which will be up to law enforcment. had people come talk & presented petition of neighborhood, we wish to have discharge return to 7/1 to 7/4 discharge.  give extra days of selling

Barnard - right back to original proposal, not sure difference & believe its a compromise
Mitch Menke, 210 Granville Avenue, shortening discharge will be more than likely lessen sales, if only shoot ___ days, only so many you can do in amount of time, shorten discharge time, sales could shrink also.  RUH - most people budget like they will a vacation, if sales for 6 days, will spend their budget.  Menke - can only shoot so much during the day.  increased fines for abandoned boats to deter, what is fine?  TT - not sure there is a minimum, falls under general up to $500.  Menke - why not stiffen penalty?  get someone that shoots at 1015, turn in & confiscate them.  why not increase fines like did with nuisances? Mayor - only thing point out, fireworks & police calls have different priority from other more important calls which makes harder to enforce.  Menke - is it in rule that if caught will confiscate?

Chris Cullison, 1725 Ella Street, last year had customers that came daily, shot more & usually go over budget.  if hard to enforce, why not extend?  biggest complaint is afterhours.  have right to enjoy what they like.  359 days without.  poll wanted

Kerr - sat on committee that brought original forward.  tried to compromise, never going to please everyone & tried to bring down to a reasonable.  will go with original proposal of 6/6, 

Shelena Maguire, 722 North 7th Street, only had made 12 calls, looked there were over double reported

Margaret Haith, 104 west Granville avenue, how much appreciate fact that get to come forward at council meeting.  couple weeks ago speak at capital, so important having public to allow public to speak opinions.  minutes from last fall when committee had Eskra noted "knights of Columbus extended hours made difficult to find someone to work"  if extended hours, didn't make a large amount of difference?  Why not more vendors here to speak in favor other than 1.  just because people don't show up, doesn't mean they don't care.  alot didn't know weren't addressing the issue.  have been taking petition want back to discharge 7/1-7/4 from all over town, very enthusiastic KErr - how many?  Haith - 100ish.

Ruh - include list that he gave?  belie that would include 33-34 he had.  looked at addresses winner is ward 1 - 42 that only want 7/1-7/4 ward 4 - 23, ward 2 - 14, ward 3 - 10.  Margaret, judge by contact, if not showing up, not calling, accept what it is, but not true, they dont' know & don't know we are discussing?  know busy, not just show up 2 days a month.  if want to go back to handing out info, instead of not getting response.
Fralin - appreciate - one thing more issues on item not on the agenda tonight

Mayor - always accept written testimony.  always add more via written testimony. Doyle - see another way to get word out on what is on agenda?  if people look - Mayor - not on agenda

Niko Hightower, 1105 __________, get what people are saying about going to other communities, like idea of offering more days to sell, fewer to shoot them off, family members with PSTD & animals, thunderstorms, really disappointed when extended hours to shoot off, have to medicate, drive out in country any kind of amendment, fully aware people will still shoot off, but maybe not as much.  what else can we do to help those who suffer during this time?  is there anything that can be done to support that?

Further discussion?  Mayor??  Fralin - TT what today, to what is on original amendment.
TT - currently sale 6/28 to 7/4, discharge 6/28 to 7/5
proposal - sale & discharge to be 6/29 to July 4th.
 

Discussion:  kensington - developer have selected ally pointer working on their schematic design, will be down tomorrow, will take to mid-march
raise grant - due next week weekly meetings with MM & Olsson
Elementary school sites - RFP for master plan on Lincoln & Paddock Lane, will review & bring back recommendation to select firm.  Ruh - had 5
Eskra - closer to 100% design on road construction?  TT - still on 70% have had meetings with utility committees, next thing will be Water Dept 33rd to cemetery entrance, will clean up our part, hook ot new water main, still waiting on final set of plans.
Doyle - appreciate concrete construction 13th & Oak/Beaver - getting neighborhood meeting?  TT - working on this, talked to contractor today
right below - major street project - didn't identify which project, continue to have on report, in budget & will do something in Summer 2024, but feel different since talking with MM & feel final design isn't necessary so backing off of final design.  he would like to decide what we are doing with that money to discuss.  no sense in trying to push if can be used somewhere else if it wont be done for a few more years.  projects to fill that void.