Flower report, street bonds highlight council agenda

NEBRASKA CITY – The city council agenda for Monday’s meeting includes the annual flower basket and bumpout report, sports complex engineering and $2 million on bond anticipation notes for the 11^th Street improvement project.

At its December meeting, the city was expecting to borrow $1.5 million to build a turn lane on 11^th Street, but the construction bids came in $169,000 higher than expected.

At Monday’s 6 p.m. meeting, the city will also consider a bid of  $788,000  for the First Corso improvements and $76,000 for phase one engineering of the sports complex.

The JEO task order for phase one engineering is $76,000. The engineering includes layout of the 30-acre property. Phase 1 has a priority of site grading, storm drainage and four, natural grass soccer fields.

The downtown flower and bump out report includes expenses of $36,000 in 2022. Grimm’s Gardens charged  $14,000 for hanging baskets and $21,000 for flower bump-outs.

The project received $28,000 from the city and over $5,000 from other sources. The largest contributors were Arbor Links, Miller Monroe Farrell, Grimm’s Gardens and the Keeping Room.

The public hearing on the Community Development Block Grant reuse loan program is set at 6 p.m. Feb. 20.

Interim City Administrator Marty Stovall is requesting a comparable pay study in preparation for the 2024 budget.

The city personnel manual says a study will be conducted every five years.

The city administrator’s report includes building inspection action on the StudioOne Project, Lifetime Vision, Arbor Links, housing, GREAT housing project and Senior Patio Homes phase 2.

Nebraska City Fire and Rescue reported the busiest year on record after the rescue squad finished with 1,423 calls. The busiest month was September with 157 calls.

The fire department reports 87 training hours in January.

Donna Kruse elected to the Southeast Library Systems Board and was voted in as secretary. Claudette Wielechowski is the SELS board president.

The street department reports 112 snow removal and sanding h ours in December and 36 in January.

The city will also discuss Ryan Roth’s claim for medical and dental treatment presented to the police department on Dec. 12.

The mayor is expected to appoint Lynn Heng and Doug Friedli to the dock board.