Police:
Attended APS Leadership Meeting
Attended City Council Meeting
Met with Sherrif Sutphen and County Commissioner Steve Burke about bringing the Box Butte County Sherrif’s Office dispatch back into the Alliance Communications Center Attended Staff Meeting
Attended Caselle software training
Attended ICMA Part 3 Budget Training
Attended Annual In-Service Training
Planning for Veterans Day Parade
Held debriefing with Chief Shoemaker and Airport Director Lynn Placek about airport incident
Worked with HR to prepare job offers for a new officer hire and a new sergeant hire Airport:
Airline renewal was the focus again this week and will continue to be the main focus for the next couple of months. We are working on airport fees and rental charges for potential airlines and continue to have multiple meeting and follow up meetings with consultant and airlines.
Staff met with engineers regarding the upcoming airport layout plan project. Work continues on potential new equipment for the terminal checkpoint. Working on multiple upcoming leases for land and buildings.
Airport staff responded to aircraft declared emergency. Staff has been asked to be on standby before but this was the first actual emergency call out. Thank you to all who helped with this potentially dangerous situation. We are happy to report that both the aircraft and everyone on board are safe and sound.
Maintenance staff participated in monthly ARFF training.
Maintenance did some work on the main ARFF truck which included a nozzle, drain valve, deluge valve, and gaskets being replaced along with an oil change. Accounting and Finance:
Attended Council meeting
Attended Department Leader meeting
Attended Caselle training
Attended Budgeting webinar
Attended Paylocity year-end planning meeting
Attended Debtbook GASB meeting
Processed all approved Council Claims
Utility Billing Services:
Cycle one bills mailed
Cycle 3 reminder notices mailed
13 new residential accounts
Electric:
Finished installation of transformer and underground cable for service at CR 62 Country Club Road.
Continue to make progress on three-phase rebuild project north of Otoe Road and CR 63.
Attended Casselle training and Leadership meeting.
Participated in load control training sessions.
Repaired/replaced several streetlights and traffic control lenses.
Human Resources:
HR is working to update the Benefits portal in our HRIS in preparation for Open Enrollment. Information that must be included in the portal are the new Benefits Guidebook for 2025, updated SBC, Life insurance, Supplemental insurance, FSA/HSA, Medical, Dental and Vision options for family and single coverage, and providing instructions for employees on how to enroll in each. In addition to this information, EDI file feed testing is also being coordinated with our TPA to ensure all changes and enrollments are accurate for employees.
Completing multi-day DAPM Drug and Alcohol training as required by FTA to ensure compliance with the City’s Transit program.
Scheduling and administering applicant testing for open positions.
Completed interviews and follow-ups with the Police Review Board and Civil Service Commission to fill vacancies in the Police Department and proctored required testing as part of the Civil Service Process for these positions.
Scheduled and conducted interviews with department heads and selected applicants for job openings in the City; completing background and reference checks.
Working with our broker (Brown & Brown) to finalize all materials for upcoming Open Enrollment.
Coordinating with vendors in preparation for our upcoming Benefits Fair in order to provide employees with information on these benefits and instructions on how to enroll. Attended EAC meeting, assisting with planning for upcoming employee events. Processed changes for employees as requested.
Completing required documentation and tracking for FMLA, Work Comp and ADA. Assisting employees and department head with requests for assistance. Enrolled eligible employees in benefits for November; made modifications for instances of special enrollments and coverage eligibility changes.
Completing required testing and record keeping in compliance with FTA and FMCSA Drug and Alcohol testing policies and procedures.
Community Development:
Issued a Certificate of Occupancy for the Heartland Flats Apartments and Furnished Suites at 2465 S Hwy 385.
Issued a Certificate of Occupancy for Bloedorn Lumber Co. at 1515 West 3rd Street. Working with the County Assessor on property valuations for the 2024 ISO Study. Contacted property owners about tree trimming around properties identified by the Street Department as problems.
Worked on nuisance complaints about junk accumulation in alleys.
Held interviews for the Nuisance Abatement position.
Ordered computers as part of our annual replacement program.
Prepared for the switch to regular internet service at all City facilities and transition from Local Area Networks. This will increase connection speeds from 10Mbps to 500Mbps at nearly all City facilities. This is being coordinated with Allo, Bytes, and our phone system provider BTS.
Worked on the generator at the Library.
Finished refurbishing and furnishing the new nuisance abatement office Working with Jes at the Police Department to get information about their phone service and phone system for a possible upgrade.
Landfill:
264 ton of refuse this week
223 customers this week
Ran the burn box to reduce green waste
Received new burn box and parts
Laid dirt cover
Moved bales
Ongoing equipment repairs
Ordered debris fencing
Ongoing winterization of buildings and equipment
Transit:
764 riders this week
Manager attended 3 days of DOT drug/alcohol training
Streets:
Swept and cleaned drains
Ongoing sign inventory
Hauled sweeper dirt to landfill
Graded 12th street
Ongoing work on alleys and approaches
Received new hot patch trailer
Replaced gutter brooms on sweeper
Water/Sewer:
Collected water samples
Collected chlorine residuals
Fixed chlorine leaks at chlorine plant
Read cycle 2 water radios
Fixed leak at Elkhorn well
Cleaned out road box for valve exercising
Cleaned parts for backup at chlorine plant
Shut off water at Camden Courts for repair
Conducted 2 water hook ups
Completed 17 locates
Completed 21 work orders
Vactor truck repairs completed
Fire:
Participated in a webinar “Achieving More with Less: Innovative Approaches to Fire Department Funding”.
Chief attended both the City Council and Senior Staff meetings.
Chief met with the Airport Director and Police Chief reference ARFF Response and Alerts.
Monthly ARFF training held Wednesday evening.
Chief attended the Pine Ridge Mutual Aid meeting Wednesday evening in Harrison. Our Medical Director, Dr. Mark Chu approved our State Model Protocols for our Emergency Medical Services operations.
Participated in the BNSF webinar “Railroad Emergency Response”.
Career staff meeting held Thursday morning.
Chief participated in the ICMA 3-Part Budgeting Guide for Local Governments training on Thursday.
Museum:
Staff started preparing for the Christmas Tree Festival that starts November 30th and continues through December 7th.
o Anyone interested in making a Christmas craft to be included in the auction please contact the Museum. We have donated items that you can sort through to use on your projects.
This will be the final week for the giveaway table in the Museum entry. There are clothing hangers, sheet music and linens free if you have a use for them.
Golf Course:
Staff started working on the cart path on hole three
Using sod that was removed for tree planting to fill areas in front of cart paths Play has started to slow down as weather conditions cool
Parks:
Prepared the fountain Christmas lights for installation in the coming weeks. Continued leaf pick up as the vast majority of leaves came off trees seemingly all at once.
Repaired the fuel tank on one of the mower.
Switched all the front-end mowers over to snow removal equipment and repaired lights. Completed repairs on the gas regulator at the swimming pool.
Staff had one funeral this week.
Staff added antifreeze in the ballparks restrooms to prevent freeze damage. Helped with tree and wreath festival preparations at the museum.
Library:
The Literary Basket auction is off and running! There are over 50 baskets this year. I am so appreciative of all the help the entire staff has given in making this event happen! Many thanks also to Shana Brown for helping with the use of the Museum’s 8 foot round tables and to Jake McCaffrey and Jayce Bauer for bringing them over. The auction ends Thursday, November 21st at 7PM.
Adult Services Librarian Nalani Stewart cataloged new materials, removed old Non Fiction books from the new shelf and completed the Curricula training. She also hosted the book club at Highland Park Care Center and the “Voice of Native American Women” Humanities Nebraska Presentation by Independent Scholar Nancy Gillis
Children’s Librarian Cynthia Horn hosted Alliance Middle School students and staff for a Breakout Box event featuring “Seasonal Sabotage”. She hosted Story Time A to Z featured “Inspiring I”, with musical Instruments and an Ice Cream craft. LEGO Club worked on their creations, and Girl Scouts Spirit of Nebraska held an event to honor and thank our Veterans!. Cynthia also did a window display Featuring “Hugs for Heroes”, organized the book mobile, made KCOW announcements, updated the website, and did press releases.
Technical Services Librarian Emily Nelson helped set up the baskets and bidding sheets for the Literary Basket Auction, updated the social media sites, and assisted patrons. She also made weekly Bookmobile deliveries and started the “Device Advice” biweekly program.
Library Clerk Pam Becker was busy processing new cards and assisting patrons with auction bidding numbers.
RSVP & Senior Center:
Assisted with coordinating locations and bell ringers for the Salvation Army kettle during the holiday season.
Hosted the Belltone rep at the Senior Center
Started working to secure a new station partner and started updating station partner MOU’s.
Hosted card parties, bingo, bunco, coffee and treats and a movie afternoon. Had fifteen volunteers in the community this week.
Continued providing dine in and delivery meals for area seniors.
Administration:
Currently advertising Requests for Proposal for the Public Safety Center, Tourism Services, and Planning for the Electric System and an Invitation to Bid on securing the 1st Interstate Inn. Responded to questions posed by potential bidders on the Public Safety Center RFP.
Met with Hannah Robinson, BBDC Director.
Attended City Council Meeting. Held Staff meeting.
Participated in ICMA training on budgeting
Work on FY26 Budget