Reflections for the Week of Sept. 29
Police:
Attended APS Leadership Meeting.
Attended Attorney General Conference in Ogallala.
Celebrated Jes Garfio with cake. She is leaving us to attend nursing school and we wish her luck!
Finalizing several narratives related to capital project requests and proposed ordinances.
Water/Sewer:
11 locates and 30 work orders completed
20 radios installed
9760 feet of sewer line jetted
Changed seal filters on lift stations “B” and “C”
Assisted contractor with removal of main valve box
Graded wellfield road
Changed pivot drive shaft
Streets:
11 locates performed
Repaired drain at 9th and Niobrara
Cleaned drains throughout town
Held equipment training for employees
Swept streets and hauled off sweeper dirt
Hauled rock to miscellaneous alleys in town
Cleaned graffiti off signs
Leveled alleys with box scraper and backhoe
Landfill:
202 customers served; 296.67 tons of refuse collected
Employees participated in baler training
Began repairs on alternative cover sprayer
Laid dirt cover
Ran burn box
Performed repairs to baler
Performed routine equipment maintenance
Museum:
Final adjustments made to the HVAC components. The system seems to be running well.
Museum staff attended the museum conference in Omaha this week
Assisted several individuals with research in the Heritage Room.
NE Game and Parks used our conference room to conduct employment interviews
Worked with several classes to assemble information and documentations Library:
The afternoons have been such busy times here at the library this week! We were happy to host NE Workforce Development as we always do the first Wednesday of each month from 1-4PM. If you are a jobseeker, come up and visit with NE Workforce staff. They are great people who are here to help!
Adult Services Librarian Stephanie Hamilton reports it has been a busy week and productive month at the library. As September ended so did our adult programming with final programs enjoyed by our patrons. We also drew for the winners of the Library Carding program as well as our Uber Reads. We had 36 entries. Gift certificates were awarded to the two winners thanks to our APL Foundation – We appreciate their continued support for our outreach and community engagement events.
October 1 was the beginning of our new program for readers. We are running our Halloween Bingo activity for all ages. Be sure to stop and get your bingo game sheets at the front desk available the month of October through 30th. This event is open to ages 5 and up. Bingo is easy with lots of great spooky reads to choose from and a chance to win cool prizes at the end of this Halloween spooktacular reading program. In addition to working with the other librarians and staff getting this program ready for the public, Steph also visited Highland Assisted Living Center and Care Center, prepared for October programming and upcoming book club, and worked on continuing education courses with the Nebraska Library Commission.
Children’s Librarian Cynthia Horn’s Story Time featured Friendship with creating Story Time Star pictures and a Friendship Circle. Adventure Book Club shared discussion of the “I Survived….” Series by Lauren Tarshis by sharing their own written and illustrative talents. Cynthia shared library announcements on KCOW. Halloween Reading Challenges begin as well as our Search for Gertie Ghost. Digital Detox Friday features Halloween Magnets. Cynthia is also completing September Stats, compiling Book Mobile items, cataloging, backpack maintenance, and book displays. Her ongoing projects include program promotion with posters, flyers, press releases and website updates.
Technical services Librarian Mason Trumble has been busy with material preparations for our upcoming contest, doing bookmobile deliveries, and preparing a program for a few weeks of our Digital Detox programs.
Library Clerks Carolyn Hamel and Pam Becker have been helping prepare programming materials and adding lots of new patron cards. Both ladies are a significant part of the success and implementation of our programming efforts, and we certainly appreciate all they do!
RSVP & Senior Center:
Continued providing deliver and dine in meals for seniors in the area
RSVP had twelve volunteers in the community this week
Parks:
Started the process of winterizing the smaller irrigation systems in town
Mowed vacant city lots at Titusville and Homestead additions
Finished the fall application of fertilized in town and at the cemetery
Completed repairs on the walker mower
Started cleaning up summer equipment and getting it stored for the winter Administration:
Preparation for City Council Meeting
Met with Department Heads and Council Members
City Manager Seth Sorensen submitted his resignation with an effective date set for October 31, 2025.