Reflections for the Week of March 17

Airport:

 Ordered snow plow assembly.

 Completed documents for the Airport Layout Plan project for consideration by the City Council on April 1, 2025.

 We continue to await the determination by the FAA of which company will be providing essential air service to Alliance.

 Maintenance staff traveled to North Platte to attend required wildlife training.  Preliminary work has begun for our FAA inspection which will take place in May.  Staff discussed conducting a prescribed burn and training opportunity at the airport.  Filling of prairie dog holes on the airfield.

 Replaced heater in generator shack.

 Snow removal.

Fire:

 Chief attended APS Safety Meeting on Tuesday morning.

 Monthly Line Officers Meeting held.

 Chief attended Senior Staff Meeting.

 Chief met with Medical Director, Dr. Chu, on EMS protocols.

 Career staff meeting held Thursday morning.

 Preparing for Volunteers Installation of Officers Banquet being held Saturday evening. Finance:

 Attended Council meeting

 Council claims paid

 Payroll completed

 Attended Department Head meeting

 Attended Retirement Advisor Presentation

 Attended webinar on Social Media Archiving Compliance

Utilities Billing Services:

 Completed Meter Reader interviews

 Cycle 3 bills mailed

 Cycle 1 reminder notices sent

 Ten new residential accounts

Police:

 Attended APS Leadership Meeting

 Attended City Council Meeting

 City Council and the County Commissioners both approved a new dispatch agreement which will allow the City to dispatch for the Box Butte County Sherriff’s Office.  Attended staff meeting

 Attended GAINS SIMS meeting for mental health/substance abuse resource planning  Attended Activate Alliance Meeting

Landfill:

 Filled open heavy equipment operator position and began their training  Received 258 tons of MSW refuse this week

 149 customers

 Cleaned burn boxes

 Laid dirt cover

Water/Sewer:

 Completed 39 utility office work orders; 41 utility locates

 Read cycle 3 and cycle 4 water radios

 Located curb stop for mobile home park owner

 Flow tested fire hydrant for contractor

 Cleaned check valve at lift station “A”

 Cleaned trees from ditch and removed debris next to “A” station

 Changed seal filters at all lift stations

 Installed 22 water radios

 Repaired air line at lift station “D”

 Changed oil in unit # 505

 Repaired VFD at Elkhorn well

Streets:

 Fixed washout on 1st and Potash drainage ditch

 Fixed washout on Kansas St.

 Hauled 5 loads of rock for parks department

 Completed 41 locates

 Placed barricades for Sr. center

 Graded several gravel roads

 Hauled off dirt from Spartan Field

 Placed slice during snow

 Conducted vehicle maintenance

Electric:

 Continue installation of load control/disconnect boxes

 Continue three phase line rebuild north of Nance Road east of CR 59

 Two personnel attended electric meter training classes in Fort Collins  Department personnel attended NECC monthly safety meeting

 Several personnel attended retirement presentation

 Held interviews for Secretary position

 On Friday, three of our linemen left with equipment to provide mutual aid to Eastern Nebraska rebuilding power lines after the blizzard/ice storm from earlier this week Library:

 What a busy week at APL! We hosted 35 Librarians from the Western Library System for a summer reading workshop. We are always happy to host this annual event. We love to hear from other libraries and seeing what successes they are having. We have been known to steal a few ideas while also sharing, which is always fun.

 Tax preparation with AARP has brought some great traffic into the library all while providing a much needed service to our residents. Whoever thought taxes are not fun haven’t met with this group. Lots of happy faces here to help out!

 Children’s Librarian Cynthia Horn hosted Story Time A to Z featuring “U’ with Undercover as the theme. LEGO Club worked on their creations.  Cynthia also organized Book Mobile items and did Tuesday deliveries.  This week Cynthia attended the Parent & Child Night hosted by Emerson School to share programs for upcoming programs. KCOW announcements were shared as well as updating website events and book displays.  Cynthia attended the Summer Reading Workshop hosted by APL this week.  Her ongoing projects include maintaining backpacks, cataloging new items, preparations for upcoming events, shelving checks and weekly stats.  The Search for Lucky Dog wrapped up on St. Patrick’s Day then the Search for Little Blue Peep began on March 18.  For grades 3-8, the Captain America Search continues.

 Adult Services Librarian Nalani Stewart cataloged new material, hosted the True Crime Book Club, and the book club at Highland Park Care Center. She also completed more continuing education hours for the Nebraska Library Commission’s Public Librarian Certification, and prepared surveys for the book clubs.

 Technical services Librarian Emily Nelson assisted patrons on the computers, updated the Staff Picks page on the website, and made weekly Bookmobile deliveries. She also helped with some fundraising projects and processed Interlibrary Loan requests for upcoming Book Club meetings.

 Library Clerks Pam Becker and Stephanie Hamilton have been busy processing materials, helping with fundraising, and making treat boxes for the 35 Librarian guests we had this week!

Parks:

 Continued dirt work in preparation for irrigation install and sod, hauled off concrete and ordered irrigation parts for BN Ballfield.

 Worked on the dump trailer.

 Repaired a mower deck for the front end mower.

 Cleaned the shop floor.

 One funeral this week.

 Worked on a broken quick coupler at the Softball Complex. Thank you to the Street Department for cutting the concrete.

 Helped hang televisions at the Knight Museum.

RSVP:

 We had 21 volunteers in the community

 Handed out commodities with Western Community Health Resources  Played cards, bingo, bunco, and had coffee and treats

Museum:

 Preparation continues for the Nebraska Museum Association Conference to be held at the Knight Museum during the first week of April

 Purchased and hung two new TV’s for use in our meeting areas.

 Continued assisting the public with research.

 Hosted a meeting for Box Butte Development on childcare needs in Alliance  Hung pictures from our collection of local artists

Transit:

 717 Passengers

Administration:

 Met with multiple department heads and council members.

 Public Transit grant application submitted. A big thank you to Cindy Baker for her work on this grant! We hope to hear the results in the next 6-8 weeks.

 Council Meeting included the final reading of the donations policy, approval to submit the Public Transit grant application, approval of a dispatch agreement with Box Butte County, and appointment of Christina Yates to the Community Redevelopment Authority Board.

 Preparations for incoming new employees.

 Conducted Pay and Benefit review with human resources and finance department for the upcoming budget year

 Work on FY2026 Budget and upcoming workshop

 Met with vendors and obtained quotes on safety equipment for City Hall  Worked on CCCFF grant final report and reimbursement request

 Coordinating April meeting with Public Safety Center architecture firm, WSKF  Held staff meeting with Department Heads

 Prepared RFQ for power plant abatement engineering