Reflections for the Week of October 16-20

Electric:

• • We have two employees at a L & G training for metering and load management as well as a generation workshop this week.

• • We changed out four “reject” poles.

• • Poured a concrete slab for warehouse outside storage area.

• • Attended a monthly NECC safety meeting.

• • Assisted electrician with solving voltage issue at Rocky Mountain Terrace.

• • Adjusted lighting at Wiggly Field.

• • Assisted Golf Course with irrigation well issue.

• • Assisted tree trimmer by installing line covers on primary wires.

Chamber of Commerce:

• • Beauty on the Bricks is now open by appointment.

• • The Brickhouse Gym is open for business.

• • The Golden Hour BBQ will hopefully be feeding the adults with snacks while the kids are @ Trunk & Treat.

• • We have 28 registered vehicles for Trunk & Treat and will have to cap it off at some point, so hurry and get registered!

• • Activate Alliance has installed a bike FIX IT STATION at Laing Lake, which is really cool, I am always looking for a place to fill my tires!

• • We have some fall crafts activities coming up in November and eventually the winter will be upon us!

Water/Sewer:

• • Repaired Chlorine leaks at Burnham well (both pumps).

• • Tore pump 4 apart; A Station is back on.

• • Worked on 25th & Toluca well. Worked on well 3 @ Wellfield.

• • Repaired pressure washer at Public Works Facility.

• • Repaired cooling line solenoid at 25th & Toluca.

• • Televised sewer line at 703 E 10th.

• • 27 Utility office work orders completed.

• • 53 locates completed.

• • Helped street department with crosswalk signs.

• • Weekly water samples & chlorine residuals completed.

• • Airport well samples completed.

• • Jetted 14,000 feet of sewer line.

• • Finished Jetting Sewers.

• • Elkhorn Water Tower is painted. Waiting on final installations.

Airport:

• • Passenger count for September was 340 enplaned and 342 deplaned. Last year we averaged 11.2 passengers per day, above our goal of 10 per day and well past the previous record in 2021 at 9.50 average passengers per day. This is a huge goal – on to the next one!

• • Serviced mower deck for winter.

• • Wildlife prevention continues on the airfield.

• • Inspected fence and removed tumbleweeds from all corners.

• • Cyber Security paperwork completed for TSA Security plan for the airport.

Accounting and Finance:

• • Payroll process completed. AP claims processed.

• • Attended Council meeting. Attended Department leader meeting. Attended IT advisory

• • Committee meeting. Attended IT budget review.

• • IT Quotes reviewed.

• • Transit audit information sent as requested.

• • Police grant review and FFR report completed.

Utility and Billing office:

• • New utility connects in last 7 days—8 total (2 business).

• • Welcome to our new Meter Reader Abbey Todd!

• • CASS Certification under review or October 27th completion.

• • Update rates–Winter utility rates began October 15th

• • Update Council approved utility rates for new FY October 1.

Museum:

• • Received several new donations that will be added to the collection.

• • Hosted a Nebraska EMS Assessment meeting.

• • Hosted our last catered event for the Snow-Redfern foundation.

• • Hosted a Nebraska Department of Education workshop.

• • Gift shop Christmas items are starting to be put out.

• • Got the sound system back after being repaired.

• • Replaced touch screen.

RSVP & Senior Center:

• • Continued providing meals for dine in and delivery for community Seniors.

• • Attended an RSVP Conference for training in Kearney.

• • Volunteers assisted with Community Table, meal delivery and assisted the schools with taking

• • admission for events.

• • Senior Center will host a bingo event on October 25th at 12:30pm.

Library

• • The library has been very busy with activity this week. We continue to issue new cards daily, and have seen an uptick in visitors who come in to enjoy the Halloween displays or to hunt for Gertie the Ghost! Fall fundraising is just around the corner, so we are kicking things off with personalized dog ornaments. Proceeds will go to the Alliance Animal Shelter for veterinary expenses for the animals. See our Facebook page for details!

• • Children’s Librarian Cynthia Horn had an exciting week of programming with children searching for Gertie the Ghost, a What’s New? Story Time featuring new books, a Yellowstone National Park watercolor project, LEGO Club, and the Spooktacular Lock-tober Breakout Box! The breakout box event featured Halloween Haunted House Gets Ghosted, with a kit from the

• • Western Library System plus a variety of spooky elements and puzzles to solve. Cynthia also shared an outreach visit to Sher Bears this week. Ongoing projects include Book Mobile, backpacks and updating book displays.

• • Technical Services Librarian Emily Nelson processed Interlibrary loans, assisted patrons on the computers, and helped with some fundraising items. She also updated the website and the social media pages.

• • Library Clerk Pam Becker is staying busy processing all the new books and keeping things organized.

• • We also are happy to welcome our newest Library Page Avy Knapp!

Parks:

• • Removed existing sidewalks and benches at the tennis courts to prepared for grade work.

• • Removed needles from the courts.

• • Removed trees and other vegetation growing in between the storage building and greenhouse behind Sallows.

• • Began removing volunteer trees in the cedar grove on the North side of Laing Lake.

• • Began priming and painting the trim on the Softball dugout shelters.

• • Blew out and winterized the Central Park Fountain.

• • Hauled off the grass piles at the old swimming pool parking lot.

• • Trimmed trees at the softball complex.

BBDC:

• • Opened survey on Early Childhood capacity here in Box Butte County. If you live, work, or raise

• • a family here in Box Butte County, please complete it here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BoxButteC4KSurvey

• • Spoke to AHS Junior Careers classes yesterday about Economic Development.

• • Listened in on HOMENE monthly zoom on Upper Story Development, Britton, SD and Hastings, NE examples.

• • Collaborating with Deb Cottier, Northwest Nebraska Development Corporation in Chadron, to plan a Career Exploration Field Trip for area Sophomores (Part of Career Pathways Initiative).

• • Have clients looking to lease office space and don’t have enough options so if you know of anything available, please get in contact with me.

Transit:

• • 657 riders.

Landfill:

• • 165 customers.

• • 251 tons.

Streets:

• • Alley grading.

• • Sweeper training.

• • Installation of new crosswalk lights.