February 18, 2025-6:00pm
700 Box Butte Ave. Hemingford, NE. 69348
Zoom Virtual Meeting information
Meeting ID 895 1242 6866 Passcode 009683
Pledge of Allegiance
Opening prayer by – Jake Frost
Public Open Meeting Act poster location was pointed out on the north wall of Council Chambers located at the Village office.
Meeting called to order at 6:00 p.m.
Present: Smith, Frost, Hunter, Mahony, Wacker
Consent Calendar items included the Minutes of the January 21, 2025 Regular meeting. Claims against the Village of $41,537.81, Claims against the Utilities of $172,972.78. January 2025 Village Financial Statements and Bank Reconciliations reports. January 2025 Library Report. Acceptance of resignation of Hemingford Public Library Director Colleen Garner effective April 30, 2025.
Motion by Frost, second by Mahony to approve the consent calendar as read.
Voting Aye: Smith, Frost, Hunter, Mahony, Wacker
Discussion and Possible action: Annual Review of EMS Billing Agreement, of April 16, 2024. After review of the agreement there were no concerns or changes by either party.. NO ACTION TAKEN.
Discussion and possible action: Resolution 2025-02 Fee Schedule was reviewed. There were no concerns with the set fees or changes necessary.
Motion by Smith, Second by Hunter to approve Resolution 2025-02 as written.
Voting Aye: Smith, Frost, Hunter, Mahony, Wacker
Discussion and possible action: Playground funding request of $17,000 from the Lottery Fund to cover the remaining cost of rubber mulch for the surface covering, where there will be no pour in place rubber surface. The playground project has a shortfall of cash to complete the surfacing by $17,000. Motion by Mahony, Second by Hunter to approve use of up to $17,000 from the Lottery Fund for rubber mulch surface covering at the park playground.
Voting Aye: Smith, Frost, Hunter, Mahony, Wacker
Discussion and possible action: Approval of Ordinance # 830 Animal Control Updates.
Motion by Frost, Second by Mahony to move Ordinance # 830 to a second reading at the next regular meeting of the Hemingford Village Board of Trustees.
Voting Aye: Smith, Frost, Hunter, Mahony, Wacker
Discussion and possible action: The Village Administrator and Utilities Superintendent would like to offer full time employees the opportunity to work 4 -10-hour shifts for 16 weeks during the summer and early fall
months allowing them to have 3-day weekends. Two utility crew members would be off duty on Mondays and two on Fridays with a full crew Tuesday thru Thursday, unless a holiday fall on either Monday or Friday. The office would be staffed every day with at least one person. As the Board had no objections this option will be offered to all full-time employees.
Discussion and possible action: 3-month CD # 18002728 matures March 4, 2025 with a current balance of $223.005.74. This CD is a part of the street project funding and can be either moved to the street expense account now or renewed for another 3 months at an interest rate of 4.05%. The current balance in the street expense fund should be enough to cover expected expenses when the project resumes in the spring. Motion by Mahony, Second by Hunter to renew CD # 18002728 for 3 months with an interest rate of 4.05%.
Voting Aye: Smith, Frost, Hunter, Mahony, Wacker
Administrators Report: Box Butte County Sheriffs Office reports 21 calls for service and 13 traffic stops. Clerk School this year is in South Sioux City Nebraska the week of March 17th both Kyle and Barb will be attending, that being the same week as the regular Board meeting it is suggested that the March meeting be moved from March 18, 2025 to March 25, 2025, Board members agreed that the regular March meeting should be moved to the 25th of March at 6:00pm. Caselle, the computer software company is offering training in Kearney NE. April 22-24 this year, Barb will attend the first day for training dealing with the general ledger, Cindy will attend the second day, training will focus on utility billing, and the third day is focused on payroll, Kyle will attend all three days of training. A strategic planning session will be planned for April 2025 with a date to be determined after every one has a chance to check their availability.
Utilities Department Report: Equipment repairs are done and ready for spring, pool benches have been repaired and rebuilt as needed. There was a problem with the water tower controls freezing but a room in the base of the water tower has been constructed to insulate the controls from the frigid temperatures, and seems to have solved the problem. Alliance gave the Village an auto dialer that once installed will alert all the utility cell phones when the water pressure drops or is too high. Thermal imaging of the electric system was done last fall and again a couple weeks ago, there were 5 issues identified, 4 have been corrected, and the last one involves changing a transformer that will be done once the weather is better. Thermal imaging of the electric system is suggested done every 3-5 years, with our system and the age of it, the cost of thermal imaging could save huge repair bills and extended outages. Thermal imaging cost should be worked into the budget to protect our system.
Discussion and possible action: Addition of the remaining 3 blocks of Sidney to the Street Project as well as water distribution system updates in that same area. In the last month there have been two water main breaks in the area involving a 4” pipe and 8” pipe, it only makes sense to add the area to the project as the street had to be torn up to fix the water break. The water pipes are old and if there are 2 breaks in less then a month it is better to make the replacements now before putting a new street on top of the area. The preliminary engineers estimate is $702,669 for the 3 blocks of paving and the water project. The Board directed the Administrator to contact our bonding agent and get and addendum to the existing paving district to include the three blocks of Sidney and the water project ready for approval at the March 2025 Board meeting.
Code Enforcement Report: One new case in the last 30 days and three closed. Nuisance properties have been sent certified letters from the attorney and if there is no response it will move forward with abatement procedures. Potentially dangerous dog owner has been sent a final letter by the attorney and will move forward with legal consequences if not addressed timely.
Public Comment: No comments
Motion by Mahony, Second by Frost to enter into closed session for the purpose of evaluation performance of Senex of Hemingford, LLC in the management of the Hemingford Care Center and conduct a strategy session relating to negotiations of Care Center agreements, as such session is necessary for protection of the public interest.
Voting Aye: Smith, Frost, Hunter, Mahony, Wacker.
Closed Session entered into at 6:50pm
Motion to exit closed session by Mahony Second by Hunter at 8:02pm
Direction to Village Administrator to inquire as to Senex of Hemingford, LLC’s future intentions as to the Care Center and possible interest in early termination of Village’s lease.
Motion to adjourn at 8:04 pm by Mahony, Second by Smith
Voting Aye: Smith, Frost, Hunter, Mahony, Wacker.
ATTEST: Richard Wacker, Chairman
Barb Straub, Village Clerk
Publish: July 2, 2025
ZNEZ