VILLAGE OF ELMWOOD
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
July 6, 2022 – 7:00 PM
REGULAR BOARD MEETING MINUTES
Meeting Held at Elmwood Village Office
The Village Board of Trustees met in regular session on Wednesday, July 6, 2022. Chairperson Jared Blunt called the meeting to order at 7:00pm. Blunt stated that a current copy of the Nebraska Open Meetings Act was posted.
Roll Call: was answered by Becky Kicak, Renee Holland, Miki Bruns, Jared Blunt. Absent: Heather Scott
Minutes: Bruns made a motion, second by Kicak to approve meeting minutes from June 15th,2022. RCV: Yes Approved 4-0
Claims and payroll: Bruns made a motion, 2nd by Holland to approve claims & payroll for June 28th – July 5th, 2022. RCV: Yes: Approved 4-0
Claims: American Exchange Bank (security box)$25, Capitol City Refuse(Town clean up) $1,175.42, Cass County Refuse(Garbage)$70, Clements Insurance Agency (Audit) $58, Elmwood Convenience Store(supplies) $14.37, Frontier Coop (Fuel) $541.46, IRS (Payroll Taxes) $1287.45, Intuit (Salary Direct Deposit) $10.50, Lincoln Journal Star (minutes)$106.82, Lovell Excavating (Sewer Jetting) $500, Menards(supplies)$32.97, Moriah Lenz (Mile reimbursement)$41.18, NE Public Health Lab(water samples)$15, NE Dept. of Revenue (Payroll Taxes) $3712.79, NE Digging Services (Ball field curb stop)$608.75, One Call Concepts (811 locates)$35.08, OPPD (Electricity)$3,542.32, Pankonins (Tractor Parts)$12.12, Quill (Supplies)$341.94, U.S. Postal Services $178, Village of Elmwood (Petty Cash)$5.80, Windstream (Phone) $196.30, Salary $8,218.96.
EPIC Park Account claims: Josh Hoyer (music in the park) $1,200
New Business
Discussion/Action 112 North 4th Street – Romero Mainstreet Property
The board discussed the matter and said that they have been gracious with the time frame and even gave a requested extension by the tenant until June 30, 2022 so now the board has to follow through with the next course of action. Bruns made the motion to have the Attorney and Zoning Administrator step in to take further actions needed to the tenant to vacate the premises, second by Kicak. RCV: Yes: Approved 4-0
Discussion/Action John Powers Cat follow up
The board told John his limit of cats is 4. Bruns reminded John he is not to be feeding the cats outside of his fence or garage because he is attracting more cats. Kicak said that they are just abiding by the Ordinances in place on the number of cats and will continue to move forward on the feral cat issue in town. Kicak told John that they appreciate his work with getting cats spayed and neutered. Blunt referred John to contact a feral cat colony group to get the remaining 10-11 cats taken care of. Motion by Holland that John needs to be in compliance with 4 cats total by August 3rd meeting, second by Kicak. RCV: YES: Approved 4-0
Discussion/Action Rocking of the whole Alley where the culvert was just installed
Board said we need to re-assess it for the new budget year.
Discussion/Action Bid from Layne for the test well site
Kicak made a motion to approve the test well bid if we have the funds and to proceed, second by Bruns RCV: YES: Approved 4-0.
Discussion/Action Help with seating for music in the park for the pie ride – Marie Gregoire
Marie said that the music in the park with Josh Hoyer will be a big event with a lot of people. Marie asked the board if they could have the village maintenance guy help with transporting chairs from the Quonset to the park and set up by the gazebo. Bruns stated that the board supports the event, but it isn’t a board event so for someone to help haul and setup chairs should not be on the Villages time. The board suggested that Marie post on Facebook looking for volunteers to haul and set up the chairs at the park.
Unfinished Business
Discussion/Action Nuisance Properties in Elmwood
Bruns made a motion for Moriah to send detailed Certified letters to the property owners that fall in the nuisance category and they have 10 days from excepting the letter to clear up the nuisances, second by Holland. RCV: YES: Approved 4-0 Discussion/Action Tree Bids for 313 N 3rd Street & Park
Put on the next budget year.
Reports/Boards, Commissions, and Committees
Library: Kicak made a motion to approve July 1-5,2022 Bills & Payroll, second by Bruns. RCV YES: Approved 4-0
Library Claims & Payroll: Black Hills Energy (Gas)$43.48, OPPD (Electricity)$86.17, Scott Bornemeier (Internet)$60.34, Windstream (Phone)$48.65, Intuit (Direct Deposit) $3.50, NE Dept. of Revenue (Payroll (Payroll Taxes )$15.06, United States Treasury (Payroll Taxes)$217.45, Amazon (New Book)$35.54, Elmwood Public Library (petty cash reimbursement)$40.22, Salary $1,011.96.
Park: Ed reported to the board that Levi won’t be around much starting in August because he will be heading to college. Kicak made a motion to approve posting the job again to get someone to help fill in from August to October, second by Holland. RCV: YES:
Approved 4-0
Street: No Report
Water: Current well levels have dropped a little but wells are still running steady. A resident in town complained about low water pressure and the village looked into it but couldn’t find anything wrong on their end so the property owner had her water line dug up and there was a leak that was consuming a larger amount of water for a while but the issue is fixed now.
Sewer: New sewer pump that was installed a few months ago quit working due to a malfunction so HTM came to pick the pump up and fix it since it is still under warranty.
Planning/Zoning: Next meeting is July 18, 2022 directly following their hearing at 7:00pm.
Public Comment:
Linda Blunt – 104 Railroad Ave. – I’m part of the planning and zoning committee and wanted to know id the board had any input on the sidewalks or anything else that the planning and zoning was working on for the comp book.
Personnel:
Jared called Executive session for discussion of personnel
Bruns made a motion to go into executive session @ 8:10pm, second by Holland. RCV: YES: Approved 4-0
Bruns made a motion to come out of executive session @ 8:32pm, second by Kicak. RCV: YES: Approved 4-0
Discussion/Action Hiring Maintenance Supervisor
Bruns made a motion to hire Scott Bivens at $23/hour & if Scott declines to offer the job to Kevin Huxhold, second by Kicak. RCV: YES: Approved 4-0
Discussion/Action Moriah’s Annual Review
Blunt made a motion to increase Moriah’s salary to $22/hour, retrospective to June 16th, 2022, second by Bruns. RCV: YES:
Approved 4-0
Discussion/Action Wage Evaluation for Ed Blunt
Bruns made a motion to increase the water salary to $25,000/year, sewer salary to $15,000/year and $28/hour affective this current pay period, second by Holland. RCV: YES: Approved 3-0 Abstained – 1 (Jared Blunt)
Discussion/Action Increasing the monthly stipend allowance for employees
Bruns made a motion to approve increasing the monthly stipend to $500 starting July 2022, second by Kicak.
RCV: YES: Approved 4-0
Future Agenda:
Library Handicap door bid
Library Electrician bids
Short/Long term disability coverage for employees
401K for employees
Nuisance Homes
Budget sidewalks/ Grants
John Powers Cats
Ordinance for salaries and stipend
Meeting Adjourned at 8:43pm