City council asked to support community foundation

    City council members received an update on and a request for support of the Imperial Community Foundation Fund (ICFF).
    Lori Pankonin, an ICFF committee member, addressed the council at their meeting Monday, reviewing the campaign underway to earn a Sherwood Foundation grant of $250,000.
    She said the ICFF has been challenged to raise the $500,000 match for that grant.
    They have between $60,000 and $70,000 yet to raise by the end of 2020.
    Pankonin reviewed a long list of projects that ICFF has supported since its founding, which last July, totalled $446,475.
    ICFF has supported projects in a number of areas including the hospital, school, Cattleman’s Ball and more.
    City projects supported over the years have included the art mural facing Broadway, city gym improvements and a housing study. Library, swimming pool, skatepark, fire department, park improvements and Manor projects have also been funded.
    “I know you have a budget to follow,” Pankonin said.
    She asked the council to consider investing in Imperial’s future.
    The ICFF currently has $1.6 million in assets, she said.
Other business
    The city has been working with West Central Nebraska Development District (WCNDD) to put unused city funds to use for housing rehab.
    WCNDD approached the city months ago about this collaboration after it received a Community Development Block Grant, also for housing rehabilitation in its western Nebraska service area, which includes Chase County.
    The $33,000 in unused city funds will stay in the city to fund local rehab work, said CJ Poltak of WCNDD. Local residents could also receive some of the block grant funding WCNDD was awarded.
    City Clerk/Administrator Jo Leyland said they have had some applications for the rehab funds.
    Council action approved WCNDD as the grant administrator, okayed a service agreement and made some slight changes in the agreement to meet current law.
    Low bids were chosen for equipment in the city’s public works department.
    Imperial Country Ford’s bid of $29,400 was approved for a 2020 pickup for the street department. Harchelroad Motors also submitted a bid of $29,875.
    A bid of $68,828 (after trade) from Rose Electric, Inc. of Lincoln was approved for a 2020 O’Brien trailer-mounted sewer jet for the sewer department. MacQueen Equipment, also of Lincoln, bid $82,272.
    In other business, the council set Monday, March 30, at 4 p.m. for their council retreat.
Salaries approved at senior care facilities
    Salaries for Manor Administrator Eric Haider and Director of Nursing Margie Haider, and most other employees, were increased, which were approved by the council.
    Eric Haider’s annual salary increased from $100,000 to $105,000, or 5%.
    Margie Haider’s yearly salary increased from $115,000 to $120,750, also 5%.
    Leyland said most all salary ranges for the facilities’ other employees changed, as well. They receive raises on their anniversary dates in most cases, she said.
    The council approved the wage ordinance with those changes.
    Two other employees were added to the wage document.
    Tyler Pribbeno, who started this week at community development director, will be paid $70,000 per year.
    Also added to the wage ordinance was Cody Cravey, who returned to the city’s public works department, starting at $18 per hour.

 

The Imperial Republican

308-882-4453 (Phone)

622 Broadway St

PO Box 727

Imperial, NE 69033