City Council considering two options for voters on tax issue
By Alan Carman
The Imperial Republican
The Imperial City Council met in the council chambers, Monday, June 15. Present were Council members; Nick Colton, Julie Gockley, John Miller, Jan Elliott, and Mayor Craig Loeffler. city clerk
Minutes of the June 3 Sarah Hoskovec recorded the minutes and City Attorney Josh Wendell was present.
Minutes of the June 3 City Council meeting, June 8, Park and Tree Board, May 4 City Council meeting and the Library Board meetings were reviewed.
Motion was made to approve all the minutes with the exception of the June 3 Council meeting, which needed to be reviewed. Motion passed 4-0.
Mike Rogers, special attorney for the writing of the verbiage of the sales tax issue on the November Ballot, joined the meeting via video call. The Council discussed a direction for Rogers on what the wording should include on the ballot.
The Council would like to offer two options for the public to vote on. The first would be a one percent sales tax, the same as what we presently have. The second would be a one and a half percent sales tax, with the other half a percent going towards medical or healthcare structure.
Rogers said he will work on the wording and have something for the Council to review at the next meeting.
Next action was to recind the nine Nuisance properties. Six of the properties have been cleared. The remaining three will receive the final letter before Abatement.
On a 4-0 vote, the Council approved the contract agreement for Vacanti Municipal Consulting Sevices LLC for the Interim City Administrator, for a term from June 24 through October 20, 2026.
The Imperial Police Dept., requested the Councils permission to sell the Police Unit that was equipped for a K-9 Officer.
Police Chief, Chad Ostmeyer stated that Hitchcock County had just got a K-9 Officer and would like to purchase the vehicle from Imperial. Ostmeyer stated he had talked to his officers and none of them were interested in getting a K-9 Officer to work with.
The Council agreed to sell the 2019 Ford Explorer Police Interceptor to Hitchcock County for $20,000, paid in full before delivery of the vehicle. The motion passed 4-0.
The Council also approved additions to the Police Department’s Policy Manuel to include Sect. 7.26 on Drones and unmanned aircraft and Sect. 7.27 for License Plate Reader.
Consideration of Resolution 26-06-10 and 26-06-11 for street closures for the fair were reviewed and passed, 4-0.
The Council voted to remove Tyler Pribbeno as an authorized signer on all bank accounts and to add Sarah Hoskovec to the Imperial Manor checking account and the Manor Resident Fund.
In unfinished business, the Council reviewed bids from Prairie States Communications and Kidwell for cameras for the new City Square for security purposes. After discussion, the Council voted 3-0, with Elliott abstaining, for the bid from Prairie States Communications for 8 megapixel cameras and installation at a cost of $8,092.42.
The Council discussed amendments to the Imperial Personnel Books and decided they needed more time to review the contents.
The Council approved on a 4-0 vote for Josh Moreno to repair the Welcome Sign, east of Imperial on Highway 6, at a cost of $1400.
Wage Ordinance 26-06-01, removal of City Administrator/Community Development Director had it’s first reading by Mayor Loeffler. A motion was made and passed to wave the rest of the readings so the Ordinance could be voted on. Motion passed 4-0, so the Council voted to pass Ordinance 26-06-01.
Motion was made to approve the claims, with the exception of the Prairie States claim. Motion passed 4-0.
Motion by Colton and seconded by Gockley to pay the Prairie States Claim. Motion passed 3-0, with Elliott abstaining.
Superintendents reports were given. Police Chief Ostmeyer reported that they are needing to replace a cruiser and would like to switch from Explorers to F150 pick-ups. He stated the cost would be a little higher, but resale values are higher for pick-ups and he thought the City could rotate the pick-ups into use for the city works departments when the police were done with them.
The Council approved the Police Chief to look into pricing and to see if the vehicle could be purchased locally.
Chief Ostmeyer reported they are seeing a large number of E-Scooters and E-Bikes on the streets and sidewalks of Imperial. He would like to see some restrictions or regulations on the downtown use of these vehicles.
The Police Dept. is planning a bike rodeo in July, and possibly having Spencer Rowley from Ogallala PD, who does their E-Bike and E-Scooter safety course which they could incorporate in the rodeo.
The speed limit sign at 10th and Broadway is not working and needs to be replaced. The Chief will look into the cost of replacement.
City Superintendent Pat Davison said the new bucket truck should arrive by the end of the week.
He reported that on April 23, an irrigation motor was started and it caused a spark from the transformer, which caused some damage to a vinyl fence and some nice trees. He was not certain if the City’s insurance would cover the damage or not. The total is between $25,000 and $26,000. He submitted a claim but has not heard back on it yet.
Bids went out for a new backhoe. Bids should be back soon for approval.
Report on the pool is that everything is running good.
Report on the City Square is that Tyler Gillmore, the engineer for the project, will be back to do a walk through with Pat and make a punch list of things that still need to be taken care of to get things finished up and operational. They will be addressing anything that needs to be finished.
Sprinklers are all working on the new City Square.
Manor report was given. Census is coming back up and is at 27. They are still looking for CNA’s, Med aides and a maintenance assistant.
The CNA class at Mid Plains Comm. College has 12 students at this time..
The day-care that has been at the manor, found a new home and will be moving. That will lose about $800 a month of income for the manor.
Meeting adjourned.