A total of seven resolutions and one ordinance were on the agenda when the Wayne City Council met in regular session on Tuesday.
Receiving the most discussion was Resolution 2024-78, which amends the city's Wage and Salary Schedule. The schedule includes a 4% cost of living increase that was approved in the fiscal year 2024-2025 budget.
Council member Clayton Bratcher asked the council to consider increasing the pay range for dispatchers with the Wayne Police Department. He said he felt the position involved unique challenges and that during a comparability study that is conducted for all job classifications, there are not many other cities that the Wayne dispatchers could be compared with due to having different job responsibilities. He said dispatchers do not have the opportunity to move up to different levels.
During discussion, council members also discussed the challenges of finding, and retaining, dispatchers and whether the city needs to have a conversation with the county to determine possible increases in their support. The Wayne Police Department does provide dispatch services for the county.
Following discussion, council members voted to approve the Wage and Salary Schedule, with an adjustment to the pay range for dispatchers moving to a beginning rate of $23.01 per hour.
Other resolutions on the agenda included two that deal with the 2024 Rural Community Recovery Program Grant that the city was awarded this fall.
Resolution 2024-74 approves a memorandum of understanding with the city and Northeast Nebraska Economic Development District (NNEDD) and Resolution 2024-75 accepts the execution of a service/consultant agreement between the city and NNEDD for general administration at a cost not to exceed $30,000. The cost would be taken from the approximately $1.3 million the city is receiving through the grant.
Resolution 2024-76 was approved. It accepts the bid from McKinnis Roofing & Sheet Metal, LLC of Blair for $92,085.00 for the electric generation plant roofing project.
Resolution 2024-77 accepts the bid and awards a contract to Guarantee Roofing & Sheet Metal for $176,717.00 for the Community Activity Center Roofing Project.
Resolution 2024-78 approves the appointment of Amy K. Miller as the City Attorney and sets her retainer agreement for the coming year.
The final resolution on the agenda, Resolution 2024-80 approves the specifications and authorizes the purchase of a Bobcat Compact Excavator and related equipment for $52,779.51 from Sooland Bobcat in Sioux City, Iowa.
The cost for this piece of equipment will be split between the Electric Department (50%), Water Department (25%) and Sewer Department (25%).
Ordinance 2024-13 was approved and the three readings waived.
It allows changes in the time frame and method of notifying the public in case the city needs to declare a Snow Emergency.
Also during Tuesday's meeting Street and Planning Director presented his annual report to the council.
Hansen told the council his department is made up of six employees, with a 94 combined years of years of service to the city. He noted that these are "quality employees and often are able to do work that saves the city money by not having to hire someone else to complete it."
Hansen shared information on the amount of time his department spent on various activities, including street sweeper hours (83 in 2024), trucks with plows (5,035 miles in 2024), loaders and motor grader (931 hours in 2024), ice control/street sander (390 miles in 2024) and snow record requiring plowing (25 inches in 2024).
On Hansen's list of concerns were the cost of replacing aging streets in coming years on Street side of his position and the need to address having trailer parks available in the city, as trailer homes provide another option for housing.
The Wayne City Council will next meet in regular session on Tuesday, Jan. 7 in council chambers. Council members will hold a mini retreat following that meeting.
