A request for the purchase of an 8,000 square foot piece of property owned by the city of Wayne and a public hearing on a request to amend the city's zoning text were two of the items discussed when the Wayne City Council met in regular session on Monday.
Ivan Heise and Kris Loberg spoke to the council on the possibility of purchasing a small piece of property adjacent to their property that they have already been maintaining.
Council members noted that the property involved is "odd - shaped" and "is only used for water storage now." Also discussed was the drainage in the area and the fact that if the property were sold, the city would need an easement as there are utilities on it.
Following the discussion, council member Matt Eischied asked city staff to move forward with establishing a purchase price as the process moves forward.
A public hearing was held on the request to amend the city's zoning text in regard to A-1 Agricultural District (B) permitted principal uses and structures.
Applicants Rod and Noah Lutt came before the council requesting the change for property they own just south of Wayne. They would like to move their trucking business and another business to that location and add a car/truck wash at the location. They told the council that having the businesses located there "would be safer than where they are."
City Planner Joel Hansen said the Planning Commission had voted in favor of the changes and said the change in the text "makes sense in an A-1 zoned area."
Council members voted unanimously to approve the ordinance connected to this change on first reading. It will be brought back to the council again for second and third reading.
Pay applications for two projects were approved.
The first was for $87,239 to Otte Construction Company, LLC for the Wayne Parks & Rec. Maintenance Building Project.
Keith Moje with Otte Construction explained to the council what items on the punch list had been completed and said "80 - 85% of the items are done and there will be even more completed tomorrow (Tuesday)."
Council member Eischied asked about the patching that had been done on the concrete flooring in the building and said that he felt this "was an engineering issue that the engineer needs to step up and take responsibility."
Moje discussed with the council possible options for the floor and said there was a possibility of doing a cost adjustment before the final payment is made.
A second payment, in the amount of $45,862.67 to Robert Woehler & Sons Construction, Inc., was approved. This is for work done on the Wayne Prairie Park Phase 4 - East Ditch Storm Sewer Project.
It was noted that progress on the project is being made, but has been slowed by rains this summer.
Council members also approved the third reading of an ordinance which adopts the city's flood plain district and a resolution authorizing the signing of the Municipal Annual Certification of Program Compliance for the Nebraska Board of Public Roads Classifications and Standards.
City Planner Hansen told the council that changes have been made in the process of submitting these documents, resulting in less paperwork.
Following the main portion of the meeting, the council again held a budget work session.
City Finance Director Beth Porter told the council that valuation numbers for the city have come in with a 9% increase.
She presented several options for the city because of the numbers submitted.
The first of these would be to keep the dollar amount of taxes collected the same, thus lowering the levy. However, doing this could result in the loss of some state aid.
A second option would be to put more money toward the city's debt services reserve, as the debt levy has been too low to cover costs. This would put more revenue toward paying off the debt for the new city hall/police department.
During the budget session information was shared on adding lighting on West Highway 35.
City Administrator Wes Blecke told council members that seven lights would need to be installed along the highway and these would need to follow Nebraska Department of Roads regulations.
Department heads then discussed with council members and the mayor what their upcoming budgets included and items on their "wish lists."
These included additional library assistants at Wayne Public Library, additional officers on the Wayne Police Department, work on the showers and floor at the Community Activity Center and possible changes when the lease on the Recycling & Trash Center is up.
The Wayne City Council will next meet in regular session on Tuesday, Sept. 2 (note date change due to Labor Day holiday) at 5:30 p.m. in council chambers at 513 Main Street.
