The Broken Bow City Council met in Regular Session Tuesday Evening, June 9. Mayor Rod Sonnichsen called the meeting to order at 6:00 PM in the Broken Bow Municipal Building Auditorium. Council member Paul Holland was absent from Tuesday evening’s meeting.
Five Bids Submitted for Armory Building
Among the agenda items was the public opening of sealed bids for the former Armory property. City Administrator David Schmidt conducted the bid opening, explaining that the city followed all state requirements for the sale of public property valued at more than $5,000, including publication notices and a forthcoming 30-day remonstrance period.
Schmidt said the city received five bids by the June 5 deadline. The highest bid came from Becton Dickinson (BD) at $900,000. Sargent Pipe’s bid of $728,500, came in at second place, while the lowest bid submitted was $350,001 from Chapin’s Furniture. Two other bids fell between those amounts, at $376,001 (Opportunity Land Investment) and $352,000 (Taylor Heating and Cooling).
No other action on the bids was taken Tuesday night. City officials will now review each proposal for responsiveness and the bidder’s ability to meet the terms of the sale. A recommendation will be presented to the council at a future meeting, after which any approved sale would require the approval of the Council.
Schmidt thanked all parties who participated in the process, noting the significant investment represented by the proposals.
E-Bike Ordinance Draws Public Input
The council also held a public hearing on the proposed ordinance regulating electric bicycles, electric scooters and hoverboards within city limits.
Schmidt noted that since the ordinance was first introduced at the prior Council meeting, several revisions have been made. The current draft would:
Prohibit e-bikes from operating on sidewalks within the downtown business district.
Prohibit riders under age 18 from operating e-bikes on streets within the business district.
Require approved helmets for all minors.
Restrict e-bike use in city parks, including on walking trails and grassy areas.
Establish penalties and impoundment provisions for violations.
Council member Travis Kleeb questioned whether the age restriction should be lowered from 18 to 16, consistent with other motorized vehicle licensing requirements.
Two Broken Bow residents and experienced e-bike riders spoke during the public hearing.
Tim Schuckman noted that he had already had a productive conversation with Police Chief Chris Anderson. Schuckman supported efforts to address unsafe riding but expressed concerns that some restrictions could unintentionally affect responsible riders arguing that forcing riders off sidewalks and into downtown traffic could create additional safety concerns and encouraged the council to allow more public feedback before adopting regulations.
Dann Scofield, another longtime e-bike user, voiced similar concerns. He questioned restrictions that could limit access to businesses and other areas he currently reaches by bicycle and urged the council to carefully consider how the ordinance affects law-abiding riders.
Sonnichsen noted the ordinance is intended to address safety concerns raised by residents and emphasized that the city wants to ensure the regulations are practical and effective.
Following the discussion, the Council agreed additional review was needed. The Council voted not to waive the ordinance’s three required readings, meaning the proposal will return for further discussion at future meetings before any final adoption.
The current draft of the ordinance can be found with Tuesday’s City Council Agenda.
Other Business
In other action, the council:
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Accepted the city’s annual audit report for the fiscal year ending in September 2025. Bob Meyer of accounting firm RJ Meyer and Associates, LLC in North Platte stated the audit showed a clean, unmodified opinion and healthy cash reserves. Meyer provided an overview of the City’s finances, noting that while the City had taken on no new debt in the past year, the budget was exceeded by $59,000. This was attributed primarily to the ongoing response to the February 2025 power plant explosion.
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Reappointed Chad Schall, Scott Adams and Jeff Withrow to the Board of Public Works, and appointed new members Alecs Rumery and Justin French, all for terms through June 2029
Continued the review of updated electric utility rates by declining to waive additional readings, allowing more time for public input before the changes take effect. -
Approved the sale of another surplus city property at 843 N 6th street to Jerry A. Haines for $12,000.
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Approved a service agreement with the Nebraska Public Power District.
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Approved a $12,250 change order for Phase 1 of a project to install updated electrical metering equipment at the BD electrical substation. Electrical Superintendent Blake Waldow said the change will reduce planned outages affecting BD and other customers.
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Approved Resolution 2026-10, allowing the city to use lottery funds for park and recreation improvements, including upgrades to Christmas lights and park facilities.
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Approval of the Consent Agenda included applications for fireworks stands. Troy’s Hot Rocket Fireworks and Loud and Proud Fireworks were approved to sell in Broken Bow, pending submission of the necessary insurance documents to the City.
The meeting of the Broken Bow City Council adjourened just before 7:00 PM. The next Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 23 at 6:00 PM in the Broken Bow Municipal Building.
