BROKEN BOW – The Broken Bow City Council threw a two-for-one meeting special on Tuesday, September 13. The first was the public budget hearing for the year, and the second was its regular mid-month meeting. All members were present except Councilman Myers.
City Administrator Dan Knoell took the podium for the budget hearing, outlining where the money was to be allocated for the coming year. He touched on the $1.2 million Memorial Drive Renovation project, which despite a small snag earlier this summer is still expected to be completed before year’s end.
A $250,000 sewer main project was another major capital project included for the year, which is anticipated to stretch from Sandhills Motors to South 15th and B Streets, as well as electric “H” frame removal, which would move power lines underground and supplement the city’s power to the tune of $500,000.
Three hundred thousand dollars is set aside for much-needed renovations to the Municipal Building, and $27,000 will go to the library for purchasing materials, and for the first time in the history of the Broken Bow Police Department, the K-9 officer is on the payroll; Sam the police dog will receive a yearly $2000 salary to go toward his food and living expenses.
Overall, the budget will increase by a total of 9.75% for the year, and the property tax request for Broken Bow residents will be a total of $1,450,448.88. Of that, $1.16 million will go to the general fund, and the remainder, a little under $300,000, will go to the city’s bond fund.
The above numbers were approved unanimously after a public hearing through Resolution 2022-12 shortly after the 6:12 p.m. call to order of the council’s regular meeting. Resolution 2022-11, granting a 1% increase to restricted funds, also passed unanimously.
Ordinance 1264, however, which proposed a well head protection plan for the city’s water, was postponed until the end of the month; Council President David Schmidt, while approving of the idea, wanted more information from experts involved in its planning.
“This is a good thing, and I would really like to see something like this in place, but because our experts are a no-show I’m leaning toward maybe giving them an opportunity to be here for the next council meeting.”
City department wages were set, and the Handi Bus Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy was tightened to a close-to-zero tolerance initiative, and a sale of surplus city property is expected to take place on Saturday, September 24 at an as-yet undetermined time.
The consent agenda was approved, and Andy Holland, newly-badged EMT received rightful adulation from the City Council, Mayor Sonnichsen, and all present for his remarkable achievement.
The next Broken Bow City Council meeting is expected to take place on September 27, and as always, is open to the public.
