BROKEN BOW – The Broken Bow City Council held a very lengthy meeting on Monday evening.
The night started with the council the approval of the minutes from the January 23, 2024 council meeting and the approval of bills as posted.
Under other communications, Janelle Custer, a resident of Callie Drive spoke about how limited space is at Callie Drive and how her son-in-law, a professional firefighter stated that no fire trucks could fit if vehicles are parked along the road in Callie Drive.
Council-member Paul Holland stated that he drove through Callie Drive and in fact no firetrucks would be able to fit. This will be discussed in future meetings.
Chief Scott and retired Custer County Sheriff Ted Henderson were a part of the official pinning of Broken Bow’s newest police sergeant, Chris Henderson. Ted served Custer County for many years. Sergeant Henderson seems to be following his father’s foot steps.
The board approved the Olson Group as the health insurance broker for City Employees.
The board also approved the resolution 2024-1, City of Broken Bow, and NDOT agreement No. XL2327 which will allow NDOT to work on Highway 2 in Broken Bow.
The board also approved the mandatory trash fees, which will make the fees go up by $4, two dollars are for S&L Sanitation costs and the other two dollars are for costs that the Custer Transfer Station is seeing. Council member Chris Myers abstained from voting.
Up next was the public hearing for ordinance 1276, Mobile Food Vendors, which brought in five public speakers. Mobile food vendors do not pertain to peddlers or itinerant merchants. One theme was if the vendors are to stay on the square, the council needs to look at repricing.
“I think it’s a great opportunity, I do think we probably need to look at the pricing of things, maybe up the prices if they’re going to be using utilities, electricity, that kind of stuff, the trash,” said Christie Trumbull, a Broken Bow resident.
Due to events that happened on the Square on Friday pertaining to an itinerant merchant, Mayor Rod Sonnichsen spoke and gave factual information on what happened stating that there were nine complaints and that the peddler was asked to leave at 1:30 p.m. who in term did not leave until 4:25 p.m.
You are invited to listen below:
According to Chapter 113, which you can find on the Market on the Square & Summer Celebrations in the Square Facebook page, an itinerant merchant is any person whether as owner, agent, or consignee, who engages in a temporary business of selling goods within the city and who, in the furtherance of such business, uses any building, structure, vehicle, or any place within the city. According to Ordinance 1203, a mobile food vendor shall mean a person who by traveling from place to place upon the public way sells or offers for sale food from public or private property to consumers for immediate delivery and consumption upon purchase, including but not limited to any such person engaged for the purpose of any public or private event occurring within the corporate limits of the City of Broken Bow, Nebraska. Section J states that mobile food vendors may park parallel to the curb on the south side of the City Square unless there is a City event. The parking only pertains to mobile food vendors.
No decisions were made on Ordinance 1276.
The next city council meeting will be on February 27, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. in the Broken Bow Municipal Building.
