Looking for a good summer read? The Crete Public Library staff has just the book for you.

A variety of books have been read by a staff member and come recommended in the categories of biographies, mainstream, historical, nonfiction, contemporary, romance, suspense and young adult. (View/download pdf)

A public meeting on USDA housing opportunities will be held on Tuesday, June 18 at noon at City Hall in Crete to learn about Rural Development Housing Programs. Refreshments will be served.

This meeting is intended to offer information to families interested in living in rural communities and owning the own home or existing homeowners that need assistance with home repairs, in addition to information for lenders, realtors, community officials, major employers, state and federal partners, home builders, and other housing partners. Presenters are USDA Rural Development and Nebraska Investment Finance Authority (NIFA).

USDA’s Rural Development programs include: 100 percent home financing and subsidized Direct Homeownership Loan Program for very low and low income applicants; 100 percent home financing Guaranteed Homeownership Loan Program for up to moderate income applicants; and 100 percent owner-occupied home repair loans and grants for very low income applicants.

For more information contact (pdf flyer): 

• Rural Development Housing Specialist Krista Mettscher, 402.437.5518, krista.mettscher@usda.gov,  www.rd.usda.gov/ne;
• Nebraska Investment Finance Authority Outreach Program Manager, Elizabeth.fimbres@nifa.org, www.nifa.org;
• City of Crete, City Administrator Tom Ourada

Crete City Hall
241 East 13th Street

The City of Crete, Crete Police Department currently has an opening for the position of Community Service Officer - Part Time. General description: Perform and schedule maintenance on Police Department facilities, grounds, vehicles, and equipment, regulate and control traffic, prepare and maintain accurate reports of the condition of nuisance properties, capture and transport animals running at large. Report to the Support Division Leader. Part-time, hourly position (subject to on-call and shift rotation status). Interested individuals may obtain more information or application materials at City Hall between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. weekdays or by phone at 826-4313 or email jobs@crete.ne.gov . 

Minimum Qualifications:

1. Must be at least 19 years of age
2. Possess a Nebraska driver’s license
3. Have high school diploma or GED
4. Must successfully pass the TABE (Tests of Adult Basic Education)
5. Must be legally authorized to work in the United States.

Applications will be accepted until 5:00 p.m. on Friday, June 28, 2019.  The City of Crete is an equal opportunity employer.

Click on the links below to view/download the job description and application materials.

• Community Service Officer Job Description
• Employment Application Packet

Last week the Wildwood Pool splash pad suffered a catastrophic failure with its water system underneath and the pad raised significantly. The splash pad will not be operational this season.

The city has engaged the engineer and the installer on what happened and what the city needs to do moving forward. The news is not good and the extent of the situation will not be known definitively until crews can see under the concrete.

Crews will not be demolishing the splash pad until after the pool closes in August and at that time they will determine the point of failure. Estimates show the demo and replacement expenses in excess of $100,000.

The City and Parks and Recreation Department has established the following plan for the remainder of the 2019 pool season and further replacement of the splash pad:

• The city will offer refunds to people whose sole intent was to use the splash pad.
• The city will seek to utilize lessons learned from the pool managers and lifeguards on what has worked and what could be better with the splash pad.
• The city will solicit ideas for new features on the new splash pad.
• The managers and lifeguards will be available for any suggestions from kids and parents on a new and redesigned splash pad. 
• The city website and social media pages will be accessible for ideas moving forward.
• Please follow the city’s work in this process of investigation, design, bid, and construction of the new facility for the 2020 season.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The City of Crete, in partnership with its wholesale electric power supplier, the Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska, is offering four energy efficiency programs with the goal of saving local utility customers money on their electric bill through energy efficiency improvements.

Three of these programs offer cash incentives for homeowners to make energy efficient upgrades in the areas of insulation, cooling systems and home thermostats. An LED lighting program is also available for non-residential customers including businesses, churches, schools and municipal buildings. Here is a rundown of the four programs:

• Smart Thermostat Program - Provides a cash incentive of up to $100 paid directly to residential customers to help cover the cost of installing a qualifying smart thermostat. 
• Attic Insulation Program - Provides cash incentives of $0.15 / per square foot with a maximum incentive of $300 per existing residential dwelling for attic insulation. 
• Cooling System Tune-Up Program - Provides a $30 cash incentive to residential homeowners who have their cooling system tuned up by a HVAC contractor, regardless of what type or age of cooling system (air conditioner/air or water source heat pump).
• Commercial LED Lighting Program - Provides cash incentives paid directly to commercial customers to help cover the cost of lighting upgrades and replacements for existing facilities.

These programs are available to customers of the City of Crete through its wholesale power partnership with the Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska. For more information on these programs, contact the Public Works Utilities Office at City Hall at 402.826.4312 or go to www.nmppenergy.org/mean to download program guidelines and application forms.

Registration is now open for Crete Recreation Swimming Lessons. Three sessions are offered through June and July with rolling registrations deadlines for each.

• Session 1: June 3 - June 14 (Register by May 24)
• Session 2: June 24 - July 5 (Register by June 14)
• Session 3: July 15 - July 26 (Register by July 5)

Forms are available on RecDesk or at the Parks and Recreation office at City Hall. Participants must also have a liability waiver signed for 2019.

• Monday-Friday: mornings and limited evenings, $45 per person
• Must be 4 years old to participate in Levels 1-6
• Levels 1 & 2 will be approximately 30 minutes long
• Levels 3-6 will be approximately 40 minutes long.
• Maximum numbers: Levels 1-3 - 24 per class, Levels 4-6 - 15 per class
• All Sessions - 10:00 or 11:00 a.m. lessons depending on Level
• Session 1 & 2 only - All Levels: 5:00 p.m. lessons (space limited) 
• Private lessons available. Please call the pool for details: 826.3500

Wildwood Pool is located at 4th and Grove Ave.

City of Crete 
Parks & Recreation Department 
Daniel Dunaway, Director

City Hall - 243 East 13th Street
Phone: 402.826.4314
dan.dunaway@crete.ne.gov

Tuxedo Park

Main entrance: West 13th Street and Tuxedo Road (3-ton bridge)
Back entrance: West 13th Street and Idaho Road

The largest park in Crete is Tuxedo Park, a 96-acre facility located in the northwest area of town, west of the Blue River. The main entrance is off West 13th Street at Tuxedo Road with a single lane bridge (weight limit 3 tons). (The back entrance is accessed from Highway 33 (old Pizza Hut building) north on Arizona Ave. to the stop sign, turn right and then turn left (north) onto Idaho Ave. and follow this road into the park; this entrance is recommended for large vehicles, campers and trailers.) A broad range of recreational facilities are provided in the park. (Go to Parks and Recreation Department Main Page)

Camping

The park has public restrooms, shower facilities and fresh water available (April -October), 20 RV camping sites and picnic areas. Fee is $10 per day on a first come first serve basis; no reservations are taken. For questions, please call the Parks and Recreation Office at City Hall, 402.826.4314.

• Campers must use the back entrance;
• 10 hookups by the baseball field - 20 amp & 30 amp breaker and pads approximately 35 feet long;
• 10 hookups by the river - 30 amp & 50 amp breaker and pads approximately 40 feet long;
• Registration boxes by the baseball field restrooms and near the south playground;
• Tent camping is free if not in an electrical camping spot (must register and pay $10 daily fee if using electricity);
• Please display registration in plain sight on your camper;
• Maximum stay is 10 nights;
• Campsite must be vacated by 4 p.m., unless reregistered;
• Dump station is on the south side of park;
• Campfires only in fire rings

Athletic Fields, Playgrounds & Facilities

Thom Stallard Legion baseball field and press box and the Howard Waltman Softball Complex with four fields host numerous teams and tournaments throughout the season. Baseball and softball areas both have dugouts, concession stands and batting cages. Reserve a Tuxedo Park ball field on RecDesk.

Cerny Memorial Park is a playground on the south side of the park with slides, swing sets, climbing bar, small kids play area, and a sand box. The east playground, near the softball complex, includes a swing set, sand box and play structure.

The Izaak Walton League cabin and shooting range (trap, skeet, sporting clays) is located in the northwest corner of the park. This cabin and range is maintained by the Crete Ikes organization. The park also has a ski trail, hiking trails, horseshoe pits, and sand volleyball courts.

Saline County Fairgrounds

The Saline County Fairgrounds are located at the park for use during the fair in mid-July. Several buildings are owned and maintained by the Saline County Agricultural Society and rental information is available upon request or online.

Raceway

The lakebed area in the southeast portion of Tuxedo Park is currently being leased (approved March 2018) for operation of a go kart track, Tuxedo Park Raceway. Scheduled races only are slated for Saturdays from May through October. Find more information online or on Facebook.