City of Crete Public Works employees built two oversized, wooden easels which pair with concrete frames to hold recognition bricks next to the tank in City Park as the start of a monument to honor local veterans.

Order forms are available to purchase recognition bricks for $75 each. Each veteran’s name, dates and branch of service, and war or conflict in which he or she served can be displayed on three lines of text available on each brick. Forms are available at the Utility Office at City Hall or at the link below and must be returned with payment to the Utility Office. Please call with questions or concerns, 402.826.4312.

The subject of each brick must be a current or past reserve or active duty member of the U.S. Armed Forces: Air Force, Army, Navy, Coast Guard, or Marine Corps, including the Army National Guard and Air National Guard. He or she should have a connection or association to Crete: relative of a community member, live or once lived in Crete, were stationed at the Crete armory or were employed in Crete.

Please refer to the order form for more information. Eligibility guidelines may change to remove certain restrictions. 

View/download order form

The City Park veterans area has room to expand with more brick frames, made by local contractor Jason Maly, to honor more veterans in the future. The tank is also surrounded by stamped concrete, a project completed in the spring.

The M4 Sherman tank in the northwest corner of City Park, south of the Post Office, was originally placed in July 1960 by members of the Nebraska National Guard. The tank was last repainted in 2016 to reflect its accurate service numbers and insignia.  About 50,000 M4’s were produced during WWII and Crete’s is a model M4A3E8 produced in 1944. Many tanks of this configuration also served throughout the Korean Conflict.

View more Parks and Recreation information.

The City of Crete has equipment and a weather protocol in place for use of a salt brine system to combat icy streets in priority areas this winter.

The process could be used as soon as this week.

Use of the salt brine process by the Street Department will depend on several weather elements, such as rain. While the brine will be applied before an anticipated freezing event, rainfall at an inopportune time in the process can wash away the brine or dilute it to where it becomes ineffective.

Salting of streets in other areas of the city will remain a Street Department practice in response to freezing conditions, as well as determining the best and most effective times to do snow removal depending on weather forecasts as the winter weather season nears.

The brine storage and distribution equipment was purchased at a cost of about $35,000, which included equipment for use with one of the Street Department’s current dump trucks.

View the Public Works Directory.

Update Nov. 7: The Crete City Council approved the design agreement for a new restroom facility for the Tuxedo Park softball fields. The design will be done over the winter and bid in early spring for a spring construction.

The Crete City Council has approved one project with another on the Nov. 6 agenda aimed at improving recreational facilities at Tuxedo Park.

An engineering agreement was approved in August with JEO Consulting Group, Inc. for a shade structure at Thom Stallard Legion Baseball Field. JEO is on the Parks and Recreation committee and regular council agendas this month for an agreement to design a new restroom building.

The first project is a 50 by 25 foot shade structure standing 18 feet tall to cover the baseball bleachers in front of the Legion Field press box. JEO’s engineering fees are $5,750 with the estimated cost of $28,000 for the USA Shade brand structure from Crouch Recreation of Omaha. JEO will be the project manager for construction.

The restroom building, planned as a 25 by 35 foot structure, will house ADA accessible men’s and women’s restroom facilities, replacing current facilities joined with the concession stand building at the Howard Waltman Softball Complex. The new building would stand near the current concession stand, where plans for use of its former restroom area are undetermined.

The Waltman Complex hosts youth softball and baseball, Crete High School’s fall softball invite, as well as adult coed softball. Large youth tournaments are held during the summer with as many as several dozen teams and accompanying spectators attending over individual weekends.

Thom Stallard Legion Field is home to the Crete American Legion summer baseball program and the Crete High School baseball team in the spring. A new scoreboard and dugouts, as well as press box improvements, have been completed in recent years in cooperation with other local lorganizations. The Legion program holds several annual tournaments bringing teams and spectators from across the state.

The City of Crete’s Water Improvement Project is nearing the end of over a decade of work for a small city crew in replacing aging water lines in the majority of neighborhoods. The overall timeline and costs-savings of a couple of million dollars made it a proactive infrastructure update for the city.

The final project costs were paid off in the most recent two-year budget cycle, started in 2016, and a $10 charge on utility bills ended in January of 2017.

A 2005 water study, tallying the age and construction of the city’s water lines, necessitated a plan of action for replacement when remedies to fix iron and manganese levels proved unsuccessful. A city Water Department crew of two to four employees has been working on the project several blocks at a time.

The city chose to implement the water line replacement project in-house rather than contract with an outside firm in order to harness cost savings on materials and labor as well as without inconveniencing large sections of neighborhoods at a time. If a contractor had taken on the job it may have only taken a couple of years to complete, but would have torn up larger sections of town for water line replacement rather than several blocks at a time. The city’s crew over time also worked with residents in certain areas to accommodate specific neighborhood or property needs.

Savings of an estimated 35 to 55 percent was projected for this type of work by the city purchasing their own materials by the semi truck load and using discretion to determine if a line actually needed replacement. An outside contractor would have replaced all lines regardless of condition, however, the city crew discovered some lines were in good condition and left them alone.

The East 13th Street and Iris Avenue area contributed a significant savings when the cost of water line replacement along the route of that 2013 street surface reconstruction was folded into its partially, federally funded project. A portion of the city’s oldest water lines, from the 1880's, were replaced in this stretch.

View the Public Works Directory

The City of Crete website (www.crete.ne.gov) provides a number of services that can be completed right from a computer or mobile device, including activities related to Public Works and Recreation departments and Crete Public Library.

Sign up for Parks & Recreation programs

RecDesk is the online platform used when signing up for Crete Recreation programs year-round. Forms are available during each signup period and those using RecDesk are asked to register an account. (Note: A sibling discount is offered only for siblings participating in the same program - the first child is registered at the full fee and additional siblings in the same program receive the discounted fee.)

The RecDesk link (here) is also on the homepage of the city’s website as well as in the Parks and Recreation section under the Departments tab.

Pay a utility bill

Using the State of Nebraska’s PayPort site, Crete utility customers may pay their bill online using their credit or debit cards, or savings or checking account information. Information needed is the name on the utility account, account number and address. An email account is required to receive a receipt. The link is also on the homepage or the Public Works/Utility Rates and Payments section.

Pay library fees or reserve a meeting room

The library’s catalog isn’t the only library service available online.

The PayPort online site can also be used to pay Crete Public Library card fees and fines on materials using the same payment methods described above. Individuals can also use an online form to submit a reservation for one of three rooms at the library - Nebraska Room, Meeting Room, or Program Room. Submitted information is sent by email to a library staff member who will respond to the request. Both links can be found under the Library Services section on the city’s website.

View and download building permits

Building permits are available on the city’s website for viewing and download under the Public Works/Building Inspector’s section along with links to city codes pertaining to zoning and building regulations.

Recently approved additions to the Crete City Code are part of elected officials’ proactive efforts to improve community appearance by calling attention to objects and materials on streets, sidewalks, alleys and other rights-of-way. The Crete City Council adopted new codes to manage materials deposited on or near streets, alleys, etc. and as with other city laws, voluntary compliance is far more desirable than enforcement actions.

The first item affects garbage and recycling totes, which may only be placed or left near the curb on the evening before or day of pick-up. Residents should remove receptacles from the curb once the items within have been picked-up. Fines range from $10 to $50 if the containers are left at the curb. (§4-207.02 RESIDENCE; REFUSE/RECYCLE RECEPTACLES; PLACEMENT AT CURB)

Also dealing with items at the curb or similar areas, furniture and other items cannot be left at or near the curb for more than 24 hours. Residents who wish to offer items that someone may want are allowed to leave it near the curb for 24 hours; after that, items need to be removed. Fines for this code violation range from $100 to $500.  (§4-319 FURNITURE, HOUSEHOLD ITEMS, MOTOR VEHICLE PARTS, LITTER, DISCARDED MATERIAL ON RIGHT-OF-WAY; PROHIBITED)

In addition, the elected officials wanted to address the practice of rock, gravel, dirt, construction material, litter, and/or containers placed upon any street, alley, right-of-way, or sidewalk. Prior permission is needed from the city for residents wanting to place materials in those areas. Fines range from $100 to $500. (§8-311 LITTER, OTHER MATERIAL DEPOSITED ON STREET, ALLEY, RIGHT-OF-WAY, SIDEWALK; PROHIBITED)

For questions, please contact the City of Crete Public Works Department at City Hall, 402.826.4312.

For more information on the city's Transfer Station - for disposal of large items or loads of household trash, and yard waste - see the Public Works-Garbage and Recycling section.

Nuisance Control

The people of Crete desire a safe and orderly community. The City government encourages residents and land owners to maintain their property in such a manner. When a property appears to be unsafe and/or disorderly, encouragement by the City first takes the form of corrective notices to those responsible. The City seeks the cooperation of responsible residents, landowners, etc. to abate and remove nuisances; however, should cooperation not occur or actions to abate and remove the nuisance not achieve a satisfactory end, Nuisance Control Officers may issue an order requiring compliance. (Return to Crete Police Department Main Page)

Nuisances may take many forms and these are managed by different City departments under the oversight of the city administrator. The Building Inspector manages nuisances related to dilapidated structures. The Parks and Recreation director and Street Supervisor manage nuisances related to stagnant water and worthless vegetation. The Police Department manages general nuisances, abandoned and unregistered vehicles, and litter.

Police Actions

Cooperation is a key element of a safe and orderly community. With the cooperation of those responsible, the vast majority of all identified nuisances are abated in relatively short periods of time. Even so, cooperation is not guaranteed; therefore, State law permits local governments to establish and enforce regulations which require those responsible to abate nuisances.

Order to abate nuisance - Pursuant to Nebraska State Statute, the City may issue an order requiring those responsible to abate a nuisance within five (5) days. However, officers may also issue warnings, prior to a five (5) day order.

Community Service Officer - The Department’s Community Service Officer(s) holds primary responsibility for nuisance property investigations, among many other duties.  Police officers also perform these investigations as other responsibilities and priorities permit.

Regulations

The City has established nuisance regulations which are detailed in Chapter 4 Article 3 of the City Code and referenced in this article. A synopsis of the most pertinent regulations is located below:

Keep lot or piece of ground free of nuisances - Owners, occupants, lessees, mortgagees or person in possession, charge or control of any lot or piece of ground must keep such lot or piece of ground free of nuisances including (1) General nuisances; (2) Abandoned vehicles; (3) Litter; (4) Stagnant water; (5) Unregistered vehicles; (6) Worthless vegetation and (7) Dilapidated structures.  (§4-302, §4-304, §4-305, §4-307, §4-308)

Order to abate nuisance - Any nuisance control officer may issue a written order to abate and remove a nuisance to each owner, occupant, lessee, mortgagee or person in possession, charge or control of the lot or piece of ground upon which a nuisance is found. Such notice may be made by personal service or certified mail conspicuously marked as to its importance. If notice by personal service or certified mail is unsuccessful, notice shall be given by publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the City or by conspicuously posting the notice on the lot or ground upon which the nuisance is to be abated and removed. 

If the owner or occupant of the lot or piece of ground does not request a hearing with the City or fails to comply with the order to abate and remove the nuisance, within five (5) days, the City may have such work done with the costs and expenses of any such work to be paid by the owner. (16-230 RS Neb.)(§4-310)

Hearing - Within five (5) days after receipt of a notice to abate and remove a nuisance… each owner, occupant, lessee, mortgagee or person in possession, charge or control of the lot or piece of ground may request a hearing with the City to appeal the decision to abate or remove a nuisance. This request for a hearing must be filed, in writing, with the office of the City Clerk. 

• The mayor forms the Hearing Board comprised of no less than three (3) members of the governing Body to include: Himself/Herself and at least two (2) members of the Public Safety Committee. The city attorney presents the City evidence describing the nuisance and the appellant (or representative) presents evidence to the contrary.
• The Hearing Board shall immediately deliberate, in open session, to: (a) Find the conditions upon the lot or piece of ground to be a nuisance, as described by the City, and in violation of City Ordinance; or (b) Find the conditions upon the lot or piece of ground to be a nuisance, as described by the City, excluding specific items found not to constitute a nuisance, and in violation of City Ordinance; or (c) Find the conditions upon the lot or piece of ground not to be a nuisance, as described by the City, and therefore not in violation of City Ordinance.
• If the Hearing Board finds the conditions upon the lot or piece of ground to be a nuisance and in violation of City Ordinance, in part or whole, the city administrator may direct: (a) The Parks and Recreation Department to abate and remove nuisances consisting only of worthless vegetation, with any and all associated costs incurred by the City for such abatement, removal and disposal to be paid by the violator, as billed by the City; or (b) The city attorney to seek an order from the Court permitting the City to abate and remove or cause the abatement and removal of said nuisance to include the collection and disposal of all materials which constitute said nuisance. (§4-311)

Emergency or imminent threat - When a nuisance presents or may present an imminent threat to the life, health, or safety of any person or persons, as determined by the city administrator, the city administrator shall direct the city attorney to petition the Court for an order directing the City to immediately abate and remove or cause the immediate abatement and removal of said nuisance to include the collection and disposal of all materials which constitute said nuisance, with any and all associated costs incurred by the City for such abatement, removal and disposal to be paid by the violator, as billed by the City.

Recovery of costs - The Public Works Department will submit a bill to the owner and/or occupant of the lot or piece of ground for the costs of abating and removing the nuisance. (§4-315) If the costs billed by the City, are unpaid for two months after such work is done, the city attorney shall:

• 1) Levy and assess the costs and expenses of the work upon the lot or piece of ground so benefited as a special assessment; or
• 2) Recover in a civil action the costs and expenses of the work upon the lot or piece of ground and the adjoining streets and alleys. (§4-313.04) 

An abbreviated design and construction timeline for the new Crete Public Library and community building has been updated as of Oct. 16, 2018. (This timeline is subject to change.)

(May - June 2018: Engineering plans and specifications)

(July 2018: Construction bidding)

(August 2018: Pre-construction staking, permits, mobilization)

September - October 2018: Site finish grading

October - November 2018: Utilities and power installation

October - December 2018: Footings and foundations

November 2018 - January 2019: West retaining wall

December 2018 - February 2019: Structural steel construction

January - May 2019: Roofing

February - October 2019: Interior construction

December 2019: Finish construction

December 20, 2019: Estimated completion date

December 21-31, 2019: Estimated closure of old library

January 2, 2020: Estimated opening of new library facilities

Spring 2020: Off-site hard and soft-scape installation

Click on the links below to download forms

• Building Permit Form
• Plumbing Permit Form
• Mechanical Permit Form
• Fence Permit Form
• Sign Permit
• Curb Cuts
• Demolition Permit
• Well Permit
• Right-of-way Permit
• Septic System Permit
• House Moving Permit
• Mobile Home Placement Permit
• Plumbing License Renewal Form for 2018
• Application For Variance
• Flood Plain Development Permit

City of Crete
Departments of Public Works
Utilities and Payments

City Hall - 243 E. 13th Street
(Public Works Utility Office main entrance on south side)
P.O. Box 86
Crete, NE 68333
Public Works Directory

Public Works Office - Bills and Payments:

• A service deposit is required on all addresses; transferable if the resident moves to a new address within City service;
• All utility billing statements are mailed the last business day of the month;
• Bills are due by 5:00 p.m. on the 15th of each month;
• Bills paid by the 15th receive a 10% discount; accounts paid after the due date are subject to forfeiture of this discount;
• Accounts not paid by the due date receive a courtesy notice; a disconnect date is noted on the original bill and the courtesy notice;
• Payments can be made in person (drive-thru available) at the Public Works Office at City Hall, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; night drop, mailed or online;
• Personal checks, money orders or cash are accepted; debit/credit cards accepted with 2.5% convenience fee.
• Pay utility bills 24/7 through the online bill payment option. Make a payment online
  • Cards, checking or savings account can be used (with routing and account numbers)
  • Information required: name on the utility account, address, and the utility account number 
  • Email address is requested in order to receive a receipt
  • Account will still be credited on the day the payment is made. 
• If you have any other questions, visit the Public Works Office at City Hall.

Electrical Service: The City of Crete Departments of Public Works Electric System retails electricity within the corporate limits. 

• View Current Electric Rates

Water and Sewer Service: 

• View Current Water Rates
• Residential Sewer Rate: Monthly customer fee $29.70, plus $2.63 per 1,000 gallons average monthly water consumption for the lowest three months of water usage of the five winter months of November, December, January February and March (Calculated each April) or $37.51 average sewer fee for customers without usage history. 
• Commercial Sewer Rates: Contact the Public Works Office at 402-826-4312.

Garbage Collection and Recycling: The City of Crete solid waste service is provided by The Garbage Company. A recycling tote is included free of charge.

• Residential Rates: 
  • Small Tote (65 gallon)    $17.89
  • Large Tote (95 gallon)    $18.18
  • 2 (95 gal.) Totes             $22.98
  • Seasonal Yard Waste     $12.00
• Commercial Rates: Contact The Garbage Company directly at 1-800-322-4272 for service and rates.

Please see the Public Works sections at left for more information on these City services.

Outside Services:

• Spectrum Cable - 1-800-248-8823
• Black Hills Energy (natural gas company) - 1-888-890-5554
• Windstream (local telephone service) - 1-800-347-1991; Repair Service - 611
• Other television and phone services available, check local directory