Council Summaries - Dec. 2 and 16, 2025

Individuals and media outlets are encouraged to contact the City Administrator for additional details or clarification on the following material. Regular meetings of the Crete City Council are held on the first and third Tuesdays of the month at 6 p.m. in the Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall; Council Standing Committees may meet prior. View a list of City Officials and current council and committee meeting agendas.

 

The next Crete City Council regular meeting will be on Tuesday, Jan. 6

Summary for Crete City Council regular meeting - Tuesday, Dec. 16

View this Meeting Agenda and attachments.

Council member Dale Strehle was absent.

The council approved the Consent Agenda items:

• Minutes of the following meetings: City Council Dec. 2, Public Works Committee Dec. 2, Legislative/Community Development Committee Dec. 2, Personnel Committee Dec. 2
• Treasurer’s Report
• Payment of claims against the City 
• Mayor’s Appointments: Tom King and Jan Sears to the Library Advisory Board; Tom Ourada, Jon Pucket, Wendy Thomas, Dave Bauer, and Jeff Kramer to the Police Retirement Committee; Tod Allen as Fire Chief.

The voted 5-0 to approve Resolution No. 2025-28 Establishing a time and place for the purchase of Real Property North of Crete, Approximately one-half mile north of Highway 33 on Boswell Ave, Crete, Nebraska. A Public Hearing will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 6. City Administrator Tom Ourada explained the city has been working on this; City Attorney Alison Janecek Borer recommended moving forward to set the hearing for when the city anticipates the property sale to go through. 

The Council voted 5-0 to authorize the Crete Public Library to apply for the following grants: Pizza Hut Slice of Literacy, Will Eisner Graphic Novel, and Dollar General Summer Reading. Library Director Jessica Wilkinson said all are new grants for the library and there are no required matches. Grants: Pizza Hut - $10,000 to purchase books for babies and new parents with Crete Area Medical Center as a partner, books for ‘1,000 Books Before Kindergarten’ program, and at next year’s Community Breakfast with Santa; Eisner grant - about $4,000 total with $2,000 for library’s graphic novel collection, $1,000 to a graphic novel -themed program, and $1,000 to send a staff member to the American Library Association conference to receive grant money; Dollar General - $3,708 in equipment and supplies for teen programs over the summer and the sewing and clothing design equipment could be used by other patrons in the future.

The Council voted 5-0 to approve the Crete #24PWI004 Payment Request #3 from SENDD. These are administration funds for SENDD to administer the grant.

The Council voted 5-0 to approve the WAPA Agreement City of Crete NE CN 12-UGPR -1043 Amendment 1, Exhibit B & Exhibit C Rev.1. Ourada said the city has a long-term power contract with WAPA (Western Area Power Administration); the city needs council approval for the agreement.

The Council voted 5-0 to approve No Parking on 16th Street for 1st half block on the north side from Hawthorne Avenue west to the alley. Mayor Dave Bauer explained this is the street on the south side of Jimmy Johns and Dominos at Hawthorne Ave/Highway 33; this would take parking off the half block of the north side of 16th street.

The Council voted 4-0 (Papik abstained) to approve approve the claims from Crete Ace Hardware in the amount of $1,790.88. Bauer explained this payment is separate from other payments as Council member Dan Papik does not vote on this because of his conflict of interest as the owner of Crete Ace Hardware.

The Council voted 5-0 to table AVfuel Agreement to the next meeting.

Petition - Communication - Citizen Concern:

Mayor Bauer explained this is a spot in the meeting where members of the public can speak about items or ask questions not related to any meeting agenda items.

Officer Reports:

• Gary Young, Police Chief:
  • crypto - Lincoln has made a big push to prevent crypto scams and Grand Island has ordinances in place to prevent fraud. Dr. Sarah Brown worked with AARP and LPD was involved in a crypto scam prevention movement - signs, stickers, etc.; it’s important that Crete get ahead of this and have officers seeing if crypto machines are in use in Crete; our biggest fear is the loss of funds by residents due to fraud; the legislature has addressed it but cities are taking a stricter approach to it;
  • emergency management - our portion of the Saline County EOP is out of date and he will be sending it to department heads to look at the tasks they are responsible for; working with Doane University on a tabletop exercise and resources; Lt. Dawn Jonas has worked with this and we will work further into the process; we’re also looking at the NIMS certifications, working with Human Resources Coordinator Jody Fiehtner on sending out certification links to get up to date; 
• Jessica Wilkinson, Library Director:
  • Crete Reads picks for 2026 - staff have looked over the list and picked from multiple genres; public voting opens in January and they hope the Friends of Crete Public Library can sponsor an author visit once a book is chosen;
  • statistics - library patrons saved about $69,000 in October and November by checking out/using materials in the library, Libby Digital checkouts - about 1,300;
• Trenton Griffin, Building Inspector, commented on the attached building permit log and mentioned the new Dittmer 4-plex is a highlight of the month;
• Marilyn Schacht, Community Assistance Director, introduced Crete High School’s Grassroots Leaderships Development students:
  • Manny Bautista said the group is comprised of seniors who meet with city, county, state, and other government officials - people who help serve in the their communities; the group also attends a Hispanic Leadership Conference in Chicago;
  • Mayor Bauer said he talked to the students last evening and they had a lot of good questions; he enjoyed talking with them and thanked them for attending the council meeting;
• Tom Ourada, City Administrator:
  • the city had a meeting with Burlington reps and a marketing firm; they are looking at a federal grant with a 20 percent match and initially Burlington said they would pay the match; the city is looking at a couple grants to help pay for a study and at a possible crossing closure and an elevated crossing; total improvements could be about $50 million; this is step one in a long process;
• Mayor Dave Bauer said he was very impressed with different activities going on during the holiday season - food drives, Operation Under the Tree - and thanked groups and city employees for what they’ve done in the community; he wished everyone a Merry Christmas and happy holidays.

Meeting adjourned.

 

Summary for Crete City Council regular meeting - Tuesday, Dec. 2

View this Meeting Agenda and attachments.

Council member Kyle Frans was absent.

The council approved the Consent Agenda items:

• Minutes of the following meetings: City Council Nov. 18, Public Works Committee Nov. 18 Finance Committee Nov. 18, Public Safety Committee Nov. 18, Legislative/Community Development Committee Nov. 18
• Treasurer’s Report
• Payment of claims against the City 

The Council voted 5-0 to table the following item to the next meeting: Resolution No. 2025-28 Establishing a time and place for the purchase of Real Property North of Crete, Approximately one-half mile north of Highway 33 on Boswell Ave, Crete, Nebraska. 

The Council held a Public Hearing to hear testimony in favor of and in opposition to and to answer questions in relation to the proposed zoning change Request PID 760141282 C-2 to C-1. City Administrator Tom Ourada explained this is an area that Ron Sack currently owns between Main and Pine Avenues, 9th to 10th streets. There is a potential sale and construction of a pickleball facility which could not be on the property in its current zone; it meets statutory requirements to change zoning from C-2 to C-1. The Planning Commission recommended this change.

The Council voted 5-0 to approve the proposed zoning change Request PID 760141282 C-2 to C-1.

The Council voted 5-0 to approve the Maintenance Agreement and Certificate of Compliance. This is an annual agreement for state right-of-way through city limits.

The Council voted 5-0 to approve approving the amendments to the Waste Connections Agreement. City Attorney Alison Janecek Borer explained this changed the effective date to January 1, 2026. 

The Council voted 5-0 to approve appointing JEO as the 2026 City Engineer.

The Council voted 5-0 to approve the Crete Carrier Room Grant Application for a Chamber of Commerce event on Tax Preparer Fraud. Ashley Newmyer said the committee discussed this and agreed it was an applicable use of the grant.

The Council voted 5-0 to authorize applying for the Civic and Community Center Financing Fund (CCCFF). Ourada said this is for City Park improvements and requires a 50% match.

The Council voted 5-0 to approve the CavMac Engagement Letter and data request. Ourada explained this firm was recommended by Cline Williams attorneys to calculate retirement benefits for retired police officers.

Petition - Communication - Citizen Concern:

Officer Reports:

Jessica Wilkinson, Library Director:

            library was closed for two days for staff to attended maker space training at Innovation Campus in Lincoln;

            upcoming events: new tech club will meet once a month, new meal prep class, New Year’s Eve game night and karaoke;

            Library will sponsor a free Showing of “Elf” at the Isis Theatre on Saturday, Dec. 13 at 10 a.m.

            HVAC issue in the building - temp in library was 50 degrees; events were canceled on Monday;

Liz Cody, Parks and Recreation Director: 

            adjusted schedules for parks staff due to snow clearing activities;

            reviewing programming schedules and facilities agreements to reevaluate for the next year; getting feedback from partners; 

            met with high school’s Grassroots Leadership students;

Trenton Griffin, Building Inspector:

            sent out 62 letters for clearing sidewalks, focused on Main Ave, and near the Elementary;

            closing out older permits, continuing with current housing permits;

            library heating issue - two months ago he and Mike Kalkwarf were looking at boiler issues; control access is through digital devices and they weren’t working properly; we have 2 of 3 boilers working and will still need to look at 3rd with a technician;

Jody Fiehtner, Human Resources Coordinator introduced Sheila Balbuena, part-time Administrative Assistant in the Community Assistance Office; she graduated from Crete High School and from Florida International University then came back to Crete. Her schedule is Monday, Wednesday, Friday;

Tom Ourada, City Administrator:

            Snow removal went generally well, there were some hiccups with downtown business district contractor and we’re working through those;

Mayor Dave Bauer:

            received two calls from residents who had calls from the library’s phone number but it was scammers calling about medicare. Those calls are not coming from the city.

            Apace Choir is having their Christmas concert in the community room, it’s neat to see that group up there enjoying it every year;

            Adam Wackel is hosting Governor Pillen with a meal on Tuesday, 12:30 to 4:00

Meeting adjourned.