Council Minutes - Aug. 4, 2026

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.

• Questions about agendas or meeting minutes should be directed to the City Clerk.
• Meeting minutes are published in The Crete News (local newspaper)
• Each regular city council meeting agenda also contains the minutes of recent council, committee, and board meetings

The next Crete City Council regular meeting will be on Tuesday, Aug. 18.

Condensed Minutes for Crete City Council regular meeting - Tuesday, Aug. 4:

View this Meeting Agenda and attachments, entire copy of minutes available at the office of the City Clerk.

Mayor Bauer called the meeting of the City Council to order at 6:00 p.m.  Answering roll call were the following Council Members: Crisman, Frans, Newmyer, Strehle, Papik and Fitzgerald 

The following actions were taken at the meeting:

Mayor Dave Bauer asked for a moment of silence and then shared some words in memory of Chief of Police Gary Young

Approved the Consent Agenda items: Unanimous

• Meeting Minutes: July 21 City Council, July 21 Public Works Committee, July 21 Finance Committee, July 21 Legislative Development Committee, July 21 Public Safety Committee 
• Treasurer’s Report 
• Claims against the City $1,643,279.15

Held Public Hearing to hear testimony in favor of and in opposition to and to answer questions in relation to Ordinance 2280 Sign Regulations to amend section 11-802 and create 11-824 of the Crete Municipal Code to amend mural definition and create special exception permits for murals. Unanimous 

Enacted Ordinance 2280 Sign Regulations to amend section 11-802 and create 11-824 of the Crete Municipal Code to amend mural definition and create special exception permits for murals. Unanimous 

Adopted Resolution 2026-18 Signing of the Municipal Annual Certification of Program Compliance 2026. Unanimous 

Enacted on third reading Ordinance 2279 regulate bicycle, E-bikes, minibikes and other motorized recreational transportation and create penalties for violation of these sections. Unanimous 

Approved the Davis Estates Administrative Subdivision. Unanimous 

Approved the Dittmer West Estates Preliminary Plat. Unanimous

Approved the Dittmer West Estates Final Plat. Unanimous 

Approved the Street Right of Way Dedication Plat. Unanimous

Tabled to Amend Caselle Master Agreement. Unanimous 

Approved the claims from Crete Ace Hardware in the amount of $100.72. Crisman: Aye, Frans: Aye, Newmyer: Aye, Strehle: Aye, Fitzgerald: Aye, Abstained: Papik 

Officer’s reports

• Fire Chief Tod Allen stated the following:
  • The Fire Department BBQ didn’t go as planned since they didn’t cool the meat. 
  • Working on the Rig specs 
  • Council member Anthony Fitzgerald asked about the count for the Volunteer Fire Department and Allen stated that there are 38 volunteers with a possible 50 maximum. 
  • Allen stated they are having conversations with Lancaster county to have a strike team ready so if there is help needed in other communities they will have people ready. 
  • There is a rope rescue team that Farmers Cooperative is helping to equip and a couple members of the Crete Volunteer Fire Department are going to be training to be part of the team. 
• Acting Chief of Police Jon Pucket stated the following: During these times of transition thanked the City for allowing people to take time off and thanked the Fire Department for their help during Chief Young’s funeral. Pucket also thanked the community for their support.
• Park and Recreation Director Liz Cody stated the following:
  • Pool is closed for season; 
  • Coed softball season is here
  • Flag football registration for players, coaches and referees until August 30^th
  • To replace trees removed along Oak Ave for paving improvements a Trees for Nebraska Towns Grant was submitted for 10 trees
  • Thanked parks staff who have been with the City this season
  • Groundskeeper position is currently open
• Building Inspector Trent Griffin shared the Administrative Action sign with the mayor and council. 
• Finance Director Wendy Thomas introduced new Human Resource Director Rebekah Willoughby. City Administrator Tom Ourada stated that Willoughby used to work for the State of Nebraska HHS Dept. 
• Council member Tom Crisman thanked Acting Police Chief Jon Pucket for his work and for handling the transition the Police Department is going through. Council members Ashley Newmyer, Dale Strehle, Dan Papik, and Anthony Fitzgerlad also thanked Acting Police Chief Jon Pucket and the Fire Department for their help. 
• City Administrator Tom Ourada stated the following:
  • Started discussions on data centers with the Crete Planning Commission on the different types and will be delving into this at future meetings. He also had a conversation with the Saline County Attorney on this subject.  Planning Commission Chair Dave Jurena added that he has attended a couple of different public meetings on data centers. 
  • Ourada spoke about the Civil Service process and that the Chief and Sergeant positions will be opening internally and externally. The Civil Service Commission does the preliminary vetting. 
  • Explained the postcards the City Council and Planning Commission Chair received about the yearly District 1 Program Hearing/Highway Commission meeting on August 14^th, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. Council member Anthony Fitzgerald asked if it would help to have council members present at the meeting to discuss the rehab and adding a sidewalk on the Blue River Bridge on highway 33. Ourada explained that would be a different and separate process, but it wouldn’t hurt to have elected officials present at the meeting. 

The meeting adjourned at 6:45 p.m.