REGULAR MEETING Crete City Council Meeting City Hall July 21st, 2026, (Condensed, entire copy 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, Strehle, and Fitzgerald Absent: Newmyer and Papik The following actions were taken at the meeting: Approved the Consent Agenda items: Unanimous Meeting Minutes July 7th, 2026 City Council Minutes July 7th, 2026 Public Works Committee Minutes July 7th, 2026 Finance Committee Minutes July 7th, 2026 Legislative Development Committee Minutes July 7th, 2026 Parks & Recreation Meeting Minutes July 7th, 2026 Public Safety Committee Minutes Treasurer’s Report Claims against the City $580,593.07 Adopted Resolution 2026-17 LARM 2026-27 Renewal Proposal with the 180 day and 3 year commitment; 5% discount. Unanimous Approved the claims from Crete Ace Hardware in the amount of $5,236.26. Unanimous Approved the Application for Special Event Permit from Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Unanimous Approved the second reading of Ordinance 2279 regulate bicycle, E-bikes, minibikes and other motorized recreational transportation and create penalties for violation of these sections. Unanimous (City Attorney Anna Burge explained the Ordinance and resident concerns were expressed related to this topic) Approved the CDBG DTR Project reimbursement payment request 5 Crete24DTR001 for Majo Jewelry. Unanimous Approved the Payment Request Packet 4 Crete 24DTR001. Unanimous Approved the Payment Request 4 Crete 24PWI004. Unanimous Approved the LB840 Application from Becerritas. Unanimous Approved to authorize the City of Crete to apply for the FY2027 State Aid Grant Program. Unanimous Approved the Invoice from IES Commercial Inc in the amount of $20,746.00 for the Crete Airport Beacon. Unanimous Approved naming of new street to be Yellowwood Ave. Unanimous Approved the Change Order No. 1 from JEO Consulting Group, Inc. for Next Level Concrete, LLC for the 2024 Crete Street and Alley Improvements. Unanimous Approved the Community Policing Development Micro Grant for software for investigation of child exploitation. Unanimous Petitions- Communications- Resident Concerns Travis Coe who lives at 1605 Code Ave addressed the City Council and stated that he had sent emails to multiple people in regards to street work being done by Code Ave. He wanted to know what is going on since there are temporary no parking signs and it would be nice for someone to get back to him. City Administrator Tom Ourada stated that he spoke to the Street Supervisor and he was going to make contact with Coe. Officers’ Reports Police Captain Jon Pucket explained that they have been doing the nuisance process differently with Code Enforcement Officer Hermes Trujillo. These changes will help to expedite the process. Council member Anthony Fitzgerald thanked Captain Pucket and City Attorney Anna Burge and City Administrator Tom Ourada for making these changes to the nuisance process. Mayor Dave Bauer stated that the goal is to get all these properties cleaned up and with these changes the City is making strides towards that goal. Bauer added that people may not realize that when City Attorney Anna Burge sends people a nuisance property letter they are willing cooperate and work with the City to clean up their properties. Library Director Jessica Wilkinson provided Mayor Bauer and the City Council a handout with information on how much the library has saved people in Crete with resources in the library such as checking out books and DVDs. Wilkinson stated that the savings have been about $972,000 for the 2024-2025 year and that doesn’t account for using the meeting rooms and programs are not calculated into that. Wilkinson added that the summer reading program is going well and their original reading goal was 3,000 books and children have already read over 11,000 books. They are thinking that by the end of the program that number will be closer to 15,000 books. Parks and Recreation Director, Liz Cody reported that following a successful county fair, the city will resume campground fee collection and enforcement in Tuxedo Park on Wednesday, July 22nd. The pool will be celebrating shark week the week of July 27th for our final week of the season, and Flag football program enrolment opens on July 27th. Building Inspector Trent Griffin provided and explained the June 2026 Permit Log. Council member Anthony Fitzgerald asked City Administrator Tom Ourada if there was a tentative start date on the airport hangar project. Ourada explained that on July 20th, 2026 there was a pre-construction meeting for the construction of the 2-Bay Box Hangar and Approach at the Crete Municipal Airport. Ourada explained that the contractor has to provide concrete pavement specifications for the FAA to review and approve. Ourada further stated that once the notice to proceed is granted the project will start and it will most likely be sometime in August. Council member Tom Crisman asked if there have been any updates on the Main Ave railroad crossing and Ourada stated that there have not been any updates. Crisman also mentioned that there are weeds growing around the light poles in the downtown area. Mayor Dave Bauer explained that there is a Downtown Business District and the areas where those weeds are growing are not in the district. The goal would be to expand the district and that way all of downtown would have snow removal and weed control. Ourada stated that by city ordinance property owners are responsible for removing weeds. City Administrator Tom Ourada stated the following: The decibel meter located in the conference room is to help monitor noise levels. There was council discussion on placing a couple of the decibel meters in different areas of town with surveillance cameras to help police officers identify people who are driving with an excessively loud exhaust. The next Nuisance Board Hearings will be on Wednesday, July 29th, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. and there are at least 5 properties. There was a meeting today with the planning consultant on zoning. Ourada stated that the first draft is over 300 pages of zoning and there are many pictures and definitions of terms. Once that is ready it will go to the Planning Commission and then Council Committee and then to the City Council for ratification. Ourada has been working with Finance Director Wendy Thomas on a budget timeline. The first part of August will be meeting with the different departments to talk about their needs. Then there will be conversations with the elected officials while keeping in mind the Municipal Equalization Fund issues that we have to deal with. We will get the assessed value for the community around the third week in August. Had a preliminary meeting with the planners on south Crete Sports Complex area. Ourada stated that there are 5-year short term plans and 25-year long term plans. Ourada stated that the planning work is completely covered by a Brownsfield grant. Mayor Dave Bauer thanked all the departments that helped with the county fair and thanked the Police Department and City Attorney Anna Burge for their work with the nuisance properties. Bauer stated that has been a goal of his to clean up the city. The meeting adjourned at 6:55 p.m. CITY COUNCIL CLAIMS PAID PAYEE, DESCRIPTION, AMOUNT IES COMMERCIAL INC, BEACON ONLY, $20,746.00; SEWARD COUNTY INDEP, AIRPORT, $5.91; NPPD, UTILITIES, $1,037.32; AIRPORT FUNDS, SUBTOTAL, $21,789.23; CITY REVENUE FUND, CONSUMER DEPOSIT APPLIED, $2,562.88; DOE CAPITAL, 10 YR DEPOSIT REFUND, $110.00; MCMILLAN, BRANDON, CONSUMER DEPOSIT REFUND, $146.00; ROTH, KIMBERLY, 10 YR DEPOSIT REFUND, $110.00; SCHULTZ, EMMA JEAN, CONSUMER DEPOSIT REFUND, $137.86; VAZQUEZ OSORIO, YOICEL, CONSUMER DEPOSIT REFUND, $123.26; CONSUMER DEPOSIT FUNDS, SUBTOTAL, $3,190.00; G.I.F.T. RENTALS, UTILITY OVERPAYMENT, $71.51; CAPITAL BUSINESS SYSTEMS INC, SERVICE CONTRACT, $92.15; CORE & MAIN LP, 4IN PROP METER 18LL, $8,352.75; CRETE ACE HARDWARE, WEED KILLER BLDG MAINT, $591.10; CRETE AUTO SUPPLY INC, BRAKE CLEANER, $213.62; ELLIOTT EQUIPMENT CO, IGNITION SWITCH, $382.31; HTM SALES INC, 4 RED RUBBER RING GASKET, $52.00; JEO CONSULTING GROUP INC., CRETE GENERAL ENGINEERING, $4,023.75; LINCOLN WINWATER WORKS CO, 3/4 COUPLING 74758-22-33, $755.05; MAX I WLKR UNIFORM & APPRL, UNIFORMS, $180.65; MEDICAL ENTERPRISES INC, DRUG TEST PANEL, $36.00; MIDWEST LABORATORIES INC, LAB SUPPLIES, $91.22; NE PUBLIC HEALTH ENVRNMNTL LB, LAB, $17.00; UNION BANK & TRUST, HSA FEES, $40.00; DEPT OF ENERGY, PURCHASED POWER WAPA, $41,524.00; NE DEPT OF REVENUE, MOTOR FUEL TAX, $166.00; NPPD, ELECTRICITY, $9,500.89; UPS, POSTAGE, $12.06; CITY PAYROLL FUNDS, WAGES, $116,531.70; UTILITY FUNDS, SUBTOTAL, $182,633.76; AMAZON CAPITAL SERVICES, BOOKS, $3,519.28; AQUA-CHEM INC, POOL CHEMICALS, $1,682.10; BEATRICE CONCRETE CO, 47B ROCK, $138.64; BENCHMARK GVRNMNT SLTNS LLC, MEALS NLETC THOMPSON, $644.35; BOWMAN, CRETE 2026 BRIDGE INSPECTIONS, $936.75; BURLEIGH, WENDY, CREDIT CARD REFUND, $18.00; CAPITAL BUSINESS SYSTEMS INC, SERVICE CONTRACT, $408.72; CENGAGE LEARNING INC, DONATIONS-ALA GRANT, $240.80; CENTER POINT LARGE PRINT, BOOKS/MAGAZINES, $151.02; CITY REVENUE FUND, PARK&REC, $4,973.60; CLINE WILLIAMS LLP, CARDINAL VENTURES REDEV PROJ, $3,051.00; CRETE ACE HARDWARE, SPRAYER REPAIR PARTS SEALANT SUPP, $4,645.16; CRETE AUTO SUPPLY INC, EXMARK MOWER BELT, $70.47; CRETE LODGING LLC, TIF PAYMENT, $32,143.95; CRETE LUMBER & FARM SUPPLY CO, RANGE MAINT SUPPLIES, $103.98; CRIST TOWING SERVICE, TOWING, $112.00; CULLIGAN OF CRETE, WATER COOLER RENTAL, $52.00; EAKES OFFICE SOLUTIONS, CONTRACT FEE, $155.17; JAY'S OIL CO, FUEL #7, $24.68; JEO CONSULTING GROUP INC., 2024 STREET & ALLEY IMPROVEMENTS, $22,258.85; KAMAKE INC, TIF BOND PAYMENT, $1,986.67; LAWN KINGS, WEED CONTROL-MAIN ST SIDEWALKS, $275.00; LIBRARY FURNTRE INTRNTNL INC, DONATIONS-ALA GRANT, $6,583.32; MEDICAL ENTERPRISES INC, DRUG TEST PANEL, $115.50; NE LAW ENFRCMNT TRNNG CNTR, NLETC CERTIFICATION THOMPSON, $75.00; NEBRASKA LIBRARY ASSOC, 2026 ANNUAL CONFERENCE, $300.00; NPPD, UTILITIES, $10.09; ORSCHELN FARM & HOME LLC, TIF PAYMENT, $76,819.44; PRESTO-X, PEST CONTROL SERV, $155.19; RAMOS, ZORAIDA, MILEAGE, $55.54; SALINE CNTY RGSTR OF DEEDS, FILING FEES, $38.00; SE NE DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT, 2027 MEMBERSHIP DUES, $6,630.00; SECURITY EQUIPMENT INC, CAMERA SYSTEM-PICKLEBALL CRT, $2,215.00; SEWARD COUNTY INDEPENDENT, COMMITTEE MEETINGS, $301.96; SEWARD ELECTRONICS, CIVIL DEFENSE SIRENS-TNE BRD RPR, $206.40; UNION BANK & TRUST, HSA FEES, $70.00; VERIZON WIRELESS, MODEMS FOR PATROL CARS, $329.40; NE DEPT OF REVENUE, MOTOR FUEL TAX, $56.00; ONE BILLING SOLUTIONS, CRETE AMB SERV, $5,528.07; PINNACLE BANK, WALMART 6/29/26 CAR SEATS, $5,978.54; QUADIENT LEASING, POSTAGE LEASE PMT, $379.70; SPECTRUM, DIGITAL CABLE BOX, $12.28; CITY PAYROLL FUNDS, WAGES, $189,528.46; TAX FUNDS, SUBTOTAL, $372,980.08; ALL FUNDS, TOTAL, $580,593.07 CR — July 29, 2026 ZNEZ
