Ralston City Council Regular Meeting

Tuesday, May 16, 2023

The complete minutes are on file in the office of the City Clerk and are available for public inspection during regular business hours or on the City’s website at www.cityofralston.com.

The Ralston City Council met in regular session on Tuesday, May 16, 2023 at 5:30 PM at Ralston City Hall.  Roll was called with the following present: Mayor Groesser and Council Members Krause, Kavanaugh Preis, and Fideline. Absent: Sanchez and Brousek.

The agenda was available at City Hall for public inspection and posted prior to the meeting.  The legal notice for the meeting was published in the Post Gazette.  Claims listed are approved and part of these minutes.

Council President Krause gave the invocation. Mayor Groesser welcomed the press and guests. Mayor Groesser said the meeting is subject to the Nebraska Open Meetings Act.  A copy of the Act is posted at the rear of the Council Chambers and is available to view on the City’s website at www.cityofralston.com.

The City Council reviewed the following items under the consent agenda. Approval of Council Minutes from May 2, 2023 Council Meeting; Approval of Claims; Financial Statements - April 30, 2023; Department Head and/or Commission Reports. Moved and seconded to approve the Consent Agenda.  Aye:  Krause, Preis, Kavanaugh and Fideline. Nay: None Absent:  Brousek and Sanchez.  Motion carried.

Freshman reported that, in conjunction with JEO, we have resubmitted the LOMR-F for the arena.  Dittmer reported that things are going good in the public works department. Bohling presented a recap of the financial statement for April.  Leonardo reported that last Friday Officer Brown and K-9 partner passed the drug certification.  Officer Stobbe has completed two weeks of DR training.  Leonardo stated that their new cruiser came in and will be on the road by Independence Day.  Peña reported that the summer reading program starts June 1st. The Salvation Army free lunch truck is coming back to the library this summer beginning May 31st through August 14th from 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.  Children age one through eighteen may receive a free lunch. Peña stated that the library has purchased several recreation items for residents to check out this summer. Roeder reported that this Thursday will be the first of a series of Tunes and a maker’s market.  Papillion Sanitation is the sponsor of the first Tunes on the Green event.  We will have a Memorial Day program on the front lawn of city hall on May 29th starting at 10:00 a.m.  The Taste of Omaha is planned for early June.  Independence Day Parade registration is available on the city’s website.  The Douglas County Fair will be in Ralston, late July.  Hoppe reported that the parks master plan is really taking shape.  The pubic asked that a dog park be created as part of this process.  We have identified an area in Ralston Park just to the west of Pierson Field.  The plan will be brought to council at a future date.

Mayor Groesser read a letter of resignation from Councilman Michael Sanchez.  Mayor Groesser accepted his resignation.

Mayor Groesser opened consideration authorizing the purchase of an ambulance for the Ralston Volunteer Fire Department.  Moved and seconded to approve the purchase of an ambulance for the Ralston Volunteer Fire Department not to exceed the $197,450.00 bid and if there are certain things that the Chief would agree upon that can be omitted from the estimate that he does so.  Aye:  Krause,  Preis, Kavanaugh and Fideline. Nay: None Absent: Brousek.  Motion carried.

Public Comment: Richard Shively, 7505 Washington Street, Ralston, complimented the Public Works department and all the work they are doing in the parks.

Council Comment: Kavanaugh stated that he is excited about all the good things happening at the library. There being no further business to come before the Council, the meeting adjourned at 5:52 PM.   The next meeting is Tuesday, June 6, 2023 at 5:30 PM.

Maura Kelly

City Clerk

Donald A. Groesser

Mayor

Claims – May 16, 2023;  Abe’s Trash Service, $832.00, Garbage Collection; Access Systems Leasing, $3,726.04, Printers/Copiers; AFLAC, $721.14, Employee Paid Insurance; Applied Concepts, $1,150.00, Parts; Benefit Plans, $875.00, Participation/Administration Fees; Black Hills Energy, $921.50, Utilities; BMI Janitorial Group, $1,965.00, PD/City Hall/Library Janitorial; C&C Truck Repair, $885.00, Truck Repair; Caselle, $903.00, Contract Support; Cengage Learning, $209.95, Books; Center Point Large Print, $49.14, Books; Century Certified Services, $129.00, Pest Control; Ciox Health, $20.00, Records; City of La Vista, $1,587.34, Special Services; City of Omaha Cashier, $74,876.29, Sewer Billing; City of Ralston Lottery Jackpot Fund, $4,038.55, Transfer to Lottery Fund; Columbus Public Library, $10.73, ILL Postage; Compchoice, $50.00, DOT Testing; Cox Business Services, $1,580.21, Telephone/Internet; Crash Bang Boom, $114.00, Kindermusik; Digital Express, $1,115.94, Printing; Donald Fincenec, $5,000.00, Hinge/Retainer; Dultmeier Sales, $11.80, Parts; Eakes Office Solutions, $78.00, Office Supplies; Ernest Construction Group, $192,161.68, Street Patching; Enterprise FM Trust, $13,555.68, Equipment Rental; ESRI, $705.21, ArcGIS Desktop; Experian, $27.00, Professional Services; First Interstate Bank – Pension, $30,352.18, Pension; First Interstate Bank – RPS, $7,269.69, Defined Benefit Retirement; First Interstate Bank Mastercard, $14,951.22, Conferences/Supplies/Uniforms, etc.; First Interstate Wealth Management, $4,417.14, Trustee Fees; Glatfelter Specialty Benefits, $604.20, RVFD Life Insurance; Global Spectrum, $80,000.00, Arena Funding; Houghton Bradford Whitted, $9,224.00, Professional Fees; Husch Blackwell Strategies, $2,000.00, Professional Fees; Integrated MSP, $5,876.75, Computer Equip Replacement Project; JEO Consulting Group, $4,761.50, Engineering/Burlington; John Deere Financial, $957.66, Equipment Lease; LARM, $562.56, Insurance; League of NE Municipalities, $395.00, Conference; Mausbach Ground Maintenance, $10,580.00, Turf Management; Menards, $176.55, Supplies; Mid-America Benefits, $2,381.54, Admin/Participant Fees; Motorola Solutions, $5,555.00, Equipment; NAPA Auto Parts, $3.66, Parts; Nebraska Iowa Supply Co., $2,196.28, Fuel; OCB Plumbing, $127.35, Repair; OCLC, $390.21, Cataloging and Metadata; Omaha Compound Co, $245.49, Janitorial Supplies; OPPD, $12,882.38, Utility; One Call Concepts, $54.50, Locate Fee; Papillion Sanitation Waste Connections, $1,309.85, Waste Disposal; Papio-Missouri River NRD, $2,250.00; Park Planning, $7,204.14, Parks Master Plan; Pelshaw Group, $3,000.00, Recycled Letters Project; Robertson Properties, $620.00, Fire Parking; Tech Soup Global, $740.00, Library Software; Trans Union Risk Alternative, $75.00, Background Checks; Trede Electronic & Lighting, $140.20, Materials; Unique, $9.85, Placements; United Seeds, $487.50, Turf Mixture; Verizon Wireless, $1,315.88, Telephone/Internet; Young’s Service, $300.00, Service.

6/16           ZNEZ

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NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING

CITY OF RALSTON

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that a special meeting of the Mayor and City Council of the City of Ralston, Nebraska, will be held at 5:15 PM on Tuesday, June 20, 2023 in the Council Chambers at Ralston City Hall.

The purpose of the meeting is to consider the Mayor’s appointment to fill the vacancy that exists on the Ralston City Council for Ward 5. An agenda, which is kept continuously current is available for public inspection at the office of the City Clerk at City Hall.

Maura Kelly

City Clerk

6/16           ZNEZ

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