Ralston City Council Regular Meeting

Tuesday, June 6, 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, June 6, 2023 at 5:30 PM at Ralston City Hall.  Roll was called with the following present: Council President Krause, Council members Brousek,  Kavanaugh, Preis, and Fideline. Absent: Mayor Groesser.

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.

Pastor Jim Haack, Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church gave the invocation. Council President Krause welcomed the press and guests. President Krause 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.

Action items number two and three were moved to discussion items.

The City Council reviewed the following items under the consent agenda. Approval of Council Minutes from May 16, 2023 Council Meeting; Approval of Claims; Liberty First Credit Union Arena Financial Statements for period ending April 30, 2023; Department Head and/or Commission Reports. Moved and seconded to approve the Consent Agenda.   Aye:  Krause, Preis, Kavanaugh, Brousek and Fideline. Nay: None.  Absent:  None.   Motion carried.

Freshman reported that he is waiting to hear back from FEMA on the LOMR-F for the arena.

Dittmer reported the panel replacement project is going very well.  The team is continuing to work on potholes.  They are getting ready to paint the downtown parking stalls and crosswalks so they will be ready for Independence Day.  Dittmer stated that the parks are being utilized and are busy with activity.  Krause thanked Dittmer and the team for the good job they did at Taste of Omaha.

Bohling reported receiving our third allotment this fiscal year for the 779 turnback tax.

Leonardo reported that the department had seventeen code enforcement citations last month.  In May we participated in the Click It or Ticket mobilization.

Hoppe reported for Peña. Summer reading started on June 1st.  A moss wall art is being put together in the children’s room.  The library things collection has circulated eighty-three times in just two weeks.

Krajewski reported on upcoming shows at the arena.  Ticket sales are strong.  Management at the arena is preparing to upgrade the internet

Roeder reported that Highway 6 will be playing at the Tunes in Town Square event on June 15th.  Planning for Independence Day is on schedule.  The theme is “Ralston heART of the Metro”.  The grand marshal for the parade is Joel Sartore, a Ralston native.

Hoppe stated that we have a new Community Development Administrator, Meghan Engberg who comes from LaVista.  Engberg could not be here tonight.

Hoppe discussed the Taste of Omaha event held in Ralston last weekend.  Hoppe stated that it took a large amount of planning. Leonardo spoke about the security at the event.  We developed a safety plan and worked with the Douglas County Sherriff and Omaha police department. Due to the number of officers present and a few things behind the scenes it was a successful event. Dittmer reported developing a good plan working together with staff, police department, fire department, and EMS.  Dittmer reported that everything went well and that the department received zero calls. Wayne Lallman, with I See It Ventures, complimented the city for all the work done to make this a successful event.  Lallman stated the parking and flow of the event went great and that he received only positive comments regarding the event.

Chief Leonardo introduced the new Ralston K-9, Titan.

President Krause presented a proclamation to Dr. Allan Erickson for his forty seven year career practicing Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, forty of those years in service to both the City of Ralston and Ralston Veterinary Clinic.

Hoppe and Lynn Johnson presented the Ralston Parks CIP 2022-29

Public Comment:  Deniz Botkin announced a program where business people and entrepreneurs will meet with Ralston kids and work with them on having thoughtful and challenging conversations. The conversations will be held at the Lemon Tree restaurant.

Rich Shively said disc golfing is fantastic. He said the Seymour Smith course is always busy. He felt Ponderosa Park would be a good site for a course. Shively said the shelter at Ponderosa is not used very often. Shively would like to see the Ponderosa parking lot removed. Shively felt Orval Smith park could be saved if the drainage issues were addressed. He felt that if Orval was repurposed it was important to have a contract with the school district for the use of their facilities. Shively pointed out that Ralston was in the spotlight last weekend with the Taste of Omaha Festival and the Army Band performance in the park. He said it was nice to have a police dog back with the Police Department.

Council Comment: Brousek said he was impressed by how City Administration was able to put together the Taste of Omaha Festival in less than a month. Kavanaugh said it was amazing that the festival was moved from another location to Ralston and that the staff was able to manage it.

There being no further business to come before the Council, the meeting adjourned at 7:04 PM.   The next meeting is Tuesday, June 20, 2023 at 5:30 PM.

Maura Kelly

City Clerk

Donald A. Groesser

Mayor

Claims – June 6, 2023;  ACCESS SYSTEMS LEASING,$2,526.73,COPIERS, AMERICAN LEGAL PUBLISHING CORP, $650.00, PUBLISHING, AMERICAN UNITED LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, $272.05, EMPLOYEE BENEFITS, ANDREW KANNGIESER, $780.00, UNION DUES, BELLINO’S FIREWORKS, $10,000.00, FIREWORKS, BLACK HILLS ENERGY, $904.56, UNTILITIES,BLACKSTONE PUBLISHING, $103.98, PRINTING, BLUE CROSS & BLUE SHIELD OF NE, $48,175.66, HEALTH INSURANCE, BMI JANITORIAL GROUP, $325.00, JANITORIAL, CASEY’S BUSINESS MASTERCARD, $12.50, FUEL, CCL SUPPLY, LLC, $392.76, SUPPLIES, CENGAGE LEARNING INC, $47.25, BOOKS, CENTURY CERTIFIED SERVICES, $28.00, PEST CONTROL, Ciox Health, $20.00, MEDICAL TESTING, COMPCHOICE, $100.00, MEDICAL TESTING, COX BUSINESS SERVICES, $602.77, TELEPHONES, DEMCO, $1,785.00, SUPPLIES, DOLPHENS DESIGN & SIGN, $35.00, SIGN, DONALD FICENEC, $5,000.00, LEGAL FEES, DOUGLAS COUNTY POST-GAZETTE, $2,513.51, PRINTING, DR. OXYGEN SCIENCE SHOWS, $225.00, LIVE SHOW, EAKES OFFICE SOLUTIONS, $50.32. OFFICE SUPPLIES, EMBRIS GROUP LLC, $21,665.00, ENGINEERING COSTS, ENTERPRISE FM TRUST, $6,927.61, LEASING COSTS, FACTORY MOTOR PARTS CO., $146.39, SUPPLIES, FIREGUARD, INC., $191.75, SERVICE, FIRST INTERSTATE BANK - PENSION, $20,588.59, FIRST INTERSTATE BANK MASTERCARD, $15,387.71, FP MAILING SOLUTIONS, $66.00, MAILING MACHINE, GEOTAB USA, INC, $15.00, SUPPLIES, GRASS  PAD INC, $1,384.75, SOD, GROESSER, DONALD, $99.56, REIMBURSEMENT, HUMANA INSURANCE CO, 2,601.20, HEALTH INSURANCE, INTEGGRATED MSP, $23,019.00, IT SERVICES, JOHN DEERE FINANCIAL, $957.66, LEASE PAYMENTS, KARL CHEVROLET INC., $41,057.00, VEHICLE, MARTIN ASPHALT, $192.00, ASPHALT, MENARDS - RALSTON, $449.22, SUPPLIES, METRO, $2,521.00, TRANSPORTATION SERVICES, MICHAEL TODD & CO, INC, $3,258.65, MATERIALS, MUD-UTILITIES, $1,265.47, NAPA AUTO PARTS, $7.42, PARTS, NEBRASKA IOWA SUPPLY CO., INC., $4,101.35, FUEL, NEBRASKA STATE FIRE MARSHAL AGENCY, $81.00, SERVICE, OCB  PLUMBING, $5,760.85, REPAIRS, OMAHA COMPOUND COMPANY, $191.89, SUPPLIES, OMAHA MOSS ART, $3,962.50, ART, OMNI ENGINEERING, $2,767.35, MATERIALS, PAPILLION SANITATION, $29,512.86, GARBAGE REMOVAL, PAPILLION SANITATION WASTE CONNECTIONS, $576.15, GARBAGE REMOVAL, PURCHASE POWER, $68.05, SUPPLIES, QUILL CORPORATION, $344.76, SUPPLIES, RALSTON AUTOMOTIVE, $270.99, REPAIRS, RALSTON FIRE DEPT INC, $17,756.81, CONTRACT PAYMENT, ROBERTA OPPERMAN, $135.00, REPAIRS, SARPY COUNTY, $1,726.00, ANIMAL CONTROL, TASTE OF OMAHA, $2,000.00, REFUND, THE DAILY RECORD, $15.76, PRINTING, TRANS UNION RISK & ALTERNATIVE, $75.00, SUPPLIES, TREDE ELECTRIC & LIGHTING, INC, $4,947.20, REPAIRS, TREE TOP PRODUCTS INC, $1,379.13, SUPPLIES, VERIZON WIRELESS, $1,315.88, TELEPHONE, VOYA INSTITUTIONAL TRUST COMPANY, $400.00, RETIREMENT, WEST OMAHA WINSUPPLY, $11,390.29, FIXTURES

6/29            ZNEZ

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

CANCELLATION OF MEETING

CITY OF RALSTON

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that a meeting of the Mayor and City Council of the City of Ralston, Nebraska,  which was scheduled at 5:30 PM on Tuesday, July 4, 2023, in the Council Chambers at Ralston City Hall, 5500 S. 77th Street, Ralston, NE  68127 has been cancelled.

Maura Kelly

City Clerk

6/29            ZNEZ

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––