VILLAGE OF EXETER MINUTES SEPTEMBER 11, 2024 The Special Hearing to Set the Tax Request, Budget Hearing, One & Six Year Road Hearing and regular meeting of the Exeter Village Board was convened in open and public session on Wednesday September 11, 2024 at 7:00 pm at the Exeter Village Office. Notice of the meeting was given by posting 10 days prior at the Exeter Village Office, Post Office, and Generations Bank and by publishing in the Friend Sentinel on September 4, 2024. Chairperson Alan Michl called the meeting to order. Board members present upon roll call were: Alan Michl, Justin Harre, Bob Mueller and Kim Gloystein. Jim Anderson was absent. Clerk Becky Erdkamp recorded the minutes. Chairperson Michl noted that a copy of the Nebraska Open Meetings Act is available in the Village Office for public inspection and review. Visitors present included: Avery Nichols, Neal Scott and Rhonda Stokebrand. Michl opened the Special Hearing to Set the Tax Request at 7:00 pm. Five options for analysis of levy proposals were reviewed for the 2024 – 2025 fiscal year. Comparisons were made to 2022 – 2023 and 2023 – 2024 tax requests. Each option showed tax requests for general fund and bond issue. Option No. 1: Same dollar request as last year. Option No. 2: Same levy rate as last year. Option No. 3: Split the difference between No. 1 and No. 2. Option No. 4: Same General fund levy rate and bond rate to cover all G.O. debt. Option No. 5: Same General fund levy and increase bond levy by new G.O. debt issued. The amounts for Option No. 5 were previously published as required in the Friend Sentinel on September 4, 2024. Discussion was held by the board members. No public comment was received. Michl opened the Budget Hearing at 7:10 pm. Notice of the Budget Hearing was published in the Friend Sentinel on September 4, 2024. Michl made a presentation outlining the key provisions of the proposed budget statement, including but not limited to a comparison of the prior year’s budget. Three copies were available to the public. The 2024 valuation increase provided by Fillmore County was $969,608.00 compared to $2,911,520.00 for 2023. Clerk Erdkamp noted that estimated water meter change outs, water tower repairs, fire hall improvements, and increases to minimum wages have been noted during budget preparation with HBE CPAs and Consultants. The board also discussed the additional 1% increase in restricted funds authority listed on page 9 of the budget document. Possible legislation to decrease property taxes that may come up in the Unicameral next session was also noted. No public comment was received. Michl opened the One & Six Year Road Plan Hearing for fiscal year 2024-2025 at 7:20 pm. Discussion was held. The One Year Plan is for general maintenance of the roads and repaving of South Depot from Main Street to Burlington Avenue near Farmers Cooperative. The Six Year Plan is to consider additional paving and other projects. Discussion was held on the continued deterioration of South Depot. Clerk Erdkamp informed the board that she has received a call from the National Department of Transportation regarding the South Depot project. No word has been received regarding the approval of the appropriations application from Senator Fischer’s office. No public comments were received. Michl opened the regular board meeting at 7:30 pm. Minutes from the previous meeting were reviewed and approved without correction. An accounts payable listing was presented for approval. Harre moved and Mueller seconded the motion to approve invoices as presented. All present voted aye. Approved invoices as follows: Ameritas Life Insurance Corp $1,172.53; Beaver Hardware 102.16; Bi-Versal Services, LLC 160.00; Black Hills Energy 248.10; Capital One $997.72; Roger Cudaback 236.84; Dan’s Construction, Inc. 70,325.00; Diode Technologies 16,729.72; Dutton-Lainson Company 3,673.15; EFTPS 4,124.38; ES OPCO USA LLC 1,212.42; Eakes Office Solutions 113.64; Ekeler Repair 5.95; Erdkamp, Rebecca 146.18; Exeter Lumber LLC 2,270.30; Farmers Cooperative 1,655.33; Fillmore County Zoning 25.00; Fyr-Tek, Inc 2,690.30; Generations Bank 4,943.75; Generations Bank 4,966.00 ; Generations Insurance 74.00; Glenwood 49.92; Greg’s Market 681.80; Hometown Leasing 125.49; Johnson Service Co 14,665.20; Kopchos Sanitation Inc 253.50; League of NE Municipalities 1,160.00; Leesa Bartu Designs 240.00; Markowski, Cindy 107.20; Midwest Laboratories Inc 96.55; Mueller, John 150.00; Mueller, Robert 382.50; Municipal Supply, Inc 253.88; NMC Exchange LLC 200.35; NE Dept of Revenue 364.22; NE Dept of Revenue 25.00; NE Public Health Env Lab 500.00; Nick’s Farm Store 471.73; Perennial Public Power 4,438.84; Salaries 18,483.43; Sargent Drilling 3,298.66; Seward County Independent 240.88; Windstream 311.94; Windstream 327.82; Total Invoices $162,701.38 Michl introduced Resolution 24-02 to set the Property Tax Request as published. The 2024 – 2025 property tax requested from the General Fund is $192,125.67 and from the Bond Fund is $259,917.00. Mueller moved and Harre seconded the motion to approve Resolution 24-02. All present voted aye. Michl entertained a motion to approve the additional 1% increase in the restricted funds authority listed on page 9 of the budget document. Mueller moved and Gloystein seconded the motion to approve the additional 1% in the restricted funds authority. All present voted aye. Michl entertained a motion to pass the 2024-2025 Budget as proposed in the Budget Hearing. Harre moved and Gloystein seconded the motion to approve the 2024-2025 Budget. All present voted aye. Michl introduced Resolution 24-03 to approve the One & Six Year Road Plan. Harre moved and Mueller seconded the motion to approve Resolution 24-03. All present voted aye. Michl presented ORDINANCE NO. 605 AN ORDINANCE OF THE VILLAGE OF EXETER, NEBRASKA, TO CONFIRM THE SALE OF REAL ESTATE, AND TO PROVIDE FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE FOR THIS ORDINANCE. The ordinance is for the authorized sale of the following real estate: Lots One Hundred Thirteen (113) and One Hundred Fourteen (114), Block Ten (10), Ira Gilbert’s First Addition to the Village of Exeter, Fillmore County, Nebraska. Harre moved and Gloystein seconded the motion to approve Ordinance No. 605. All present voted aye. Harre presented a Fillmore County Zoning Application for Improvements at the Exeter Gun Club site. A proposal for a 30’ X 48’ Cleary metal building has been received. The Gun Club already has most of the money for the project but will be hosting fundraisers for the rest of the project. They plan to keep the current building for storage. They currently have 60+ shooters utilizing the establishment. Mueller moved and Gloystein seconded the motion to approve the application for zoning for the Gun Club project. Voting aye: Michl, Mueller and Gloystein. Abstaining: Harre. No nays. Motion carried. Discussion was held on purchasing additional metal picnic tables for the park. The board instructed Mueller to purchase two additional tables to match the current metal tables at the park. Discussion was held on purchasing new banners and holiday decorations for the light poles in the downtown area. There are 14 poles with brackets for decorations. Erdkamp and Mueller were instructed to research and present options at the October meeting. No Marshal’s Report was presented. John Mueller presented the Maintenance Report. The generator has been hooked up at the well site to be used if needed during the water tower project which is to start this month. The tank will be drained while the project is going on. Residents are asked to conserve water during the project. Sprinklers and doors will be installed at the fire hall addition shortly. The electricians will also be working in the fire hall addition. Plumbing will follow. Trees need to be trimmed at the cemetery. Overhanging branch notices will be sent out soon in anticipation of snow removal. Becky Erdkamp presented the Clerk’s Report. Sales tax receipts for June were $13,721.70. Keno receipts for July were $181.40. Michl moved and Mueller seconded the motion to go into executive session at 7:40 pm to discuss personnel evaluations. All present voted aye. Michl moved and Mueller seconded a motion to come out of executive session at 7:50 pm. All present voted aye. Mueller moved and Harre seconded the motion to increase the wages for John Mueller to $28.00 per hour, Becky Erdkamp to $22.00 per hour, Cindy Markowski to $15.00 per hour, Pat Sudrla to $14.50 per hour and Vicki Klemm to $14.00 per hour. All present voted aye. Discussion was held on the hiring of an additional maintenance employee as Terry Salyer will be done working on October 31, 2024. John Mueller was instructed to prepare a job description that can be used to advertise for the position early in 2025. The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 8th at 7:00 pm. The meeting adjourned at 8:05 pm. Becky S. Erdkamp Village Clerk FS — November 20, 2024 ZNEZ
