VILLAGE OF EXETER MINUTES SEPTEMBER 13, 2022 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 13, 2022 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 August 31, 2022, and September 7, 2022. 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 arrived at 7:30 pm. Clerk Becky Erdkamp recorded the minutes. Chairperson Michl noted that a copy of the Nebraska Open Meeting Act is available in the Village Office for public inspection and review. Visitors present included: Leesa Bartu, Brenda Motis, Paul Jensen, Rhonda Stokebrand and Cindy Markowski. Michl opened the Special Hearing to Set the Tax Request at 7:00 pm. Three options for analysis of levy proposals were reviewed for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. Comparisons were made to 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 tax requests. Each option showed tax requests for general fund and bond issue. Option No. 1: Same tax request and bond levy at 2021-2022. Option No. 2: Same general levy with 3.5% allowable increase and bond levy. Option No. 3: Splits the difference between #1 and #2. The amounts for Option No. 2 were previously published as required in the Friend Sentinel on September 7, 2022. Discussion was held by the board members. No public comment was received. Michl moved and Mueller seconded the motion to close the Special Hearing to Set Tax Request. All present voted aye. Michl opened the Budget Hearing at 7:10 pm. Notice of the Budget Hearing was published in the Friend Sentinel on September 7, 2022. 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 2022 valuation increase provided by Fillmore County was $3,367,285.00 compared to $156,120.00 for 2021. Clerk Erdkamp noted that estimated water main repairs, well maintenance and increased audit and budget preparation fees 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. No public comment was received. Michl moved and Gloystein seconded the motion to close the Budget Hearing at 7:20 pm. All present voted aye. Michl opened the One & Six Year Road Plan for fiscal year 2022-2023. Discussion was held. The One Year Plan is for general maintenance of the roads. The Six Year Plan is to consider additional paving and other projects. Discussion was held on the continued deterioration of Missouri Avenue and South Depot. Engineering plans are in place for both streets. It was noted that the swimming pool bond pays off in 2028 and a small water bond pays off in 2023. Board members questioned whether either street would make it until 2028. No public comments were received. Michl moved and Harre seconded the motion to close the One & Six Year Road Hearing at 7:25 pm. All present voted aye. Michl opened the regular board meeting at 7:26 pm. Minutes from the previous meeting were reviewed and approved without correction. An accounts payable listing was presented for approval. Harre moved and Gloystein seconded the motion to approve invoices as presented. Voting aye: Mueller, Gloystein, Harre and Michl. No nays. Moton carried. Approved invoices as follows: Ameritas Life Insurance Corp $877.67, Ameritas Life Insurance Corp 1,249.83, Black Hills Energy 239.65, Capital One 1,491.68, EFTPS 4,694.01, EFTPS 5,193.38, Ekeler Repair 22.56, Erdkamp, Rebecca 100.00, Exeter Lumber, LLC 98.60, Fernco-Washington, Inc 44,032.99, First Wireless, Inc 3,781.45, Greg’s Market 492.97, Hometown Leasing 112.41, Kopchos Sanitation Inc 168.00, League of NE Muni. 1,490.00, Leesa Bartu Designs 240.00, Markowski, Cindy 355.05, Midwest Laboratories, Inc 106.60, Mueller, John 150.00, Municipal Supply, Inc 175.26, NMPP Energy 1,531.00, NE Dept of Revenue 377.36, NE Municipal Clerk’s Assn 50.00, NE Public Health Env Lab 880.00, Nick’s Farm Store 199.99, Perennial Public Power 4,239.50, Salaries 22,411.70, Seward County Independent 64.63, Seward Electronics 69.00, Slezak, TJ 240.00 Sudrla, Patty 40.47 Taylor Lawn Sprinklers 80.00 Utilities Section – League 442.00 WITT 360 LLC 200.00 Windstream 348.08, Total Invoices $96,245.84 Michl introduced Resolution 22-01 to set the Property Tax Request as published. The 2022-2023 property tax requested from the General Fund is $165,710.00 and from the Bond Fund is 193,648.00. Harre moved and Mueller seconded the motion to approve Resolution 22-01. 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. Michl moved and Harre seconded the motion to approve the additional 1% in the restricted funds authority. All present voted aye. Michl entertained a motion to pass the 2022-2023 Budget as proposed in the Budget Hearing. Mueller moved and Gloystein seconded the motion to approve the 2022-2023 Budget. All present voted aye. Michl introduced Resolution 22-02 to approve the One & Six Year Road Plan. Harre moved and Anderson seconded the motion to approve Resolution 22-02. All present voted aye Brenda Motis of Fillmore County Senior Services appeared before the board to give an update on the Senior Center. She named the current board members for the Senior Center and discussed their meal program. Meals are now being prepared by Sweetwater. Ninety-two people were served last month. Meals are arriving hot and with great sized portions. Seniors are happy to be patronizing a local establishment. Menus are prepared and approved a month in advance. Motis also discussed the May 31st visit from the Nebraska Department of Energy and Environment health inspector. The senior center was written up for not having an air gap under the three-compartment sink. In previous inspections this was never an issue. Motis also thanked the village for moving the gazebo and swing next door to the senior center and for continuing to assist with funding as needed. Bob Mueller discussed the September 19, 2022, tax sale for the property located at 209 East Maplewood. There are currently $3,920.56 in past due property taxes and $10,094.48 in village paving liens due against the property. Harre questioned whether Keno Community Betterment funds could be used to purchase nuisance property. Mueller moved to go up to the amount covering the paving and taxes owed at the Sheriff’s Tax Auction and Harre seconded the motion. All present voted. Michl has been questioned by community members on the need to blow the siren at noon and 1:00 pm. After a brief discussion, the board members decided to continue blowing the siren. No Marshal’s Report was presented. John Mueller presented the Maintenance Report. The pool has been drained. He believes there is a leak in the main drain. The pool needs to be repainted. North Main Street has been built up. The new permit for the lagoons has cut the acceptable ammonia amounts in half. We may have to either irrigate it out or build an additional lagoon. The mower is not running, and the parts are out of stock. The Village was approved for a grant to abandon the well behind the fire hall. The fencing for the batting cage is still on back order. Becky Erdkamp presented the Clerk’s Report. Sales tax for June was $13,699.61. Keno receipts for July were $361.20. Paul Jensen spoke to the board regarding trees on the north side of the cemetery. Forty-five trees were lost this summer. New ones will need to be hand planted. Harre stated that the Sons of the Legion can help with planting the new trees. Michl moved to go into executive session at 8:25 pm to discuss personnel evaluations. Anderson seconded the motion. All present voted aye. Harre moved and Mueller seconded the motion to come out of executive session at 8:35 pm. All present voted aye. Anderson moved and Michl seconded the motion to pay John Mueller $25.25 per hour, Becky Erdkamp $20.00 per hour, Cindy Markowski $13.00 per hour, Pat Sudrla and Sarah Pella $12.50 per hour, Terry Salyer $16.00 per hour and Sharon Cudaback $875.00 per month. Voting aye: Anderson, Harre, Gloystein and Michl. Voting nay: Mueller. Motion carried. The raises are approximately 5% over previous wages. The next meeting will be on October 4th at 7:00 pm. The meeting adjourned at 8:45 pm. Becky S. Erdkamp Village Clerk FS — September 28, 2022 ZNEZ
