Individuals and media outlets are encouraged to contact the City Administrator for additional details or clarification on the following material. Regular meetings of the Crete City Council are held on the first and third Tuesdays of the month at 6 p.m. in the Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall; Council Standing Committees may meet prior. View a list of City Officials and current council and committee meeting agendas.

• Questions about agendas or meeting minutes should be directed to the City Clerk.
• Meeting minutes are published in The Crete News (local newspaper)
• Each regular city council meeting agenda also contains the minutes of recent council, committee, and board meetings

 

The next Crete City Council regular meeting will be on Tuesday, July 21

 

Condensed Minutes for Crete City Council regular meeting - Tuesday, July 7:

View this Meeting Agenda and attachments, entire copy of minutes 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: Frans, Newmyer, Strehle, Papik and Fitzgerald Absent: Crisman

The following actions were taken at the meeting:

Approved the Consent Agenda items: Unanimous

• Meeting Minutes: June 16 City Council , June 16 Public Works Committee, June 16 Finance Committee, June 16 Legislative Development Committee, June 16 Parks & Recreation Meeting
• Treasurer’s Report 
• Claims against the City $1,639,600.35
• Mayor’s appointments:  Jennifer Robison to the Planning Commission, Adam Bauer to the Business Improvement District Board, Jim Crouse and Amanda Lopez to the Library Advisory Board, Ken Marvin, Manuel Dimas, and Liz Umana to the Economic Development Advisory Committee 

Held Public Hearing to hear testimony in favor of and in opposition to and to answer questions in relation to the following proposed Zoning Change Request. Parcel ID: 760144138 I1 to C2. Unanimous

Approved the proposed Zoning Change Request. Parcel ID: 760144138 I1 to C2. Unanimous 

Held Public Hearing to hear testimony in favor of and in opposition to and to answer questions in relation to the following proposed Zoning Change Request A Tract of Land Being Part of Outlot "A", Dittmer Estates Addition Located In The Northeast Quarter Of Section 26, Township 8 North, Range 4 East Of The 6th P.M., City of Crete, Saline County, Nebraska, C1 to R3. Unanimous 

Approved the proposed Zoning Change Request A Tract of Land Being Part of Outlot "A", Dittmer Estates Addition Located In The Northeast Quarter Of Section 26, Township 8 North, Range 4 East Of The 6th P.M., City of Crete, Saline County, Nebraska, C1 to R3. Unanimous 

Held Public Hearing to hear testimony in favor of and in opposition to and answer questions in relation to amending the Future Land Use Map. Unanimous 

Approved amending the Future Land Use Map. Unanimous 

Approved the Public Works utility account write- off. Unanimous 

Approved Public Works unclaimed property. Unanimous 

Approved declaring surplus bricks for sale on surplus website and for a cost of $0.25. Unanimous 

Approved the Updated Scope and Fee Crete Park Concept Services. Unanimous 

Enacted Ordinance 2278 renumbering codes created in Ordinance 2277. Unanimous 

Approved the first reading for Ordinance 2279 regulate bicycle, E-bikes, minibikes and other motorized recreational transportation and create penalties for violation of these sections. Unanimous 

Approved the Southeast Nebraska Development District FY27 Membership. Unanimous 

Adopted Resolution 2026-16 authorizing mayor to sign Crete Area Medical Center MOU. Unanimous 

Approved the Memorandum of Understanding Between The City of Crete and Crete Area Medical Center to the commitment to provide health care services to all patients regardless of financial ability. Unanimous 

Officers’ Reports 

• Chief of Police Gary Young stated the following: 
  • Noah Zach was awarded the Nebraska American Legion Law Enforcement Officer of the Year and he is a excellent representative of the City of Crete. 
  • Zach has been helping with the car seat initiative and in June there were 9 car seats given out and 14 car seat checks with Sixpence and McKinney-Vento. There will be another car seat event in September. 
  • Young provided a summary of the event that took place at Tuxedo Park with an individual that had a camper made from an armored car and was threating to kill an officer. Young thanked the collaboration of assistance with this event of the Nebraska SWAT, State Patrol, Saline County Sheriffs Office, Lancaster County, and the Crete Volunteer Fire Department. 
• Parks and Recreation Director Liz Cody stated the following:
  • Staff are performing daily checks (M-F) on campground areas. 
  • Working park and facility maintenance issues 
  • Additional signage is being posted for dumping, parking, etc. 
  • Thanked the Council for the Ordinance on the e-bikes and mini bikes. 
  • Mayor’s Day at the Wildwood Pool will be Sunday July 12 - free admission during open hours. End of season pooch party on Aug. 2nd 3-4pm. 
  • We thank Coach Martin for her 4 years as head swim coach and are seeking a new swim coach for next season.
  • Adult Co-Ed Softball registration until July 24th.
  • IRA UCF Grant coordinator visits Crete on Wed. July 8th to review sites for upcoming grant funded tree work.  
• City Administrator Tom Ourada stated the following:
  • The warning stickers for the Ordinance on cryptocurrency are in and will be distributed to the businesses in town that have crypto ATM or Bitcoin ATM. Dr. Sarah Brown and possibly Crete News will be going as well. 
  • The City of Crete did not get the BUILD grant which an application had been submitted or an overpass. 
  • The City has submitted multiple other grants including the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Grant. 
  • Working with Nebraska Department of Transportation Infrastructure HUB on the Reconnecting Community grant that the City of Crete was awarded for a planning grant for a pedestrian bridge. 
  • Ourada and Mayor Bauer received a letter from Dr. Tom King who is the President of the Library Advisory Board and Chair of the Historic Preservation Commission. He is resigning from that board and commission since he is moving out of Crete. 
  • The City of Crete is working on the recertification for the Economic Development Community certification. The city does that every five years.
  • Keno has been strong the last couple months. 
  • Sales tax is steady. Year to date the City has refunded about $24,000 as part of the State’s incentive program. 
  • We are about 3.86% below what we were last year but 2% ahead of budget and we are stable. 
  • We are working on the new street dedication. 11th street is going through and then there will be a street in front of Blue River Meats dedicated by the various owners. Ourada stated to the Council that they can ponder a street name that starts with the letter x or y. It would be tree name to keep it consistent. Ourada stated that some name options would be presented to the council to vote on. 
  • A new Human Resources Director has been hired, and she will be starting on August 3rd, 2026. 
  • Council member Anthony Fitzgerald asked about the next nuisance hearing on Wednesday, July 29th, 2026 and if there will be meetings on a more regular basis. Ourada stated that has been addressed and hearings will be held if there are enough nuisances. 
• Mayor Dave Bauer stated that the Crete Fireworks show was great. Bauer added that it has been great to see all the departments helping each other and working together. 

The meeting adjourned at 6:46 p.m.

Crete Coed Slow Pitch Softball League signup is open until July 24.

• Doubleheaders are played on Sunday evenings Aug. 9 - Oct. 11 at Tuxedo Park;
• Registration fee is $450 - softballs included;
• tournament to follow regular league play;
• Registration includes team name, team captain and contact information, roster

Register on RecDesk or find the registration form linked below or at the City Hall Recreation Office.

Coed Softball Registration Form - English (pdf) 

Coed Softball Registration Form - Spanish (pdf) 

 

Contact Park and Recreation with questions: 402.826.4315 or email Dan Dunaway.

The City of Crete Department of Public Works, in partnership with its wholesale electric power supplier, the Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska, is continuing to provide five energy efficiency programs to assist in lowering energy costs for local utility customers through energy efficiency improvements.

All five programs offer cash incentives to make energy efficient upgrades in the areas of insulation, cooling systems, home thermostats, high efficiency heat pump, and commercial lighting. Here is a rundown of the four programs:

• High Efficiency Heat Pump Program: The program provides cash incentives from $400 to $3,000 to residential homeowners who are installing a new heat pump system to their residential single-family dwelling.
• Smart Thermostat Program: Provides a cash incentive of up to $100 paid directly to residential customers to help cover the cost of installing a qualifying smart thermostat. 
• Attic Insulation Program: Provides cash incentives of $0.15 / per square foot with a maximum incentive of $300 per existing residential dwelling for attic insulation. 
• Cooling System Tune-Up Program: Provides a $30 cash incentive to residential homeowners who have their cooling system tuned up by a HVAC contractor, regardless of what type or age of cooling system (air conditioner/air or water source heat pump).
• Commercial LED Lighting Program: Provides cash incentives paid directly to commercial customers to help cover the cost of interior lighting upgrades and replacements.

These programs are available to customers of the City of Crete through its wholesale power partnership with the Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska. For more information on these programs, contact the Utility Office at City Hall, 402.826.4312. Program guidelines/applications.

 

City Hall - 243 East 13th Street
(Utility Office ground floor main entrance on south side)
Crete, NE 68333
Phone: 402.826.4312

This summer the library is going prehistoric! Summer Reading 2026 is all about dinosaurs, inviting readers of all ages to step back in time for a season filled with adventure, discovery, and plenty of reading fun beginning May 1. (See the gallery for Summer Reading graphics and links below for calendars and registration.)

• Summer Reading Calendars  - English (pdf) 
• Summer Reading Calendars  - Spanish (pdf) 
• Teen Programs - (pdf) 

Instead of tracking minutes, kids will be reading for books this year-making it easier than ever to set goals, celebrate progress, and enjoy stories at their own pace. Every book counts as readers work their way toward exciting prizes, with special recognition for those who read the most throughout the summer. 

But the fun doesn't stop there. The library has lined up an amazing series of summer presenters bringing the dinosaur theme to life in unforgettable ways. Families can look forward to high-energy entertainment from the String Beans, along with an exciting visit from Fontanelle Forest Raptors, who will showcase incredible birds of prey. 

Register for kids Summer Reading 

Teens and adults are also part of the action this year. Instead of tracking reading logs, participants can complete book reviews to share what they've read, recommend favorites, and help inspire others to find their next great read. It's a simple, meaningful way to stay engaged all summer long while building a community of readers. 

Join the library's Summer Reading Challenge with a community goal to read 3,000 books by July 31. Every book counts - big and small. Reading logs are going online with the Reader Zone app.

•  Install the 'Reader Zone' from the app store on your device
• create your account and use the library's program code - d0e69
• register each individual reader under the same account
• answer 3 simple questions
• start reading and log your books - no need to add titles, simply track the number of books

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Readers can participate in Crete Public Library's summer reading program, typically announced in April/May.

Youth activities in June and July may include games and activities, art projects, story times, guest entertainment and authors, reading challenges, and more. All activities and programs are open to children free of charge, but registration is required. Forms and calendars are made available at the library and online when programs are announced. Additional activities and reading challenges may be offered for adult patrons.

For more information, stop by or call the library, or email Crete Public Library staff.

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Check out the resources and services available at Crete Public Library:

• Meet the library staff
• Library Card Signup
• Library Programming
• Borrow & Reserve Materials (drive-thru pickup window available)
• Libby audiobook and ebooks
• Computer use and printing
• Reserve a meeting/study room
• Support & Volunteer

Crete Public Library
1515 Forest Ave.
Crete, NE 68333
Phone: 402.826.3809

 

Individuals and media outlets are encouraged to contact the City Administrator for additional details or clarification on the following material. Regular meetings of the Crete City Council are held on the first and third Tuesdays of the month at 6 p.m. in the Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall; Council Standing Committees may meet prior. View a list of City Officials and current council and committee meeting agendas.

• Questions about agendas or meeting minutes should be directed to the City Clerk.
• Meeting minutes are published in The Crete News (local newspaper)
• Each regular city council meeting agenda also contains the minutes of recent council, committee, and board meetings

 

The next Crete City Council regular meeting will be on Tuesday, July 7

 

Condensed Minutes for Crete City Council regular meeting - Tuesday, June 16:

View this Meeting Agenda and attachments, entire copy of minutes 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, Strehle, Papik and Fitzgerald Absent: Frans and Newmyer

The following actions were taken at the meeting:

Approved the Consent Agenda items: Unanimous

• Meeting Minutes: June 2 City Council, June 2 Public Works Committee, June 2 Legislative Development Committee, June 2 Parks & Recreation Meeting, June 2 Public Safety Meeting 
• Treasurer’s Report 
• Claims against the City $768,207.05

Adjourned to the Board of Equalization. Unanimous 

• Held Public Hearing to hear testimony in favor or in opposition to levy assessments against certain real property at 1230 and 1236 Main Ave for money owed to the City of Crete for Business Improvement District. Unanimous 
• Adopted Resolution No. 2026-12 Levy Special Assessments Against Real Property Described as Crete City Lots 10 and 11, Block 143, Original Township, City of Crete, Saline County, Nebraska. Unanimous 
• Balance was paid and Public Hearing was not held to hear testimony to in favor or in opposition to levy assessments against certain real property at 1114 Main Ave for money owed to the City of Crete for Business Improvement District
• No action was taken on Resolution No. 2026-13 Levy Special Assessments Against Certain Real Property Described As Crete City Lot 17, Block 144, Original Township, City of Crete, Saline County, Nebraska

Adjourned to the City Council. Unanimous 

Adopted Resolution 2026-11 Renumbering Resolution number 2026-08 Authorizing the City of Crete to enter int the Interlocal Agreement with the Educational Service Unit Coordinating Council. Unanimous 

Approved the Crete Fire & Rescue Work Comp Supplement Renewal, Year 1/3 $4,777.00 for one year and bid approval will be required thereafter. Unanimous 

Approved the Crete Ace Hardware claims in the amount of $3,384.92. Crisman: Aye, Strehle: Aye, Fitzgerald: Aye, Bauer: Aye, Abstained: Papik

 Authorized the City of Crete to apply for the League Association of Risk Management safety grant. Unanimous 

Adopted State Grant Resolution 2026-14  Adopting and Approving The Execution Of A State Grant Agreement for Project No. SA-10 To Be Submitted To The Nebraska Department Of Transportation. Unanimous 

Approved the Crete S&A Work Change Directive No 2 for NLC Signature JEO Project Number 240578. Unanimous 

Approved the Krupicka 3rd Administrative Subdivision of Lot 1 of Krupicka Administrative Subdivision. Unanimous 

Enacted Ordinance 2277 Creating Cryptocurrency ATM warning. Unanimous 

Adopted Resolution 2026-15 Increase salaries by 1% to include the retirement match. Unanimous

Approved the Wanek Subdivision An Administrative Subdivision of Parcel of Land Located in the Southeast 1/4 of Section 26 T8N R4E Of The 6th P.M., City of Crete, Saline County, Nebraska contingent on the setbacks being correct. Unanimous 

Approved the Blue River Arts Council requesting permission for mural contingent on the materials used meeting the City and the Historic Preservation Nebraska State Historical Society Standards. Unanimous 

Petitions-Communications-Resident Concerns 

• Sarah Brown thanked the City Council on approving Ordinance 2277 Creating Cryptocurrency ATM warning. 

Officers’ Reports 

• Chief of Police Gary Young stated the following:
  • Provided a summary on the arrest that took place at Walmart on the early morning of June 9th, 2026. Young added that the Police Officers and Deputies did an exceptional job.
  • Officer Arbuckle and Police K9 Hunk in partnership with the Sheriff’s office arrested an individual who had drug paraphernalia and intent to distribute. 
  • Officer Noah Zach will be awarded the Nebraska American Legion Law Enforcement Officer of the Year in Columbus, NE. Zach’s name will be forwarded for regional consideration, if chosen then national consideration. Officer Arbuckle was awarded at the national level and Lieutenant Jonas at the regional level. 
• Parks and Recreation Director Liz Cody stated the following:
  • Thanked the City Council for authorizing to apply for the LARM safety grant. 
  • The Kansas/Nebraska swim meet took place on June 6th, 2026 at the Wildwood Pool. 
  • Swimming lessons and water aerobics have started at the pool
  • Council member Tom Crisman stated that during the pool breaks older children have been going to the splashpad. Crisman asked Cody if she could please look into that. 
• City Administrator Tom Ourada stated the following:
  • Ourada received an email from the State of Nebraska that there will be an overlay project that will take place in 2029 starting in west of Crete and will go to Quince Ave. The email stated that if the City of Crete has the authority to request sidewalks if they would like. Ourada added that he would like to see if sidewalks can be put in on Blue River Bridge and between Westwood’s and Crete. 
  • Ourada stated that he sent the City Council information on the Saturday outage and the incident is still being investigated. The aftermath was very clear. The semitrailer took out power lines and broke off half a dozen poles. It took most of Saturday to get the power back on the north side of Crete. There were three customers that got the power back on around 8:30pm that night. Ourada stated that they did a very good job. Officer Acevedo did a good job and he was the first one on scene and kept everyone away from the danger. The power lines were hanging on the trailer and were live. Ourada explained that there were 13,800 volts running through those lines. 
  • Ourada asked City Attorney Anna Burge and Chief of Police Gary Young to look into rewriting the Ordinance on e-bikes and motorcycles and to take this to the public safety committee.
  • Ourada stated that he and Finance Director Wendy Thomas got an email about assessments being altered. It lists Crete commercial property and it doesn’t do a wholesale increase like 6% which they are doing with another town. City of Crete’s properties were reviewed and will go up per market. 
  • Later this month the City of Crete will be getting the full valuation. 
  • Received a letter stating that the State of Nebraska is taking back $9,000 of sales tax in a sales tax refund. The state will not tell you who the refund goes to. Ourada stated that is why the City is careful with LB840 and making sure businesses are not under Nebraska tax incentives that exempt that and then have to pay out.
  • Ourada stated that mosquito spraying happens twice a week. Ourada also added that to his knowledge Crete is the only municipality that sprays twice a week. Spraying started on the 1st of June and didn’t do the one Thursday because you can’t spray when there are high winds or rain. At Tuxedo park spraying takes place on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Ourada added that employees in the Street Department have to complete the pesticide applicator certification and licensing training and pass two exams to become licensed. 
  • Ourada added that the City of Crete also does larvicides on public property and on select private property. They put out larvicide donuts which are devices that which kill insect larvae before they mature.

The meeting adjourned at 6:56 p.m.

 

Condensed Minutes for Crete City Council regular meeting - Tuesday, June 2:

View this Meeting Agenda and attachments, entire copy of minutes 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, Newmyer, Frans, Strehle, Papik and Fitzgerald 

The following actions were taken at the meeting:

Approved the Consent Agenda items: Unanimous

• Meeting Minutes: May 19 City Council, May 19 Public Works Committee, May 19 Finance Committee, May 19 Personnel Committee, May 19 Legislative Development Committee 
• Treasurer’s Report 
• Claims against the City $1,688,242.25
• Mayor's appointments of Dave Jurena and Justin Kozisek to the Planning Commission.

Resolution 2026-08 Resolution establishing a time and place for the hearing to levy assessments against certain real property at 1230 and 1236 Main Ave for money owed to the City of Crete for Business Improvement District on June 16th, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. Unanimous 

Resolution 2026-09 Resolution establishing a time and place for the hearing to levy assessments against certain real property at 1114 Main Ave for money owed to the City of Crete for Business Improvement District on June 16th, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. Unanimous 

Held a Public Hearing to hear testimony in favor of and in opposition to and to answer questions in relation to section 11-306.03 of the Crete Municipal Code Ordinance 2273 to amend administrative subdivision procedure to include lot combinations. Unanimous 

Enacted Ordinance 2273 to amend administrative subdivision procedure to include lot combinations. Unanimous

Held a Public Hearing to hear testimony in favor of and in opposition to and to answer questions in relation to the review of the Special Exception request for Lothrop Lake Estates Lot 2 3.02 Acres in R2 Lothrop Lake Circle Shouse home. Unanimous 

Approved the Special Exception request for Lothrop Lake Estates Lot 2 3.02 Acres in R2 Lothrop Lake Circle Shouse home. Unanimous 

Held a Public Hearing to hear testimony in favor of and in opposition to and to answer questions in relation to the following proposed Zoning Change Request. Parcel ID: 760015422, Parcel ID: 760009325, Parcel ID: 760009392, Parcel ID: 760015414, Parcel ID: 760009376, Parcel ID: 760145770, Parcel ID: 760009317, Parcel ID: 760145849 I1 to C2. Unanimous 

Approved the  proposed Zoning Change Request. Parcel ID: 760015422, Parcel ID: 760009325, Parcel ID: 760009392, Parcel ID: 760015414, Parcel ID: 760009376, Parcel ID: 760145770, Parcel ID: 760009317, Parcel ID: 760145849 I1 to C2. Unanimous 

Approved the Application for a Permit to Occupy City of Crete Right-of-Way from Windstream Nebraska PR# 55621 at E 1st St, E 2nd St, Forest Ave, Grove Ave, Goldenrod Ln. Unanimous 

Approved the Application for a Permit to Occupy City of Crete Right-of-way from Windstream at 320 E 24th St, Crete, NE 68333. Unanimous 

Approved the Application for a Permit to Occupy City of Crete Right-of-way from Windstream at Valleyview Dr, Boswell Ave, Longwood Dr. E 18th St, E 20th St, Hilltop Ct, Parklane St, and Code Ave. Unanimous

Approved the Crete City Park Intern Project Scope and Fee Agreement. Unanimous 

Denied the Request to have carry out parking designation Old Main. Unanimous 

Approved the Denton water/wastewater Interlocal Agreement. Unanimous 

Approved the additional alternate options for the Brownfield grant for the south park complex. Unanimous 

Approved to authorize the City of Crete to apply for the Safe Streets and Roads for All SS4A Grant. Unanimous 

Approved to authorize the City of Crete to apply for the Public Water System Security Grant. Unanimous 

Approved to authorize the City of Crete to apply for the Community Development Block Grant for a portion of 15th Street. Unanimous 

Officers’ Reports 

• Parks and Recreation Director Liz Cody stated the following:
  • Thanked Nestle Purina for helping 
  • Cleaned up the pool for the swim meet on Saturday, June 6
  • The Crete Diamonds will be having tournaments this weekend at Tuxedo Park
  • T-Ball and Micro T-Ball have started, Swim Lessons will be starting this month 
  • There is a set of replacement steps ordered for the diving board
  • Council member Anthony Fitzgerald asked about the mowing around the Crete Welcome signs. City Administrator Tom Ourada stated that the FOP used to help take care of that and now the Street Department will be helping. 
• Library Director Jessica Wilkinson stated the following:
  • Raptors: Birds of Prey program took place earlier in the day as part of the Summer Reading Program. 
• Building Inspector Trent Griffin provided the May 2026 Permit Log and stated that he anticipates that reroofing permit applications will be coming in. 
  • There were 23 weed letters that were mailed out only 2 properties had to be mowed. 
  • Council member Anthony Fitzgerald asked if Right of Way Permit Applications can be approved without having to come to City Council. City Administrator Tom Ourada stated that is in place and can be done but in the past the City Council had asked to see the permits. 
  • Fitzgerald asked if the new airport beacon would be installed later this summer and if the Airport Manager could give plenty of notice to Air Methods. 
• City Administrator Tom Ourada stated the following:
  • Has been working with Engineering and Physics Associate Professor Cale Stolle and one of his engineering classes on a Crete Pedestrian Bridge project. This is the same location that the City of Crete is working with NDOT and JEO. Ourada recognized the work the Professor and students put into this project. The students used AI to create an image of how the pedestrian bridge could possibly look. 
  • Ourada also worked with Associate Professor Engineering Joel TerMatt and his students on their capstone project which was equally exciting. Students had the opportunity to get real life experience while the City gained a different perspective from the students and professor. 
  • The contractor started on the alley between 12th Street and 13th Street and Norman Ave and Oak Ave. There already will be a couple change orders. 
  • JEO has started working at the City Park and when the finished project is complete it will be brought to the City Council. 
  • Ourada received a call from DED asking if the City would like to include some additional items being done to be included in the Opportunity Zone submission. If the City of Crete gets selected for the Opportunity Zone that would be a large boost for housing and business development. 
  • A number of people have called and met with Ourada about the budget cost cutting situation and no one has gone away saying the City should have done something different. He felt that people left enlightened and stated they didn’t realize the complication of all that has to be considered, while some have shared their own experiences with this type of challenge. 

The meeting adjourned at 6:50 p.m. 

The City of Crete - Crete Fire Department issues open burning permits in accordance with the following:

• Nebraska Statute 81-520.01 states there shall be a statewide open burning ban on all bonfires, outdoor rubbish fires, and fires for the purpose of clearing land.
• The fire chief of a local fire department or his or her designee may waive an open burning ban for an area under his or her jurisdiction by issuing an open burning permit to a person requesting permission to conduct open burning.
  • Crete Volunteer Fire Department & Rescue Squad serves the Crete Fire District (pdf map) 

Permit information required: owner's name and phone number, person supervising the burn and phone number, burn location, person assuming responsibility in event fire comes out of control.

• Permit holders must contact the city before any burn: call 402.826.4312 (Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.)
  • Burning is allowed on weekends, but permission must be obtained on the last business day of the week during business hours.
• Burns must not start before sunrise and all open flame must be extinguished before sunset on each day of the burn.
  • Burning is not permitted when the wind is expected to blow more that 15 mph (according to National Weather Service) on the day of the burn.
  • No burning is allowed during Red Flag Warnings in the area.
• Permit must be signed by the fire chief.

Submit a completed Burn Permit in one of the following ways:

• Copies are available in the Public Works Office
• City of Crete - Open Burning Permit (pdf) 
  • print and return to the Public Works office at City Hall
  • send a copy to the Public Works office email

 

Crete Volunteer Fire Department
Burn Permits - City Hall Public Works Office: 402.826.4312  |  243 East 13th Street

Check out these upcoming events at Crete Public Library. Specific age groups or pre-registration details may be noted. Recurring event schedules may be altered due to holidays. Contact library staff for more information. (Click the gallery for more images)

• Current Library Calendar pdf - English 
• Current Library Calendar pdf - Español 

Upcoming Programs:

• Summer Reading Program Events 2026
• Trivia Night, Tuesday, July 7, 6:30 p.m. Disney Trivia Night at Old Main, 1103 Main Ave.
• Adult Craft Night: Miniature Book Nook, Thursday, July 9, 5:30 p.m. Create your own Book Nooks—miniature literary scenes that make the perfect addition to your bookshelf or home décor. Space is limited, contact the library to register.
• Paint Your Pet on Canvas, Saturday, July 11, 1 p.m. Submit a photo of your pet when registering and staff will help create a custom painting. Registration is required.
• Writer's Workshop, Friday, July 24, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Are you curious about creating picture books for and about your community? Learn about the publishing process, collaborate with fellow creators, and start your first book. Community members who are interested in participating as authors, photographers, illustrators, or librarians are invited to attend this writers workshop to bring local book creation to their community. Register online or scan the QR code in the image at right.

Recurring events:

• Brush and Bloom, Mondays during school year through April, 10-11 a.m. Open to all moms, no matter what stage of the journey you're in for a relaxing hour of art, conversation, and connection with other moms—no art skills (or clean shirts) required. Little ones are always welcome, feel free to bring your baby, toddler, or stroller crew along.
• Maker Monday, first and third Mondays of the month: Kits in May, June, and July will be dinosaur themed. Stop in and grab a to-go activity kit with everything you need (plus easy instructions) to make something fun at home. New kits drop the first and third Mondays of each month. Quantities are limited.
• Chair Yoga Classes, 8-week session on Wednesdays, starting Feb. 4, 9 a.m. Chair Yoga for ages 55 and over is designed to improve flexibility, balance, and relaxation. $2 per class, to register, call the library at 402-826-3809.
• Story Times start in September for the school year (schedule may be adjusted for holidays): Toddlers (ages 0-2) on Wednesdays and Preschool (ages 3-5) on Thursdays; both at 10 a.m. Summer Reading Program story times are listed on the event calenar.

Check out the library's book clubs:

• Thursday night Murder Club, Flights of Fantasy, Timeless Tales, Whispered Pages (silent book club)

Volunteers wanted:

• The library is looking for dedicated volunteers who want to make a difference in the community. Learn more...

 

Current library hours:

• Monday - Friday - 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
• Monday - Friday - Drive-thru window opens 8:30 a.m.
• Saturday - 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Crete Public Library
1515 Forest Ave.
Crete, NE 68333
Phone: 402.826.3809
crete.library@crete.ne.gov