Council Minutes - June 2 and 16, 2026

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.