[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6090155,"mediaKeyId","2868057-1fb7134b5fbabbc082726c66af02ee51","parentId",2868057,"title","Council adopts ADA update, raises pool pay to remain competitive and approves certification reimbursement; wellness center reports 900 members","audioSeconds",982,"startMs",2133000,"endMs",3115000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2868057-1fb7134b5fbabbc082726c66af02ee51&start=2133&end=3115","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2868057-1fb7134b5fbabbc082726c66af02ee51/thumbnail_2133000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6090155/Nebraska/Council-adopts-ADA-update-raises-pool-pay-to-remain-competitive-and-approves-certification-reimbursement-wellness-center-reports-900-members","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6090155-a29088c6199d77a427ef959a771d37aa/orig.mp4?Expires=1771142100&Signature=M5f7BDpoaqkds9wMXySnFk7R15YS92tJZsf19bAe4sj2uICNpzMmTJn9GVYUaTXTzM4ZuGay9gWp2O--J5eb4umOzRslbBGE6BC15alA6xHOO293HA9TpNHH6tcOUt5tZQr01mT2UNcEy4DU41laphsNbcZzF1ZeN0L~lhZ-afiUFlie5aUhhjNQ~zXIn-ELzil7tkgYkorslaalgIE7zjgO31SgHtYr0xK7Vi9SPJN1d9nRWVYGPExMhj1-DEKvCpR-i~IYiu8OQzDLbFilDVnYprR84LozI3sBppvi~zTafXANXRWYS1ox6yrMunoruCF0V83cXLylVu0t8wYF2Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Seward, NE","date","2025-04-04T00:32:15.29Z","article","The Seward City Council adopted an updated Section 504 policy to bring the city's accessibility transition planning into alignment with federal and state requirements, and approved pay changes and certification-reimbursement policy for pool and wellness-center staff in an effort to address staffing shortages.

Derek (city staff) said staff revised the Section 504 plan to reflect current federal and state requirements and to integrate ADA considerations into sidewalk and building projects; council adopted the policy as presented (vote 7\u00120). The ordinance updating pay rates and classifications for part-time wellness-center and pool staff was read as Ordinance No. 2025-10 and was passed and adopted unanimously.

Council discussed lifeguard recruitment and pay. Staff said the state minimum wage is $13.50 and noted projections of future increases; to remain competitive the city proposed raising lifeguard pay by about $2 per hour to align with market rates. Jamie Fields (recreation staff) and Joel (wellness center staff) told council the higher pay should improve recruiting so the city can schedule full family-swim times and events. The council also approved a policy to reimburse first-time certification costs (staff cited about $150 for lifeguard certification), with recertification costs continuing to be reimbursed as before. That motion passed 7\u00120.

Joel provided a wellness-center update: a ribbon cutting was held and the facility has seen steady use; staff reported roughly 900 members in the system (that figure includes family members listed on accounts). Council members and staff said the center has consistent early-morning users, after-school youth participation and family pool time as lifeguard hires allow increased scheduled lifeguard coverage.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","April 1, 2025 Seward City Council Meeting Part 1","oneSentenceSummary","Seward's council adopted an updated Section 504/ADA policy, approved pay-rate changes for pool and wellness center staff (including lifeguards) to improve recruitment, voted to reimburse first-time lifeguard certification costs, and heard an operational update on the new wellness center.","taxTitle","City Council Meetings, City of Seward, Seward County, Nebraska","taxId",69852,"location","Nebraska","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6090160,"Council adopts volunteer emergency responder incentive ordinance, names Fire Chief Taylor Mifflin certification administrator",294,1865000,2159000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2868057-1fb7134b5fbabbc082726c66af02ee51&start=1865&end=2159","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2868057-1fb7134b5fbabbc082726c66af02ee51/thumbnail_1865000.jpg","/articles/6090160/Nebraska/Council-adopts-volunteer-emergency-responder-incentive-ordinance-names-Fire-Chief-Taylor-Mifflin-certification-administrator","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6090160-0500bbe2913c2b163451385478a1b915/orig.mp4?Expires=1771142100&Signature=gTBFzp3Sp~wd0A9pn27905z-yqmdzVZK6l8Fntw5TJC6Ph47dbmr9lV0NJCFD-xmz5pP3u9xhNM55CL0aOOgr8A99Wp0OATd6hWYEiVmuK1wVYiOabHY-x~MOokusKxGBHjDcWqD3ehl4dYfRs6hwcFVUA3J1IqEJH6ZdQyBvEOs6q~wbBIj3oUWwe2qqMgxO0~OmFiyCSnFasFv4OSZhsee-0okDJ2yjvim4sywMMIPyGpBSzEMjCjF8L~8OnJ7WV3ywUO8KefZHYTofHMh4JPDYCw5bUgv1BMrnNPVrWlXlm64vK~VcrA~UXazjOLOco~jRiJ8PzT8eOHemfsQPQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Seward City Council adopted an ordinance to amend the city's volunteer emergency responder incentive program and formally appointed Fire Chief Taylor Mifflin as the city's certification administrator required by state statute.

Derek (city staff) and Chief Taylor Mifflin discussed updates to the process used to collect and submit volunteer rosters to the Nebraska Department of Revenue. Derek said the city wants to make the process more efficient and will stop routing every list through a formal council approval step that had caused delays in prior years. Instead, the certified administrator will maintain the list and transmit it to the Department of Revenue, with council able to review via email or staff report.

The ordinance was read by title as Ordinance No. 2025-9 and council voted to dispense with statutory rules and adopt the ordinance. The vote to pass and adopt was unanimous (7\u00120). The subsequent item appointing Taylor Mifflin as the certification administrator also passed on a 7\u00120 vote.

The ordinance and appointment were presented as administrative updates intended to reduce processing delays so eligible volunteer responders receive state tax incentives in a timely manner.","The council adopted an ordinance updating the volunteer emergency responder incentive program and appointed Fire Chief Taylor Mifflin as the city's certification administrator to streamline state filing for tax incentives.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6090165,"Seward council accepts audit, approves Worthman Boulevard and water projects and a storm sewer change order",1760,104000,1864000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2868057-1fb7134b5fbabbc082726c66af02ee51&start=104&end=1864","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2868057-1fb7134b5fbabbc082726c66af02ee51/thumbnail_104000.jpg","/articles/6090165/Nebraska/Seward-council-accepts-audit-approves-Worthman-Boulevard-and-water-projects-and-a-storm-sewer-change-order","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6090165-75d147a39dd7b71a235cc0466ebb07ad/orig.mp4?Expires=1771142100&Signature=cI4NSsAGny~Du6r9EMFAAQc2DLUGgxezCal5gb8xgXyAsY-9p4DQz1w3GttjNAEmpHcwyZcWyTcOeZBs2Ryy0sQeMK0E8aLPHSAJ4S9nlW8D6ZUgaggHca0iW9ARjghD1SnofbnxUc9ja7Sc-cn~QWdtuO22TRosHDkhDqyZ5aDMNS8du9cHfBlc8500QqJogreaHch~MxWNH5WTRgg0BPa5WC01iNGdPrHpcFHiaJYHKPHZAbMc8caF8hQoPOpb3c6PlgwwFuegCoCepJ2~dal2t3BnHnndZfTWIXOS5tdgFW-hndqOmXUQpEnCM0KmO8MGYrDMjQDHD42pc7bBbw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Seward City Council accepted the city's 2023\u001224 annual audit and approved engineering and bidding actions for multiple public-works projects, including the Worthman Boulevard extension and a water-main loop, during a regular meeting in Seward, Nebraska. Council votes on the items were unanimous.

The audit presentation was given by Tracy Cannon of AMGL. Cannon said the auditors \"issued an unmodified opinion, meaning that the financial statements present fairly,\" and summarized the benchmarking section of the report. The transcript shows the city's valuation rose to about $671,000,000 and the valuation-per-capita figure was cited at $87,800, which Cannon said exceeded the comparator average of $82,000. Council voted to accept the audit 7\u00120.

The council approved a $252,050 agreement for construction engineering services for the Worthman Boulevard extension with the design engineer named in the packet and authorized advertising bid documents for the construction contract. The engineer's estimate for construction was listed at $3,309,035. Mike (staff member) said the extension is tied to earlier CDBG grants and an additional grant from NDOT that he described as \"about $580,000\" in funding to leverage the project.

Council also approved construction engineering services, estimated at $97,160, for the Worthman Boulevard water main phase 2 project and authorized bid advertising; the engineer's estimate for that construction was listed at $1,002,451. Mike said the water main work is intended to complete a loop through the rail campus and support future development.

A change order of $15,602.50 to the contract with General Excavating for Bradford Street storm improvements was approved after staff explained the work paid to reroute a damaged sanitary service line serving 247 North Eighth Street. Staff said the contractor discovered a damaged service line that had been relying on gravel bedding and that repairing it required rerouting and reconnection.

Separately, council approved a time-and-materials, full-time inspection agreement with Olsen Incorporated for the 500,000-gallon water-tower coating and completion. Staff described the agreement as 735 hours (700 on-site, 35 office) covering roughly 14 weeks of inspection through mid-July; the transcript identifies the contract as time-and-materials not-to-exceed but does not specify a final dollar figure in the record. That item passed on a 7\u00120 vote.

Votes at a glance: all motions listed above were approved unanimously (7\u00120).","The Seward City Council accepted the 2023–24 annual audit and approved construction engineering contracts, bidding authorizations and a small change order for storm improvements, all by unanimous votes.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council adopts ADA update, raises pool pay to remain competitive and approves certification reimbursement; wellness center reports 900 members

Council adopts volunteer emergency responder incentive ordinance, names Fire Chief Taylor Mifflin certification administrator

Seward council accepts audit, approves Worthman Boulevard and water projects and a storm sewer change order