[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-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",[32,76,88,100],{"_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",6176009,"mediaKeyId","5350641-8c3c34ef19d039ef4203e40ed7d0c454","parentId",5350641,"title","Beatrice council approves $100,000 change order for school demolitions, downtown street bid and pickleball seating; OKs electric rate study","audioSeconds",2633,"startMs",373000,"endMs",3006000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5350641-8c3c34ef19d039ef4203e40ed7d0c454&start=373&end=3006","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5350641-8c3c34ef19d039ef4203e40ed7d0c454/thumbnail_373000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6176009/Nebraska/Beatrice-council-approves-100000-change-order-for-school-demolitions-downtown-street-bid-and-pickleball-seating-OKs-electric-rate-study","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6176009-bc5f597a0fb2d8b992add206b033ecf7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771176003&Signature=cEECaczDvY3F--MJ4KhBZ7WzYQLMQMC0pYp5aQ~eelYw0nrDlQMw4xaGy-csGnqkSLgblyTnBIVJOC0khrS8CufQvOY4TiV1ZTNSrPYzQWYxA6jKmN4r4xPC0IFfUCh7V8MA-V9ZQeB~Mf4L0h7N3E8DoBQAnfer5YXO31HQ6v2sXvAq6YRFY2sMR8itZ-jTZtQ8ZtpSWf~mYIM~e8kU5GhPSktyLUdvxSeBwD0O2xgRMLQZnk4g1oD-zrD1vp9MwUKb37BNPRZP4C~M0HUECKPyFTrUHl9XlmM~zmk2BEbh3PiMSTp7fYKM926VLMQLRba~fzaTBritOLlXl0CeJg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Beatrice, NE","date","2025-07-09T20:54:18Z","article","The Beatrice City Council on June 30, 2025 approved several infrastructure and utility-planning items on the consent agenda, including a $100,000 change order for school demolitions, award of a downtown street improvement bid, authorization for an electric rate study, and a contract for terrace seating at the Chautauqua Park pickleball courts. All motions passed 8-0.

Change order for school demolitions: The council approved Change Order No. 1, increasing the Fossil Excavating contract by $100,000 for demolition work at Lincoln and Paddock elementary school sites. City staff said the additional cost stemmed from “several feet of sand underneath the school sites,” which required removal in areas that will later serve as residential foundations. Staff said they worked with engineering consultant JEO to determine how much sand needed to be removed and that some sand could remain depending on location. The motion to approve item I passed by voice vote, 8-0.

Downtown Fourth and Fifth Street improvement: The council awarded the bid for the Fourth and Fifth Street downtown improvement project (Market to Ella, four city blocks) to RL Team and Construction in the amount of $98,921.68. A council speaker emphasized this project is not the start of the city’s RAISE grant work, noting the city has not yet contracted with the federal government for RAISE funds and that the two efforts are separate. The council asked city community relations staff to intensify outreach; Amanda Coleman, the community relations coordinator, outlined digital, print and partner outreach and said Main Street will assist with direct contact to downtown businesses.

Electric cost-of-service and rate design study: The council adopted Resolution No. 75 77 to retain JK Energy Consulting LLC to conduct a cost-of-service and rate-design study for the city’s electric rates. Staff said the contract is approximately $18,000 and that the study typically forecasts three to five years ahead, potentially through 2030 depending on assumptions. Staff described the study as proactive planning to avoid large, unanticipated rate increases in future years; the resolution passed 8-0.

Chautauqua Park pickleball terrace seating: The council accepted a bid and executed a contract with Lotman Excavating (accepted bid ~$82,160) for terrace seating and related improvements at the park’s pickleball courts. The Pickleball Association agreed to contribute about $8,000, Beatrice Plus committed $10,000, and the council authorized using an RCRP playground grant to cover the remaining approximately $64,160. Staff said the contractor will coordinate start dates with subcontractors and has 45 days to complete the work; the council passed Resolution No. 75 88 authorizing the contract, 8-0.

Other administrative notes raised during the consent discussion: council members asked whether hangar lease renewals at the municipal airport could be synchronized to come due at the same time; staff said staggered start dates and tenant turnover make perfect alignment impractical. Council members also asked about the comparative bids for the school demolitions; staff said the demolition bids were submitted by site and that combining site costs could have changed bid ranking but that the contractors may not have been aware of subsurface sand at the time of bidding.

All items were approved under the consent agenda or adopted by resolution without further amendment. Staff said they will coordinate contractor start dates and public outreach as outlined.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Meeting - July 7, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Beatrice City Council approved multiple infrastructure and utility-planning items on June 30, 2025, including a $100,000 change order for school demolitions, a downtown street improvement contract, an electric rate study and a pickleball-park seating contract.","taxTitle","City Council Meetings, City of Beatrice, Gage County, Nebraska","taxId",69713,"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},6176013,"Beatrice council adopts 2021 international building codes, repeals outdated fire-inspection sections",324,2982000,3306000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5350641-8c3c34ef19d039ef4203e40ed7d0c454&start=2982&end=3306","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5350641-8c3c34ef19d039ef4203e40ed7d0c454/thumbnail_2982000.jpg","/articles/6176013/Nebraska/Beatrice-council-adopts-2021-international-building-codes-repeals-outdated-fire-inspection-sections","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6176013-d34c3702c947893a61de195f088f9b44/orig.mp4?Expires=1771176003&Signature=g57jXHHVwaVzXQN6N6LEhQ8L6oMjHtlSrrfjdtSzSuXRwXqTPEhOmcEChKPwb6tlKgmlMtrHsEwQNKo0hC~nyFAx6ATMGgzCRctWQxpBaCTDwuuJ6fWUAFljwCEWEbHSyyVxHHJ9jPxMf2HcDpzz0wPaY11eG9pdmVMsYZNYeFa1L-~6IBWUtxeYsVKtDWM55OlxwVnsB9PmJ3UYBiX-si~vtn4Q~b1CsvuZXF67C3Ou9DseCDUK6Gjc-dVdAr6lIY5oj3V2KqS~qFcsk2UOInS7VBcZ3W1Vp0WSPigId7jHD3AT80z6UjyWKO3c~B04Uo24AhhYTZSf6e4JrsAy1g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Beatrice City Council on June 30, 2025 adopted ordinances updating the city’s building and related codes to the 2021 editions published by the International Code Council and repealed a set of outdated fire-inspection sections that the council said the state now enforces. The measures passed by voice vote, 8-0.

Council adopted Ordinance No. 25-17 to replace existing local code references adopted from older model codes with the 2021 International Building Code, International Mechanical Code, International Plumbing Code, International Residential Code and related ICC publications, with the city’s customary local amendments to appeal processes. The council also adopted Ordinance No. 25-18 to remove several legacy fire-inspection code sections dating from the early 2000s; staff said most fire-safety enforcement is now handled by the State Fire Marshal.

City staff explained the rationale: state law requires municipalities to update model building codes periodically or lose the ability to enforce local provisions; adopting the 2021 editions keeps the city’s enforcement current. Staff said local amendments were preserved primarily to align local appeal procedures with procedures the city already uses and that courts have previously upheld. The council noted that certain provisions were intentionally retained: access boxes required by the fire department were moved into the building code and a local limit on above‑ground storage tanks (a provision originally adopted after the biodiesel plant opened) remains in the municipal code.

Council members discussed the timing of code updates and how trade apprenticeship and licensing materials often lag model-code editions; one council member encouraged waiting for future editions in some cases, but staff recommended the 2021 updates to avoid falling back to the older statewide baseline. The ordinances were read by number three times under a suspension of the rules and then adopted 8-0.

The action takes immediate effect as the new adopted local code references. Staff said contractors and the public were given the drafts for review and no substantive comments were returned prior to adoption. The ordinance adopting the ICC 2021 editions and the ordinance repealing outdated fire sections are now part of the city code.","Council passed two ordinances adopting the 2021 International Code Council building codes (with local amendments) and repealing obsolete fire-inspection code sections; council said updating keeps the city’s code enforceable under state requirements and retained two local provisions (access boxes and above-ground storage tank limits).",{"_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},6176018,"Beatrice council declares Redevelopment Area 13 blighted and adopts redevelopment plan",436,2453000,2889000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5350641-8c3c34ef19d039ef4203e40ed7d0c454&start=2453&end=2889","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5350641-8c3c34ef19d039ef4203e40ed7d0c454/thumbnail_2453000.jpg","/articles/6176018/Nebraska/Beatrice-council-declares-Redevelopment-Area-13-blighted-and-adopts-redevelopment-plan","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6176018-8b28747779e522c20d0d9b01abcce93c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771176003&Signature=WeDXEQpPi21WpmDS4OXYtfK6QkWRnEvGVY1vQsjoynqLydib-U4UqYK6SWeiZGvlkhTiwlCUzYhOIGRsJ-VP0BiBrZU8WKUpxN2VgLV2YuKZA4A-2~l4ZAYmP212~ISISbT2eSyFkY-RO9euHPCYtm3dD051WsDuefJ7Vth7ErJjCdhMhbigfIj-LSjTwEQYwoqPLCKmrqA6HfFeDg3mChK4n8L-uPZ0u0dvi3OrsoF0isctPyg7Osov5-oI2uv6efLod0SFjgHtGYA9FDakmkjrcO4diqlU8651S~3nkdVs3mELp8Mt6POf4iwqKRl6BD-Lyf-fadOU~u3ib~mBWg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Beatrice City Council unanimously declared Redevelopment Area 13 to be blighted and substandard and adopted a redevelopment plan for the area on June 30, 2025, voting 8-0 on two resolutions to do so under Nebraska law.

The council adopted Resolution No. 75 86 to declare the Nineteenth and Scott Street vicinity — which includes the Good Samaritan Center and nearby residential parcels — as blighted and substandard under Nebraska Revised Statutes §18-2103, and then adopted Resolution No. 75 87 to approve a redevelopment plan for the same area.

Why it matters: the findings and plan are the first steps required for the city to use tax-increment financing (TIF) and other public/private funding tools in that area. City staff said the designation is necessary before TIF or related redevelopment tools can be applied.

City staff summarized the study prepared by consultant Hannah Keelan, explaining the statutory tests used for the two determinations. For the substandard finding the consultant reported that two of the statutory substandard criteria had a strong presence and two had a reasonable presence (examples cited include dilapidation, age of buildings and inadequate public utilities). For the blight finding, the study found four of the blight criteria had a strong presence, four had a reasonable presence and three had little or no presence; the blight checklist includes elements such as unsanitary or unsafe conditions, diversity of ownership patterns, and the age of structures (the consultant noted structures over 40 years can meet the statutory definition).

The redevelopment plan the council adopted lays out standard tools the city has used before: public–private partnerships, use of TIF and other funding sources to promote development or repair infrastructure, replacement or repair of deteriorated water, sanitary and storm mains, and sidewalk improvements. Staff emphasized the plan is general in scope and does not adopt specific projects.

A council member asked about the city’s remaining capacity to designate blighted area under the state limit. Staff said that with the addition of Area 13 the city would be at 34.52% of the community designated as blighted or substandard, leaving approximately 30 acres available under the state’s 35% cap before the city would need to remove or reconfigure earlier designations.

The council adopted both resolutions by voice vote, 8-0, and closed the public hearing on the matter. Staff said the redevelopment plan is in the council packet and will guide future project-specific actions.

No immediate redevelopment projects were approved as part of these resolutions; the items establish the statutory framework required to pursue TIF or other redevelopment investments in the future.","The city council unanimously declared a neighborhood around Nineteenth and Scott Street as blighted and substandard under Nebraska law and adopted a redevelopment plan that would enable tax-increment financing and infrastructure improvements; the designation leaves the city under the 35% statutory cap.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6176023,"Beatrice council hears proposal to serve as conduit issuer for tax-exempt bonds for Lincoln student housing",1390,1045000,2435000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5350641-8c3c34ef19d039ef4203e40ed7d0c454&start=1045&end=2435","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5350641-8c3c34ef19d039ef4203e40ed7d0c454/thumbnail_1045000.jpg","/articles/6176023/Nebraska/Beatrice-council-hears-proposal-to-serve-as-conduit-issuer-for-tax-exempt-bonds-for-Lincoln-student-housing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6176023-1e5a706fe152e7587f5c7f43a14ce875/orig.mp4?Expires=1771176003&Signature=TJhPoj03IVMraju9H84uZ4TP-ewDyeeFfRWgRQ3taKsjWbyU73G0Tx2uVQwsUuzhu93z7EXtj8VpvX7ztVuOlCo008c0n7yePdxF~iPdovIcNov6Gd9FFrY1dxyN0CYZ6KkLhaXnMLoanuF8-Mzn8KCzPYU~x1UTmQhaEtzY8b~XvMd5B1Qgj4J35lIBlbmXpt74AAowJL7Mebpnku5lnUbwsDT31Y3UwQhkzA1AMPnCfQJ3nG~uib67fDN--3I9kOjQHNmun8TRfc1eoV8uPbxlIIFDNoa160nM9EU6CER~M5UoNI7RyCFZPOT3BjjMNVdMPMJnaCBUmW~06waSuQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A proposal to have the city serve as a conduit issuer for tax-exempt bonds to refinance an existing loan on the 5050 student housing project at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln was presented to the Beatrice City Council on June 30, 2025. The presentation was by bond counsel Steven Lykes of the QTA Rock law firm on behalf of the P3 Foundation; the council heard details, asked technical questions and did not take immediate action.

City staff introduced the idea as a way for the P3 Foundation to convert a commercial taxable loan into lower-cost tax-exempt financing so the nonprofit could expand its charitable work tied to the project. Steven Lykes told the council that under the tax code a 501(c)(3) may use tax-exempt financing only if a municipal issuer — a city or county — issues the bonds; he also said “the statute is very clear that the city cannot be liable on this type of debt.”

The nut graf: converting the existing loan to tax-exempt bonds would lower the borrower’s financing costs and free up cash for the borrower’s stated charitable purposes, including a $50,000-per-year scholarship commitment tied to residents of the building. The city would act only as a conduit issuer; Lykes said state law prohibits the city from being held liable for the bonds’ debt service.

Details presented: the project sits on University of Nebraska property and is operated as a public–private partnership. The property has 125 units and about 475 beds, Lykes said, and is currently fully leased and preleased for the coming year. The project’s owner/sponsor structure includes Greystone Housing Impact Investors and the P3 Foundation; P3 capped rent increases for the property at 3% annually and pledged up to $50,000 a year for students living in the facility.

Lykes explained why Beatrice was asked to act: Lancaster County and the city of Lincoln were approached first but could not commit on the timeline or financial structure the borrower needs. Lykes said the county may issue bank-qualified debt this year and could not guarantee availability for this refinancing; Beatrice has already surpassed the $10,000,000 bank-qualified threshold in 2025, so a conduit issuance for this project would not affect the city’s bank-qualified capacity. He added that the city’s standing or bond rating would not be affected because, under accounting rules, conduit debt does not become the city’s liability.

Council members asked about term length, borrower qualification, and potential cost or liability to the city. A council member asked about the bond term; staff said the proposed bond term is 26 years. Lykes said any direct costs to the city would be covered by the foundation and that the city attorney would review bond documents. He described the typical two-step council process: an initial appearance to answer questions, then a return to hold the required public hearing and adopt a bond resolution authorizing an issuance up to an agreed limit (Lykes estimated an upper sizing near $30 million depending on rates and fees).

On risk, Lykes said conduit defaults could prompt lawsuits against issuing entities, but he characterized the risk as unlikely and said state law would typically allow the city to be dismissed from liability claims quickly. City staff reiterated that, under the applicable state statutes and accounting standards, the bonds would not be city debt.

No motion or vote was taken. Council members asked staff to continue work if they were willing to pursue the option: next steps would include drafting engagement letters, working with the city attorney, and scheduling the required public hearing and a subsequent resolution if the council chooses to proceed.

An item of context raised in the discussion: the refinancing’s stated purpose is to convert taxable debt to tax-exempt debt to increase property cash flow and support the foundation’s scholarship and affordability commitments; the city would receive no direct ongoing payment from the project beyond customary fees if it proceeds.","City Council received a presentation on a request from bond counsel for the P3 Foundation to have the city issue tax-exempt revenue bonds to refinance the 5050 student housing project on the University of Nebraska–Lincoln campus; council asked questions but took no formal action.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Beatrice council approves $100,000 change order for school demolitions, downtown street bid and pickleball seating; OKs electric rate study

Beatrice council adopts 2021 international building codes, repeals outdated fire-inspection sections

Beatrice council declares Redevelopment Area 13 blighted and adopts redevelopment plan

Beatrice council hears proposal to serve as conduit issuer for tax-exempt bonds for Lincoln student housing