[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-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",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_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":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6588418,"mediaKeyId","5654011-d519ee2e0b282f0c184752eba647c4e1","parentId",5654011,"title","Council reviews parks capital list: Stolly Park, Ryder Park, Pier Park odor and golf-course upgrades among priorities","audioSeconds",1804,"startMs",5551000,"endMs",7355000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5654011-d519ee2e0b282f0c184752eba647c4e1&start=5551&end=7355","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5654011-d519ee2e0b282f0c184752eba647c4e1/thumbnail_5551000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6588418/Grand-Island/Hall-County/Nebraska/Council-reviews-parks-capital-list-Stolly-Park-Ryder-Park-Pier-Park-odor-and-golf-course-upgrades-among-priorities","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6588418-a18cba432dfec0098290444c493aee55/orig.mp4?Expires=1771038720&Signature=L0bKPpE0QnolMkQxgE4bvAz59Z3rQY6TVm9S668ab53Z6oZsp4uNU0Sgg923Cw5HMrSAsQhI7rOPjR~KQXRuvhvG4VDfXMMA86~EvqOKHUWq3VOHSAKSPz-KGQ9WMeXGOvlMuHI5r5zz2-cUF9kPs976HONM2MVOGsQRfzVXLAPiv0fS7LOfhb9~kTkl7k4m2WLWZHmCZ~JycqFsjfy1VsE-WKUpYa-FD9mneTULfD3eybw7FC6T0uiWyZByjWGUm3C~rQwp1EwSSk8fImNyRto-ABbdDdoyFw1KHMHljbaJqUsWYqj6FmGqEuMeFJvMM4PhgB1OgagfiPGipj87lg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Grand Island, NE","date","2025-08-22T03:23:30.807Z","article","Councilors reviewed several parks projects and other recreation priorities during the Aug. 21 budget discussion, including Stolly Park, Ryder Park, Pier Park, Island Oasis-related requests, and golf-course upgrades.

Staff identified primary park projects as the Stolly Park train area, Bridal Field renovation, and the Rider (Ryder) Park baseball-field renovation; they also flagged Pier Park (seawall and ongoing odor complaints), Pier Park lake water-quality issues, golf-course irrigation and parking-lot needs, and Island Oasis work. Jason Horner submitted a separate request for Heartland Shooting Park improvements (drainage for trap and skeet, a sporting-clay loop and storage-building rehab); staff summarized those requests and the rough budget note provided by Horner.

Councilors asked that Pier Park's recurring odor problem be evaluated and remediated. Multiple council members said the smell persists at times and recommended environmental or engineering study to identify fixes; staff said previous algaecide treatments produced conflicting results and that a seawall/shoreline project might be a natural time to analyze lake-quality options.

Golf-course topics included irrigation repairs for aging systems, consideration of a simulator to extend off-season use, and paving the golf-course parking lot; councilors suggested those items could extend seasonality and program revenue but asked staff for concrete cost and revenue projections. Staff said the golf course contractor manages day-to-day operations but that the city should maintain oversight on capital needs.

Council members discussed staging and financing: several said they favored pursuing a mix of bonding and pay-as-you-go funding, and others urged a brief delay to pursue private fundraising and to allow potential interest-rate declines.

Why it matters: Parks and recreation capital decisions affect community quality of life, revenue potential from amenities and the city's capital-plan priorities.

Ending: Council directed staff to provide more detailed project scopes, cost estimates, philanthropic/fundraising possibilities and a comparison of financing options for council consideration.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","August 21, 2025 City Council Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Council reviewed a bundle of parks projects including Stolly Park train area, Ryder Park baseball renovation, Pier Park seawall/odor concerns and golf-course improvements. Members discussed staging, fundraising and bonding to cover priorities.","taxTitle","Grand Island, Hall County, Nebraska","taxId",4603,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6588422,"Council split over $3 million repair or $15.9 million overhaul for Island Oasis water park",1406,5650000,7056000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5654011-d519ee2e0b282f0c184752eba647c4e1&start=5650&end=7056","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5654011-d519ee2e0b282f0c184752eba647c4e1/thumbnail_5650000.jpg","/articles/6588422/Grand-Island/Hall-County/Nebraska/Council-split-over-3-million-repair-or-159-million-overhaul-for-Island-Oasis-water-park","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6588422-22d590834788308d18368a37bba1506e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771038720&Signature=kuHPIP5sLrcM98fQrHFK~34TKN-afNiThjFmuSNHRKIJjhDtnXdHeco5905daVbWZUACvstzT3z12I~r-QeXC3pg4F1rcQm0~ZNfTnBXrvzSEOpXcjhtiJNaCBWTxxczUlwIBWhHyNd0C3~qpnjvt3YbKkMcdqEIyV2du0cLA~t4lHnasE79EKv97TAihcdAHk2xryvpBKD~~hUn6eWg21CulPqNU8Rif~WXJwLTUNc1PQf9hJ7r-~-Jnb26olLSy6~acfaCMnHM~hx0xf2aIFbVBjw994gsYAPdjm62I2z7iiD8sPCx07JOEC1da5ETBxA~OGaQXjpIGJSxBsgRRw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Parks staff presented two alternative plans for Island Oasis on Aug. 21: a lower-cost package of repairs estimated at about $3 million and a comprehensive renovation priced at approximately $15.9 million.

A parks staff member described the $3 million option as primarily \"pumps and filters\" and repairs to extend the life of the existing facility. The larger $15.9 million plan would replace much of the facility, separate the wave pool and leisure pool, add a dedicated children's splash area, a miniature golf course and other attractions designed to increase family use and extend the season.

Council members and staff debated whether the larger renovation would generate enough additional visitation to justify the difference. One councilor noted the incremental cost difference of roughly $12.9 million and asked whether that spending would produce a commensurate increase in users over 20 years. Parks staff said the master plan included market analysis and that the full renovation was designed as a \"destination\" change to attract more families and extend hours; the staff presentation said the renovation would enable longer-season use and add revenue-generating features.

Several council members proposed financing options: bonding the project to spread cost over time, or staging work across multiple years. Others favored the smaller repair-only option now and suggested adding attractions such as indoor miniature golf or simulators later to extend off-season use.

Why it matters: Island Oasis is a major parks asset with high visibility. The council must weigh capital cost, potential revenue, seasonal-use changes and equity across other capital priorities when deciding a path.

Ending: Councilors asked staff for more detailed market projections, revenue estimates and bonding scenarios before taking a position on a preferred option.","Parks staff presented two capital options for Island Oasis: a targeted $3 million repair of major systems or a full $15.9 million renovation that adds attractions, miniature golf and extended-season amenities. Councilors differed on scope, financing and projected benefits.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6588427,"Updated estimate for South Locust Trail to Camp Augustine about $4.3 million, staff says",213,3033000,3246000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5654011-d519ee2e0b282f0c184752eba647c4e1&start=3033&end=3246","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5654011-d519ee2e0b282f0c184752eba647c4e1/thumbnail_3033000.jpg","/articles/6588427/Grand-Island/Hall-County/Nebraska/Updated-estimate-for-South-Locust-Trail-to-Camp-Augustine-about-43-million-staff-says","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6588427-6dfe4e3ab2fbc82bdbc04839d551ff77/orig.mp4?Expires=1771038720&Signature=bp5aus~nKzk-6vQ5MlX9bZTsczLj8hcwCa~2eIJnxyrJ04rqSapx1eyWa~zcmNpcpjCzcp0F6hd7-DsubowcpW02lYmwRsfy6cqwCFA1lBHZ0xlWxfpvDim6Exq1Mt2cAOCQCnQLDmKkal2h-nKwBbCYgQxhHOkbg-rtmZLUzGuX-ZPz4aja5eex4YT-rtc9GiM~z~kbc8lJt7mHXdNcrcZH2SARCJzPfKZWD1hwYt95aLyD-QUVzuwi~t2Gkogn70riWnG~94tWrY1NJOUDvjHa10FZP6VWL3Buj8lBzCpukF5k~cbB9PhbHcpSdwjojWYmlXKIG7gX17bnLEsV2A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Public works director Keith Kurtz told the Grand Island City Council on Aug. 21 that an updated cost estimate for the South Locust Trail to Camp Augustine sits at about $4.3 million.

Kurtz said the city is roughly at 60 percent design and that earlier, higher figures reflected broader assumptions, including two river crossings and federal grant-driven requirements. \"Our estimate right now, with engineering ... we're anticipating about $4,300,000,\" Kurtz said, adding that the project estimate excludes right-of-way acquisition costs.

Kurtz said the current recommendation is to build a single bridge across the Platte's north channel to reach the park entrance and postpone a second bridge until park master planning determines the best alignment. He said right-of-way purchases should be modest under current design assumptions and offered an order-of-magnitude figure of roughly $50,000 for required easements, but he cautioned that final costs depend on alignment choices and permitting.

Kurtz told council that engineering and environmental permitting work is ongoing and that the city initially prepared the project with the expectation of seeking federal grants, which carry additional compliance requirements and affect budgeting assumptions.

Why it matters: The trail is a multiuse connection and a candidate for external funding. The updated estimate and lowered scope (one bridge now) affect what the city can pursue in the near term and how staff approach grant applications.

Ending: Kurtz said he will return with updated design documents and refined cost estimates as engineering and permitting progress.","Public-works director Keith Kurtz told council an updated design-and-construction estimate for the South Locust Trail to Camp Augustine is about $4.3 million; staff proposed building one bridge now and leaving right-of-way and park-entry work for later phases.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6588432,"Council weighs police hires, second city attorney and contentious office-manager reclassification",3878,922000,4800000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5654011-d519ee2e0b282f0c184752eba647c4e1&start=922&end=4800","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5654011-d519ee2e0b282f0c184752eba647c4e1/thumbnail_922000.jpg","/articles/6588432/Grand-Island/Hall-County/Nebraska/Council-weighs-police-hires-second-city-attorney-and-contentious-office-manager-reclassification","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6588432-c56d5a856290e1aa8cc0c27f7790c604/orig.mp4?Expires=1771038720&Signature=gejpFlA5gXDOS3G0WoazVzAp~JoK0~UOSZOCUWjisDavS50EOJO0qspoqLHEx~4I9PnAIMEKV8LpZNLZR3J4bEjLONltlrnEOUMbxHKsAZ6tGtLxWKrF2zQXBwUk4E~LiiaARuxvemRw1YIHuw6tsqYhb5vQk04l~CbRyeeT-8fnUE4jNwrTrnKpYx17jqm8CFCEwZn3cfQUSBP5hfrlP1NtUPOOo1HPfTHrg0-obFuzlsGkr6y4gwM6v308DhhbCyPeXYKFLcreDoDg~zWNVbIHK-krWySu~eWC5sMk0BqqJxPf9zwgm8cCiugRdase9tPGeBQ64v3QWDeiF6Wvpg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Grand Island police leadership and council members spent a prolonged portion of the Aug. 21 meeting debating multiple public-safety staffing requests and a proposed reclassification for the police office manager.

Police leadership asked for several positions in the FY26 request: a police officer (step 2), 2.5 community service officer positions (two full-time and one part-time to provide animal-control and code-enforcement support), a parks maintenance irrigation specialist, and an elevated office manager role proposed as a support-services administrator. The police department additionally asked for a second city attorney in the general budget conversation and various capital items for public-safety operations.

Police Chief Kevin told the council the department is understaffed for the current workload and that adding another attorney and non-sworn executive support would reduce delays on contracts, easements and other legal work. \"We can't do it as well, spend as much time, and our response time significantly drops,\" Chief Kevin said of the current legal staffing level. Chief Kevin said private firms quoted hourly rates from roughly $250 to $600 if the city outsourced routine legal work and that contracting routine municipal legal services would likely cost more and introduce delays.

Council debate focused most sharply on reclassifying the police office manager into a salaried support-services administrator. Council members asked whether the reclass would be posted competitively or implemented as a reclassification without opening the job to a wider field. Multiple council members expressed concern about internal equity and the size of the proposed pay change: council members said the current office-manager maximum pay is $40.11 per hour and the proposed pay for the reclass would be tied to lieutenant pay and approximate $66.23 per hour under the FY26 schedule. One councilor characterized the request as a roughly 65 percent reclass increase at top step; others said that adjusting for salaried status and overtime treatment reduces the net ongoing cost difference.

Several council members said they supported the department's organizational changes in principle but requested more time and documentation: competitive job comparisons, a clearer payoff analysis and a formal vetting process that allows qualified internal and external candidates to apply. The council's human-resources contact had earlier told the meeting HR supported the reclass and helped develop the job description; the HR director (Aaron) was attending a conference and not present to answer questions.

Capital-equipment and facility requests tied to public safety also drew discussion. Police staff and others discussed a law-enforcement firing range and options for locating it at Heartland Shooting Park instead of building a new range on the Law Enforcement Center campus. Chief Kevin summarized prior estimates: an on-campus building estimate from three years ago of about $1.9 million (escalated to roughly $2.1 million with interest), while renovating Heartland Ag to create additional office and training space is estimated at about $1.1 million. Creating a law-enforcement-only firing range at Heartland Shooting Park was presented as a collaborative option; staff said it would be scaled to departmental needs and could be developed later depending on available capital.

Why it matters: The outcome affects police response, prosecution and code-enforcement capacity, internal pay equity across city classifications and capital spending priorities for training and facilities.

Ending: Council members asked staff to supply comparative pay studies, a documented vetting plan and cost/benefit analyses for the reclass and for outsourcing legal work before any final personnel approvals are made.","Councilors discussed adding police positions and a second city attorney, and debated reclassifying the police office manager into an executive non-sworn support-services administrator. The council also discussed a proposed law-enforcement firing range and related capital priorities.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6588437,"Grand Island staff outline FY26 finance and IT budget changes, citing higher audit and software costs",364,260000,624000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5654011-d519ee2e0b282f0c184752eba647c4e1&start=260&end=624","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5654011-d519ee2e0b282f0c184752eba647c4e1/thumbnail_260000.jpg","/articles/6588437/Grand-Island/Hall-County/Nebraska/Grand-Island-staff-outline-FY26-finance-and-IT-budget-changes-citing-higher-audit-and-software-costs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6588437-ea4aba098702f937c23e5585fe757f97/orig.mp4?Expires=1771038720&Signature=LrxFHVqOY15ibfumxCRNDs-u2VDBdFPHVDdxDENMiBAUXLf5Kmx3ONZXk9A~jq2Jmz7NX2hnaRB~9la-2lgPWxo5L7tdNQkVB6usnepzGkymKUj5ltAraTrkhnjxNmq6AXo3-h-aH1eDWuVdmTqsV9PJ1vAxg0UPjICexIWJUvkuKDPisCNbs5xQZirDfFs5ZVdnn4x5ODKO7FRpYoLl9bCRVrdYpP92gmi8mWZ6jU5bDRlLRuH~ACm35P1WUYeLcq206lgyxeDeCQRy2KtvMzRkfKPd-rx64m7ZLWIdqCjMtNTi3Jbo063nzTRumgXOPOYgbGR50p0Zor5uFrHfuA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Assistant City Administrator and Chief Financial Officer Patrick Brown on Aug. 21 presented the finance and information-technology portions of the city's proposed fiscal year 2026 budget, telling the Grand Island City Council that audit and software costs are the primary drivers of operating increases.

Brown said finance department personnel services are budgeted to rise 3.8 percent while operating expenses are up 31.9 percent, attributing the larger jump mainly to outside audit work and a new financial reporting module. \"Most of that cost is audit cost,\" Brown said, adding he had \"budgeted 120 up from 70k.\" He also described a financial-reporting module the city plans to use to produce monthly comprehensive reports for the audit.

The proposal includes internal reorganizations: reclassifying the assistant finance director to controller, moving an accountant to a budget-and-purchasing manager role and transferring utility billing from finance to the utilities department because the billing staff are already located with utilities. Brown also said the grants administrator would move to Community Development to increase redundancy with the department's grants staff.

On information technology, staff told the council the IT internal service fund includes a 7 percent personnel increase to reflect a systems technician reclass to an infrastructure engineer. IT is budgeted to pay about $69,740 more in operating costs, largely for antivirus and Microsoft licensing, and staff said they have just moved to a new antivirus product protecting roughly 500 devices and about 60 servers. The city purchased a package that includes a 24/7 security operations center, staff said.

Council members asked for specific backup: the council pressed for exact audit-contract figures, how the budgeted amounts would be split among enterprise funds, and hiring timetables for prioritized positions. Brown said administrative fees paid by enterprise funds cover a share of centralized services such as finance, human resources and legal.

Why it matters: The finance and IT budget proposals set the baseline for next year's city operations and affect staffing, procurement and how the city reports and supports major capital projects. Council members said they want more detailed cost allocations, hiring timelines and written comparisons for reclassifications before finalizing the budget.

Ending: Staff said they will return with more detailed cost breakdowns and timing for the proposed reorganizations and software contract costs prior to adoption of the FY26 budget.","Assistant city administrator Patrick Brown presented a FY26 finance and IT budget that includes a higher audit contract, reorganizations in finance, and increased IT licensing and security costs. Council asked for hiring and costing details before final approval.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council reviews parks capital list: Stolly Park, Ryder Park, Pier Park odor and golf-course upgrades among priorities

Council split over $3 million repair or $15.9 million overhaul for Island Oasis water park

Updated estimate for South Locust Trail to Camp Augustine about $4.3 million, staff says

Council weighs police hires, second city attorney and contentious office-manager reclassification

Grand Island staff outline FY26 finance and IT budget changes, citing higher audit and software costs