New Riverside Discovery Center director introduced; parks board adds James Guzman; council hears proposal for youth government job expo

The council heard a brief introduction from Kai Hodge, the new executive director of the Riverside Discovery Center, and welcomed him to the community. Hodge described a lifelong background with zoological facilities and nonprofit conservation work, including work on cheetah conservation, and said he looks forward to engaging with local residents and partners. “It’s been an amazing experience so far, and I look forward to getting more of those stories and becoming a bit more embedded in the community,” Hodge said.

Council members introduced James Guzman as a new member of the parks board; the council packet included Guzman’s biography. Guzman offered brief remarks about his local background and appreciation for the appointment and the opportunity to serve.

Council members also reported regional partnership activity. Staff and councilmembers described an item from Western Nebraska Economic Development outlining plans for a government job expo aimed primarily at high‑school students (juniors and potentially sophomores) to highlight local government jobs such as lifeguards, parks workers, and internships. The proposal is preliminary; organizers discussed dividing the expo into geographic areas to reduce travel for students and limiting participation costs to basic items such as lunch. The council asked staff to assist as planning advances.

The communications and appointments were accepted by the council as informational items; no formal votes were required beyond the acceptance of the packet items.