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Kearney staff reports progress on FY2025 priorities, outlines projects and staffing gains
Summary
City Administrator Sheila told the board the FY2025 budget and staff work align with four priorities emphasizing service delivery, infrastructure, housing and economic development; highlights included near‑full staffing, water and sewer projects, sidewalk and trail grant work, and upcoming redevelopment planning.
City Administrator Sheila provided a comprehensive progress update on the mayor and board’s FY2025 priorities at the Sept. 3 Kearney Board of Aldermen meeting, describing work across personnel, infrastructure, public safety, utilities and economic development.
Sheila said the city has 65 full‑time positions and currently only three full‑time vacancies, noting several new positions this year and a consolidated salary plan and benefit improvements aimed at recruitment and retention. "These positions have improved the quality and responsiveness of support received by the city departments," Sheila said.
She reviewed first‑quarter operational metrics across departments: building permits and inspections, code‑enforcement complaints, utility billing volumes (12,060 bills issued; 88,300,000 gallons sold reported), GIS mapping activity and hiring/administrative workflows. Public safety metrics included 2,451 calls for service and an average response time of four minutes.
Major capital and project highlights included a repainting of the water plant primary basin and a disinfectant system upgrade expected in January; materials delivery and a planned November groundbreaking for a 1,000,000‑gallon water tower; Sanitary sewer lining and a wastewater anti‑degradation study expected in November; overlay of 3.6 lane miles of streets; design work for Nineteenth Street and a federal grant for the Mack Porter Park connector trail; and design start for Hall Park following a federal grant award.
On housing and planning, staff is completing stakeholder feedback for a future land use map that will identify potential high‑density housing locations; staff expects recommendations in October followed by planning and board hearings in November. The city also plans to present a Chapter 3.53 redevelopment plan focused on downtown in October.
Sheila noted budget context: $1,700,000 in economic development allocations (including payments related to a TIF) and approximately $1 million annually for curbside recycling and household‑hazardous‑waste programs; highest single expense in FY25 is debt service of $3,800,000.
Board members praised the work, asked for documentation to support the planned building-code changes, and asked staff to continue public engagement. The board scheduled a work session for Sept. 28 to set priorities ahead of future budget and planning decisions.
Next steps: staff will finalize recommendations for the future land use map, bring redevelopment planning materials in October, and provide additional documentation comparing proposed code changes to the current code.
