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Bennet City Council restructures Board of Adjustment, approves water-rate ordinance and appointments; hazard mitigation plan tabled
Summary
At its Nov. 10 meeting, the Bennet City Council approved Resolution 2025-11.5 to remove existing Board of Adjustment members and adopt new by-laws, approved Ordinance 2025-8.1 (final reading) amending water usage rates, appointed a 2026 street superintendent and approved several other motions; the Lower Platte South NRD Hazard Mitigation Plan was tabled until December.
The Bennet City Council voted on multiple governance and policy measures at its Nov. 10, 2025 regular meeting at Bennet City Hall. In a series of roll-call votes, the council approved Resolution 2025-11.5 removing the current members of the Board of Adjustment and adopted Board of Adjustment by-laws that will govern the council in its new role, and approved Ordinance 2025-8.1 amending water usage rates on final reading.
The changes to the Board of Adjustment follow modifications to the municipal code that allow the City Council to preside as the Board of Adjustment. Mayor Ryan Cheney presented the resolution; Councilor Dan Zieg moved to approve and Councilor Jesse Schmidt seconded. The roll-call vote on the resolution was unanimous among the four council members present (Buck, Schmidt, Simmons, Zieg). The council then adopted the by-laws, again by unanimous roll-call vote.
On a separate ordinance, the council approved final reading of Ordinance 2025-8.1, which amends city water usage rates. Councilor Pete Simmons moved the ordinance on final reading; Dan Zieg seconded and the motion carried on a unanimous roll-call vote of council members present.
The council also approved personnel and administrative items from the consent agenda. Resolution 2025-11.2 appoints Brian Friedrichsen as the 2026 Street Superintendent; his appointment was recorded as part of consent actions approved at the meeting. The council accepted the resignation of Justin Stark as Street Superintendent (listed in the consent agenda) and approved other routine claims and reports.
Not all consent items were approved: early in the meeting the council removed two items from the consent agenda (the Lower Platte South NRD Hazard Mitigation Plan and a Catlett Surveying fee related to a Quincy Street right-of-way project). After discussion the council decided to table adoption of the Lower Platte South NRD Hazard Mitigation Plan until the December meeting to allow for additional review.
Why it matters: moving the Board of Adjustment function to the City Council centralizes land-use decision authority and changes how variance and appeal requests will be processed. The water-rate ordinance alters a recurring municipal fee structure that affects all water customers. Tabling the hazard mitigation plan delays the city’s formal alignment with a regional planning document until members can review outstanding questions.
The council expected to consider the tabled hazard mitigation plan and remaining contract details at its December meeting. The meeting adjourned at 9:49 PM.
