Broken Bow council adopts ordinances merging clerk and treasurer, approves audit and appointments

BROKEN BOW, Neb. — The Broken Bow City Council on Feb. 25 approved routine financial business, adopted two city ordinances to consolidate administrative duties, and made a key personnel appointment.

The council convened at 6:00 p.m. at the Broken Bow Library. After opening formalities and a reading about the open meetings law, members approved the consent agenda — which included the minutes of the Feb. 11 meeting, Bills to Date, and the January treasurer report — by unanimous roll call. The bill list read into the record totaled $105,442.65, covering payroll and vendor payments.

The meeting’s central administrative actions came after two short public hearings. Council adopted Ordinance No. 1220, which merges the offices of City Clerk and City Treasurer and adds a Deputy Clerk position. City Clerk Stephanie Wright told the council she has ‘‘been doing this job since the City Treasurer resigned and is comfortable with the position,’’ and council members voted to appoint her as City Clerk‑Treasurer.

Council also adopted Ordinance No. 1221 to amend the city wage ordinance to include the City Clerk‑Treasurer and Deputy Clerk classifications. Both ordinance adoptions followed motions to suspend the statutory three‑reading requirement and passed on unanimous roll calls.

During the meeting Jeff Oeltjen of Dana Cole presented the annual audit for the year ending Sept. 30, 2019; the council approved the audit unanimously.

On capital projects, Steve Parr of JEO Consulting Group described the Memorial Drive Paving Project and explained the process for forming a Street Improvement District (SID), including the option to assess affected properties. The Street Superintendent noted that engineering for the area was budgeted this year. After discussion, the council voted to postpone creating the SID until a study session can be held to consider assessment options.

Other business included the appointment of Cynthia Ruzicka to the Broken Bow Housing Authority (term to expire August 2021) and routine announcements from the mayor and council. Mayor Rod Sonnichsen and Councilmember Miller reported on a recent conference and flagged several state bills that could affect municipal functions; the mayor announced siren testing scheduled for the next Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. The meeting adjourned at 7:05 p.m.

Votes at a glance: The consent agenda was approved (moved by Holcomb, seconded by Miller; aye: Holcomb, Schmidt, Miller, Myers). The annual audit was approved (moved by Holcomb, seconded by Myers; aye: Myers, Schmidt, Miller, Holcomb). The council postponed the Memorial Drive SID (moved by Myers, seconded by Miller; aye: Holcomb, Myers, Miller, Schmidt). Ordinance No. 1220 (merger of offices; adding deputy clerk) was adopted after suspension of the three‑reading rule (moved to suspend by Holcomb; final passage moved by Myers; aye: Miller, Holcomb, Schmidt, Myers). Stephanie Wright was appointed City Clerk‑Treasurer (moved by Myers, seconded by Holcomb; aye: Schmidt, Myers, Holcomb, Miller). Ordinance No. 1221 (amended wage ordinance) was adopted after suspension of the three‑reading rule (motions by Miller/Holcomb/Schmidt as recorded; aye: Miller, Holcomb, Schmidt, Myers). The meeting adjourned by unanimous vote.

The council did not set assessment amounts for the Memorial Drive project; it moved only to defer the SID decision pending a study session. The audit presented covered the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2019. The appointment to the Housing Authority fills a seat through August 2021.

The council is expected to schedule follow‑up work on the Memorial Drive engineering and a study session to discuss potential assessments and next steps.