Hickman council adopts updated municipal code, adds enforcement and violations bureau

The Hickman governing body voted unanimously to adopt Ordinance 2026-05, a comprehensive recodification that updates the city's municipal code to align with current Nebraska statutes. Jim McNally of Municipal Code Services told council members the changes are primarily technical updates and procedural clarifications.

"We didn't make any major changes in your codebook. We simply updated it to conform to current state statute," McNally said, and described two operational additions: a designated code enforcement officer and a municipal violations bureau that allows residents to pay certain non-moving and nuisance tickets directly to the city. McNally said the first year of updates is provided free and subsequent annual updates will incur a small fee.

Council members discussed due process for nuisance and dangerous-building procedures, including a 30-day appeal period to the district court when an adverse decision is made. The ordinance received a roll-call vote with all present members recorded as voting Yes, completing the measure's third and final reading.

The city's clerk said the ordinance will be published by title in the required locations and posted on the city website after the 15-day posting requirement.