MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2025
A meeting of the Mayor and Council of the City of Plainview, Nebraska, was held at the Council Chambers in said City on the 9th day of December at 6:30 o’clock P.M.
Roll call was held and present were: Mayor Smith; Council Members: Born, Janovec, Sanne and Doty Absent: None
The Pledge of Allegiance was then recited.
Mayor Smith opened the meeting and announced to individuals in attendance that a full copy of the new Nebraska Open Meetings Act was posted on the east wall of the Council Chambers.
Notice of the meeting was given in advance thereof by Publication, a designated method for giving notice, as shown by the Affidavit of Publication attached to these minutes. Notice of this meeting was given to the Mayor and all Members of the Council and a copy of their acknowledgment of receipt of notice and the agenda is attached to the minutes. Availability of the agenda was communicated in the advance notice and in the notice to the Mayor and Council of this meeting. All proceedings hereafter shown were taken while the convened meeting was open to the attendance of the public.
Courtney Retzlaff was present as City Clerk.
Jeremy Tarr was present as City Administrator
Kyle Petersen was present as City Attorney
Janovec moved to approve the council meeting minutes from November 11th. Doty seconded the motion. Motion carried 4-0.
Sanne moved to approve claims and payroll. Born seconded the motion. Motion carried 4-0.
Juleen Johnson presented the Manor report which included staffing needs and updates to the Manor board bylaws would go into effect January 1st once approved by Council. Representatives from Clark & Enersen will be at the facility on December 30th to go over updates to the expansion and renovation project. Johnson also stated that there is an online auction at the now closed care facility in Laurel and there are several items that she is looking at purchasing.
Police Chief Hallock stated that the department will taking LiDar training this week and a letter deeming the cabins at 508 E Park Avenue in Plainview as unsafe structures will be sent to the owner, Larry Babel. An application for licensing ATV,UTV and Golf Cars was created, license plates and stickers have been purchased and citizens will be required to register beginning in January.
City Administrator Tarr stated that city crews are finishing the asbestos removal in the PCSI building.
Mayor Smith recommended Jason Smith and Larry Petersen to 2 year terms on the Tree Board. Sanne moved to approve the appointments. Born seconded the motion. Motion carried 4-0.
No appointments were made to the Advisory Board for Parks and Pool and the Housing Board. Interested citizens should contact Mayor Smith if they would like to serve on either board.
Council member Janovec introduced the following resolution, amending as follows, Section 1 remove subsection (b); subsection (c) remove “outside the 50-mile Local Travel Area; Section 3, subsection (a) remove sections (II) and (III), Section 3, remove subsections (b) and (c) and moved for its adoption:
RESOLUTION #739
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PLAINVIEW, NEBRASKA, ESTABLISHING A PER DIEM POLICY FOR MEAL EXPENSES INCURRED BY CITY EMPLOYEES DURING OFFICIAL, PRE-AUTHORIZED, OUT-OF-TOWN BUSINESS TRAVEL
WHEREAS, the City of Plainview (“City”) has employees who are required to travel outside the City to conduct official business, attend training, and represent the City at various functions; and
WHEREAS, the City Council desires to establish a policy for the reimbursement of meal expenses incurred by employees during such travel; and
WHEREAS, a per diem reimbursement method, which provides a fixed daily allowance, simplifies expense reporting, reduces administrative burden, and ensures predictable budgeting; and
WHEREAS, the United States General Services Administration (“GSA”) publishes an official per diem schedule used by federal agencies, which serves as a recognized national benchmark for reasonable travel expenses; and
WHEREAS, the GSA standard “Meals and Incidental Expenses” (M&IE) rate for Nebraska is $68.00, which is composed of a $63.00 “Meals” component and a $5.00 “Incidentals” component, and the City Council has determined that adopting the $63.00 “Meals” component is a fair rate for reimbursement; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has determined a need to establish clear parameters defining “out-of-town” travel to ensure the fair and consistent application of this policy.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PLAINVIEW, NEBRASKA, AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. For the purposes of this Resolution, the following terms are defined:Official Duty Station: Shall be defined for all City employees as Plainview City Hall, 209 West Locust Avenue, Plainview, NE 68769.
Out-of-Town Travel: Shall be defined as official, pre-authorized City business travel to a destination.
Overnight Stay: Shall mean being in an approved travel status that includes a rest period, requiring the employee to secure lodging for the night.
Section 2. City employees shall be entitled to the following meal per diem rates:Full Day Rate: Employees who are eligible for a meal per diem shall be reimbursed at a fixed rate of $63.00 per day. This per diem is for meal expenses only and is not a reimbursement for incidental expenses.
Partial Day Rate (First and Last Days): In accordance with federal and state standards, the per diem rate for the first and last calendar days of Out-of-Town Travel shall be prorated to 75% of the full-day rate, which is $47.25.
Section 3. The following provisions affect eligibility for per diem rates:
To be eligible for the meal per diem rate established in Section 2, a City employee’s travel must be for official, pre-authorized City business.
Section 4. The meal per diem shall be reduced for any meals provided to the employee at no cost, such as those included in a conference registration fee paid by the City. The City Clerk/Treasurer is authorized to make deductions from the per diem reimbursement based on the following schedule:
Breakfast Provided: Deduct $16.00
Lunch Provided: Deduct $19.00
Dinner Provided: Deduct $28.00
Section 5. Employees seeking reimbursement must submit a completed travel reimbursement form as prescribed by the City Clerk/Treasurer, which shall include the dates of travel, destination, business purpose, and documentation of any required pre-authorization. Itemized receipts for meals are not required, as reimbursement will be made on this per diem basis.
Section 6. That all resolutions or parts of resolutions in conflict be and are hereby repealed.
Council member Doty seconded the foregoing motion and on roll call on the passage and adoption of said resolution, the following voted Aye; Born, Janovec, Sanne and Doty Nay: None. Whereupon the Mayor declared said motion carried and Resolution #739 is passed and adopted.
At 7:00 PM Born moved to open the Public Hearing for the One and Six Street Improvement Plan. Sanne seconded the motion. Motion carried 4-0.
City Administrator Tarr stated that a request was made to add Fifth Street from Euclid to Ellsworth to the 6 year plan.
Born moved to close the public hearing at 7:02 PM. Sanne seconded the motion. Motion carried 4-0.
Resolution #740 will be tabled until January so the additional project can be added.
Sanne moved to appoint Miller & Associates as the City Engineer. Janovec seconded the motion. Motion carried 4-0.
Sanne moved to appoint Chris Miller, Lic. S-1091 Class A E-8775 as the City Street Superintendent. Janovec seconded the motion. Motion carried 4-0.
Sanne moved to approve the LARM insurance renewal effective 10/1/2025 in the amount of $114,314. Born seconded the motion. Motion carried 4-0.
Discussion on Ordinance #1016 was held and the council would like to add specifications for the construction of a building on the property at 105 S Maple Street. A new Resolution will need to be passed and the property will be available again for any interested individuals. City Clerk Retzlaff will issue payment back to Christopher VanHouten in the amount of $4,999.00.
Born moved to approve the Plainview Manor bylaws as presented. Doty seconded the motion. Motion carried 4-0.
Janovec moved to amend the City Administrator contract and approve as follows: Section 13, annual review to be held in July; Section 19, City Administrator home address changed from 604 S 4th Street to 406 S 4th Street; Section 20, effective date of contract October 1, 2025. Sanne seconded the motion. Motion carried 4-0.
City Clerk Retzlaff stated that the electronic sign located next to the Carnegie Library has had some issues with the software working correctly and due to the age of the sign, the City may need to look at options in the future for removing or replacing the sign.
Council requested that snow removal is done in a timely manner and to work together across all departments.
City Clerk Retzlaff stated that the HandiVan transit software is now in use and the City received notification that the application submitted for a new transit vehicle was approved. Retzlaff will continue to work with the State on the acquisition of a new vehicle.
Born moved to adjourn the meeting. Janovec seconded. Motion carried 4-0
TIME: 7:45 P.M.
Robert Smith, Mayor
(SEAL)
ATTEST:
Courtney Retzlaff, City Clerk/Treasurer
I, the undersigned, City Clerk for the City of Plainview, Nebraska, hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of proceedings had and done by the Mayor and Council on 12/9/2025; that all of the subjects included in the foregoing proceedings were contained in the agenda for the meeting, kept continually current and readily available for public inspection at the office of the City Clerk; that such subjects were contained in said agenda for at least twenty-four hours prior to said meeting; that at least one copy of all reproducible material discussed at the meeting was available at the meeting for examination and copying by members of the public; that the said minutes from which the foregoing proceedings have been extracted were in written form and available for public inspection within ten working days and prior to the next convened meeting of said body; that all news media requesting notification concerning meetings of said body were provided advance notification of the time and place of said meeting and the subjects
to be discussed at said meeting.
Courtney Retzlaff, City Clerk/Treasurer (SEAL)
GENERAL ACCOUNT
| 16102 | Street Improvement | Paving Assessment Pmts | 197,039.15 |
| 16103 | Mitch’s Food Center | Su | 471.80 |
| 16104 | Schaefer Grain Co. | Svc | 342.00 |
| 16105 | Norfolk Daily News | Ads | 40.00 |
| 16106 | USA Bluebook | Su | 335.18 |
| 16107 | Allo Business | Svc | 111.20 |
| 16108 | Kumm Construction LLC | Svc | 4,540.78 |
| 16109 | Western Oil Inc | Fuel | 595.80 |
| 16110 | Bazile Aggregate Co LLC | Su | 195.29 |
| 16111 | Gayle Sellin | Svc | 400.00 |
| 16112 | Cintas | Su | 511.44 |
| 16113 | Allstar Parts LLC | Su | 557.57 |
| 16114 | ULine | Su | 724.57 |
| 16115 | Schaefer Grain Co. | Su | 26.65 |
| 16116 | Reardon Lawn & Garden | Su | 55.58 |
| 16117 | Gutter Crew Inc | Svc | 497.50 |
| 16118 | Steinkraus Service | Fuel/Repair/Su | 2,748.20 |
| 16119 | Verizon Wireless | Cellphones | 439.82 |
| 16120 | City of Plv Osm/Plv Housing | Housing Loan Pmt | 50.60 |
| 16121 | Visa | Su | 281.14 |
| 16122 | Arbor Day Foundation | Flags | 127.90 |
| 16123 | Postmaster | Postage | 33.80 |
| 16124 | MASA | Emp Ins | 140.00 |
| 16125 | Nebraska DWEE | SRF Semi Annual Pmt | 29,774.91 |
| 16126 | Street Improvement | Paving Assessment Pmts | 5,910.57 |
| 16127 | City of Plv Housing Authority | Housing Loan Pmt | 111.00 |
| 16128 | City of Plainview | IRP Loan Pmt | 632.65 |
| 16129 | City of Plainview | Pool Sales Tax | 11,073.27 |
| 16130 | City of Plainview | Library Sales Tax | 7,382.19 |
| 16131 | City of Plainview | Manor Sales Tax | 7,382.19 |
| 16132 | City of Plainview | Eco Dev Sales Tax | 7,382.19 |
| 16133 | Postmaster | Postage | 35.95 |
| 16134 | Midwest Bank | Emp HSA | 881.00 |
| 26489 | |||
| 26490 | |||
| 26491 | City Employees | Payroll 11-14-2025 | 22,325.37 |
| 26492 | |||
| 26493 | |||
| 26494 | City Employees | Payroll 11-26-2025 | 21,321.41 |
| 26495 | A&R Construction Co | Su | 1,903.71 |
| 26496 | Addison Hodson | Reim- Lifeguard Certification | 250.00 |
| 26497 | Aflac | Emp Ins | 294.58 |
| 26498 | Akrs Equipment Solutions Inc | Su | 15.56 |
| 26499 | Alegent Creighton Health | Svc | 646.00 |
| 26500 | Altwine Hardware & Home LLC | Su | 660.49 |
| 26501 | American Legal Publishing Corp | Svc | 650.00 |
| 26502 | Ashlynn Ickler | Meter Deposit Refund | 61.00 |
| 26503 | Auto Value- Norfolk | Su | 17.98 |
| 26504 | Bazile Aggregate Co LLC | Su | 382.14 |
| 26505 | Blackburn Mfg. Co. | Su | 284.16 |
| 26506 | Bob Smith | Reim- Mileage | 264.60 |
| 26507 | Bomgaars | Su | 480.94 |
| 26508 | Bud’s Sanitary Service, LLC | Svc | 5,517.00 |
| 26509 | Bullseye Fire Sprinkler Inc | Svc | 425.00 |
| 26510 | Casey’s Business MasterCard | Fuel | 119.68 |
| 26511 | CHI Health | Svc | 100.00 |
| 26512 | Classic Rentals | Su | 161.14 |
| 26513 | Consolidated Electrical Distributor | Su | 677.08 |
| 26514 | Dinkel Implement Co | Equip | 2,700.00 |
| 26515 | Donna Christiansen | Reim- Mileage | 224.70 |
| 26516 | Eakes Office Solutions | Su | 181.72 |
| 26517 | Elgin Fernau | Meter Deposit Refund | 263.25 |
| 26518 | Farmers Pride | Su | 3,025.19 |
| 26519 | Gayle Sellin | Svc | 100.00 |
| 26520 | Hometown Leasing | Copier Leases | 347.32 |
| 26521 | Ingram Library Services | Books/Audiobooks | 440.83 |
| 26522 | Jarecki Sharp & Petersen PC LLO | Legal Fees | 800.00 |
| 26523 | LP Gill Inc | Svc | 6,469.75 |
| 26524 | LARM | WC Audit | 514.15 |
| 26525 | LED Outfitters | Su | 221.94 |
| 26526 | Love Signs Inc | Su | 832.50 |
| 26527 | Matheson Tri-Gas Inc | Svc | 161.19 |
| 26528 | Menards | Su | 120.88 |
| 26529 | Midwest Bank | Safe Deposit Box | 12.00 |
| 26530 | Miller & Associates Consulting Engineers | Svc | 455.00 |
| 26531 | Mitch’s Food Center | Su | 19.71 |
| 26532 | National Sign Company LLC | Su | 2,290.11 |
| 26533 | NE. Electronics Recycling & Disposal | Svc | 370.00 |
| 26534 | NE Public Health Env Lab | Svc | 165.00 |
| 26535 | Pierce Broadband Networks | Svc | 56.84 |
| 26536 | Plainview News | Ads/Su/Legals | 702.21 |
| 26537 | Plainview Telephone Co Inc | Svc | 1,171.68 |
| 26538 | PowerManager | Svc | 9,519.60 |
| 26539 | Schaefer Grain Co. | Svc | 303.00 |
| 26540 | Steinkraus Service | Fuel/Repair/Su | 2,005.25 |
| 26541 | TeamLab | Su | 1,037.50 |
| 26542 | Truck Center Companies | Su | 598.23 |
| 26543 | USA Bluebook | Su | 197.71 |
| 26544 | West Hodson Lumber | Su | 1,762.38 |
| ACH | Allied Benefit Services | Emp Health Ins | 14622.45 |
| ACH | Black Hills Energy | Svc | 385.39 |
| ACH | Colonial Life Processing Center | Emp Ins | 412.58 |
| ACH | Crashplan Pro | Svc | 9.99 |
| ACH | EFTPS | Fed W/H Tax | 6,795.77 |
| ACH | EFTPS | Fed W/H Tax | 6,715.38 |
| ACH | Empower Retirement | Pension | 2,455.93 |
| ACH | Empower Retirement | Pension | 2,466.51 |
| ACH | Dearborn Life Ins Co | Emp Ins | 60.00 |
| ACH | FP Finance Program | Postage Machine Lease | 98.95 |
| ACH | Healthplan Services Inc | Emp Ins | 75.90 |
| ACH | Midwest Bank | NSF Return | 108.34 |
| ACH | Midwest Bank | Merchant Capture Svc | 50.00 |
| ACH | NE Dept of Revenue | State W/H Tax | 1,987.01 |
| ACH | NE Dept of Revenue | Sales & Use Tax | 1,533.38 |
| ACH | NPAIT | Gen Acct Int | 2,435.29 |
| ACH | Office Max | Su | 139.99 |
| ACH | Synchrony Bank/Amazon | Su | 95.52 |
| ACH | Synchrony Bank/Amazon | Su | 250.56 |
| ACH | USPS | Postage | 353.80 |
| ACH | Zoom Video Comm Inc | Svc | 16.99 |
NO OUTSIDE ACCOUNT CLAIMS