New Councilman Sworn In at City Council Meeting

SIDNEY--The City Council of Sidney met on Tuesday night, January 14, and the most prominent agenda item was selecting a new City Council member to fill the remainder of Paul Strommen's term. Strommen resigned his seat on the council after winning the election as a State Senator representing the 47th District in Nebraska in November 2024.

There were only three members of the council present for the meeting, as Strommen's seat started the session vacant, and Mayor Brad Sherman was on a vacation that had been planned months in advance, preventing his presence at the meeting.

Vice Mayor Brandon Bondegard conducted the meeting and started by asking if there were any comments by the public. No one stepped to the lectern to make comments, so Bondegard then moved to approve the minutes of the previous meeting. City Finance Director Kegan Carwin spoke with the council concerning the December 2024 Budgets, opening by saying that "December was a tough month." Carwin said that Property Tax & DMV revenues fell from December 2023, but Carwin attributed much of the downturn to the "timing of property tax is paid out". Carwin told the council that sales tax numbers were down and that he was "a little concerned", with only $128,461 collected in Sales & Occupation Taxes, down from $222,887 in December of 2023. He said that although they need to "watch continually going forward," Carwin also had a similar sentiment during November's Budget report. Carwin noted there was a larger refund with the state's ImagiNE Nebraska program over the past month. ImagiNE Nebraska is a tax incentive program used to attract and expand existing businesses in Nebraska.

Carwin said that Fees for Service was up $18,335 with much credit going to the increased use of Sidney's Transportation line, and State/Federal/County revenues were up also. Carwin said much of the downturn in certain areas is not unexpected and he believes that revenues will catch up over time. He said, "It's a function of the time of year," noting that there have been historic dips in revenues in the winter, however, it is something to be concerned about. He said, "We're in our down season right now, and our general fund doesn't have the golf course open, we don't have the pool open, so we're kind of flying by the seat of our pants right now."

Carwin said they plan on ensuring the various departments aren't overspending and staying within their budgets. City Manager David Scott added that they were anticipating the low number due to factors explained by Carwin. The council approved the budget report, 3-to-0.

The next item on the agenda was the Appointment of the Council's vacant seat. Vice-Mayor Bondegard said that after reviewing applicants, Mayor Sherman decided on appointing Brett Kerkman to serve for the remainder of Strommen's term. The council approved the nomination unanimously, and City Attorney Kendra Strommen administered the Oath of Office and swore in Kerkman. Kerkman took his seat on the council dais, and briefly introduced himself, saying that he has lived in Sidney for five years, is married, and has two daughters, ages 4 and 8.

Next, Melissa Haas of the Panhandle Public Health District addressed the councilmen concerning Radon Action Month. January has traditionally been Radon Action Month, and Haas encouraged the council to approve a proclamation again naming January as the month to raise awareness of the dangers of radon. Radon is a colorless, odorless, and radioactive gas that occurs naturally in soil. It is the second leading cause of lung cancer, causing thousands of deaths every year. One out of every two homes has elevated levels of radon, and the Panhandle Public Health District offers free radon testing kits through January to check if your home has elevated levels of radon. Contact the PPHD on their website at http://www.pphd.org or call 308-487-30600 x108 to get a free testing kit. The council approved and read the proclamation and urged all residents to get a free radon testing kit and to test their homes.

City of Sidney Economic Development Director Brandy Stone then addressed the council over the Civic & Community Center Financing Fund and a Recreation and Visitors Services Program. For the Civic & Community Center Financing Funding, Stone said the city had a choice of basically applying the funds to the Downtown Hickory Square Project or the North Side Park Project. The council decided to submit a letter of intent to use the funds for the North Side Park Project and apply for a Game & Parks grant to fund the Hickory Square Project. The Recreation & Visitors Services Program is a grant offered through the Bureau of Land Management and is a stand-alone grant requiring no matching funds. The council approved submitting a proposal for the grant.

The meeting wrapped up with a few other items of interest being discussed, the first being the Volunteer Fire Department Banquet will be held on February 1; a bid opening for the old Police Department building will occur on March 11, and David Scott thanked the public for their interest and suggestions concerning the sale of the Cabela's buildings. Acting Sidney Police Chief Sam Lovato said that there will be a Law Enforcement training session on Thursday, and he announced a new police officer started two weeks ago. Economic Development Director Stone said that there will be a lunch and learn meeting at Boss City Brewery on Thursday, with the focus being on how businesses can apply for grants and other funding.