SUMMARY OF MINUTES OF REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING
VILLAGE OF AVOCA BOARD OF TRUSTEES – AVOCA, NE 68307
Date: Monday, March 14, 2022
Present: Kirchhoff, Lehn, Ehmke and Clerk, Kirchhoff
Absent: Moses Guest: McKenzie
Four board members, one guest and Clerk were present, one absent. Attendance was noted by the Clerk and the Board recited the Pledge of Allegiance to begin the meeting. The meeting was brought to order at 6:00 pm by the Chairman and reminded all in attendance of the Open Meetings Act posted on the wall.
The minutes of the February 14, 2022, meeting was submitted for approval. A motion was made and seconded for approval. Upon roll call of Trustees: Cruz – yea; Ehmke – yea; Kirchhoff – yea; Lehn – yea; Moses – absent.
The Treasurer’s Report for approval. A motion was made and seconded to approve the report. Upon roll call of Trustees: Cruz – yea; Ehmke – yea; Kirchhoff – yea; Lehn – yea; Moses –absent.
Guest/Reports:
Fire department report was given by Cruz. The fire hydrants were checked, can be used for gravity fill only. No Parking will be marked in front of the fire buildings. A letter will be sent regarding moving vehicles and not parking along Polar Street as this is their main route. A pipe at the reservoir needs repair, Cruz will follow up with this.
Keene did not submit a report.
The Library Board - Books can be checked out, call Nancy Bose. It appears that the sign has been replaced, no information has been received at the office.
Old Business:
No information regarding property was received by attorney.
Utility Bills – There were 13 shut off notices mailed, 6 remains unpaid. There was one leak noted on reading meters. The Clerk had asked that one be shut off and a lien was filed on one, water was shut off. Cruz will work with Keene in learning the shut off procedures.
Clean Up Day will be held on Saturday, May 14.
Pending Work:
Tractor Shed still to be done.
Parking lines – still to be corrected.
Snow removal was discussed and the route verified.
New Business:
Work will be done at the park around the playground equipment. The old mulch will be removed and a new liner placed down before adding new mulch. Volunteer help will be greatly appreciated.
Clerk Questions or Correspondence:
Information has been received on Low Income Household water assistance program, and will look into learning more.
Garage Sales to be held on Saturday, April 23.
Nebraska Early Voting Ballot Applications are available at the Village Office.
The Clerk will begin working on Land Mile Report for submitting.
Comments have been received about payment processing. Utility Bills are delinquent if paid after the 20th, which is the date the statement is processed. IF the 20th falls on a weekend, the statements are processed on the Friday. Payments are still accepted and late fees are waived. A Monday holiday may also affect the statement processing.
Concerns have been brought to the office about the children playing in the streets. Reminder to parents that farming traffic will be increasing and that the children would be safer playing in yards, ball field or the park. Also, a reminder that four wheelers are not allowed on the streets by under age drivers.
Trustee Reports:
Water/Cruz: Will be meeting with Keene.
Sewer/Kirchhoff: Nothing to report.
Finance/Lehn: Working on mulch for park.
Parks/Moses: Absent.
Street/Ehmke: Nothing to report.
Miscellaneous:
Discussion of bills to be paid for March: A motion was made and seconded to approve payment for Ehmke, Trustee Fees. Upon a roll call vote of Trustees: Cruz – yea; Ehmke- abstain; Kirchhoff – yea; Lehn – yea; Moses – absent. A motion was made and seconded to approve payment of Trustee Fees for Moses. Upon a roll call vote of Trustees: Cruz – yea; Ehmke- yea; Kirchhoff – yea; Lehn – yea; Moses – absent/abstain. A motion was made and seconded to approve payment of Trustee Fees for Cruz. Upon a roll call vote of Trustees: Cruz – abstain; Ehmke- yea; Kirchhoff – yea; Lehn – yea; Moses – absent. A motion was made and seconded to approve payment of Trustee Fees for Kirchhoff. Upon a roll call vote of Trustees: Cruz – yea; Ehmke- yea; Kirchhoff – abstain; Lehn – yea; Moses – absent. A motion was made and seconded to approve payment of Trustee Fees for Lehn. Upon roll call of Trustees: Cruz – yea; Ehmke – yea; Kirchhoff – yea; Lehn – abstain; Moses –absent. A motion was made and seconded to approve payment for the automatic bills. Upon a roll call vote of Trustees: Cruz– yea; Ehmke- absent; Kirchhoff – yea; Lehn – yea; Moses – absent. A motion was made and seconded to approve the payment of the remaining bills for March. Upon a roll call vote of Trustees: Cruz – yea; Ehmke- absent; Kirchhoff – yea; Lehn – yea; Moses – absent.
The following bills were approved for payment:
General: Trustee Fees: Ehmke - $90; Cruz - $90; Kirchhoff - $90; Lehn - $105; Moses - $60; Kirchhoff - $1390.13, salary/supplies; Windstream Nebraska - $125.06; Lincoln Journal Star - $56.82; Intuit - $903.07, update; Office Depot - $34.16, supplies; US Treasury - $1627.82, 1st
Sewer: Keene - $1103.31, salary; Kirchhoff - $129.29, ½ salary; Midwest Laboratories - $19.00; Postmaster - $58; Meeske Hardware - $85.55, supplies; Sewer Reserve - $100
Water Account: Keene - $390.51, salary; Kirchhoff - $129.29, ½ salary; Sewer Account - $2139.43, collections; Rural Water Dist #3 - $1415.00, 466,000 gallons; Water Loan Repay - $2000.00; NE Department of Revenue - $173.05; Water Reserve - $400.00, loan/saving reserve
Street Account: OPPD - $105.79, Christmas lights
Community Improvement: Papillion Sanitation - $317.40, recycle
Automatic Payments: Black Hills Energy - $269.04
OPPD – General - $271.79; Water - $63.85; Sewer - $474.23; Street - $848.08
A motion was made and seconded to adjourn the meeting. Upon a roll call vote of Trustees: Cruz – yea; Ehmke- yea; Kirchhoff – yea; Lehn – yea; Moses – absent. The meeting was adjourned by Chairman at 6:54 pm. The next meeting of the Avoca Village Board will be held on Monday, April 11, 2022, at 6:00 pm at the Village office at 609 House Street. Minutes are submitted by Marilyn Kirchhoff, Village Clerk/Treasurer.