Council approves no parking, re-financing of bonds
Re-financing to save city more than $100,000
BROKEN BOW - In business other than recognizing the life-saving efforts of Broken Bow citizens (see page A1 and A3), the Broken Bow City Council held a third public hearing on a request to establish No Parking on South F Street just east of South 8th Ave/Hwy 21.
City Administrator Dan Knoell said he spoke with Frontier Home Medical to make sure they were aware of the proposal. He said he was told if he didn’t hear back by meeting time, which he didn’t, they had no issue with the change. Knoell also told the council he had heard no comments, either positive or negative, about the proposal.
Council member Larry Miller said it would be a mistake to vacate the parking for an empty lot. Bill Butler, who plans to build a house and garage on the site, agreed. The council then approved the ordinance for No Parking on the condition it is not effective until a certificate of occupancy is given for the new construction.
Travis Barker with EZ IT gave the results of a cyber assessment of the city.
“For years, threats of ransomeware have been on the rise,” Barker said. “In 2017, municipalities were targets. It doesn’t make the news anymore but it’s still happening.”
Of Broken Bow’s IT system, Barker said, “There is a good foundation, it’s solid,” and added the recommendation that the city continue their forward thinking to have a plan for the future. He said they can offer the city the seven layers of protection they offer to all their customers.
Asked by council member Larry Miller on specific areas of concern, Barker said he would talk about an overall strategy but declined to address specifics which could publicly reveal weaknesses in the system.
Broken Bow Police Chief Steve Scott informed the city council that the department’s “Use of Force” policy has been updated in accordance with a June, 2020 order from the White House that said all law enforcement agencies across the nation must update their policies on use of force, in particular choke holds.
The council held public hearings, waived readings of and approved the issuing of GO Refunding Bonds.
Brad Slaughter, Sr. Vice President of Public Finance, Piper Sandler and Co. said the refinancing of 2010 and 2012 bonds would save the city just under $23,000 with the interest rates dropping form 3.66 percent and 2.85 percent to 1.42 percent. Payment amounts would remain the same however, the bond would be paid off two years earlier.
A third bond, the pool bond, currently at an interest rate of 2.282 percent, will drop to 1.171 percent. “You will see $106,465 direct savings,” Slaughter said, “Over $10,500 a year.”
The council meeting was held Thursday, postponed from Tuesday, due to the snow emergency after the eight to ten inches of snow on Monday.
The next city council will be Feb. 9 at 6 p.m. at the Municipal Building. The Board of Public Works meets at 12:30 p.m., Feb. 8, at the Municipal Building.
City offices will be closed Feb. 15 for President’s Day.