GRAND ISLAND – Budget proposals in eight areas have been submitted for Grand Island’s City Council to review at a work session the night of Aug. 6.
Public Works, Transit Division, Street Division, Fleet Division, Solid Waste Division, Wastewater Division, Electric (Capital Improvements and Equipment), and Water (Capital Improvements and Equipment) submitted proposals.
The Public Works Department Engineering and Administration proposal has a personnel budget increase of 2.51 percent. Operating expenses would decrease by 2.43 percent. For FY 2025, overall engineering total expenses would be $1,089,760, while administration total expenses would be $557,440.
The Department has a Metropolitan Planning Organization division. It is required in urbanized areas with more than 50,000 population. Its total proposed budget is $451,674, of which the city’s share would be $90,335.
The city provides a demand-response public transit service within the urbanized area of Grand Island. It recently awarded an operations contract to Brown Transit. The division has total expenses of $3,123,471, which includes $1,772,000 for contract services and $1,145,000 for vehicles and vehicle equipment.
Total revenue would be $3,156,172, including $1,958,600 in federal funding, $441,000 in state funding, $198,372 beginning cash from the city, and $558,200 in matching funds from the city.
The division will continue purchasing new vehicles. There have been significant delays in availability of capital equipment. The division will continue operations with Brown Transit.
The Streets Division office and fleet services office is at 1111 W. North Front St. The “West Yard” is at 2124 Old Lincoln Highway, and the “East Yard” is at 523 E. 19th St. According to the division’s presentation, a larger facility is needed for the future.
The Streets Division proposed budget for personnel is a 2.04 percent decrease, with a $2,766,856 total. Operating expenses would increase by 4.08 percent, with a $2,921,805 total, non-capital projects would decrease by 0.67 percent, with a $1,830,080 total, and capital equipment would total $1,062,401.
The Streets Division has 25.9 FTE, and no additional FTE are being requested for the upcoming fiscal year. Operating expenses will increase due to an increase in material costs and inflation.
The Fleet Services Office and Shop Garage is located at 1111 W. North Front. Larger bays will be needed in the future because of the increase in equipment size.
The Fleet Service proposed budget has a personnel decrease of 0.06 percent, with a $467,768 total. Operating expenses would increase by 7.21 percent, with a $1,240,500 total. Revenue would increase by 5.51 percent, with a $1,1763,500 total. No additional staffing is being requested.
For the Solid Waste Division, 17 years life are left in the current landfill site (Cells 1, 2, and 3). Approximately 25 years life are left in Cells 1, 2, 3, and 4.
Proposed expenses and percent of budget (in parentheses) are: Personnel, $1,685,7390 (13 percent), Operations, $1,495,150 (11 percent), Debt Services, $1,000,000 (8 percent), and Capital $9,085,000 (68 percent).
Revenue increase would be by 25 percent, attributed to a bond. Personnel services would increase by 13 percent. Operating expenses would increase by 4 percent. Capital expenses would increase by 34 percent because of the Cell 4 construction.
Notable capital expenditures are Landfill Cell 4 construction ($2 million), Landfill compactor ($875,000), Transfer Station UTV ($35,000), and begin Transfer Station improvements ($6 million).
For the Wastewater Division budget, Revenue would increase by 6.5 percent ($1,015,500), personnel services would decrease by 4 percent, and operating expenses would decrease by 2.5 percent ($252,250).
Forecasted capital projects total $4,563,536. There are 12 proposed capital projects. The first is the Collections System Office and Equipment Storage ($300,000; $3,905,000). A building to replace a building at 1204 N. Front St. is needed. Wastewater Treatment flow improvements are $852,000/$9,700,000. The Belt Filter Press Controls Rebuild is $65,000. A raw sewage pump with cost of $125,000 is proposed. An oil and grease extractor for $60,000 is needed. A fiber network would cost $1,060,900. It would update an aging fiber network at the wastewater treatment plant. Ultraviolent system upgrades would be $515,000/$1,174,000. The wastewater treatment plant master plan update would cost $315,000. Manhole rehabilitation would cost $38,192. Sanitary sewer rehabilitation would cost $1,163,065. Locust Street sanitary sewer repairs would cost $500,000. Generic costs for the sanitary sewer district would cost $1 million. Vehicle purchases would total $250,000.
For the Electric Fund, personnel services would increase by 10 percent. Utility personnel costs account for 16 percent of the budget. No new FTEs are being requested. A 1.4 percent administrative and operating expenses increase is requested. Administrative decrease is forecast for 2 percent. The proposed cost of power increase would be 0.8 percent.
Capital projects for transmission are substation security upgrades for lights and detection ($110,000), distribution breakers ($120,000), transmission relaying and metering upgrades ($120,000), and transmission line improvements with six poles, ($50,000).
For capital projects (distribution), overhead materials for new/replaced infrastructure would cost $2,780,000. Underground materials cost would be: new/replaced infrastructure ($3,750,000), outside contractors ($180,000), Third Street building heating and air conditioning system ($50,000), and a locator ($11,000).
Capital projects for production are: NERC firewall protection ($100,000), fire suppression system ($150,000), concrete walks around gas turbines ($25,000), scissor lift ($40,000), solar farm ($2,802,732). The total capital equipment cost for vehicles and equipment would be $1,635,442.
For the electric fund, a bill comparison was made for Grand Island, Kearney, and Hastings. For a residential bill comparison in the summer with 1,000 usage (kWh), totals are: Grand Island ($119.43; Kearney ($154.73), and Hastings ($115.24). For a residential bill comparison in the winter with 1,000 usage ((kWh), totals are: Grand Island ($106.06); Kearney, ($128.34), and Hastings (4112.93).
For the Water Fund, personnel services would increase by 10 percent. Utility personnel costs account for 25 percent of the budget. Administrative cost would increase by 17.9 percent, and the cost of pumping and treatment would increase by 6.8 percent.
Capital projects are distribution improvement projects: Locust Street from Fonner Park Road to Koenig ($500,000), and unplanned water main developments ($225,000). Building upgrades are to replace the roof on the water shot for $200,000 and to seal bricks on the water shop for $120,000.
Other capital projects are wellfield improvements, uranium system upgrades ($200,000); pumping station improvements, elevated storage grading ($100,000); InfoWater model updates ($70,000); and inventory for lead service line replacements ($150,000). Purchase of dump trucks for $130,000 and $80,000 is requested.
For the water fund, a fiscal year 24-25 bill comparison was made for Grand Island, Hastings, and Kearney. With Usage (CCF), 1” Meter, 10; total costs were: Grand Island ($20.15); Hastings ($56.13); and Kearney, ($29.02).
A typical resident’s 2025 annual electric and water costs are: paid to utility, water: Grand Island ($217), Kearney ($319), and Hastings ($582). Paid to utility for electric costs are Grand Island ($1,192), Kearney ($1,269), and Hastings ($1,198). Total costs are: Grand Island ($1,410; Kearney, $1,588), and Hastings ($1,780).
