NORTH PLATTE, Neb. — The North Platte City Council worked through a full agenda Tuesday night, approving bond authorizations, new city equipment financing, and forwarding an annexation study for future review.
Mayor Brandon Kelliher recapped the meeting Wednesday morning on Good Morning North Platte on FM 98.1/AM 1410, KOOQ-AM, calling it “a pretty good meeting” — one without conflict and full of progress on ongoing city projects.
LISTEN TO INTERVIEW WITH MAYOR KELLIHER, SPONSORED BY NORTH PLATTE KUBUTA
Among the consent agenda items, the council approved several liquor licenses, reappointed Joe Staroska to a second term on the Community Redevelopment Authority Board, and renewed a paramedic ride-along agreement with Northeastern Junior College in Sterling, Colorado. Kelliher said the partnership helps with firefighter and paramedic recruitment while giving students hands-on experience.
The council also approved a contract with Routeware, a company providing route-optimization software for sanitation trucks. The technology helps drivers create more fuel-efficient routes and documents collection stops with timestamped photos — a feature Kelliher said helps resolve occasional missed-trash disputes.
Another consent item involved a subdivision realignment on East 11th Street, allowing the Lincoln County Community Development Corporation to prepare lots for future housing construction.
Council members also discussed a property acquisition grant used to purchase and demolish unsafe structures. The city voted to counter an owner’s offer at half the asking price — a move Kelliher said likely means the deal won’t go through.
Bonds and Budgets
On the regular agenda, the council held a first reading for Ordinance 4228, authorizing up to $19.5 million in general obligation bonds to cover paving and water district projects completed in recent years. Kelliher explained that the bonds convert short-term “warrants” — essentially one-year construction loans — into longer-term municipal debt with fixed interest rates.
“Municipal bonds lock in the rate for five years,” Kelliher said. “After that, we can refinance or pay them off early if conditions improve.”
Council members also corrected a clerical error in the city’s salary schedule tied to last month’s budget approval. The change did not alter the overall budget amount.
New Street Sweeper and Insurance Updates
The council approved lease financing for a new Elgin Pelican NP street sweeper, which recently arrived in North Platte. The $277,000 piece of equipment replaces one of the city’s older units, which will remain in service as backup.
Kelliher joked that before his term ends, he hopes to “drive the street sweeper” himself, calling the machine “pretty exciting.”
The council also ratified actions by City Administrator Lane Gross in his role with the League Association of Risk Management, which handles insurance matters for municipalities across Nebraska.
Annexation Study and Zoning Changes
Council members voted to forward the 2025 Annexation Study for East Sixth Street to the city’s Planning Commission for review and public hearing. The study identifies small unincorporated “islands” surrounded by city property that could be annexed into North Platte.
The council also held a public hearing concerning property at Lakeview and Front Streets, where a company plans to expand equipment at an existing cell tower site. A lease agreement for the expansion is expected to come back for council approval later this month.
Finally, council members approved rezoning for property at 4684 and 4602 Rodeo Road, the site of the former drive-in theater on the west side of town. The area, currently zoned for agriculture, will shift to commercial zoning to allow for new business development.
The next North Platte City Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, October 21, with possible follow-up discussion on the East Sixth Street annexation proposal.
“It’s been a busy stretch,” Kelliher said. “Between budget work, projects, and regular meetings, there’s a lot happening — but that’s a good thing for North Platte.”