Listen to the full conversation with Mayor Brandon Kelliher.
By Allison Peck
Last night’s City Council meeting at North Platte City Hall covered a wide range of topics affecting the community, from local baseball and traffic safety to city utilities and neighborhood cleanup initiatives. Mayor Brandon Kelliher joined the discussion on-air this morning to recap key points.
The meeting, which lasted just over two hours, began with the consent agenda. Among the items was a Class C liquor license for the Pecos League baseball team, the North Platte 80s. “That means the Pecos League is planning to come back again next year,” Mayor Kelliher said. “Hopefully we get more and more people out there and a good baseball team going here in North Platte.”
The council also renewed an interlocal agreement for network services with Lincoln County, allowing both the city and county to share IT resources and reduce costs. Kelliher explained, “That’s really what this is, is the IT department… to keep costs down for both organizations, and it’s a good agreement.”
Additionally, the mayor was authorized to sign documents related to the city’s outsourced human resources department. “They help us with difficult situations and they’re also available to employees when they’re in a tough spot,” he said.
One of the highlights of the meeting was the appointment of Tony Miller as the new Manager of Utilities, a position that has been vacant for more than a decade. “Tony’s been in charge on the billing side of that organization for around 12 years now. Very smart man, knows his stuff, and we look forward to the great things he’s going to do in that role,” Kelliher said.
On the regular agenda, the council appointed Megan Trevino to the North Platte Board of Health. Trevino, currently leading U.S. Central Public Health, will join the board, which includes the mayor, police chief, city administrator, and city-appointed physician. Kelliher noted, “Normally they only have activity in the case of a pandemic or some sort of serious situation. Thank goodness, knock on wood, we haven’t really had any since COVID.”
Rezoning was also on the agenda for the West Rodeo Road area, the site of a former drive-in theater. The property’s owner requested rezoning to B2 Highway Commercial District to better align with redevelopment plans. The mayor said, “It’s an area that’s being redeveloped and it’s looking a little better every day.”
Traffic safety was another major topic, particularly at the intersection of Phillip and Buffalo Avenues. Mayor Kelliher acknowledged community concerns, saying, “Many people live in that area don’t feel that’s a safe intersection… the council felt it’s best to have a traffic study done on the entire thoroughfare of Buffalo Bill.” The discussion was tabled until the study is completed, likely in the May-June timeframe.
The council also discussed changes to the city’s bulky trash collection process. The updated system will track and photograph items for pickup, estimate weights, and create efficient collection routes. “This actually photographs the bulky trash. Then the guys can put in an estimate of what the weight is… and the route actually builds a route throughout the city,” Kelliher explained. “It will generally be an easier process, not only for the city folks, but also for the customers as well.”
Finally, several public hearings addressed the city’s use of a grant for cleaning up dilapidated properties. Some properties will be demolished and lots cleared for future development, while others are being evaluated for potential rehabilitation. Kelliher said of the discussions, “Not all council members are in favor of how we’re using this grant money… people are going to disagree from time to time. It’s healthy.”
Routine items, such as approving warrants and paying claims for construction projects on West 9th Street and East Francis Street, rounded out the meeting.
Mayor Kelliher emphasized the council’s mission, saying, “We’re on city council to solve problems for the community and make it a better place to live. If we’re not solving problems, we’re probably wasting our time and the people’s time.”