The Public Hearing opened at 6:03 p.m. 
The Public Hearing closed at 6:03 p.m.

City Administrator Tom Ourada stated that there are 8 different findings that they would be going through, and each one would be voted on separately. 

(i) Ingress and egress to property and proposed structures thereon with particular reference to automotive and pedestrian safety and convenience, traffic flow and in case of fire or catastrophe;

(ii) Off-street parking and loading areas where required, with particular attention to the items in (2)(e)(i) above and the economic, noise, glare or odor effects of the special exception on adjoining properties and properties generally in the district;

(iii) Refuse and service areas, with particular reference to the items in (2)(e)(i) above;

(iv) Utilities, with reference to locations, availability and compatibility;

(v) Screening and buffering with reference to type, dimensions and character;

(vi) Sign, if any, and proposed exterior lighting with reference to glare, traffic safety, economic effect, and compatibility and harmony with properties in the district;

(vii) Required yards and other open space; and,

(viii) General compatibility with adjacent properties and other property in the district.

City Administrator Tom Ourada explained that this is a federal requirement. 

Council member Tom Crisman stated that there will be more information on the company's plans. 

Fire Chief Tod Allen stated that the Walter Scott Family Foundation is providing them with a $5,000 donation so that the Crete Volunteer Fire Department can give back to the community. Allen stated that the fire department is going to be giving $2,000 to Crete Cares, $1,000 for hygiene stockings, $1,000 for coats and warm weather gear that will be coordinated with the schools, and $1,000 for Operation Under a Tree. 
Allen explained that the reason they came to the department with this donation is because they are 90% volunteer fire department and they have too big of a population to get the Jack Lewis Safety Fund. 

• Cindy Wanek addressed the City Council with a question about parking restriction on 9^th and 10^th Street and Forest Ave. Wanek stated that she would like to know how to initiate a request for the consideration of changing the parking restrictions on that street. City Administrator Tom Ourada stated they would look at it and then send it to the Public Works committee. Wanek stated she would prepare something in writing and get that to Ourada.

• Chief of Police Gary Young stated that Code Enforcement Officer Hermes Trujillo has hit the ground running in the month that he has been here. He is working on parking issues, making sure there are hard surfaces rather than grass, and he is doing a great job. The Police Department officers have been busy with investigations.
• Fire Chief Tod Allen stated the following:

• The fire department is down to 30 members. They will be bringing a bylaw change in front of the City Council sometime in the beginning of the year to allow non EMT firefighters. City Administrator Tom Ourada asked if other departments are looking at this. Allen stated that yes and they are looking at limiting the number and starting with 5. They are a rescue department and can’t be taken over by non-EMTs. They have had very good firefighters but they haven’t been able to pass the EMT National Registry test.

• Parks and Recreation Director Liz Cody stated the following:

• Camp grounds are closed for the season. All of the building facilities have been winterized.
• Continuing with parks facilities inspections.
• Martial arts program has started and is the last recreation program for the year.

• Building Inspector Trent Griffin went through and explained the permitted logs. Griffin explained that the year totals for fiscal year 2024-2025 they had a total of 362 permits and of those 21 new single-family homes and 12 units between two buildings an eight plex and a fourplex. There might be more housing being built in the next couple months.
• Council member Tom Crisman asked if the food truck letter have been mailed out and City Administrator Tom Ourada stated they have been mailed. Ourada explained that there was discussion with the owner of the food truck on Hawthorne Ave and they have a plan with them moving forward.
• City Administrator Tom Ourada explained the following:

• that he spoke to Mayor Bauer about a part time position to assist the Community Assistance Office and he agreed to that. It is a part time position with no benefits and it will be structured three days a week or five afternoons a week. They went through the interview process and Ourada stated they have a really good candidate that will fit well in the City and perhaps they can utilize this person in other areas as well.
• Had a teleconference with Burlington Northern and their management company and Council member Strehle was there. They are putting together a scope of services study and they think that up to preliminary engineering will be about $3 million. Then when preliminary engineering and final engineering start that will be much more and the project could approach $50 million. Burlington Northern is pushing forward with grants and they are going to be writing the grants. The main street tracks are the primary topic of conversation and quiet zone would be a part of that and possible closure of one crossing. However, that has been a little less prominent than previous conversations.  Strehle added that one of the grants they are looking at has $5 billion of funding available.
• Received the solid waste agreement late and it went to the Public Works committee to have time to review and it will be on the next City Council agenda.

The meeting adjourned at 6:45 p.m.