YODER – The Yoder Town Council met on Monday, June 10 at 7 p.m. Mayor Norm Fealger called the meeting to order at 7:10 p.m. Council members Josh Haffner and Amanda Fogle were present. Rod Weyrich, town maintenance supervisor, town attorney, Colby Sturgeon, and town clerk/treasurer Lillian Green were also present. Council member Bob Oaks and Yoder emergency management coordinator, Justin Burkhart, were absent.

A motion was made to approve the June agenda by Fogel and seconded by Haffner. The motion carried.

Fogle also motioned to approve the May meeting minutes which was seconded by Haffner. The May meeting minutes were approved. 

The council quickly moved on to the approval of the May bills. After a brief discussion about the community center cleaning deposit, the bills were then approved. 

Jenna Krul was then sworn into office while Haffner was given his oath for another term. 

The council then moved on to the public comment portion of the meeting where there was no public comment and the council moved on to new business.

For the first item under new business, Feagler turned the floor over to Sturgeon to entertain a discussion relating to the solar project impact statement and school crossing lights.

“Colby and I have been talking about that in conjunction with the solar panel farm,” Feagler explained. 

“I was able to chat with them about the issue, the industrial siting people, and basically what it is we’ve been awarded that amount of money. That is our economic impact that we will face once and if the project gets started,” Sturgeon explained. “Basically, we should get that money back when and if the project starts but that’s the big part when and if the Goshen Solar Project goes. Are we willing to essentially bet and say ‘Yeah, we’ll do this’ and maybe the project goes, and we’ll get paid back and maybe it doesn’t and we paid for signs by ourselves? That’s really the big issue. It’s kind of my understanding that there is a lot of debate and things going on with the whole solar project. I mean they have had a bunch of town halls in Torrington about it and I know it is a highly contested item,” Sturgeon continued. 

The mayor went on to explain the Yoder Volunteer Fire Department had gone above and beyond when it came to providing crosswalk surveillance for the young children who walked to school in the town of Yoder. 

Feagler continued to explain to the council about the crosswalks in Morrill, Mitchell, and Scottsbluff, Nebraska. 

“They have stoplights on the state highway going through Morrill,” Feagler explained. “I am sure in Scottsbluff you have noticed them as well as the crossing guard. So, the state and the school district formed a relationship to put up those stop lights and supply a crossing guard so is the state and the school district responsible for that or do we pursue it any further?” Feagler asked.

Sturgeon, again, expressed concern about the solar project’s scrutiny and the fear of the project failing. 

The council discussed fundraising opportunities and possible donors within the community who might be able to assist the town in offsetting the financial defect of the crossing signs to install the signs before school begins this fall. 

“I don’t want to be the one to have to let a parent know their child was injured getting run over by a semi, or a truck, or whatever, or killed by it,” Feagler said. 

The council agreed to table the motion and further discussion until the next meeting. 

The council moved on to the election date change first reading where Feagler explained Yoder, like a couple of other towns in the county, held their election on the wrong date. 

Fogle motioned to make a new town ordinance to comply with the state statute for election dates which was seconded by Haffner. The motion carried.

Under new business, the town then moved on to bank accounts where Elsie Gray was removed from the signature cards at the bank accounts and new council member Krul was added. 

Weyrich also mentioned Krul will need to be bonded prior to being added to the bank signature card.

Moving on to maintenance items, the council noted there was nothing to report.

Sturgeon spoke to the council on the contract to renew jail services for the town of Yoder. 

The council agreed to the services and a motion to renew the contract was carried. 

With the absence of Burkhart, the council tabled the grant update under old business on the agenda. 

Green said many of the residents in Yoder wanted to pay their accounts with credit/debit cards and the town did not have a way to process the payments.

Feagler mentioned if the town were to accept cards for payment, there would be fees for the town and Green explained to the council the different types of systems available for debit/credit processing. 

After a discussion, the council determined it was best to collect more information on the different systems available for the town to use to process bills electronically. 

During the administrative items, Green spoke to the council on the spring cleanup dates for the town (June 21-24). She also mentioned the town will be testing the emergency outdoor warning siren on June 12 at 11 p.m. The town office will be closed on July 4, according to Green.

The council then went into executive session and adjourned thereafter.