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Lincoln City Council
Lincoln considers four pet limit as Council reviews draft ordinance
[December 01, 2025]
The Lincoln City Council met
for its Committee of the Whole meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025,
beginning at 6:02 p.m. There was no public participation. The
meeting opened with the oath of office for new firefighter Brock
Casey, who repeated each portion of the formal appointment as City
Attorney John Hoblit administered the oath affirming his role with
the Lincoln Fire Department.
A request to permit Lincoln’s annual Christmas parade on December 4
was briefly reviewed and placed on the consent agenda without
objection. The council then moved to a discussion on repairing Squad
5100, the department’s 2016 Chevy 3500HD.
Fire Chief Ty Johnson explained that the vehicle had already
undergone approximately $10,000 worth of work, with an additional
$9,000 in unforeseen repairs identified once the engine was opened.
“There’s about $10,000 worth of work that’s already been done. There
is another unforeseen $9,000 worth of work to go,” Johnson said.
He noted the city may later be asked to consider selling the vehicle
due to its limited use, but repairing it first would significantly
preserve its value. Council members agreed to place the item on the
regular agenda.
Wastewater Project Manager Andrew Bowns presented a request to
replace three aging variable frequency drives (VFDs) and relocate a
newer unit at the blower building.
He said only two of the four VFDs remain operational, stating, “They
are installed in the hottest part of the building, [which] shortens
the lifespan.” The request, totaling $100,750, will appear on the
regular agenda.
City Treasurer Chuck Conzo then discussed renewal of a sewer O&M
certificate of deposit, recommending a seven-month renewal at a rate
of 3.59%. With no objections from council members, the item was set
to move forward for a formal vote.
Conzo also led the annual review of the city’s property tax levy,
recommending a 2.9% increase based on the consumer price index. “We
are significantly under where we should be and where we want to be,”
Conzo said, later adding that the increase “is not going to show
significant increase in anybody’s taxes, if any, and may show a
decrease.”
Mayor Welch agreed, noting rising
costs for operations and pensions and reminding the council that the
levy remained flat for three years prior to last year’s adjustment.
A public hearing will be held December 15.
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Hoblit provided an update
on revisions to the massage ordinance, explaining that
significant edit requests prompted him to table the item until
the next Committee of the Whole meeting, saying he “didn’t want
to rush into this and put something forth that… was not fully
vetted.”
Welch also shared several announcements, including a ribbon
cutting at Spirited Republic and a memo regarding recent
Economic Development Grant Commission approvals, which will be
added to the next agenda.
The council next reviewed updates to
the lease agreement with LEAD, with Hoblit clarifying that the
organization would be able to use unrented office space within the
city’s incubator facility. Discussion followed on utility access and
eventual lease agreements for individual incubator occupants. Welch
said he would work with Andrea Runge and Hoblit to develop those
documents.
Alderman Kevin Bateman introduced early draft language for changes
to the city’s multi-pet license ordinance, citing growing concerns
with animal hoarding. “We have an animal hoarding problem here in
town… people with more than two digits of animals,” he said.
The draft would set a limit of four cats or dogs total unless a
resident holds a state breeder permit. Bateman stated that no
existing pets would be forcibly removed but emphasized that
enforcement mechanisms need to be strengthened. Discussion continued
on how records are kept and how compliance would be monitored with
assistance from Animal Control.
Hoblit also noted that a long-awaited annexation for expansion of
the solar project south of Kickapoo is ready to proceed and will
appear on upcoming agendas. With no further announcements, the
council entered Executive Session at 6:36 p.m. with no further
business to follow.
[Sophia Larimore] |
