[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6308056,"mediaKeyId","2425276-6c64eef08bb372d4535b6b8367f19dd4","parentId",2425276,"title","Agency board approves lobbying, maintenance, metering and personnel items","audioSeconds",329,"startMs",2921000,"endMs",3250000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2425276-6c64eef08bb372d4535b6b8367f19dd4&start=2921&end=3250","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2425276-6c64eef08bb372d4535b6b8367f19dd4/thumbnail_2921000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6308056/Sarpy-County/Nebraska/Agency-board-approves-lobbying-maintenance-metering-and-personnel-items","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6308056-07270e0e9660d37020b2d5cca099b9f1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771142256&Signature=ds1VEFNrUlFo1KfX-3S9mBTu1PteDcnA7MMAu-i34snCnTWXNQYnzHqMrOzZD9rSy3Lnue~cdc~6EMW1M7nC~EwKuNcZ-cSo072AbcGYeVv8VPKkhu5Zyeq5TrilHWX7OAe7fNELY2EA0ZXPnHkGbTHVhWt9SbXbBbEZsH1Vd6~2Hc4EI1EPUyKzzQH1ZEO8gHJHCpPaYpiVEL-z6IPe6LZmSBp5IJ3SlPoYgH0mR4LLdtYud1nCLbHxMNpaeTvEVG1m~-m7AHufs9jCpgTmpeTOO5TfWQh1wXK5tW-yK70a6D3Yhd2hm6h5ZEPL6b59B2DHTaPKnzyqn7Ggg8tE9w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Sarpy County, NE","date","2025-02-27T10:47:03Z","article","The Sarpy County and Cities Wastewater Agency on Feb. 26 approved multiple professional-service and administrative items, including continued lobbying services, a maintenance agreement with a contractor affiliate, a flow-metering services contract and a full-time agency secretary job description.

The board approved Resolution 2 to extend a professional services contract with Catalyst Public Affairs for one year at $3,000 per month. Dan Hoines and Tim Gay of Catalyst described the firm's role in soliciting funding for the agency; Hoines said Tim's work helped secure roughly $14.5 million in recent funding, including a $10 million Grama allocation and congressional earmarks. The motion carried 6-0.

The board approved Resolution 3 to authorize negotiation of a maintenance and operations agreement with InfraWise Solutions, a subsidiary of Hawkins Construction, to provide system operation and maintenance. Jeff Thompson, project engineer, told the board Hawkins was the primary constructor and that InfraWise can leverage Hawkins' familiarity with the system. Thompson said the one-year price discussed is approximately $184,000, a significant discount from earlier estimates. The motion carried 6-0.

Resolution 4 authorized the sale or auction of surplus construction materials that the agency pre-purchased for the project and that remain in storage at Springfield's wastewater plant. Thompson said prolonged exposure to UV light can degrade stored pipe and that auctioning the materials is preferable to paying disposal costs. The board approved the action 6-0.

Resolution 5 approved a one-year professional services agreement with RJN Group for flow-metering monitoring and data review. Thompson said the proposal is roughly $80,000, with about $20,000 budgeted for potential repair and maintenance of agency-owned meters; staff recommended starting with a one-year term and reassessing longer-term needs. The board voted 6-0 to approve the contract.

Finally, Resolution 6 approved a job description and salary range for a full-time agency secretary position. Hoines said the position had been cost-shared with Sarpy County under an existing agreement that expires April 30; the agency will propose making the position full time in the coming budget process, with a salary range set at approximately the 50th percentile of executive assistants among member cities. The motion carried 6-0.

Votes at a glance: Resolution 2 (Catalyst Public Affairs contract, $3,000/month) — approved 6-0. Resolution 3 (InfraWise maintenance agreement, ~ $184,000/yr negotiation authorization) — approved 6-0. Resolution 4 (sell surplus construction materials) — approved 6-0. Resolution 5 (RJN Group flow-metering services, ~$80,000/yr) — approved 6-0. Resolution 6 (agency secretary job description/full-time position) — approved 6-0.

Board members and staff said the contracts are intended to keep the agency's operations moving as construction completes and billing and metering responsibilities transition to agency systems.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Wastewater Agency - Feb 26 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Sarpy County and Cities Wastewater Agency approved six administrative and contract items including a lobbying contract, a maintenance agreement with a Hawkins subsidiary, sale of surplus materials, a flow-metering services contract, and creation of a full-time agency secretary position.","taxTitle","Sarpy County, Nebraska","taxId",3788,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6308062,"Sarpy County and Cities agency seeks WIFIA loan modification to fund next construction phases",451,1741000,2192000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2425276-6c64eef08bb372d4535b6b8367f19dd4&start=1741&end=2192","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2425276-6c64eef08bb372d4535b6b8367f19dd4/thumbnail_1741000.jpg","/articles/6308062/Sarpy-County/Nebraska/Sarpy-County-and-Cities-agency-seeks-WIFIA-loan-modification-to-fund-next-construction-phases","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6308062-264ca0fc3bd5a2a78eeaba41d57d1004/orig.mp4?Expires=1771142256&Signature=YYATGV0n584ccAFFMpzHsNVorRAoXD0EAOPE7bSS-gcCX0E7MdYJ3EXsriEhqFXotGdpqbDoQNkQEfq2Sp-GkXr6YhKWycSeRiaqqls8VlA3jPEE7EeMRG~Sb0IVXCmauOEZCWn~vIMxFNSa0NjdscBPTuvMFfpBDGcHXSZxdP1pig39V1eWVb77evNn4LfsLOe-0g8Quz6MFRkbftTm8xHlqSoi4HKXeBbmfYvFR7wKritXOyfb1VPt9Vcfw4oj~K18foJ78lLrOaAuhH6L-zjFpWL4rWMw0B3xbND9h7gfPD2Njjfcdinf2l0MiEvbEpdqw~dvs6rdscyeYfoZtg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Sarpy County and Cities Wastewater Agency on Feb. 26 approved a resolution asking federal WIFIA administrators to modify the agency's existing loan so it can cover design, permitting and easement acquisition for Phase 1B and Phase 2 of the regional sewer buildout.

The action, Resolution 1 (authorizing formal request to amend the Whitfield loan), authorizes staff to submit a formal written request to the WIFIA program and directs the agency to return with any modification terms for further board and county review. The motion passed on a recorded vote of 6-0.

The request matters because the board expects to draw substantially more WIFIA funds as Phase 1A completes. Agency administrator Dan Hoines told the board the agency has drawn roughly $16 million of the $45 million WIFIA allocation to date and expects about $19 million or more to be available when Phase 1A is substantially complete. Hoines said modifying WIFIA to include design, permitting and easement acquisition for the blue and green line segments would make much of the system shovel-ready and provide certainty to the development community.

Hoines said the agency has discussed the change with county officials and that the county requires a formal request from the agency before it will consider approving an amendment to the loan. He said the WIFIA review typically takes 45 to 60 days and staff hopes to have a modified loan to the board by its May meeting.

Board members asked about the county's role. One mayor asked whether requiring county approval effectively gives the county a veto; Hoines said the county acts as a backstop under the existing backstop agreement and therefore must approve modifications to either WIFIA or SRF loans. The transcript does not record that the county staff opposed the request.

The WIFIA amendment request was discussed alongside related fiscal items. Hoines reminded the board of a $1.2 million claims item to the City of Omaha for connection fees tied to an interlocal agreement executed in 2021; that payment is scheduled to be made as revenues are received and will be paid in two installments a year. Finance staff confirmed the agency accrued for the $1.2 million liability in the January financial dashboard.

Several mayors said the modification request advances long-running efforts to extend sewer trunk lines into developing areas such as Grama and Gretna and could accelerate development if Omaha temporarily accepts sewer flows while the agency builds out its own lines. Hoines said Omaha has been willing to accept some temporary flows and that the agency has a framework to make the agency whole for connection fees and rate differences.

The resolution directs staff to submit the formal WIFIA modification request and return with any negotiated changes for board and county approval. No contract awards or appropriation changes were approved as part of this motion; those would return to the board according to Hoines.

Votes at a glance: Resolution 1 — authorizing formal request to amend the Whitfield loan: motion to approve; voted 6-0; outcome: approved.

The board scheduled the next regular meeting for March 26; staff said any finalized loan modification would likely return for review at the May meeting should WIFIA proceed on the expected timeline.","The Sarpy County and Cities Wastewater Agency approved a resolution to request a WIFIA loan modification that would add Phase 1B and Phase 2 design, permitting and easement acquisition to the loan scope; board members discussed timing, county concurrence and connection-fee liabilities to Omaha.","actionData","errors"]

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Agency board approves lobbying, maintenance, metering and personnel items

Sarpy County and Cities agency seeks WIFIA loan modification to fund next construction phases