On Tuesday evening, the city council unanimously approved a couple of things that have caused confusion due to the lack of information and clarity that was disseminated. I want to ensure everyone understands the what and the why behind these decisions.

Water Conservation Measures

1. WHAT – Beginning May 1, all ODD addresses can water their lawns on Tuesdays and Saturdays. All EVEN addresses can water their lawns on Wednesdays and Sundays. Watering between 10am – 4pm on those days is not permitted. *This is only for lawn irrigation and does not prohibit the filling of pools, washing of vehicles, watering of gardens, etc.*
   1. WHY – We are not in a water watch, warning, or emergency. This is a conservation measure that many other communities around us have adopted. We have had a handful of scientists and lawn experts present at meetings and repeatedly say it is typically unnecessary to water your lawn more than once per week.

• WHAT – Beginning May 1, all new sod and reseeding activities will require a permit. The permit can be purchased at city hall for $50.
  • WHY – This permit will allow the homeowner to have a sign (similar to a building permit) in their window that tells city staff and other citizens the home/business can water every day for 14 days to ensure the new root system has time to form. Communities that have water conversation measures have also implemented this type of resolution. *Watering between 10am – 4pm is still prohibited.*
  • WHY – There is a $50 fee for the permit (similar to a building permit). This fee will help the city offset administration, observation, and enforcement costs.

Engineering services for Programming and Preliminary Space Planning Design Study

The council unanimously approved an agreement with JEO Consulting to work on a Capital Planning and Programming Project.

1. WHAT – This study will give us initial cost estimates of new facilities for the city including a Municipal Building/City Hall, Rec Center, Public Works building, and a Fire & Rescue Building. This will allow the City to develop a plan for public facilities in the coming years and to also explore available sources of funding. We do have costs for a new fire station, but they are now outdated. This agreement will also update those costs.
   1. WHY – The city staff, equipment, and departments have all outgrown each building we are looking at updating. This is the first step of any or all of these projects. We cannot plan for the future unless we know the estimated cost of doing so. Funding sources have not yet been discussed because we do not have an estimated cost.

Additional Notes

1. You can get the most accurate information from the city’s website (www.citywaverly.com) and their only Facebook page – City of Waverly, Nebraska.
2. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to your elected officials. https://www.citywaverly.com/vnews/display.v/StaffDirectory
3. I will continue to post updates with clear communication to my website (www.abbeypascoe.com).
4. I will continue to not engage on social media. No productive or effective conversation begins on social media when we are discussing these types of things. You can find all my contact information at the above links.