City council reorganizing for a new year

The New Prague City Council held its annual reorganizational meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 3. At the beginning of each year the council makes it appointments. For 2017 the council:

• Appointed Scott Riggs of the law firm Kennedy & Graven, Inc., as city attorney. There was a slight increase in his hourly fee for general civil matters. In 2017 it will be $160 an hour, up $5 an hour from 2016. Riggs has been the city attorney for almost 14 years.

• The mayor and council members will serve on the following city boards and commissions - Amy Jirik on the Utility Commission and Park Board; Jenna Tuma on the Planning Commission and Golf Board; Shawn Ryan on the Joint Powers (made up of the city and school district) and the Economic Development Authority (EDA); Chuck Nickolay on the EDA and the Ambulance Advisory Committee; and Dave Bruzek on the Cedar Lake Sanitary District and New Prague Area Community Center Board.

• Bruzek was reappointed as the council’s Vice-President. He will be in charge of meetings when Mayor Nickolay is absent from a council meeting.

• Reappointed to their respective positions were City Administrator Mike Johnson; Police Chief Jim Gareis, who is also the Emergency Management Director; Planning Director Ken Ondich, Public Works Director Glen Sticha; Utilities General Manager Bruce Reimers and Finance Director Patty Solheid.

• Chosen as the official depositories were Roundbank of New Prague, State Bank of New Prague, US Bank of New Prague, Wells Fargo Bank N.A. of New Prague and Wells Fargo Advisors of New Prague.

• The New Prague Times was chosen as the city’s official newspaper.

• Chosen as consulting professionals were Chris Cavett of the engineering firm of Short Elliott Hendrickson (SEH), Inc., for City Engineer; Terri Heuton of Springsted, Inc., for City Financial Advisor; John Utley of Kennedy & Graven, Inc., for City Bond Counsel.

• Appointments for the New Prague Fire Department’s officers are Fire Chief Jeremy Tikalsky, First Assistant Chief Steve Rynda, Second Assistant Chief Curt Novotny, First Captain Phil Werner, Second Captain Greg Pint, Third Captain Brad Novak, First Lieutenant Brandon Busch and Second Lieutenant Mark Novak. Members of the volunteer fire department voted on and recommended these positions at its December meeting.