Patrick Brown, (City of Grand Island, Courtesy)
GRAND ISLAND – Grand Island’s City Council voted 9-0 Sept. 23 to approve the appointment of Patrick Brown as the new City Administrator.
City Council Member Doug Lanfear was absent from the meeting.
Prior to the vote, numerous City Council members expressed their support for choosing Brown.
Brown is currently Chief Financial Officer, Assistant City Administrator, and Acting Finance Director/City Treasurer.
Brown would replace Laura McAloon, whom Steele asked to resign. The City announced in a Sept. 10 Facebook post that “the City of Grand Island and City Administrator Laura McAloon had parted ways.”
Brown’s annual salary will be $254,000, and his start date is effective Sept. 23.
Brown has been with the city since 2018, when he joined as Finance Director/City Treasurer. He has served as Assistant City Administrator since 2023.
At the Sept. 23 meeting, Mayor Roger Steele said, “I have seen his work firsthand on a daily basis.” In the future, if Brown is not approved to be City Administrator, he can return to a position as Assistant City Administrator for a two-year period.
City Council Member Chuck Haase said that the City Administrator has to be able to work with professional people such as city employees and also political people such as City Council members.
“Pat Brown is the right person at the right time,” Haase said.
Former Mayor Jay Vavricek said, “I wish Mr. Brown much success.”
“I think it was wise that you created the Assistant City Administrator position,” Vavricek said.
City Council President Jack Sheard said that doing a national search for a City Administrator would not be a good decision. He said that no one would apply for the position because of the election of a Mayor being on the ballot in one year.
In the past, as a new Mayor is selected, a different City Administrator may be appointed by the Mayor.
“Pat is pretty awesome,” Sheard said. “He gets along with just about everyone.”
“The Mayor made the right decision,” Sheard said.
Sheard said that Brown will now be wearing four hats, referring to the four positions he will do.
“I hope he has enough time for each one of them,” Sheard said.
City Council Member Doug Brown said that Patrick Brown has proven leadership for the City of Grand Island.
City Council Member Jason Conley said that he was glad that Patrick Brown was being recommended to be the new City Administrator.
City Council Member Mike Paulick said that he “would like to thank the Mayor for picking Pat Brown.”
City Council Member Chuck Haase previously worked for the City and now serves on City Council. During that time, Haase said that there have been 21 City Administrators.
Mayor Roger Steele said that interviews are currently occurring for a City Finance Director.
City Council Member Ryan O’Neill said he supported Brown’s appointment, saying “I’ve worked with Pat a lot over the last year.”
City Council Member Mark Stelk said, “I, too, have a lot of respect for Pat.” He described Brown as a “top-notch person,” a team player, smart, and a good listener.
Two items were removed from the consent agenda: approval of a bid award for the Lead Service Line Inventory and approving a 2025-2026 contract with Grow Grand Island.
City Administration recommended that the City Council award the contract for the Lead Service Line Inventory to Lincoln Winwater Co. of Lincoln as the low responsive bidder, with a total purchase not to exceed $300,000.00. The City Council approved the recommendation by a 9-0 vote. In 2021, the federal government passed a law to fund the replacement of lead service lines.
According to a memo from Patrick Brown, the City of Grand Island has partnered with Grow Grand Island since 2016. Grow Grand Island’s current contract expires Sept. 30. Grow Grand Island requests and City of Grand Island staff recommend annual funding of $500,000 for four years, with automatic renewal of two years.
According to the Grow Grand Island website, its mission is “to cultivate bold ideas that generate business and quality of life opportunities in our region through planning, partnering, and doing.”
Former Mayor Jay Vavricek said he doubted whether many people would know what Grow Grand Island is.
City Council President Jack Sheard said that Grow Grand Island needs to “tout” its organization. Sheard said that Grow Grand Island has representatives from multiple groups, including City Council.
“Overall I’m a firm believer in Grow Grand Island,” Sheard said.
City Council Member Chuck Haase said he is a City Council representative on Grow Grand Island’s board.
Haase said he was “comfortable” with the way that Grow Grand Island has reported its work.
“This is the right contract and the right time,” Haase said.
The City Council voted 9-0 to approve the contract, which pays $500,000 per year for four years, with an automatic renewal of two years.
The City Council voted 9-0 to approve tax increment financing of $875,000 for a housing development in northwest Grand Island on property along Montana Avenue east of Independence Avenue. TMT Investments (Tom Middleton) is proposing the development, which is expected to be completed by 2027. The housing development is for nine duplexes. The project cost is $4.6 million.
In another matter, Prateria Ventures is proposing redevelopment of property at the southwest corner of Highway 281 and Old Potash Highway. Prateria Ventures is seeking $3,063,700 in tax increment financing. The new project costs are $22,520,968. Equitable Bank would have its corporate offices at the location and employ 40 people there. The project could not proceed without TIF financing. The City Council approved the redevelopment plan by an 8-0-1 vote, with City Council President Jack Sheard abstaining from the vote.
