Peru City Council Addresses Recall, Water Billing, Infrastructure

An ongoing recall effort, concerns over water billing and continued infrastructure challenges dominated Tuesday’s Peru City Council meeting.
Recall resolution
A resolution to place a recall election for City Council President Theresa Westfall on the May 12 primary ballot was pulled from the consent agenda, prompting discussion about the ongoing effort. As noted in last week’s issue, the recall petition was certified after the required signatures were gathered and verified by the Nemaha County clerk.
Councilman Brent Brown called the recall “unfounded.”
“Theresa works hard for the city of Peru, and I don’t think it’s fair to have something this important approved via the consent agenda. I don’t know if we have the option to not accept it,” he said.
City Attorney Morgan Homolka said Nebraska law requires the vote to be certified and placed on the ballot once signatures are verified. The statutes governing recall petitions are Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 32-1301 to 32-1309.
“The only real question for the council is when. If the council doesn’t act, the county attorney will take legal steps,” Homolka said.
The resolution passed unanimously to place the recall on the ballot. 
Water billing concerns draw council attention
In October, the city clerk identified a discrepancy between what Peru billed for water and sewer services and what it owed the Auburn Board of Public Works.
After reviewing potential causes, including pipe leaks, the finance committee conducted a full audit last month. The review uncovered a long-term billing error affecting Peru State College, particularly the main campus and Centennial Residence Hall Complex. Meter readings had not been calculated correctly, resulting in nearly 50 million gallons of unbilled water dating back to 2021 — about $480,000 in water charges and $500,000 in sewer charges.
Council members and the city attorney said they will investigate next steps and present a plan at a future meeting.
Separately, Plum Crazy Boutique requested and was granted a waiver for water and sewer service fees due to disruptions affecting its business over the past several weeks. The council also approved seeking bids from outside contractors to repair a city water line believed to be causing the disruptions after internal repair attempts were unsuccessful.
Land lease, technology upgrades and meeting schedule
The Parks and Recreation Commission hosted a well-attended Super Bowl fundraiser and silent auction in early February. The council approved accepting the funds into city accounts and will work with organizers to determine whether the proceeds will be split with a designated nonprofit, Hearts United for Animals.
The city clerk will work with Action Technology Services, the city’s current provider, to develop a proposal for upgrading servers and systems for city staff, offices and facilities.
The council voted to put a 51.5-acre tract east of town up for bid after the current lease expires this year.
Council members suspended the rules to adopt Resolution 2026-02, moving future meetings to the third Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. City Clerk Dennis Kirkpatrick and Mayor Katy Novak said the change will give staff and council members more time to review meeting packets and prepare.
The next Peru City Council meeting is scheduled for March 17 at 6 p.m. at Peru City Hall.