Creg Pike resigns from Kimball City Council

KIMBALL -- City Council President Creg Pike has resigned after five years on the council. 

His resignation was effective Sept. 17, and he has since moved out of Kimball back to his hometown Salt Lake City. 

Pike first moved to Kimball in 2010, applied to be on the council in 2020 and became Council President a couple years ago, and was re-elected last year. 

Pike decided to move back to Utah where a majority of his family still lives, and due to health issues over the past few years, it became easier for him to live in a larger area rather than a rural, small town.

“I met a lot of good people and developed a lot of good friends, and that won’t change,” Pike said. “I’m still committed out there; I fell in love with the town and the people. It became my home, and I will miss it.” 

Pike said the biggest hurdle he saw in his time on the council was addressing Kimball’s infrastructure. 

“The whole city has grown in professionalism, in what they manage to take on; our biggest issue in the city is infrastructure. It’s as old as I am,” Pike said. “It’s a tough thing, you’re trying to balance priorities, and we want better infrastructure, but we have to pay for it, and we’ve managed to do some amazing things with Annette’s team going after grants and federal funding ... they have done a phenomenal job.”

Pike mentioned a couple of things he would love to see move forward in the city – a recreational center and a collaboration with the UNL College of Architecture to complete updates throughout town. 

Last year, Kimball students presented the idea of a recreational center in Kimball, which led to the creation of a committee dedicated to exploring the possibility. 

The city was also approached by a professor at UNL about assisting with potential projects around town; however, the project went stagnant due to the cost. 

Pike suggested bringing back the architecture class to discuss a more feasible plan with a much lower financial base. 

“Those are the types of things we need in Kimball, and I know it's hard because we don’t have the money, but it doesn’t mean we can’t start going after grants and donations,” Pike said. 

Applications for the vacant seat are now open, during which time Mayor John Morrison will review the applications.  

The issue of filling the vacant seat will be on the agenda for the Oct. 21 meeting when Morrison will then submit the name of the person he wishes to appoint, and the council will then vote. 

Morrison said he has someone in mind for the seat, and they have already received one application.