Frequently Asked Questions

Applications for Service can be made online at Start or Stop Service | Fremont, NE - Official Website (fremontne.gov) or in person at 400 East Military Avenue.  Our office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  Customers must be 19 years of age and present a valid, government issued, photo ID. 

You will need to complete a Termination Request Form for your current address and an Application for Service for your new address.  Both forms can be found online at Start or Stop Service | Fremont, NE - Official Website (fremontne.gov) or can be completed in person at 400 East Military Avenue, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Check out our Energy Conservation & Safety page for helpful tips on how to conserve energy and save money on your utilities. 

You will need a deposit if you are a new customer or if you are a previous customer that was sent to the Credit Bureau for collection of an old bill. If you are a new customer your deposit will be $200.00. If you had an old account referred to the Credit Bureau, you will need to pay the old amount due plus the deposit of twice the highest bill at your new address.

Budget Billing is a payment plan that allows you to pay the same amount every month. You must have lived at the address long enough to have twelve monthly bills. We take the amount of your 12 bills and divide by 11. This is the amount you will pay each month. Sign-up is open once per year during the month of April. To sign up for Budget Billing, return the completed Budget Billing Form to the Customer Service Department located at 400 East Military Avenue during the month of April or give us a call at 402-727-2600. 

Yes, we accept all major credit cards online through our online payment portal and over the counter at 400 East Military Avenue. 

The amount of your sewer bill is based on an average of your water usage during December, January and February. Each year your average is refigured and the new amount is applied to your April bill.

There are two ways to sign up for automatic payment. The first option is to fill out an Automatic Bank Payment form (downloadable from our site) and return it to us along with a voided check. The second option is to sign up on-line through our online bill payment service. 

We have a Landowner’s Agreement form which authorizes us to do this for you. In addition, if you would like to be notified when that happens, we can send you a certified letter for a nominal fee. Return the completed Landowner Agreement Form to us at 400 East Military Avenue to sign up. 

No, the Fremont Department of Utilities does not winterize properties.  If the power is disconnected through the customer's request or as a result of non-payment, the water remains the responsibility of the customer.  A plumber will need to be contacted in order to have the water shut-off to a property. 

Register your account at our online payment portal to obtain a copy of your current and past bills at no charge.  You may also request printed copies via the Customer Service Department by calling 402-727-2600.  A small fee applies when copies are provided through the Customer Service Department.  

Yes, the utilities need to be located before you start digging. You can call the Digger's Hotline by dialing 811 from your cell phone or 800-331-5666 from a landline phone.  You can also email them ne@occinc.com. The underground utilities will be located at no charge when you call the Digger's Hotline.  The underground lines will be marked with paint or flags. Red = Electric Lines; Yellow = Gas Lines; Blue = Water Lines; Green = Sewer Lines.

402.727.2657

The cost varies depending on the type of project, but it is not prohibitive.

Yes. If you are transported or assisted by the rescue squad there will be a charge. Insurance will sometimes pay part of the charges for this service. The city contracts with EMS Billing Services to bill and collect fees for the use of the rescue squad. See the link to squad fees for a current rate schedule.

Picnic shelters at Clemmons, Barnard, John C. Fremont, Johnson, Ronin, Miller and Davenport are available to be reserved daily. The cost is $25 for the day. Call 727-2634 or reserve online at https://www.activityreg.com/ClientPage_t1.wcs?clientid=FREMONT&siteid=1.

Please allow 3 working days for completion of the FPD MV Accident Report. At that time it is available at Records on the 2nd floor of the police department. There is a $5.00 charge for reports that are picked up and a $6.00 charge for reports that are mailed or faxed. 

Fremont Police Department performs fingerprinting on Tuesdays by appointment only.  Please call 402-727-2664, extension 254, to schedule your appointment. 

There is a $15.00 fee for the service.  The fee is to be paid on the 2nd floor - Records Department - at the time of fingerprinting.

Currently we accept credit card, cash or check, made payable to: City of Fremont. Payment must be received prior to release of reports/services.

To prevent freeze-ups: Keep furnace at its normal setting - Have someone briefly run all faucets daily to reduce the risk of frozen pipes - Turn off your water at the meter. If a pipe does freeze, only a minimal amount of damage will occur - Drain all pipes, toilets and water lines to be completely safe - Shut water off at the stop box.

If you are buying a house, check with the seller or your Realtor about the existing water service or private line. When was it installed? Have there been repairs? When the service is very old and made of a material that can corrode, the water service line may be deteriorated. If the water service line leaks, you are responsible for the repairs. Also, check that the required backflow devices are in place for boiler type furnaces, lawn sprinkler systems and on outside faucets. Devices on boilers require annual testing, lawn sprinklers require testing every 5 years. And the devices on faucets are non-testable. Please call the Water Department at 402-727-2613 to make sure that the test on these devices are up to date.

All sales of prepared food and beverage as defined in Ordinance 5604.

October 1, 2015, revised in July 1, 2016 with a new rate effective April 1, 2022.

1.75% of the gross receipt. Effective July 1, 2016, the rate is 1.25%. Effective April 1, 2022, the rate is 1.00%.

Information can be accessed on our website at http://www.fremontne.gov/DocumentCenter/View/798 which has the tax return forms and the ordinance that enacted the occupation tax. If you have other questions you can collect Jennifer Nabb at Jennifer.Nabb@fremontne.gov or 402-727-2626.

• Text-to-9-1-1 is not available everywhere and is not always available when roaming.
• Text-to-911 was made available in Dodge County Nebraska June 1, 2017
• You must subscribe to your wireless carrier’s text or data plan in order to make or receive text messages.
• If Text-to-9-1-1 is not available in your area, or is temporarily unavailable, you should receive a message indicating that Text-to-9-1-1 is not available and to contact 9-1-1 by other means.

• Text-to-9-1-1 is intended primarily for use in three emergency scenarios:
  • For an individual who is deaf, hard-of-hearing, or has a speech disability.
  • For someone who is in a situation where it is not safe to place a voice call to 9-1-1.
  • A medical emergency that renders the person incapable of speech.
• ONLY text 9-1-1 in an emergency. Prank-texters can be identified and possibly prosecuted according to local laws/regulations.

• Enter the numbers “911” in the “To” or “Recipient” field;
• The first text to 9-1-1 should be short, include the location of the emergency, and ask for police, fire or ambulance.
• Push the “Send” button.
• Answer questions and follow instructions from the 9-1-1 call taker.
• Text in simple words –no abbreviations or slang.
• Keep text messages short.

• Standard text messaging rates apply.

• The preferred language for texting to 9-1-1 is English.
• Translation services are not available in Dodge County at this time.

• A 9-1-1 call center should respond to the text.
• If Text-to-9-1-1 is not available, you should receive a message from the wireless carrier stating that Text-to-9-1-1 is not available and that you must place a voice or relay call to 9-1-1.

• As with all text messages, Texts-to-9-1-1 may take longer to receive and respond to than a voice call, does not provide the location of the texter and could be received out of order, or may not be received at all.
• Text GPS location information is not equal to current wireless location technology.
• Voice calls are real-time communication and Text-to-9-1-1 is not.
• Pictures or videos cannot be received by 9-1-1 at this time. If you include anyone else on your Text-to-9-1-1 it may not be received by 9-1-1.
• At this time translation services for Text-to-9-1-1 are not available; please text in English only.

Yes, the utilities need to be located before you start digging. You can call the Digger's Hotline by dialing 811 from your cell phone or 800-331-5666 from a landline phone.  You can also email them ne@occinc.com. The underground utilities will be located at no charge when you call the Digger's Hotline. The underground lines will be marked with paint or flags. Red = Electric Lines; Yellow = Gas Lines; Blue = Water Lines; Green = Sewer Lines.

FTP is a door-to-door service and drivers are trained to assist riders from the door to the van and inside the van. Drivers are not permitted to enter homes or destinations.

For the safety of our drivers and rides, drivers cannot give change or sell ride passes and do not have access to cash. Riders can place fares into the locked fare box.

Ride passes can be purchased at the office: 400 E Military Ave, 2nd floor. Ride passes come in an amounts. Ride passes are digital, and fare will be deducted off pass after ride has been completed.

Contact the FTP office as soon as possible at 402-459-2845. Failure to do so may result in a "no show." After 3 no shows, riders may be cancelled from the program.

FTP is available for all ages. Children ages 15 and under must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Passengers must comply with National Highway Traffic Safety Administration policies including safety seats. The FTP does not provide car safety seats or booster seats. The parent or guardian is responsible for providing, securing and removing safety and/or booster seats into the van. 

The Fremont Transit Program Passenger Handbook and rules apply to all riders of all ages.

A personal attendant will be permitted to ride with a passenger at no cost if any of the following conditions are present: immobility, disorientation, non-comprehension, communication impairment

A  personal attendant will also be permitted if assistance is needed with:

• Getting the passenger from door to the vehicle and back 
• Opening doors
• Pushing wheelchair to and from the vehicle 
• Transferring from mobility device to a seat 
• Carrying large number of and/or heavy packages 
• Communicating with the driver if passenger is unable

Any other person riding with a passenger (including parents/guardians of minors) will be considered a guest and will be required to pay full fare.

Fremont Transit Program offers rides with the city limits of Fremont and includes a 2-mile radius outside of city limits.

Our coverage area map can be found on the Fremont Transit Program webpage but we encourage you to call our team at 402-459-2845. They will be able to answer this question.

Currently our transit software does not have online purchasing capabilities. This is something we are working toward, stay tuned for more information.

You can pay cash (FTP has an exact change policy) at the time of your ride or purchase a ride pass at our office: 400 E Military Ave, 2nd floor.

The entire project as applied for must follow Davis Bacon ACT (DBA) wages. If there is a significant project activity an applicant does not want DBA to apply to, it should not be included in the application. For instance, if an applicants applies for having windows, signage, and siding work done, and the project costs $75,000, they may consider leaving the windows out, as DBA has a special wage requirement for glaziers that will bring up the cost of the project.

Yes. The latest wage determination sheet (as of the date of these FAQs 7/30/2024) is now available on the Downtown Facade Improvements page. 

Please note, the DOL will update this several times a year, and NENEDD will be sending out the newest rates to the contractors when they are in the process of clearing them to work. Generally, there is no change in rates at all, but there is the possibility. Any changes are not likely to be significant, and the rates available on the city's website should be a very good indicator of what contractors should expect. 

Also available on the Downtown Facade Improvements page:

• Example of glazier wage - Any contractors who are considered glaziers or painters will have to request a wage classification, as Nebraska does not include these professions. If an applicant knows they will be doing windows or hiring a painter, they need to expect that the labor will be significantly higher than what their contractor may normally pay.
• The DBA contractor’s handbook and the addendum

Property owners can apply for as many awards as they like, but the scoring committee is responsible for making the determination as to which projects are funded. The scoring committee could choose to ask the applicant which project is a priority and let them know how many projects will be considered during the first round. If there is money left over after the first round of applicants, a second round may open up when the first round projects are nearing completion.

This could be decided at the local level. In this case, the Design Review Committee would decide on they would want the issue addressed. This decision would be considered precedent for similar situations.

At this time, (7/31/2024) the Design Review Committee has not yet met. 

The September 1 application deadline allows time for: 

• NENEDD to review the applications
• Follow up with applicants on any missing information
• State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) review (if applicable)
• Applications to be reviewed and scored by the Design Review Committee
• Applications to be presented to City Council
• NENEDD to draft/mail  "Notice to Proceed" letters 

It is estimated that applications will not be considered by City Council until roughly February. Notice of Proceed letters will be mailed out shortly thereafter and should allow enough seasonably appropriate weather to complete projects. 

The timeline is determined by the City of Fremont. The City will work with applicants experiencing reasonable time delays and does anticipate being flexible with this timeline. 

Yes, it should state 75%. 

NENEDD has reached out to the Nebraska Department of Economic Development to see if this can be modified.

Yes, this is a typo and should read 75%. 

We are allowed to revise the application and this correction has been made and the updated form included on the website.

For example, is "red brick" sufficient or does a specific color and manufacturer need to be listed?

The more information the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) has on materials, the quicker they are generally able to review a project.

NENEDD suggests applicants attach: 

• The entire bid
• Rendering(s)
• List of materials (applicants can request the contract supply this) 

The intent of the DTR program is to improve building facades. 

Unless the skylight is extremely visible from the front of the building, the Design Review Committee will not approve it. 

In addition, the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) would likely have concerns about changing the façade of the building with a skylight.

That is not allowed, unless the building is located in such a way that the side of the building is not blocked by another building and is facing a street that is covered by the DTR boundaries. Generally, that would be a corner building.

It is up to the building owner whether they want to apply for a DTR award or if they allow their tenants to do so. Each business could apply for funds, but any tenant business must have the approval of the building owner.

In a project meant to connect/streamline the look of multiple addresses, NENEDD suggests the owner apply for three DTR awards. 

Each business would need a separate application, address specific.

It depends on how long it takes to obtain a permit and how long the scoring committee anticipates taking to approve applications. 

If there is a cost associated with the permits, it may be wise for applicants to wait until they find out if they’ve been awarded.

The Nebraska Department of Economic Development has specifically said that planter boxes are not eligible projects. This includes brick planter boxes that are part of a building.

The SAM registration does not necessarily have to have the business owner’s address be the same as the business address. In situations where applicants are applying for funding for different businesses, each business will need to have a SAM registration. 

The Nebraska Department of Economic Development has provided the following graphic summary:

No, roofs are not covered under this program.

The City is committed to adding trees in locations around the city. Private homeowners or other groups may donate trees or funds for the purchase of trees (working with the Parks & Recreation Department), that will be planted in a location agreed upon by Parks & Recreation staff. At this time, no funding is available for tree replacement along any city Right-of-Way.

Yes, a permit is required before any tree on city Right-of-Way is removed. Permits can be obtained from the Parks and Recreation Department. A free permit is also required to plant any tree onto a city Right-of-Way. For questions on a permit to plant, prune, or to remove a tree in the Right of Way, please contact the Parks & Recreation Department at 402-727-2630.

A list of licensed and certified arborists can be found in our Permits Department, on the third floor of the Municipal Building (400 E Military Ave).

No. The City is not obligated to trim tree limbs growing over the property line.

Yes. You have the right to trim anything over your property. When trimming a neighbor's tree, even on your side of the property line, it is prudent to do so in a professional manner without causing harm to the tree or neighboring property. Additionally, it is polite to notify the neighbor that you are performing the work.

If you believe your neighbor's tree is dead call the Parks & Recreation Department for an inspection. A city arborist will inspect the tree and if needed, send the property owner a Notice of Violation giving them a prescribed amount of time to abate the nuisance. 

Yes. Homeowners are responsible for maintaining trees in the Right-of-Way. Per Fremont Municipal Code, it's every property owner's responsibility to maintain the ROW that abuts their property.