City, Schools eye Complex fees

HARTINGTON — Hartington City Council members are considering a new agreement with Hartington Public School and Cedar Catholic High School for the use of the Hartington Community Complex.
On Monday evening Council members directed City Attorney Steve Pier to send a letter notifying the schools of their intent.
“Our intent is to work out a favorable agreement between the city and the schools,” said Councilman Ed Bottolfsen.

If the schools are not notified by Feb. 1 the agreement with the schools would stay the same for the next yearly contract period.
Each of the schools currently pays $6,000 per year to use the Complex for sports activities.
“The agreement states the athletic event has to be one that is sanctioned by the Nebraska School Activities Association,” said Mayor Bill Yates.
In other action Monday, Pier told the Council he has been working with Alltel and JEO Consulting on a proposed agreement which would allow the placement of a cellular antenna on the city water tower.
A representative from Alltel will meet with the Council in February.
Dan Kathol reported the success he has had with securing two school directional signs through the Nebraska Department of Roads.
“The State will pay and place the signs on Highway 57 to direct traffic to both of the high schools,” said Kathol. “The State did not approve placement of signs on Highway 84; those will have to be placed on private property.”
Council members decided to wait until the state places the signs along Highway 57 and then purchase two similar signs which would direct traffic off of Highway 84 to the schools. An addition sign will be purchased to give direction to the Monsignor Werner Activity Center parking lot.
“The signs are fairly inexpensive,” said Bottolfsen.
As part of the Spruce-up Campaign Kathol recommended the City have a two week period, which would start around April 21, for a community wide clean-up in preparation for the Q-125 Celebration.
“The hours at the recycling center could be extended during that period,” said Kathol.
“The City will work with you on that,” said Yates.
Council members approved a purchase request for the ambulance squad to purchase two new bag phones at the cost of $379 for each phone, plus $60 for a tote and attachment.
“The old bag phones they now have are obsolete,” said Councilman Gerald Thoene.

The Council also approved the purchase of radios, pagers and a defibrillator for the Hartington Fire District.
The City and the Fire District together will only pay approximately five percent, which is $2,294, of the total cost. The remaining funds are coming from a Federal Emergency Management grant which is a regional grant for the county.
The Mayor and Council members discussed the One and Six Year Street Plan for 2008.

Yates gave a short report on a meeting he attended concerning the capacity limitations on interstate natural gas pipe lines.
Yates will be attending a Mid-winter Conference in Lincoln which is sponsored by the League of Municipalities on Feb. 25 and 26.
The next City Council meeting will be on  Feb. 27, which is a Wednesday instead of the usual Monday evening.