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HARTINGTON — Hartington City Council members Monday said they did everything they could to answer the State Auditor’s questions about the Skylon Ballroom project.
The state auditor released a report earlier this month outlining several concerns they had about how the project was done.
State Auditor Mike Foley said the report was prepared to highlight discrepancies between the original sales contract and the final product.
Hartington Mayor Mark Becker said he spent quite a bit of time with the auditor’s office explaining information about the project.
“There were some changes made in the project after the initial agreement was signed. That always happens when you renovate a building,” Becker said.
Becker said the changes still brought the project in under the $1.6 million price tag the council had originally projected for the facility.
Foley said he does not believe any of the questions his office raised should be considered criminal, but he feels taxpayers should be made aware of the state’s concerns.
Becker said he tried to explain all questions the Auditor had on the project.
“I went through it line by line with them, but it didn’t seem to matter,” Becker said.
Since the report came out, dozens of annoymous Facebook posts have popped up criticizing the city for taking on the project in the first place.
Becker said he is frustrated people are not seeing the big picture — the benefits the community is getting because of the project.
He noted 19 weddings and about “half a dozen other events have already been booked there over the next 18 months.”
“The number of people this brings to town is substantial,” he said. “It’s amazing how many Hartington businesses benefit from having this facility in town.”
In other action Monday, the council accepted the resignations of EMS squad members Eric and Alicia Kloster.
Eric Kloster, who works as a Nebraska State Highway Patrolman, said he accepted a job promotion that will take up a lot more of his time and will no longer be able to go out on ambulance calls.
The council also approved a $10,200 contract with X-Pert Lawn and Landscaping for mowing and lawn maintenance at the Hartington Community Conplex. This is the same amount as last year’s contract with X-Pert Lawn.
A similar contract was also signed with Miller Heine and Parker Leise for lawns maintenance including mowing and trimming at the city cemetery. That agreement runs from May 1 through Oct. 1. The city agreed to pay $2,000 a month for these services.
Also Monday City Clerk Casey Schulte told the Board the city’s new agreement with Black Hills Energy locks in the city’s natural gas rate at 76.8 cents per therm, which is reduction from last year’s rate of 81 therms.
While that expense appears to be declining, another city expense is on the rise. Schulte told the council the city’s health insurance rates went up 15 percent compared to last year.
Schulte also told council members that after attending some recent seminars for city clerks, she now recommends using liability releases for people that use the city facilities. City Attorney Nikki Brandt said she agrees with the idea, and has looked over and approves of some sample forms Schulte presented.
