Local residents will vote on Skylon's future

HARTINGTON — The Hartington City Council voted Monday to place two bond issues on the May 14 primary election ballot.

Hartington City Clerk Brittni Benscoter told Council members the Cedar County Clerk's Office certified that at least 10 percent of the electorate signed petitions asking for the issues to be on the ballot.

Benscoter said County Clerk Jessica Schmit verified that 112 of the 116 signatures asking for a vote to bond $1.3 million to move and refurbish the Skylon Ballroom were legitimate Hartington registered voters. State law required only 94 signatures, or 10 percent of the number of people casting ballots here in the last general election.

The petition asking voters to bond $1.6 million for a new city maintenance building garnered even more support. Schmit said 122 of the 128 signatures of support for that project were deemed as eligible Hartington voters.

Hartington Mayor Mark Becker said he was pleased with the attendance and participation at the recent town hall meeting to explain the two proposals.

In talking with folks, it appears most are in agreement that a new city shop is needed, he said. Conversations with people have also led him to believe local residents see the need for a community center. If the Skylon bond issue fails, he said, something will still need to be done.

Also Monday, the Council updated some city zoning ordinances to better allow for childcare facilities in the city.

Economic Development Coordinator Miranda Becker said the move will make it easier to bring in much-needed childcare facilities. The action was prompted by Holy Trinity's desire to start a daycare facility in the Congregational Church basement. The Hartington-Newcastle preschool is currently using the site until construction of the new addition is complete at the HNS Elementary School.

Also Monday, Becker told Council members the city is requesting the Nebraska Department of Transportation allow for a reduced speed limit on Highway 84 west of Hartington.

Several businesses have opened along the highway in the past several years, and more are planned as a new business park is currently being developed along the busy two-lane road.

Becker would like to see the speed limit reduced, starting at the recently expanded western edge of the Hartington city limits. Earlier in February, the city voted to annex land, expanding the city limits on the north side of Highway 84 all the way out to the western edge of Pomp's Tire Service.

It only makes sense that the speed limit there is reduced from 65 miles per hour down to 35 miles per hour, Becker said.

Councilman Roman Sudbeck agreed.

'That whole stretch through there should be 35 (miles per hour). Cars come through there awfully fast,' he said.

Becker said the city is also considering asking the state Department of Transportation for permission to put in a speed radar sign in that area. The city would have to pay for the sign, but state permission is needed first.

In other action, the Council also approved a building permit Monday for Lisa Dendinger for a 60-by-150-foot storage building on pasture ground she owns just north of Central Valley Ag along Highway 57.

A building permit for a storage shed on property Dendinger owns on Hoese Street was also approved.

The Council also approved a special liquor license for Cedar Catholic High School for its March Gala.

The Council approved using LB840 funds designated for economic development to pay Detlefsen Construction of Laurel $39,767 for work it has completed at the new business park.