Summer Rec

HARTINGTON – The Hartington City Council provided some clarity to summer recreation options here at a special meeting Friday.

Baseball will take place in Hartington this summer, and the playground equipment at local parks will open soon. The future of the Hartington Public Swimming Pool is still up in the air, though, Mayor Mark Becker said.

The city approved a resolution Friday allowing the Hartington baseball programs to proceed.

City Attorney Steve Pier said the document was drafted along the guidelines laid out by the Governor’s office.

The resolution regarding the risk of exposure to COVID-19 through the use of municipal property for sports or group recreational activities was unanimously approved by Mayor Becker, and Council members Brad Peitz and Roman Sudbeck. Council members Cody Christensen and Chris Bartling were unable to attend the meeting.

Teams were allowed to begin practicing June 1.

Mayor Becker said the Council has decided the playground equipment can again be used once the park staff has gotten everything ready.

“We are working with our Park staff (to get the playground equipment open again). We want to make sure we have the necessary manpower and equipment in place. They are going to spray them twice a day. As soon as we are comfortable that we have the manpower and equipment, then we will unwrap everything and be ready to go,” Becker said.

Becker said the city still has to buy a sprayer, and find someone to work on the weekends in order to make sure the city has the equipment and staff in place.

Several guidelines must be followed in order for the summer baseball and softball teams to compete here.

Coaches must submit the names of all players, coaches and umpires to the city. All must also sign a waiver, releasing the city from health or injury liability.

The state mandate allowing for the resumption of sports also requires that the names of all visiting players and coaches be submitted to the city before any contest is played.

The state mandate on sports also specifies that no concession stands can be opened at the events and that bleachers will be off limits, so fans must use their own chairs for seating. There are also limits on using the dugouts.

American Legion baseball manager Don Whitmire told Council members at their regular meeting last week that this season can still be a successful one, but it will require a lot of volunteers.

”If we want to have baseball, we are going to have to have everybody step up to help, parents, community members, everybody,” Whitmire said. “If parents want this to happen, they are going to have to step up.”

On Monday, Whitmire said a mandatory parent/player meeting will be held at Felber Field on Wednesday, at 6:30 p.m., so releases can be handed out and signed and details of the shortened season can be explained.

At Friday’s special City Council meeting, Becker said a pool manager and lifeguards have been hired for the pool and it is being prepped for an opening.

He will meet with the Park Board and the pool staff this week to get feedback on opening the pool.

Councilman Chris Bartling said he would like to, “do something to get the pool open for the season. The kids need that.”

Councilman Roman Sudbeck agreed.

“It’s better for the community, and it’s better for the facility,” he said. “I think it would do more damage than good to let it sit for a year and not open it.”

Quite a few state regulations on the use of a public pool have also been put in place by the Governor.

Also at the May 26 regular meeting, the Council accepted the resignation of Assistant City Clerk Shelly Becker. Becker resigned to take a position with the Cedar County Transit Authority.

Economic Development Coordinator Miranda Becker has said she will help fill in when possible until an assistant clerk is hired. The Council also approved a building permit for Bill Thoene for a roof over his deck. John Freeman’s permit for more storage units at his industrial park facility was also approved. The Council also approved a dog kennel for Austin Becker.

Sudbeck told Board members new heating and cooling units have now been installed on top of the city auditorium.