Mayor unveils public-private plan for Skylon
HARTINGTON — The city of Hartington has come up with a new plan to ensure Hartington has a community center.
In a Cedar County News interview this week and a Letter to the Editor inside this week's newspaper, Hartington Mayor Mark Becker outlined the city's plans for a private- public partnership to move and revitalize the Skylon Ballroom so it can be better utilized as a community center.
Becker said current Skylon owner, Roger Wortmann, has agreed to move the facility at his own expense to a plot of land west of Bomgaars in the new industrial park. That land will be donated to the city by Hartington Economic Development.
The city will then purchase the facility over a seven-year period.
'It took the generosity of a few folks to make this happen,' Becker said. 'Thank you Bill Yates for allowing Plumbing & Electric to purchase some land in exchange for the possibility of preserving a new and improved Skylon in a new location. Thank you Roger Wortmann for funding the moving and renovation of the new Skylon event center.'
Under this plan, Becker said the city will not have to ask local residents to approve a property tax increase.
'We will be able to make lease and principle payments to Roger over the next seven years and all those payments will be applied to the note to eventually pay off the purchase and we won’t need a bond to do so,' he said.
Becker said he is grateful that Wortmann was so willing to help the city out with this project.
'I commend Roger for putting so much money out there for this,' he said. 'He didn't want to see it torn down.'
Many people interested in donating to the project have already reached out to the city, Becker said.
Becker said the city will soon have additional funds in which to pay for the Skylon and its renovation.
The bond voters approved almost 20 years ago for the community athletic complex, will be paid off in the next 18 months.
The bond payments have been approximately $150,000 per year. Two payments of $50,000 each remain with the final payment slated for December, 2025.
'We will be shifting those tax dollars to make a lease payment for the Skylon Event Center for the first year,' the letter said. 'Those payments will be credited to the loan for the eventual purchase of the Skylon the following year. We will pay off the loan from Roger Wortmann in year seven, borrow the remaining $300,000 to be paid off in the next two years. The City of Hartington will be able to purchase the Skylon in nine years instead of 20 and not need a bond with a tax levy.'
This plan is much more economical than both the one voters rejected in May, and building a new facility, Becker said.
'We looked very closely at the possibility of building a new event center. Our projections would be in the $4 million range,' the letter said.
It is hoped, Becker said, the new event center could be operational by late fall or early winter of 2025.
Becker said he is anticipating another Town Hall meeting sometime in September to further explain the project more to local residents.
See the Letter to the Editor on Page 4 of this week's Cedaer County News
Get the E edition here
https://publisher.etype.services/Cedar-County%20News