Concerts during fair to benefit firefighters

By ADAM STEWART

Staff writer

Hillsboro Mayor Delores Dalke Tuesday said she was strongly opposed to allowing parking at the municipal airport for three concerts during the 2009 Marion County Fair.

Bucky Covington, T. Graham Brown, and Kebo Cyrus will perform in concerts July 29-31. The concerts will benefit Marion County Fire Chiefs’ Association, with money allocated for a future training center, Hillsboro Fire Chief Ben Stekettee said.

Organizers hope the concerts will draw an extra 8,500 visitors to the fair, and one parking solution that was considered was parking at Hillsboro Municipal Airport.

After all the money the city spent to renovate the airport, it would be reckless to allow people to park at the airport, Dalke said.

Personnel matters discussed

Jay Klassen spoke with the council about his dismissal as a part-time mower operator.

City Administrator Larry Paine had informed him there was a complaint about his treatment of his equipment from a Hillsboro resident.

Klassen said the areas he mowed carried an inherent risk of damage to mower blades because of hazards. He said he believed the complaint was because the resident disliked him.

Council met with Paine in closed session for 10 minutes to discuss the matter. On return to open session, Dalke said the council didn’t want to go over Paine’s head on personnel issues.

Councilman Byron McCarty suggested Klassen meet with Paine and the resident. Klassen said he would try to do that.

In other business:

• McCarty said he would like to have another discussion of the city’s participation in a class action lawsuit over atrazine in the city’s water system with a neutral observer. McCarty said it was important because there is a new council member, Kevin Suderman. McCarty originally voted against joining the lawsuit.
• Diane Claassen spoke with council about the city’s 125h anniversary. Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce is asking residents to pledge volunteer work as “birthday gifts” to Hillsboro. Pledge sheets are available at Quilts and Quilt Racks, downtown Hillsboro.
• A lease purchase agreement for a sewer cleaning truck was approved. Marion National Bank offered a three-year agreement at 4.255 percent interest, which was accepted. The bank also offered a four-year, 4.455 percent plan. Baystone Financial proposed three- and four-year plans at 6.99 percent interest. Central National Bank, Hillsboro State Bank, Emprise Bank, and Bank of the West declined to bid. The principal on the truck is $34,000, and the interest will be $1,815.
• The city annexed property it purchased for a right-of-way regarding sewer plant work.
• Hillsboro received a grant of $84,000 to replace the Schaeffler House’s slate roof.
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans to spend about $6 million on Marion Reservoir, updating facilities and studying sedimentation.