City council and HMB discuss budget concerns
Questions arise about HMB office
Representatives of various Hillsboro Management Board entities attended Hillsboro City Council meeting Tuesday afternoon to express concerns about the city budget.
Mike Kleiber, representing Hillsboro Development Corporation, asked the city to reconsider taking money out of HDC's budget.
"Over the years we have had a good relationship with the city and we definitely want to continue that," said Kleiber. "We understand you have taken some dollars out of HDC's budget and we would like to see if the city would reconsider."
According to Kleiber, most of the HDC budget comes from the city and a big portion is used for Hillsboro Management Board. HDC also has a fund drive much of which comes from board members and their businesses.
"We have the support of our board for Hillsboro development," he said. "Without funds from all the different organizations, HMB would not be able to function."
The umbrella group of HMB which consists of HDC, Convention and Visitors Bureau, Hillsboro Arts and Crafts Association, Marion County Fair Association, and Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce is funded by tax dollars and private funds.
Kleiber conceded there are apparently some issues the management board needs to address.
"HDC has a number of things working right now," Kleiber said, "and a staffed office is important to us. We would have to do some restructuring to continue to do a staffed office. We don't want to lose the cooperation of the city."
Hillsboro Management Board office is the central office for the umbrella groups.
According to Marcella Mohn, representing Hillsboro Arts and Crafts Association, the office arrangement is excellent.
"The girls in the office do a lot of work for us," she said. "They answer the phones and answer a lot of questions about the arts and crafts fair. I don't think we could operate without that office."
Becky Nuss and Jim Elliott, representing Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce, echoed the need for the office staff.
"The importance of a group like Hillsboro Management Board in a community the size of ours is essential to bring about synergy and to provide services for the five entities that are being discussed," said Elliott. "I don't believe any of the five would be able to operate as efficiently and effectively without that administrative support."
According to Elliott, HMB office is the mobilization center for volunteers for Hillsboro events and the communication hub for Hillsboro.
"One of the complaints Councilman Coryea mentioned to HMB last week was that there are times when the office is not staffed," said Elliott. "The times the office is not staffed is due in part to Megan's [Megan Kilgore, executive director of Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce] travel schedule. She represents all five organizations at many state and regional meetings and the administrative staff is only part time."
In Elliott's last point of concern, he mentioned Coryea's reference to "several concerns and complaints that had been voiced concerning HMB."
"I believe the board is willing to dialogue with the council as to how we can be more effective in servicing our community," said Elliot. "But when the word "several" is used behind a complaint, it is like an anonymous letter to the newspaper. I would encourage people in the community who have a concern with HMB or the office to contact members of the board or Ms. Kilgore and address those concerns personally."
Council member Byron McCarty said he had visited with Kilgore about one complaint and it was resolved. However, he felt there are some issues that other people have that need to be addressed.
McCarty said he had no problem in putting the money back into the budget, but the issues still need to be addressed.
"Absolutely," said Kleiber. "There are some issues that have come to light that I think we all feel need to be addressed. There is a willingness on HMB to work with the council."
Mike Padgett asked the council for specific concerns and why the decision was made to change the budget.
"From what I have been hearing, it is the lack of actually seeing what is being done with the money," said council member Matt Hiebert. "We have a $60,000 budget and $48,000 of it is salaries. There isn't a whole lot left over after utilities and rent for economic development."
Hiebert said no one on the council wants to cut everything and the council realizes the value of staffing the HMB office.
"I think we'd like to see more of what actually is going on in the office," he said. "This isn't the first time cutting this budget has come up. This has been ongoing."
Mayor Delores Dalke voiced her concern with the lack of communication.
"I think the lines of communication need to be more open," she said. "We have council people who are not on chamber and consequently don't get chamber reports. We haven't been getting regular reports from HMB at council meetings. It has been write the check and hope that something is happening."
McCarty made a motion to put the money back in the budget with the assurance of dialogue.
"I think we need to clear the air on this," said Hiebert. "I think we need to get together and discuss and find out what is going to take place before we put back the $10,000. Once everyone is satisfied that it is going to be a smooth running machine again, I don't think anybody on the council would have a problem."
McCarty's motion died for a lack of a second.
"We can put it into the budget and reserve authorization for expenditure," said Dalke. "I have a problem putting the money back into the budget because I don't know where it will come from and I don't want to raise mill levies."
Dalke's concerns were high taxes in Hillsboro and the possibility of raising the mill levy.
"We are 10 mills ahead of our competition," said Dalke. "We can not let mill levies go up. We need to figure out where we are going to take the money away from after we re-arranged the $10,000."
Council member Shelby Dirks made a motion to approve the publication of the budget as is which passed.
In other business council:
— Approved advertisement for bids for the family aquatic center.
— Approved Resolution 2005-08, the loan from water pollution control revolving fund.
— Approved change order, APAC pay estimate, and inspection and engineering statements from the Main Street project.
— Approved change order, budget, Mies pay estimate, inspection and engineering statement for Lincoln project.
— Heard an HMB report from Megan Kilgore.
