Elkhorn’s Common Council voted Monday night in favor of splitting the cost of emergency repairs to Matheson Memorial Library’s facade.
The needed repair was brought before the city’s Municipal Services and Utilities Committee meeting last night, at which time Public Works Manager Martin Nuss said the façade on the old part of the building is literally falling down, as chunks of concrete are breaking loose.
At that time, Library Director Lisa Selje said if the city were to split the cost with the library, it would not affect planned projects, such as security improvements, as money used for the repairs would come from library reserves. The committee agreed to the share the cost, at a maximum of $25,000 for the city’s share, unanimously.
Monday, Alderman Gary Payson, Sr., said the issue is a safety hazard as of right now.
City Administrator Sam Tapson said Monday that the money needed for the city’s share would come from the city’s contingent reserve account.
Alderman James D’Alessandro questioned Monday night why the decision didn’t come before the city’s Financial and Judicial Committee as it’s not a budgeted item and it’s a use of city dollars.
Tapson said historically, when it comes to direct projects like that funds are available for through a budget adjustment, they haven’t gone back to a second committee, as it tends to bog down the progress.
Additionally, Alderman Scott McClory noted the issue of at-risk public safety in this situation.
“I think in the long-run we’d be a lot better budget wise, deficits and that kind of stuff be stuck to a procedure, that any monies that are going to be spent go to finance to determine where the money’s from, do we have the money,” he said.
After a brief discussion on the role of the two committees and how expenditures are approved in the city, Mayor Brian Olson brought the board back to the agenda item at hand.
The Council approved the cost sharing of the project, at a maximum of $25,000, with D’Alessandro being the only alderman to vote in opposition. Alderman Tom Myrin was not in attendance at Monday’s meeting.
