The Hillsboro City Council unanimously approved a proposed 2014 summary budget at its regular monthly meeting Monday night, and directed that it be published as a legal advertisement in the City’s official newspaper, the Hillsboro Sentry-Enterprise, in next week’s edition.
A public hearing on the budget was set for Nov. 18.
Under the proposed budget, the tax levy will be increased $4,570 to $445,622 in 2014.
Projected General Fund revenues total $1,245,427, a decrease of $3,427 or 1.036% from 2013.
There will be a $3,360 reduction in state aid.
Major expenditures in the new budget will include:
• $74,130 for street repair;
• $65,500 for the Hillsboro Public Library;
• Debt payments of $75,700;
• Cost of a new Police Department squad car;
• Re-roofing of the City salt shed
• Approximately 1% of the budget into the Contingency Fund.
Council members attending the meeting were Pat Moen, Darrow Novy, R. Dale Jones, Tom Hotek, Randy Seeley, and Elizabeth Parish. Absent were Mike Clark and Mark Lankey.
The Council approved official Trick or Treat hours as 4 -7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31.
City Development Block Grant Director Fay Urban was at the meeting to ask Council approval of a CDBG Loan for Barbara and Terry Revels who are in the process of purchasing Holvy’s Restaurant from Bruce and Sandy Holverson.
The 15-year loan at 4% interest would cover the down payment and other purchases needed for the business. Urban told the Council that the CDBG has more than $100,000 in its account.
The loan was unanimously approved by the Council.
There also was a Council discussion on the possibility of constructing a disk golf course in the Albert Field Park and Valentine Park area.
The sport is growing in popularity, and several area towns have built courses. Mayor Greg Kubarski told the Council he thought it was a good idea and, although he isn’t a golfer, the disk course sounds like fun and he may try a few rounds.
It was decided that the city will look into having a design drawn up and the price of baskets researched. The city property available is large enough for an 18-basket course.
It was decided to start with a nine-basket course and consider 18 in the future. The approval was unanimous.
In other action, the Council:
• Unanimously approved a change in the travel time policy in the City Employees Handbook to keep in accordance with the State of Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development and Federal Fair Labor Standards Act.
• Unanimously cut the sewer user fee in half, beginning Jan. 1, 2014, due to the addition of the Riverview Dairy.
• Unanimously denied an Intoxicating Liquor and Fermented Malt Beverage License to Center Ice Sports Bar and Grill LLC, 814 Water Ave., due in part to the lack of some needed paperwork.
