City Council is raising transfer station rates

HARTINGTON — Monday’s Hartington City Council meeting was all about money.

The Council Monday raised rates at the transfer station, considered raising water rates again and poured over financial information from city auditor Kyle Overturf.

The Council was poised to raise water rates, as well, but Councilman Chris Bartling asked to table that discussion since the city recently raised both water and garbage rates.

“I don’t like raising water rates two years in a row,” he said. "I’m not saying I’m against it, but I’d like to get a little more information. I want to hear more data before we do this."

Council President Brad Peitz agreed, saying he felt there were other areas the city could look at to cut expenses rather than simply raising rates again.

There is now a $10.50 minimum charge for anything dropped at the transfer station weighing between 1-300 pounds. Anything over that weight will also be assessed a fee of $3.50 per 100 pounds.

Overturf, a certified public accountant and personal financial specialist for Grand Island-based AMGL CPAs & Advisors, presented the Council with a 65-page report concerning the city's finances. The report detailed the city's financial history and gave recommendations for several changes and updates.

Overturf spent 40 minutes reviewing the report with the Council. A synopsis of that report can be found in next week's Cedar County News.