City Council accepts resignation

HARTINGTON — The Hartington City Council accepted a resignation and was briefed on new cable TV rates at its Nov. 22 meeting.

Assistant City Clerk Marti Carlson tendered a letter of resignation. Mayor Mark Becker jokingly said he would not accept the letter, however.

Carlson, a Newcastle native, is leaving her post to take a new job at the University of South Dakota

She joined the city staff in June 2020.

The City is now actively advertising for someone to take over the full-time position.

The Council also received notice Monday from Hartelco, who plans to raise cable TV rates in January.

A letter from Hartelco CEO Tom Noecker informed the Council the rate for the 84 channel basic cable TV package would increase from $46.99 a month to $50 a month.

The rate for the basic and essential package is slated to increase from $105.98 a month to $114 per month.

"We do not like the changes anymore than our customers do," Noecker said. "We truly do understand that the increasing fees set by the programmers is frustrating, especially since smaller cable providers have little control."

Hartelco has a franchise agreement with the City, and as such is required to notify the city any time rates are going up.

The Council renewed the 15-year cable TV franchise agreement with Hartelco in 2019.

The agreement, which was first signed between the Hartington Telephone Company and the city back in 1980, calls for the city to receive four percent of the annual revenue from the company’s basic cable package. Also Monday, the Council approved the appointment of two new firemen — Jacob Haahr and Matt Kathol — to the Hartington Volunteer Fire Department.

The Council also approved a sign permit for the Armory storage units.

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