The April 9 Harmony City Council meeting began with the 2018 audit report, which was presented by Tom Olinger from Abdo Eick & Meyers. It was recommended that the city appoint someone other than the city administrator to review the bank reconciliations and look into purchasing a point of sale software to help document receipts. Olinger reviewed the city’s general, capital, special revenues, debt service, enterprise, and fiduciary funds. “Overall, it’s trending in the right direction,” he said. Olinger also noted that the tax rate for Harmony is in line with similarly sized cities. The council approved the audit report.
Fillmore County Assessor Brian Hoff reviewed the 2019 assessment for the local board of appeals and equalization. The rates per square foot of home in Harmony increased from $54 to $62 with lot values staying the same. The city levy was increased 3.01%. Two residents from Harmony were present for the public forum, one of whom asked to appeal his property taxes. Due to some errors in the valuation and changes in a tax graphic, the city council tabled the approval of the assessment and asked the resident to attend the May 14 council meeting when they will reconvene the public hearing at 7 p.m.
A prosecutor agreement between Fillmore County, the Fillmore County Attorney’s Office, and the City of Harmony was approved. There had not previously been a written agreement, with transactions being verbally agreed upon instead.
City Maintenance Director Chris Johnson reported that the city’s street sweeper recently broke down. He estimated that it would take at least $15,000 to fix it. A new one would cost approximately $124,000. A motion was made to trade in the current street sweeper for a new one with the dollar amount not to exceed $124,000.
The refrigerated sampler at the wastewater treatment plant has also stopped working and needs to be replaced. Johnson had obtained a quote for a new one in the amount of $7,000, but forgot to bring the paperwork to the council meeting. The council approved the purchase and asked Johnson to drop off the quote at the city offices the next day.
The Harmony Conservation Club requested permission from the council to upgrade the electrical service in Selvig Park from 100 amp to 200. It was noted that the upgrade would be useful to the city as well during the annual Fourth of July celebration. A quote will need to be obtained from Morem Electric before a decision can be made. The council tabled the request until the May 14 meeting to give the Park Board time to review it as well.
The Harmony EDA recommended that the council approve a loan of $25,000 for a new business that will be opening in Harmony. The council approved the loan.
The Park Board discussed options for the summer rec program at their last meeting and made final decisions on activities so that flyers could be printed and distributed in Fillmore Central students’ Friday Folders. The board plans to conduct a walk-through of the city’s parks in May to determine what work needs to be done in them.
The Harmony Public Library has received $531 in proceeds from the clothing donation bin. The contract is up on the library’s copy machine and, as the copier does not work very well anymore, the library board is discussing options to replace it.
The Arts Board reported that the Poetry Slam was well attended with 50 people at the event. “It was a really great turn-out,” City Council and Arts Board member Lynn Mensink reported. “We have some very talented adults, youth, and writers in our area.”
The next Harmony City Council meeting will be held on May 14 at 7 p.m.