Worthing residents attended the Oct. 22 Worthing City Commission meeting at its new location at Worthing Elementary.
In open public speaking, John Foltz asked for recordings of the commission meetings because he said the minutes were incomplete, particularly from the Sept. 10 meeting where he had asked about a building permit. He said the council did not vote on his permit but the printed minutes say the commission said he needed to get a permit.
City finance officer Linda Hunnel said the law said she just has to put motions in the minutes but tries to add some extra information into the minutes. Mayor Brad Hazuka said not every minutes is word for word what happened at the meeting and they will look into the discrepancy.
During the Civic Center roof discussion Hazuka met with Hofer Roofing at the Civic Center before the meeting. The original quote from him was $23,000, however, that bid did not cover some of the other items he noticed when going through the building Monday night.
Lyle Devitt questioned how a contractor would replace the roof and why the city has not gotten a grant. Hunnel said the community makes too much money to qualify for community grants that are out there. This project also does not work for an infrastructure grant because it is not infrastructure.
Another resident asked why the city has not allowed for the Civic Center in the budget in the years that the city has had ownership. Hazuka noted they have money in the budget now for the Civic Center.
Commissioners Sheri Lund, Crystal Jacobson and John Ganschow, who were not on the commission when the city took ownership of the building, said they are trying to fix the Civic Center but it takes time.
“Unfortunately that building sat there with no upkeep. It’s not my fault the roof is caving in. Just because we’re not moving at lightening fast speed doesn’t mean we’re not working,” Lund said.
“The bottom dollar is Worthing is in need of a lot of things. The legion is one thing, but so are sewer lines leaking, gravel streets,” Ganschow said.
Ganschow noted that despite many things needing attention in Worthing, the commission is trying to come up with the money to fix the Civic Center.
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