If all goes well, the multipurpose arena could be back on track by the end of April and open for use in time for the Mower County Fair in 2001.

Wednesday, April 05, 2000

If all goes well, the multipurpose arena could be back on track by the end of April and open for use in time for the Mower County Fair in 2001.

It all will depend on a vote April 25 by the Mower County Board of Commissioners on Austin’s proposal to split the extra costs of building the arena.

County board members Richard Cummings, David Hillier and Gary Nemitz heard the details of the city’s proposal this morning after city officials heard the latest from the architects. Hillier, who serves on the county’s Building Committee with Nemitz, said he would take the proposal to the other board members at their April 11 meeting. Because Nemitz will be unable to attend that day, the official vote would have to take place at the following meeting.

"We’ll see what the commissioners want to do, but we’re better than we were before," County Coordinator Craig Oscarson said as this morning’s meeting came to a close.

County questions centered around costs.

Hillier wanted to know whether the city would consider going halves if the state doesn’t come through with a second $250,000 Mighty Ducks grant.

City Administrator Pat McGarvey saw that as the biggest threat right now, but city officials agreed that it was a bridge that would have to be crossed if and when the grant application failed.

Hillier asked earlier in the meeting about how much interest the county would lose if it pays the $650,000 up front like the city has requested, to be paid back over a five-year period with no interest.

"I don’t think we should even go there," City Council member Dick Lang said. "We’ve stepped forward with good will. I know it’s a lost opportunity for you, but we need to remember this is a great opportunity for the area."

Council member at-large Dick Chaffee was the one to finally say that $650,000 was really as far as the city was prepared to go.

"We have $36 million worth of projects going forward right now," Chaffee said. "Keeping those figures in mind, we agreed as a council to cap this at $650,000. … Keeping this project within that box is critical."

Also present at the meeting were representatives from Hormel Foods Corp. and the Austin Youth Hockey Association.