The Worthington City Council is expected to once again to discuss the potential funding of a new ice arena during its next meeting Monday night.
Council members are being asked to consider their commitment to financial, operational and ownership involvement in a possible new or renovated ice arena. Most recently, the Worthington District 518 School Board and city council met in a joint session last month to discuss alternatives concerning the current ice arena and the possible construction of a new facility. Nobles County commissioners had decided earlier to not commit county dollars to the project, though some city and school officials expressed hope that action will be reconsidered once a more formal plan is established.
The city has three sources of possible funding for a new ice arena: undesignated reserves, general obligation bonds and local option sales tax revenue. On Monday, council members are expected to discuss if they desire a commitment to the project, and if so, with how much money and under what sorts of conditions.
Also on the agenda for the meeting are a public hearing on planned East Ninth Avenue sanitary sewer construction, as well as consideration of professional services agreements for a review of the city’s compensation administration policy and possible city hall improvements, respectively.
Also scheduled for Monday is discussion of Worthington Event Center utilities and royalty payments. A memorandum to council members included in Monday’s meeting packet notes that, according to profit and loss statements shared with city staff for the period of 2020-2023, Event Center operators posted an annual average loss of $47,238 despite the city's financial support. It was also indicated that they likely would have to terminate their agreement with the city if the financial support did not continue.
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