Mitchell voters will decide the fate of the Lake Mitchell project – next year. The Mitchell City Council last night approved a June 4, 2024 election date. Mitchell Mayor Bob Everson had hoped the council would approve a special election in September. Councilman Dan Sabers proposed the June 4th general election date, saying he wants to maximize voter turnout.
Councilman Marty Barington opposed waiting until June, saying another eight months of dead time was detrimental to the project. He also said holding an election sooner would help with the budget and give the council some direction.
The Mitchell City Council last month voted on whether to approve a $25 million SRF loan which would be used for the lake project, including dredging. The council’s vote on the project at its June meeting was a 4-4 deadlock, meaning the issue failed.
A heated exchange regarding the proposed election date followed between Mayor Everson and Council President Kevin McCardle, with McCardle accusing the mayor of lying to him about the proposed election date. McCardle then called for a vote on the issue, which cut off all council discussion on the issue and disallowed public comments.
McCardle, Sabers, Councilman John Doescher, and new council members Tim Goldammer and Mike Bathke voted for the June election date. Barington, Susan Tjarks, and Jeff Smith voted no.