2010 Media Releases

Date:

April 1, 2010

For More Information Contact:

Diane Gonzolas, Citizen Information Center, 402-441-7831

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Steps Announced To Keep Proposed Arena Project On Time And On Budget

Mayor Chris Beutler today announced steps the City will take to ensure financial accountability and transparency if the proposed Lincoln Haymarket Arena is approved by voters May 11:

• The creation of a Joint Public Agency (JPA) will ensure centralized accounting of the arena project. Beutler said one of the lessons the City learned on the Antelope Valley Project was the benefit of forming a JPA rather than entering into an interlocal agreement.
  
  "The accounting was sometimes difficult to follow," Beutler said. "Centralized accounting offers citizens an easier path to follow in tracking the arena's finances."
• The JPA will maintain a project Website that will include contact information for JPA Board members and those on the public and private management teams; all Requests for Proposals; all contracts for services; and JPA board meeting minutes.
  
  "The Web site also must answer whether we are staying on budget," Beutler said. "In consultation with our JPA partner and the City Council, we are proposing that the program manager be required to submit frequent financial reports. I want the online report to be simple and as free of 'government-speak' as possible so that every citizen can get a fast, easily understood snapshot of how we are doing."
• The JPA and the City Council will request that the City Audit Board periodically review the financial audit and the monthly financial status reports. "The Board brings real world private sector experience that will be invaluable in meeting the public's expectations on this project," Beutler said.
• To ensure that the revenues to support the Arena are being fairly collected and prudently managed, an assistant controller would be hired to manage the funds and handle all administrative accounting. The position would be similar to the position the City has to manage keno revenues.

Information on the proposed Lincoln Haymarket Arena is available at arena.lincoln.ne.gov.