The Hartley Sentinel-The Everly/Royal News - Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties

Hartley taxpayers can give themselves a big, hard pat on the back.

Voters on Tuesday approved the $1.7 pool bond measure with 84 percent of the vote. That's huge, and it proved city residents are more than willing to invest in the community's future. This multi-million dollar project has been years in the making and it will benefit generations of Hartley residents in the years to come.

Hartley's current pool has had a good run. It was built in 1958 and received its last major upgrades in 1996, but the sands of time have brought its last days nearer and nearer. Vital equipment is wearing out and it would be illogical to invest taxpayer money into something that's functionally obsolete. Luckily, voters realized that Tuesday and cast 'yes' ballots for its successor before the city was left without a swimming hole.

The bond measure's passage was huge, but it's really only the first formal step in the massive undertaking of building a pool. The referendum's $1.7 million total will only cover slightly more than half of the facility's estimated $3 million price tag, and a $500,000 community fundraising goal needs to be met over the next year. Many businesses and individuals have already contributed with more no doubt planning to break out their checkbooks in the coming months. The City With a Heart earned its motto for a reason, and the safe money is on reaching that goal. It's a mindset – we can do it!

The rest of construction costs are hoped to come from grants. The first step in obtaining them was passing the bond, and city residents showed overwhelming support for the project. Anyone reviewing grant applications certainly can't second-guess the community's enthusiasm about its new pool – 84 percent is a huge margin of victory.

Tuesday's big news necessitates greater reflection. In the past two years alone, Hartley has improved its Little League fields, built a new industrial park and opened a state-of-the-art elementary school. The pool is one more vital investment in a brighter tomorrow here in the City With a Heart, and future generations will no doubt be grateful for all who said 'yes' on Tuesday, March 2.

There's no doubting that things are looking brighter and brighter in Hartley. Residents here should be proud of this community, because it's certainly a place many people would be envious to call home.