[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6073836,"mediaKeyId","2988565-8cc8ebbebe31422af9509a1c4e6408ca","parentId",2988565,"title","City announces Team Up to Clean Up volunteer week for Earth Day (April 21–26)","audioSeconds",118,"startMs",5922000,"endMs",6040000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2988565-8cc8ebbebe31422af9509a1c4e6408ca&start=5922&end=6040","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2988565-8cc8ebbebe31422af9509a1c4e6408ca/thumbnail_5922000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6073836/South-Dakota/City-announces-Team-Up-to-Clean-Up-volunteer-week-for-Earth-Day-April-2126","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6073836-30add7d9462a68b4fe316fa50f75cf49/orig.mp4?Expires=1771172578&Signature=KQa-dMF6qFnO13Wlj9NCu34KfhXqp-37wS3Ljh82Y6kuuCELn7e0QEp~YagKp-kDXWcTie1Ly9fBNum0nvWUmTgnZG2pGQSauFxCPYnSJfPkFKmkecPgW4jpo5l0tHUkMmgH0IIYCQ6KEvpb47Hj1DQsemTWhevktMlRy~87PP5cEw3sxlFP2tsotLBPpTv1HMX1lp6YldTbI5JdIATtHzpYA-xd1GM97OmuPoA7oZWRKlg3SbZI~6Rvo4inyh99mWUPxwNFsQWmRWWqsJyRvY8CdLBj71tSZycbP7UPspHoWE2D~uh1aJ0G6nI8Ezl4eL5DHCyjT5YsZONn4kHlkQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Watertown","date","2025-04-07T00:00:00Z","article","Ryan Heiser, recreation coordinator for Park and Recreation, asked the council to publicize the city’s Team Up to Clean Up volunteer week, scheduled for April 21–26, 2025 to coincide with Earth Day.

Heiser said volunteers, businesses and individuals will be assigned parks, bike trails and other public areas for litter pickup. Park and Rec will provide gloves, bags and coordination; volunteers may sign up by emailing rheiser@watertownsd.us, calling the Park & Rec Field House at (605) 882‑6260, or stopping at the Field House.

“We take care of every park in town, all the bike trails, some of the ditches within the city limits,” Heiser said. The program previously ran under the name “litter blitz” and was restarted by Park and Rec in 2022. City staff asked councilmembers to help spread the word to neighborhood groups and businesses.

Why this matters: The event keeps public spaces clean and engages residents and businesses in visible community maintenance. Councilmembers suggested coordination with the city’s public information officer and community organizations to recruit volunteers and to focus on high‑need corridors such as Highway 212 entering the city.

Volunteers who want to help should contact Ryan Heiser at rheiser@watertownsd.us or (605) 882‑6260.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Meeting 4/7/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Parks and Recreation will run the annual Team Up to Clean Up volunteer week April 21–26; volunteers can sign up with recreation coordinator Ryan Heiser.","taxTitle","City of Watertown, Codington County, South Dakota","taxId",64127,"location","South Dakota","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6073841,"Votes at a glance: April 7, 2025 Watertown City Council actions",136,12098000,12234000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2988565-8cc8ebbebe31422af9509a1c4e6408ca&start=12098&end=12234","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2988565-8cc8ebbebe31422af9509a1c4e6408ca/thumbnail_12098000.jpg","/articles/6073841/South-Dakota/Votes-at-a-glance-April-7-2025-Watertown-City-Council-actions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6073841-2c64233fac5549a699e9ac3e10076c01/orig.mp4?Expires=1771172578&Signature=iHBAlgw8uSIuTenDQOr-vU9buOpa-RJUypjx9i1t0duVs8ryR78e1DN19FCUxRPCDYbGLFvkA6ldeCrd-HcTIoeWSApSuhl7AE7olDg7IaovZuYOa3RTwcJhN5wTmzKiWJSw~QiE47Ze5UXcCi9O8KVVG6-nxY7eyIKvtLeOInqq~gK89NnFKq~nnHyHUd668aeYWjGU5Bi6zpSWWQkbzXWnFpwnRtcQcpjuMciCmB6r8UDj8nxvH06Gwk7fjYemla9p1WIScClZVeFebAeTcHQgIatkhGGncuK8qeyKOg4XOYXbn882QZoO-Z9nVd83jRGNvJTb0crytVSqrtkl~w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Here are the formal actions taken by the City of Watertown City Council during its April 7, 2025 meeting. Each entry lists the motion, mover/second as recorded in the meeting, and the voting outcome.

1) Approval of agenda
Motion: Approve tonight’s agenda.
Mover: Councilman Bruce Bealer; Second: Councilman Shutti.
Outcome: Motion carried by voice vote.

2) Award bid — 2025 Solid Waste Improvements (landfill scale)
Motion: Award contract for the landfill waste scale project to Timmins Construction in the amount of $2,009,299.40 (staff recommendation).
Mover: Councilman Shutti; Second: Councilman Tupper.
Vote (roll call): Peters — Aye; Shetty — Aye; Tupper — Aye; Bealer — Aye; Danforth — Aye; Pauline — Aye. Outcome: Approved.

3) Zoning text amendment — Commercial Lake (second reading / final approval)
Motion: Approve zoning text amendments to create Commercial Lake (CL) districts and overlay provisions for Lake Compesca (second reading).
Mover: Councilman Danforth; Second: Councilman Tupper.
Vote (roll call): Peters — Aye; Shetty — Aye; Tupper — Aye; Bealer — Aye; Danforth — Aye; Pauline — Aye. Outcome: Ordinance adopted (second reading approved).

4) Conveyance of city property (Block 4, East Acres) to Watertown Development Company; purchase agreement with Compesca Builders LLC
Motion: Approve resolution authorizing conveyance of 3.08 acres in Block 4, East Acres to the Watertown Development Company and authorize interim city manager to execute closing documents.
Mover: Councilman Peters; Second: Councilman Shutti.
Outcome: Motion carried by roll-call vote (unanimous). Note: the purchase is contingent on the buyer securing a conditional use permit; the sale will be completed by WDC to Compesca Builders under the terms presented.

5) Sanitary sewer utility easement (related to Block 4 transaction)
Motion: Approve a sanitary sewer utility easement agreement to be recorded in conjunction with the conveyance to Compesca Builders LLC and authorize the interim city manager to execute the easement.
Mover: Councilman Peters; Second: Councilman Tupper.
Outcome: Motion carried by voice vote; easement contingent on closing of the real estate transaction.

6) Transfer of retail malt beverage wine and video lottery licenses (RiverCard Casino)
Motion: Approve transfer of retail malt beverage/wine and video lottery licenses from RiverCard Casino (transferor) to Rodney Parent d/b/a RiverCard Casino (same location).
Mover: Councilman Tupper; Second: Councilman Peters.
Outcome: Motion approved by voice vote.

7) Resolution — carryover of capital outlay appropriations (2024 to 2025)
Motion: Approve resolution to carry forward unspent capital appropriations from fiscal year 2024 into 2025 for specified projects (capital-only carryovers as listed in staff materials).
Mover: Councilman Danforth; Second: Councilman Shutti.
Vote (roll call): Peters — Aye; Shutti — Aye; Tupper — Aye; Bealer — Aye; Danforth — Aye; Pauline — Aye. Outcome: Approved.

8) Residency exception for police officer
Motion: Approve a waiver allowing a patrol officer to live 0.7 miles outside the 15‑mile residency restriction due to the officer purchasing a home just beyond the 15‑mile limit.
Mover: Councilman Peters; Second: Councilman Shetty.
Outcome: Motion carried by voice vote.

Notes on votes and procedure
• Where the transcript records roll‑call votes, the names above follow the finance officer’s roll‑call as read on the record. All roll‑call votes recorded during the meeting were unanimous in the items listed here.
• Several agenda items were presented for first reading or discussion only and will return to the council at a later date (for example, a proposed zoning text amendment to Title 24 on subdivision and development agreements).

If you need the exact motion language or the official signed documents, contact the City Clerk’s office; staff attachments filed with the April 7 agenda contain the full resolutions, purchase agreements and bid documents.","Council approved a landfill scale project bid, a zoning text amendment for the Commercial Lake District, the sale of city land to Watertown Development Company to support a Compesca Builders project, a sanitary sewer easement, a liquor-license ownership transfer, capital carryovers and a residency waiver for a patrol officer.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6073846,"Watertown Development Company pitches real‑estate risk-taking, workforce and housing focus to council",939,6248000,7187000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2988565-8cc8ebbebe31422af9509a1c4e6408ca&start=6248&end=7187","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2988565-8cc8ebbebe31422af9509a1c4e6408ca/thumbnail_6248000.jpg","/articles/6073846/South-Dakota/Watertown-Development-Company-pitches-realestate-risk-taking-workforce-and-housing-focus-to-council","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6073846-867af9b93542d01eea9f3d31a3daede4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771172578&Signature=KiTf7M~OxpwNoJOP0KNLQPoIiRUfBDATT7xyo2eooyB3rH2n4h8z1d22xo5XcH4o0Y9Y-PyhUyTOuznuYjnd~qCkLCDNZQsDVBmF7XZIgXPKGl6Q5ulxe4lVfRF7GEsJOlHjxecPfQM~uinlT55qTDFVo3b4nGp7p2nOg7e0SEI2WD6rUCOyTpVxndMgVUeMhZ-PozIRjxBNs5nrOXKQTGcIQ3FvpvfmjXNZnG66nbSOiZgu-pAs155GtXhiPm7lCuymGLkVGxyMvH9EeuIFrwaN1ng6mdqgXAtQPBQWAmXjIuan-wJT0NxSOcbTFUe~75h3UICIWRGvpz4IAKttCQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Steve Lehner, chairman of the Watertown Development Company (WDC) board, and Chris Clifton, WDC executive director, briefed the council on April 7, 2025 about the organization’s recent investments and priorities under its 2024–2028 Grow Watertown 2 plan.

WDC said it has taken on real‑estate and housing projects the private market would not, including renovating downtown retail properties at below‑market rents to fill vacancies and backing several downtown residential conversions. The organization manages roughly $32 million in assets and said its work has helped backfill vacant buildings and support job retention and expansion.

“We do this in a spirit of taking chances on opportunities that grow jobs, increase productivity, and elevate the quality of life here in Watertown,” Lehner told the council.

Clifton described WDC’s role as a risk‑taker that must now pivot from owning long‑term real property toward selling assets and incentivizing private landlords to invest at market rates. He said WDC currently is working nine prospective business expansion projects, seven of which are expansions of existing local firms, and is tracking both immediate recruitment prospects and longer‑term needs such as affordable and workforce housing and early‑childhood care.

Clifton and Lehner identified several local constraints:
• Affordable housing supply — local construction costs and skilled labor availability have increased the per‑square‑foot cost of development, making the $175,000–$250,000 ownership market difficult to build.
• Workforce scarcity — businesses report unfilled openings and a need for training and rapid upskilling; WDC supports targeted training and relocation assistance packages to meet employer needs.
• Limited private developer capacity — WDC has invested to activate downtown properties, but long‑term sustainability requires private ownership and market rents to support ongoing renovation.

Lehner said WDC measures performance and requires performance commitments: investors and assisted projects sign expected job, payroll and investment targets; some agreements include clawback provisions if commitments are not met. He suggested the council and the mayor be more engaged early in economic development discussions and said WDC welcomes mayoral or council participation on WDC briefings or boards in an ex officio role to improve communication.

WDC reported fundraising and investment status: the organization raised roughly $4.1 million in its prior campaign, has raised about $3.2 million so far in the current Grow Watertown 2 campaign (a $4.2 million goal), and counts roughly half public and half private investors. Lehner told the council WDC would like more private investors and closer county cooperation on regional projects.

On housing, Clifton said WDC is completing research and encouraged a coordinated strategy that may include a local loan or incentive fund, targeted developer engagement and leveraging city‑owned land to reduce development costs. On workforce, WDC said it provides relocation and first‑time buyer matching funds in some deals and has proposed matching relocation grants in at least one prospect.

Why this matters: Watertown’s largest immediate economic development constraints — housing affordability, labor availability and site readiness — are central to whether existing employers can expand and whether new firms will locate in the city. WDC told council it will continue to play the role of investor and broker, but recommended earlier, more regular sharing of confidential prospect information with city leadership so the parties can align incentives quickly.

WDC did not request direct funding at the April 7 meeting; its representatives asked only for closer cooperation and more private investor participation. Councilmembers asked for measurable housing and workforce goals and pledged to consider ways the city can help reduce development costs and improve coordination.

The presentation closed with an offer to continue strategic planning cooperation with the council and with local partners.","The Watertown Development Company told the council it has been acting as a public‑private risk taker on downtown redevelopment and housing and urged closer, earlier communication with city leadership about projects and incentives.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6073851,"Midterm review panel urges clearer roles, more meetings and new ethics rules for Watertown council-manager system",1850,683000,2533000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2988565-8cc8ebbebe31422af9509a1c4e6408ca&start=683&end=2533","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2988565-8cc8ebbebe31422af9509a1c4e6408ca/thumbnail_683000.jpg","/articles/6073851/South-Dakota/Midterm-review-panel-urges-clearer-roles-more-meetings-and-new-ethics-rules-for-Watertown-council-manager-system","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6073851-63ce2ae83f872916672744817d7f5b5d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771172578&Signature=MJC5CguvVMjavQVQ~2-zxSK9fvcFKHjO1CC030itwRbDgvZBrJ2j7-PfDX6o7qg2WJ4nGQ6-5CySfkaIU4~mO8A6gGjh-Roj63F92nh27N3vzMMaRU~uSXLioejXIL5ZeYdazxpsmAig4DO~DPuedAyhYDyGbVt2JMTl0HKT7J6HwoXoBt8B-NrVuUCl480SMqCsY6Y48VUHCkwdWN9nK7s8uNqKQXNOZN5JkuY8iaUwWFf5oIjCFAgHh6HP8sij3NPpQTM32KO89l4ZP3DmNboEVz-sLv4wB1ElbEaeuK7ayo5~D9MP7T0sC5HISZyemOEXpVt3QkTANgPHiNBJ7g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Kyle Lallam, chair of the Home Rule Charter Midterm Review Commission, presented the commission’s findings to the City of Watertown City Council on April 7, 2025, after a review of staff surveys, interviews and outside interviews with municipal leaders.

The commission recommended stronger role clarity and communications among the three points of local governance — the council, the city manager and department heads — and urged formal steps including a council code of ethics, a “what to expect if elected” packet for candidates, an annual council orientation, quarterly budget reviews and a “serious concerns” reporting hotline to improve accountability.

The panel’s report summarized surveys with a 95% response rate from department heads and managers and roughly a 30% response rate from rank-and-file staff; the packet attached to the council agenda included redacted results. Lallam said staff satisfaction with current positions was high in the survey (86.7% reporting satisfied or extremely satisfied) and that 50% of respondents answered “yes, absolutely” when asked whether the council-manager form should continue; 34.8% said more time was needed to judge the change.

“We did have a truncated timeline. We did not reach out to the public,” Lallam told the council, adding the commission’s goal was to identify what is working and what can be improved under the Home Rule Charter adopted in 2019. He said the commission spoke with former and current local managers and the South Dakota Supreme Court’s retired chief justice to inform recommendations.

Major near-term recommendations include:
• Adopt a city council code of ethics and require members to sign it before taking office.
• Produce a “what to expect if elected” packet to be distributed by Human Resources to prospective candidates, describing roles, responsibilities and processes under the charter.
• Institute four meetings per month (two work sessions and two council sessions) so policy discussion occurs in work sessions with no action taken, and final action is taken at shorter council sessions after staff research is complete.
• Require quarterly council review of budget-to-actual results so governing decisions include up-to-date fiscal information.
• Establish a “serious concerns” hotline routed to the mayor and HR to ensure confidential reporting about any level of the triangle (mayor/council, city manager, department heads).
• Have HR initiate an annual city manager performance evaluation and consider a 6-month check-in for newly hired managers.

Lallam said the commission deliberately redacted staff responses when sharing findings with council and the hiring committee to protect anonymity and to encourage frank answers. “Our promise and commitment to the staff and department heads…was to redact any information that would be identifiers so that they could give a true and transparent response,” he said.

Council members used the presentation and Q&A to press for clarification on a few points: whether the commission had considered changing the charter’s threshold for hiring or firing a city manager (the commission said no — rewriting the charter is not its charge), and whether mayoral participation on the Watertown Development Company (WDC) board would be appropriate (Lallam said the mayor’s economic-development duties argued for an ex officio role).

The commission also urged annual team-building and strategic-planning sessions that include council, the city manager, department heads and outside local partners to align priorities and reduce surprises at action meetings.

The council did not vote to adopt the recommendations as a single package during the April 7 meeting; several council members said they would review the written findings and consider the proposals, and the panel offered to return for a focused council session to discuss redacted specifics.

Why this matters: Watertown voters adopted the council-manager form of government by a large margin in 2019. The midterm review aims to improve how the form works in practice — clarifying lines of authority, strengthening accountability, and giving newly elected officials clearer orientation — to reduce operational friction and to help the next city manager succeed.

The commission’s full redacted findings and the staff survey attachments were filed with the April 7 council agenda for public review.","A volunteer midterm review commission recommended training, a council code of ethics, a hotline for serious concerns, quarterly budget reviews and a four-meetings-a-month schedule to strengthen the city’s council–manager form of government.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

City announces Team Up to Clean Up volunteer week for Earth Day (April 21–26)

Votes at a glance: April 7, 2025 Watertown City Council actions

Watertown Development Company pitches real‑estate risk-taking, workforce and housing focus to council

Midterm review panel urges clearer roles, more meetings and new ethics rules for Watertown council-manager system