[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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",[32,75,87],{"_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":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6572245,"mediaKeyId","3091735-8bd36bc5ab7e50913be523fefdb3b407","parentId",3091735,"title","Council approves airport taxi-lane bid, street contracts, land-use actions and several facility measures; selects Woods Fuller as city attorney","audioSeconds",3973,"startMs",3536000,"endMs",7509000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3091735-8bd36bc5ab7e50913be523fefdb3b407&start=3536&end=7509","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3091735-8bd36bc5ab7e50913be523fefdb3b407/thumbnail_3536000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6572245/Brookings/Brookings-County/South-Dakota/Council-approves-airport-taxi-lane-bid-street-contracts-land-use-actions-and-several-facility-measures-selects-Woods-Fuller-as-city-attorney","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6572245-aa763b2dbbbed3b39363644e13ab4ea2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771215263&Signature=fI2C4m7s4OGMoeZZCNm-eVyNoCDZpiZjopZz25WILUF0geYPIi2QteATMzocc0f0mNmMEX8zWqQB3NcWUMXoZskVuw2x6DUN33QwmtwgbqBOY99GDzQqjFZY36HzJwChU8IoE7nXrnym20x5-XqpqqH0hgYVP~UXZVt0-nV0pK2pwrecRMJ8zPEpPPl5zC~paKKj-CLAelzBvbbyh9DBH4iE5UQSF7NN~g5~b1VNMWZ180dGF0809DxOC8nVrAtSCn-F9AY~U~IprsQYC2UMDWEugN41uwXxpxQlpS01Ud7ocpQPsvRg7tFLp3kL-dU~n6ThpupgZ23fN-~TyqYZAA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Brookings","date","2025-04-23T02:06:13.27Z","article","Brookings — At its April 22 meeting the Brookings City Council approved multiple construction and maintenance contracts, land-use actions and facility agreements, selected a firm to provide city-attorney services and approved acquisition and leasing actions.

Here are the actions taken on roll call, with key details and next steps.

Votes at a glance

- Airport hangar taxi-lane extension (Resolution 25-034, Agenda Item 7A): Council awarded the bid to Bose Construction for the low bid of $124,813.45 for a 35-by-140-foot taxi-lane extension. The award is contingent on receipt of FAA grant funding (anticipated 95% federal, 2.5% state, 2.5% city). Council recorded a unanimous vote in favor; staff expects FAA confirmation by mid-July and a project completion target of fall 2025.

- Freight-on-board asphalt materials (Resolution 25-038, Agenda Item 7B): The council awarded a material-only asphalt contract to Bose Construction for $89,630. Staff said the bid provides per-ton prices for routine patching; the contract was approved on roll call.

- 2025 asphalt maintenance project (Resolution 25-039, Agenda Item 7C): The council awarded the annual asphalt maintenance project to Bose Construction as the low bidder at $1,954,642.15. Staff said the low bid was about 30% below the engineer’s estimate; work includes pavement rehabilitation and ADA ramp upgrades and is scheduled for summer/fall construction.

- Annexation of Lots 1 and 2 in Clark Second Addition (Resolution 25-041, Agenda Item 9A): Planning Commission recommended approval (6–0); council approved the annexation on a roll call vote.

- 2040 Comprehensive Plan future land-use map amendment (Resolution 25-042, Agenda Item 9B): Council approved amending several parcels on the city’s future land-use map (land to be reclassified toward business-park/light-industrial uses) following a 6–0 recommendation from the Planning Commission; staff noted a small portion falls in the floodplain and will remain open space.

- Commercial corridor design review/site plan for 6 Main Ave (Agenda Item 9C): Council approved a site plan and two exceptions (existing landscape setback condition and use of permeable artificial turf as living ground cover) after a 6–0 Planning Commission recommendation.

- Sidewalk-cafe alcohol guideline changes (Ordinance 25-011, second reading and action, Agenda Item 9D): Council approved ordinance language removing the food-quantity requirement that had limited sidewalk alcohol service; establishments still must define and maintain a bordered service area and obtain event permits to serve outside of that perimeter.

- Revised preliminary plat, Reserve Fourth Addition (Agenda Item 10A): Council approved a revised preliminary plat that adjusts three commercial lots and adds a fourth; Planning Commission recommended approval.

- Golf course capital-improvement fee amendment (Resolution 25-029, Agenda Item 10B): Council approved an amendment to the capital-improvement fee for season-pass holders, which staff estimates will add roughly $21,000 annually to the golf-course CIP fund to support projects including pond lining and irrigation upgrades.

- Lease — Research & Technology Center to Ryan Companies (Resolution 25-030, Agenda Item 10C): Council approved a month-to-month lease to Ryan Companies USA, Inc., at $10 per square foot (approximately $1,721.66/month; $20,660 annually) to provide temporary office space for a construction superintendent associated with the Brookings Marketplace development.

- Acquisition — Fifth Street Gym property from Brookings School District (Resolution 25-043, Agenda Item 10D): Council approved acquisition of the facility to preserve it as a community recreation asset; purchase terms were not specified in the public presentation.

- City attorney services (Agenda Item 10E): After presentations and interviews, the council selected Woods Fuller (Sioux Falls) to provide city-attorney services for the remainder of 2025 under an hourly agreement. Public comment included an objection from a resident who said Woods Fuller had represented municipalities in cases he viewed critically; council members cited municipal experience and Fit-for-purpose reasons in supporting Woods Fuller.

- Council appointment (Agenda Item 10F): The council appointed Dr. Lisa Hager to fill a vacant council seat effective May 1, 2025, through April 30, 2026. The appointment followed a public application and an internal council selection process established by charter.

What’s next

Contracts that require outside funding — notably the airport taxi-lane extension contingent on FAA funding — will not proceed until the city receives formal grants or executes contracts. Staff said they will return with awarded-contract documents, final bid results and refined funding recommendations where needed.

The council handled several other routine agenda items, including first readings and staff reports. The council also scheduled a public open house for the economic-development merger plan on April 30 and will hear the merger implementation plan on May 13.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Meeting 4/22/2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Brookings City Council approved a slate of bids and land-use items, accepted a lease request, authorized acquisition of the Fifth Street Gym, approved a golf-course fee increase and selected Woods Fuller as city attorney. Several actions were routine and passed on roll-call votes.","taxTitle","Brookings, Brookings County, South Dakota","taxId",68683,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6572251,"Parks board backs BMU raw-water connection for Edgebrook Golf Course; council approves small capital-fee increase",288,2956000,3244000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3091735-8bd36bc5ab7e50913be523fefdb3b407&start=2956&end=3244","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3091735-8bd36bc5ab7e50913be523fefdb3b407/thumbnail_2956000.jpg","/articles/6572251/Brookings/Brookings-County/South-Dakota/Parks-board-backs-BMU-raw-water-connection-for-Edgebrook-Golf-Course-council-approves-small-capital-fee-increase","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6572251-1b868d8ec921098b6e78fd08bcae0b70/orig.mp4?Expires=1771215263&Signature=BFQhfjZjhP5g5CuP~7~hB3EJPL1IJXhG1tP5LC2WVx9e1p-rk~DYGXg-0HWwIgCp6iaV4c1R~d2ewOQeN5JmxCMJyx~AzbvsDmOlvR~QwBJ4zaGFRpe8~AE7Lfc73LEK5jGrL~qbXtihFguMx5TUj-ndfetgVosHE5wO0HSc4aQd8cgH60D-2Jx1mqdMfBxTysrUO7nWdobKDYs29j-uSf6HgC1~FP0wSklzkijvPhuHZwwSy-j9e1iVOemljom~l7JPqtET6IPZi0NrNEMdWbaVDK7qiGG56hphr8ENHScn7O8pDU5acfEIjNg6zRaBTG4T-ZnQli4QpDkqF69Dug__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Brookings — City parks staff and the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board recommended this week that the city connect Edgebrook Golf Course to Brookings Municipal Utilities’ (BMU) raw-water line to provide a redundant, long-term irrigation source, and the City Council approved a modest increase to the golf course capital-improvement fee.

Christian Zimmerman, parks, recreation and forestry director, reviewed six water-source options the city evaluated for the public course: on-site wells, improved pond collection, a connection to treated water, a connection to BMU raw (pre-treatment) water, a connection to a city-owned softball-complex well, and new wells south of the property. For reliability and redundancy, Zimmerman said the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board recommends connecting to BMU’s raw-water line.

\"The pond will act as a holding pond. So for irrigation because we need a lot of water quick when we irrigate for the golf course,\" Zimmerman said, describing the intended role of lined holding ponds fed by the chosen source.

The committee’s analysis put construction cost estimates for the BMU raw-water connection at about $1.3 million in projected construction costs; a treated-water connection was shown at roughly $1.9 million for a 10-year worst-case scenario. The presentation noted that the 10-year cost calculation includes raw-water purchase at worst-case drought-year rates and typical pumping and operational costs. Zimmerman said pump motors have an expected life of about 10 years; he estimated irrigation pumping needs near 120 gallons per minute and that pumps would rotate in and out.

Zimmerman told the council the BMU raw-water option is roughly $100,000 more expensive than relying on a well south of the course — but the BMU option gives the city redundancy, access to multiple BMU wells, and water that contains minerals good for turf. BMU staff member Eric Witt provided a proposal to the city after earlier conversations, the council was told.

At the council meeting, members asked about liner materials and pond hydraulics. Zimmerman said the main holding pond would be lined with clay and connected to a second pond via a one-way culvert; the lined pond will also be aerated and could include fountain features.

Council later considered a resolution to increase the golf course capital-improvement fee that funds the course’s capital improvement program. Zimmerman said the fee change would add about $21,000 a year to the golf-course capital fund. He described several planned capital projects — including water sourcing, pond lining, and a redesigned irrigation layout to move heads off fairways — and said the golf course operates as an enterprise fund and fees should support course investments.

During the debate, Councilmember Specker asked whether the capital fee, if left unchanged, would delay projects for decades; staff and the city manager said fee increases were one of several funding sources (including grants and existing liquor-store and other transfers) and that the city would return with more concrete funding recommendations as bids and estimates matured. The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board had asked for more details before recommending a fee change; Zimmerman said the board ultimately recommended proceeding with the BMU connection but wanted further clarity on final costs during the bid process.

A resident, Doug Smith, spoke in support of raising fees, noting membership growth at the course; Smith said the work would be good value for members. The council approved the fee increase on a recorded vote.

Next steps: staff will move forward with the design and bid process, and the council will review contracts and final budget recommendations once bids are received.

","Parks staff and advisory board recommended connecting Edgebrook Golf Course to BMU’s raw-water line for irrigation. Council later approved a modest increase to the golf course capital-improvement fee expected to add about $21,000 annually to the course’s capital fund.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6572255,"Brookings merger committee unveils draft plan to combine Chamber, BEDC, Visit Brookings and downtown organization",1722,598000,2320000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3091735-8bd36bc5ab7e50913be523fefdb3b407&start=598&end=2320","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3091735-8bd36bc5ab7e50913be523fefdb3b407/thumbnail_598000.jpg","/articles/6572255/Brookings/Brookings-County/South-Dakota/Brookings-merger-committee-unveils-draft-plan-to-combine-Chamber-BEDC-Visit-Brookings-and-downtown-organization","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6572255-5935ef6355aec2deb51806a72ff92095/orig.mp4?Expires=1771215263&Signature=R6sCAYgec~jd4qMHo8jd8jCQFcHVzbvsbJoReiYDVZ9oj79mgS4LGDKsxJHIyAQj0ikhsio0KmaB01B5LaoPRzuZB5znOvtCXX9daGC99DObkx4T2appVDd47Y8XRGS~Vr2PpIQuIZnO-I2A~TbyoE0lgKLqwPZ6XZ84bCFtobCXKnN9RPKMVfrbkF8HpmQITwsfIH0gBmWWRGF0m0nEONIVGx7ElvvWuehlxAvaMEmUA5QvBF3nh2f3Er7rRMKFiGP~0cSvO~CFvl9dq2hIV44tejD7Y9dyZ78rIynevf8H-DVlBe26dHxGPgL8EPpjbcuS8zxenOO2yU01aJo5yA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Brookings — A citizen-led committee presented a draft implementation plan Tuesday to merge four local nonprofit economic-development entities — the Brookings Area Chamber of Commerce, Brookings Economic Development Corporation (BEDC), Visit Brookings and Downtown Brookings — into a single organization with a central board and a president and CEO.

The proposal is designed to preserve the existing missions of the four organizations while combining shared services, creating three program pillars (business development, community development and destination development) and centralizing operations such as finance, human resources and marketing. \"This is probably the deepest dive we've taken, in these meetings thus far,\" committee co-chair Nick Wendell told the council.

The committee said the merged entity would seek efficiencies across roughly $1.1 million in current salary and benefit costs for 13 positions, roughly $138,000 in annual office-related costs and about $135,000 in marketing, while coordinating roughly $858,000 in FY25 city funding currently directed at the four organizations. The committee noted about $250,000 of that city support is generated from the city’s lodging (pillow) tax and presently directed to Visit Brookings.

At a public presentation, co-chair Tom Fishback said the group began the work with \"a blank page\" and conducted interviews with six peer communities in the Upper Midwest that have completed similar mergers. The committee said it studied organizational models, funding approaches and governance structures used elsewhere and convened staff and board forums and two open stakeholder meetings this spring.

Under the draft plan, an initial central board would have 11 voting members plus a nonvoting president/CEO. The proposed selection process calls for a seven-person selection committee to name the first board and would include three partner designees representing the city of Brookings, Brookings County and South Dakota State University. Term language in the draft would allow members to serve up to two four-year terms, with a maximum 10-year cap if selected as officers.

The merged organization’s work would be organized around three outward-facing \"pillars\":
- Business development: advocacy, entrepreneurship support, workforce recruitment and business growth initiatives.
- Community development: child care, training and resident-onboarding programs, placemaking and district development.
- Destination development: conference and event recruitment, downtown events and tourism promotion, including management of the Visit Brookings brand.

A central shared-services team for sales, data and marketing would support all three pillars, the committee said, and staff positions (office manager, controller and specialists) are proposed but not finalized. \"We want to make sure we're vetting those thoroughly, but they are still sort of in that proposal phase,\" Wendell said.

The committee presented a timeline that calls for a public open house Wednesday, April 30, at McCrory Gardens Visitor Center; formation of an 11-member board by mid-June; an executive search for a president/CEO in the summer; and, if Council affirms the implementation plan, a target launch of the new organization on Jan. 1, 2026. The council will be asked at its May 13 meeting to indicate whether it supports funding a merged entity in the 2026 city budget; the committee said the vote would be an affirmation that the council supports funding the model in the upcoming budget process, not a final sign-off on each staff position or program.

Council members asked about seasonality of work across pillars, the role of advisory councils and how existing projects would transition. Tom Fishback and Wendell said the plan preserves volunteer advisory councils for the three pillars, while shared operational functions (finance, HR) would be staff-led. They also said existing organizations have been asked to fulfill current commitments through the end of 2025 and staff would be expected to continue operations during any transition.

The committee noted that membership and sponsorship revenue currently generates just over $500,000 across the four organizations and that future membership and revenue models would be critical to the merged organization's sustainability.

Next steps: the committee will host the April 30 open house and return to the council on May 13 with a full implementation plan the council can consider for 2026 funding. If the council signals support, the committee expects to name the initial board in June and proceed with a CEO search this summer.

","A volunteer-led committee outlined a proposed merged economic development organization with a central board, a president/CEO and three program \"pillars,\" and asked the council to signal support for funding the new entity in the 2026 city budget.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council approves airport taxi-lane bid, street contracts, land-use actions and several facility measures; selects Woods Fuller as city attorney

Parks board backs BMU raw-water connection for Edgebrook Golf Course; council approves small capital-fee increase

Brookings merger committee unveils draft plan to combine Chamber, BEDC, Visit Brookings and downtown organization