[{"_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",6473568,"mediaKeyId","5744791-991a676ddef39376015a7e0368b78971","parentId",5744791,"title","Council approves several contracts and ordinances; bids awarded for street, sewer and landfill drop-off projects","audioSeconds",354,"startMs",3719000,"endMs",4073000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5744791-991a676ddef39376015a7e0368b78971&start=3719&end=4073","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5744791-991a676ddef39376015a7e0368b78971/thumbnail_3719000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6473568/Brookings/Brookings-County/South-Dakota/Council-approves-several-contracts-and-ordinances-bids-awarded-for-street-sewer-and-landfill-drop-off-projects","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6473568-2de92a5782061fe02bacc0739cd7df8b/orig.mp4?Expires=1775346705&Signature=nmo6R0LEdTN6u~SJEedQBv0Qc-g2J5NvJ1VpKQ555PjniaQ48j~revhq~NaHPbxQCAqn5ngYEHvPXIieAzdgf3-vzGiy2VgbaKggBE0QhMb0kXRThUJoeAIr~I1NQhpaVTOyAKLZTYFPAur5fzyTPMx8zuEE1Ke4oDEJnBpS0f5LwCCVYvY-8CUOZ~SDP-at32xus3pIwpGGmy6YxV6tSrZB~zCvSOKoc65qVCEANv1nFfUmdjdHtO49HQw56DP~FiO5zpSRv57NvzhknwnMQM5XL2bbaoovJJneBK1CXFz2SaGkBGS~10MXw3RmzfE9jRDWAOAKVNaX3gP9fxBwWg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Brookings","date","2025-09-09T22:06:35Z","article","At its meeting the Brookings City Council voted on multiple consent and action items including bid awards, ordinance readings and permits. Below are the actions taken, outcomes and key details as recorded in roll call.

Votes at a glance

1) Resolution 25-077 — Award contract for the 2025-11 Capitol Street and 30 Second Avenue sanitary sewer and resurfacing project
- Outcome: Approved (roll call: Specker, Tiltonburn, Wendell, Avery, Doran, Hager, Niemeyer — all voted Aye)
- Winning bidder: Rounds Construction (Brookings)
- Low bid: $517,533.99
- Purpose: Install sanitary sewer on Capitol Street to allow future development north of the Marketplace (Weis property) and resurface roadway segments; coordination with My Place Hotel, Whiskey Creek and Dakota Bank Center; work to be completed before Target opens.

2) Resolution 25-076 — Award contract for public drop-off area construction at Brookings Regional Landfill
- Outcome: Approved (roll call: Tiltonburn, Wendell, Avery, Doran, Hager, Niemeyer, Specker — all voted Aye)
- Winning bidder: Clark Drew Construction (Brookings)
- Low bid: $217,800
- Purpose: Construct a public drop-off area to separate small-vehicle customer traffic from active landfill working-face operations; recommended in the 2023 solid waste master plan; staff estimated this low bid was substantially below engineer’s estimate and the approved allocation.

3) Ordinance 25-028 — Zoning change (first reading) for property at 2162/547 470 First Avenue (Ostrom Excavating)
- Action: Introduced (first reading). No final vote recorded; second reading scheduled for Sept. 23.
- Request: Rezone from B-3 to I-1 to allow a component use (concrete/rock crushing) that is not permitted in B-3; joint planning commission (city and county) recommended approval.

4) Ordinance 25-030 — Certify 2026 city property-tax levy to Brookings County finance officer (second reading and vote)
- Outcome: Approved (roll call: Wendell, Avery, Doran, Hager, Niemeyer, Specker, Tiltonburn — all voted Aye)
- Detail: Total property-tax increase for 2026 of $209,516 for a total levy amount of $4,408,219; growth and CPI factors provided by Brookings County (growth 2.09%, CPI 2.9%).

5) Ordinance 25-031 — Budget amendment number 7 to the 2025 budget (second reading and vote)
- Outcome: Approved (roll call: Avery, Doran, Hager, Niemeyer, Specker, Tiltonburn, Wendell — all voted Aye)
- Detail: Transfer $100,000 from general fund reserves/city council financial policy projects to the fire-facility capital project fund to initiate engineering and soil testing for replacing the downtown fire station; design and public engagement planned for fall with bidding in early spring pending site determination.

6) Special-event temporary alcohol permit — Brookings Area Chamber: downtown SDSU watch party (300 block of Main Ave., Oct. 4)
- Outcome: Approved (roll call: Doran, Hager, Niemeyer, Specker, Tiltonburn, Wendell, Avery — all voted Aye)
- Note: Staff recommended approval; one public comment was made during the hearing.

7) Resolution 25-003 — Authorize city manager to enter 10-year on-sale liquor operating agreement with Raya Z. Aranda (La Quintina Grill LLC d/b/a Latina Grill)
- Outcome: Approved (roll call: Hager, Niemeyer, Specker, Tiltonburn, Wendell, Avery, Doran — all voted Aye)
- Note: Applicant was present; staff noted two prior compliance check failures (most recent April 2024) and no additional violations since that date; staff recommended approval.

Other procedure notes
- The consent agenda was approved by voice/roll call earlier in the meeting with all members present.
- Several items introduced as first readings will return for second reading on Sept. 23 as noted by staff.

Ending: Council members approved the items listed above; staff will proceed with contract execution and project coordination where applicable.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Meeting 8/26/2025","oneSentenceSummary","The City Council approved two construction bid awards, certified the 2026 property-tax levy, adopted a 2025 budget amendment to begin design for a replacement downtown fire station, and approved temporary alcohol and liquor-operating agreements.","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},6473572,"Brookings resident urges outside investigation into police conduct during open forum",702,2047000,2749000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5744791-991a676ddef39376015a7e0368b78971&start=2047&end=2749","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5744791-991a676ddef39376015a7e0368b78971/thumbnail_2047000.jpg","/articles/6473572/Brookings/Brookings-County/South-Dakota/Brookings-resident-urges-outside-investigation-into-police-conduct-during-open-forum","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6473572-8d47983e498ebb22376223f50cb1ab48/orig.mp4?Expires=1775346705&Signature=iKJTz~rsjTdyA~m0zI8ykaxGTe0NqFEPJr7Y6JJ-19nJv4cRq3m~igjayWs58dip~BNm0hcgiFkBNJGS5FH951mY9JTinNq0W9pcocPCloGaJagenN~YVAptUvF5sQ4nGvYk0zXHSnTwMWsPahJuw6TUEEAdSHQo00nRJzPPvp7JTGWaQMe6VGEHp-9EqWJtHE-bMYY0Z~9yC9zJipeyzQCcRy5Pb0cMGjKKH2T9po-Lli8Rlg0O5Xj1l5IWdtcalOA9lXOyZiJcpTOrtl1tF8eNeNloKqO0ELdDtb1QIsCkSQxjDVXahO8a8~a4oaD7sYi9jUKc8opIgdCsl4E5pg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","During the council’s open forum, a Brookings resident, Tim Kaye, addressed the council with allegations about a recent assault and the subsequent police response. Kaye said he and his adult daughter were assaulted on Aug. 7 and alleged that responding officers falsified probable-cause arrest affidavits. “I’m demanding an outside agency be appointed to investigate officer Cora Olsen who falsified her probable cause arrest affidavit, officer Weinreich who falsified his probable cause arrest affidavit, and officer Easton Thurrie,” Kaye said. He asked that the officers be suspended pending an outside investigation and said he believes body-camera footage will substantiate his claims.

City staff and the mayor responded that the city has an established process for citizen complaints and that some matters cannot be discussed publicly while legal processes are pending. A city official told the meeting: “We encourage the public to follow the process that we've identified, in the process that's, outlined within our website.”

Why this matters: The speaker alleged potential misconduct by named officers and requested outside investigatory authority. While the council did not take immediate formal action at the meeting, the remarks prompted an on-the-record statement about complaint channels and the limits of public comment in active legal matters.

Key points
- Allegations: Kaye said officers falsified probable-cause affidavits after responding to an assault his daughter reported; he said the officers refused to take DNA swabs of the alleged assailant and that he had a prior arrest related to a “stand your ground” incident.
- Request: Kaye asked the council to suspend the named officers and appoint an outside agency to investigate.
- City response: Officials directed the public to the posted complaint procedures and said investigators cannot comment on ongoing legal matters in a public meeting.

Process and next steps: No formal council motion or vote on the allegations occurred during the meeting. City staff indicated the public should use the complaint procedures posted on the city website; if the matter is under active legal review, it may be handled through those channels or by the relevant county/state authorities.

Ending: Kaye continued to press the issue during the meeting’s open forum. Council members did not announce any immediate personnel actions; any formal investigation or discipline would follow established complaint and legal procedures outside the council meeting.","A Brookings resident told the City Council he and his daughter were assaulted and alleged local officers falsified arrest affidavits; he asked for outside investigators and suspension of officers. City staff responded by pointing to the city’s posted complaint and review processes.",{"_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},6473577,"Brookings council reviews 2026 budget; general fund rises about $1 million while city uses conservative revenue assumptions",1908,120000,2028000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5744791-991a676ddef39376015a7e0368b78971&start=120&end=2028","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5744791-991a676ddef39376015a7e0368b78971/thumbnail_120000.jpg","/articles/6473577/Brookings/Brookings-County/South-Dakota/Brookings-council-reviews-2026-budget-general-fund-rises-about-1-million-while-city-uses-conservative-revenue-assumptions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6473577-7c2792c59a60ce3708c14ea24fbcebfa/orig.mp4?Expires=1775346705&Signature=ooI3uYDY-1Kl8TSC2xi3dC9YhSU9t-uFRQXnn7jg1mYvuZEVI9~E1x7pWWqW4n7DZOcE33y6-ORwuxZ-7s6QP1j5Gt2rGnl7tSnraoquSewz2fViJzSqRjHT~o1nZuhHV2TmwWB6QzaNj-oA8ZdSy2ZvUuQxnJFJgwtLmIGfGsiDh0ET8B6qIt9Lqv15M1zXPbo-5UbszIJ4sNTWCkaobLMTDw2FgTtstVu76Xx3BOSv-o4guI~2MjcEW-jYbKZE8u5CPjZSemVeG6SdJazigvXvvokr4wjn3nF1oA9KFNUp7r5IcGXF6bbk3L6rfyrb53IJOroJqDIQB1-iKR1UNw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Brookings city staff presented the first budget workshop on the proposed 2026 operating budget and outside-agency funding, outlining a balanced general fund that includes roughly $1 million more in spending than the 2025 adopted budget and a modest overall decrease of about $650,000 in the city’s total budget compared with 2025.

Assistant City Manager Samantha Beckman and Finance Director Ashley Wrench told the City Council that the 2026 budget reflects a 3% sales-tax growth estimate and a 5% increase in property-tax revenue; staff said total spending reductions are driven mainly by fewer one-time enterprise and CIP projects carried forward from 2025. “We are budgeting this 3% increase over 2025’s budget,” Beckman said, adding the budget uses multi-year averages and other conservative assumptions to hold spending to sustainable levels.

The presentation emphasized that the general fund is the city’s primary operating fund and will absorb most personnel- and inflation-driven cost increases. “The general fund increase is really having to do with staffing increases, so wages and training in there, as well as the BMU water treatment plant project revenues coming in and just kind of cost escalations of materials,” Beckman said. Staff said no additional full-time positions are recommended for 2026 and that wage changes that affect negotiations with unions remain subject to the ongoing meet-and-confer process.

Why this matters: The workshop sets the framework for the council’s fall budget decisions, including the formal property-tax-levy ordinance readings and a later public discussion of the capital improvement plan and the consolidated fee schedule. Council members pressed staff on the revenue assumptions and on near-term fiscal risks; staff said conservative revenue projections and existing reserve policies should provide flexibility for unexpected needs.

Key details and council questions
- Revenue assumptions: staff proposed a 3% sales-tax growth rate for 2026 and noted they intentionally budget less than recent actuals “to be fiscally conservative.” Finance Director Ashley Wrench said, “Each year, we propose a lesser amount than what we actually receive, to be fiscally conservative. So then, anything over and above what we have budgeted, then will fall into the city council financial policy projects for the next year.”
- Property taxes: staff presented a $209,516 increase in total city property-tax revenues for 2026, driven by a 2.09% new-construction growth factor and a 2.9% consumer-price-index factor provided by the county; staff reiterated that state law caps both CPI and growth at 3%.
- Fund balances and reserves: staff noted the city maintains a sinking/equipment fund (capable of up to $1 million in 2026) plus general-fund reserves (a 15% reserve policy and an additional 5% reserve) to respond to emergencies or unplanned capital replacements.
- Outside agencies: the presentation described about $3.1 million in outside-agency funding across several funds (about 4.33% of a roughly $72 million total budget). The Brookings School District’s request of $195,000 was recommended for funding; many tourism and economic-development grants are paid from the city’s “3B” bed, booze and board tax.
- Cost drivers: increases across departments are primarily personnel and inflation-driven: police (~7% increase), public works (~8.5%), parks (~6.3%), administration (about 15.9% due to a new city-attorney contract and ordinance recodification work), and fire (about 12% due to personnel and vehicle maintenance).

Council discussion highlighted two areas of potential near-term vulnerability: lower-than-expected hotel stays (which reduce the pillow/BID tax) and potential legislative or Medicaid-related funding shifts that could affect local nonprofits and the health-care system. Assistant City Manager Beckman and Finance Director Wrench repeatedly underscored the city’s conservative budgeting approach as a buffer against these uncertainties.

Next steps: staff said the council will review the 10-year capital improvement plan and the consolidated fee schedule at a September 23 meeting; an optional study session is scheduled for October 14 if the council requests additional review. The budget process will culminate in formal ordinance readings and adoption in November.

Ending: Councilmembers thanked staff for the presentation and asked for additional detail on a handful of line items at future meetings. The presentation materials and detailed fund tables will be revisited at the September 23 meeting.","City staff presented a balanced 2026 operating budget that trims total spending slightly from 2025 but increases the general fund by roughly $1 million, citing staffing, the BMU water treatment project and conservative revenue assumptions including a 3% sales tax forecast.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council approves several contracts and ordinances; bids awarded for street, sewer and landfill drop-off projects

Brookings resident urges outside investigation into police conduct during open forum

Brookings council reviews 2026 budget; general fund rises about $1 million while city uses conservative revenue assumptions