[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-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],{"_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",6463813,"mediaKeyId","5784930-081bc9876806f4e6570d36cde7d22d8e","parentId",5784930,"title","Madison commission approves construction account, tax levy certification, multiple electric bids and change orders; approves MOU with ICAP applicant","audioSeconds",1825,"startMs",147000,"endMs",1972000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5784930-081bc9876806f4e6570d36cde7d22d8e&start=147&end=1972","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5784930-081bc9876806f4e6570d36cde7d22d8e/thumbnail_147000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6463813/Madison/Lake-County/South-Dakota/Madison-commission-approves-construction-account-tax-levy-certification-multiple-electric-bids-and-change-orders-approves-MOU-with-ICAP-applicant","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6463813-9322d5604b1d62090773bcd2244f37a9/orig.mp4?Expires=1773718660&Signature=nv5e2wvpvw6Iw0d2WLgJXuDCkOspdnJTQnRER9Yj2iQy4kSynGbxcx9XRFdZc-p2RDc488uG~sHidCgg~sMIkn7imqYTsJNy1rI2UQ2pdELl~L9EnPJAuSv6~srLP0ZA9wAnZVe65N0StufpiitN6HCQZb7pvzvCmnDgviQ1KTyG9d7ayPSXnWsiy7w5y0XlCW7C7z9vaja~nHfufgC8BmWtT7BwfmP2~kL02ivhiJoTG9F-PHUjFQ6XAB9PH5XsKUsWC3j0D5jGymTY2~9UUCa1bFxrSaOgpETo8p8hBAbji9DVaWeZbBVUohubj1GaUpTD4D~N~KBhrmLGj92K-A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Madison, SD","date","2025-09-16T12:33:15Z","article","The Madison City Commission approved a package of administrative resolutions, procurement awards and contract change orders during the meeting. The actions below reflect motions, seconds and roll-call or voice votes recorded in the meeting transcript.

What the commission approved

- Resolution 2025-23, First PREMIER construction account: The commission approved creating a construction account at First PREMIER Bank to support electrical bond disbursements and construction payments for city electric-system improvements. Mayor Lindsey abstained from the roll call “because I have 2 relatives that work for Premier.” The roll-call tally recorded the remaining commissioners as voting yes; the motion carried.

- Resolution 2025-24, property tax levy for 2026: The commission approved certification of the property tax levy for 2026, proposing a total levy of $2,413,235.93. Staff explained the levy combines a 2.9% CPI adjustment and 1.4% new growth for a net increase of $98,825.33 from the prior year. The motion carried by voice vote.

- Bid award — Green Substation site grading (Bid No. 983): The commission awarded site-grading work for the Green Substation to Sukup Construction, the low responsive bidder, at $184,184. Staff said grading will take place this fall to keep the construction schedule on track; the motion carried by voice vote.

- Bid awards — Major materials for Grama Substation (Bid No. 985): The commission approved three separate awards for materials:
- GOAB switches: Awarded to Border States Electric for Passcor-manufactured switches at $58,425. Staff noted an apparently lowest bid was nonresponsive on technical specs, so the recommended award went to the lowest responsive bidder. (Motion carried by voice vote.)
- Potential transformers (PTs): Awarded to Border States Electric at $29,565 after the lowest bid was found not to meet technical specifications. (Motion carried by voice vote.)
- Substation steel: Awarded to Galvanizers Incorporated at $118,925.40; staff said the total recommended awards for the three material components were $206,915.40, about $915.40 over the engineer’s estimates. (Motion carried by voice vote.)

- Change order No. 2 — Green Substation power transformer (69 kV to 115/13.8 kV): The commission approved a change order for the transformer that reduced an originally listed increase of $114,000 by $20,000, resulting in a net increase of $94,000. Staff explained the amount covers storage and testing; the updated contract price is approximately $2,000,000. (Motion carried by voice vote.)

- Change order No. 1 — City library ramp (Keselwood Excavation and Dirt Work Services): The commission approved a $3,477.65 increase to the contract to correct staking errors and make quantity adjustments; the revised contract price is $62,458.21. City staff said handrails will be installed by city forces. (Motion carried by voice vote.)

- Change order No. 2 — North Egan Avenue reconstruction (Winter Contracting LLC): Approved a $1,435 increase required to replace a 36-inch round pipe with a 36-inch arch pipe to gain additional clearance over an underground utility. Staff explained the pipe-profile differences were discovered during construction and required the adjustment. (Motion carried by voice vote.)

- Memorandum of Understanding with The Summit at Van Eps LLC (Inter Lakes Community Action Partnership/ICAP): The commission approved an MOU supporting a proposed multifamily project that would contain 28 low-income units and a commercial kitchen to serve ICAP’s senior meals program and other counties. Staff and an ICAP representative explained the project would pursue Low Income Housing Tax Credits through the South Dakota Housing Development Authority and, because of that financing, the project would not be tax exempt; ICAP requested support for future tax-increment financing (a TIF) but staff noted the MOU does not obligate the city to provide a TIF. Commissioner Barish abstained from the vote due to contractual agreements with ICAP; other commissioners voted aye in a roll call (Dibdahl Aye; Wolf Aye; Weir Aye; Mayor Lindsey Aye). Motion carried.

- Authorization of signature on Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program-goal document — Madison Municipal Airport: The commission authorized a signature on the airport’s DBE program-goal document. Staff explained the program sets an aspirational goal of 4.6% DBE participation on DOT-assisted projects and requires good-faith outreach rather than quotas. (Motion carried by voice vote.)

How it was decided and conflicts disclosed

Most procurement and contract votes were taken by motion and voice vote; where a roll-call vote was used, the transcript records names and responses. Two abstentions were recorded on the public record: Mayor Lindsey on the First PREMIER resolution (relatives employed by the bank) and Commissioner Barish on the ICAP-related MOU (a contractual relationship). Staff noted several low bids were found nonresponsive due to technical specification mismatches or bid-bond problems, and recommended awards accordingly.

Ending: Staff said they will proceed with contracting and project scheduling for the approved items and will continue coordinating design and construction timelines with contractors.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","September 15, 2025 City Commission Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","At its meeting the Madison City Commission approved a set of resolutions, bid awards, change orders and a memorandum of understanding for a proposed 28-unit low-income housing project. Rolls and voice votes carried most items; one commissioner abstained from votes related to ICAP and a bank due to conflicts disclosed on the record.","taxTitle","Madison, Lake County, South Dakota","taxId",69081,"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},6463818,"Madison staff present proposed 2026 budget with $114,000 operating gap; capital requests include substation work, rec trail, Flintfield lights",4426,2166000,6592000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5784930-081bc9876806f4e6570d36cde7d22d8e&start=2166&end=6592","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5784930-081bc9876806f4e6570d36cde7d22d8e/thumbnail_2166000.jpg","/articles/6463818/Madison/Lake-County/South-Dakota/Madison-staff-present-proposed-2026-budget-with-114000-operating-gap-capital-requests-include-substation-work-rec-trail-Flintfield-lights","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6463818-12a6b6c1abd68f3020ae2f95e9a4a04c/orig.mp4?Expires=1773718660&Signature=CoX~VmO8pofgpAUAPTCWADpMGEWvblP769M-KlFiJfhXe6B~32RvlGmJwkvCl6VVwvXwQVc60IU-xe6S1mSlVIaiF3cx0MV95XNhermU84J7vs0M02fzB2x83HirwVDr6RKiGUbPsEHIaeoUWAJlXyyBfTp5G1c1IXqpOR~yM~15GcifaJDAqZBfhFOC1PXanrfBVp2oBX-~VI~8nVCyxkS3KcZ7VkVSCXwHNS5gQGl~h5sqMpk1mbE-zxtWXGyaAhOANxAe8JuKOY~obz2hf2eFCy-GUdx7tj35IO26kdGrOiMXHGQUvLu-QQwD2OdJCkrWs1akSwbbuJ4UZO~hug__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff presented a proposed 2026 budget to the Madison City Commission that shows a projected operating shortfall of about $114,000 and roughly $12.5 million in capital requests, with large items concentrated in the electric utility and street projects. Staff and commissioners spent the meeting reviewing operating reductions, placeholders for wages and benefits, and several capital projects that would require additional funding or outside grants.

Why it matters: The budget package sets levy and spending direction for next year and would affect city services, staffing, capital projects and user rates. Commissioners were asked to weigh whether to hold nonprofit and community programs steady, reduce wages or make deeper cuts to departmental operations if revenues do not improve.

Finance staff said the city’s general cash position is strong in absolute dollars but that the operating gap remains. “Cash on hand, general cash, 9,140,000.00. Investments, 6,030,000.00, checking, 2,140,000.00, money market, 687,000, other, 283,000, restricted cash at 635,000,” Amy, a city staff member, reported during the presentation. Staff also noted one-time receipts that affect 2025 figures, including about $748,000 in FEMA grant payments and roughly $967,898 in long-term debt for a storm-sewer project.

On revenue assumptions, staff said they are budgeting a 2% increase in sales tax for 2026. Jamieson, a city staff member, summarized the revenue picture: “So we’re budgeting for a modest increase of 2% for next year.” Property tax projections reflect the levy the commission certified earlier in the meeting: $2,413,235.93, an increase of $98,825.33 from the prior year driven by a 2.9% consumer-price-index adjustment and about 1.4% new growth in taxable property.

Staff laid out a list of capital requests that, taken together, far exceed the small operating gap. Major items called out in the presentation included:
- Green Substation reconstruction: $3,300,000 (design/rehab work continues)
- Southeast Substation expansion and related transmission work: approximately $2,900,000 total (design and construction phases)
- Underground conversion for Feeder 8 (design in 2026, construction 2027)
- North Egan Avenue SRF project (year-two funding forecast of about $3.5 million)
- Flintfield ball-field lighting replacement estimated at $180,000 (staff said they would seek partial matches from Dakota State University, the ball association and possible energy grant funds)
- Recreation-trail extension estimated at $336,000 (staff said $200,000 could come from a grant, leaving $136,000 local match)
- Restricted-use solid-waste site development (subject to permitting) and associated site-building costs

Many capital requests depend on external funding or phased scheduling. Jamieson told commissioners that roughly half of the total capital requests come from electric projects; the full package of capital requests submitted through the ClearGov portal totaled about $12.5 million. Staff noted the operating-budget gap of $114,000 does not include those capital requests and urged the commission to consider outside funding or matches for projects that advance city priorities.

Commissioners and staff discussed options to close the operating gap without immediate personnel reductions: trimming the proposed wage placeholders slightly, modest nonprofit-funding cuts and using contingency funds if needed. The commission discussed the budget’s placeholder for wages and benefits: staff had included an 8% wage placeholder for budgeting purposes and an 11% placeholder for health-insurance increases; both figures are provisional pending wage-study results and final insurance renewal numbers.

Commissioner discussion emphasized avoiding layoffs where possible. One commissioner summarized the trade-offs: cutting more capital or nonprofit support could preserve staffing, while deeper operating cuts could require personnel reductions. The commission directed staff to continue refining the budget, to firm up insurance and wage numbers before the first reading of the budget ordinance and to return with recommended tradeoffs and any available grant matches for capital items.

Staff announced public engagement and next steps: a City Circle event on the 2026 budget is set for Monday, Sept. 20, and the next regular commission meeting is scheduled for Oct. 6. Staff also said they expect to have more exact insurance and wage figures in time for the ordinance’s first reading. “By the time we get to the first reading, our intent is that we would have more exact numbers,” Jamieson said.

Ending: Commissioners did not take a final vote on the full budget at the meeting. Staff will revise line items and return with updated wage/insurance figures, recommended priority capital projects and options to close the remaining operating gap ahead of the first reading of the 2026 budget ordinance.","City staff told the Madison City Commission the draft 2026 operating budget has a projected $114,000 shortfall and lays out $12.5 million in capital requests, led by electric substation projects and a potential recreation-trail grant. Commissioners discussed possible cuts, wage placeholders and options for closing the gap.","actionData","errors"]

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Madison commission approves construction account, tax levy certification, multiple electric bids and change orders; approves MOU with ICAP applicant

Madison staff present proposed 2026 budget with $114,000 operating gap; capital requests include substation work, rec trail, Flintfield lights