Flandreau council approves routine hires, grant policy and several resolutions, including Boys & Girls Club land interest and street repair allocations

The Flandreau City Council voted to approve a number of routine personnel items, an administrative grant policy recommended by auditors, and four related financial resolutions tied to community projects, the mayor announced during the meeting.

Among administrative measures, the council:

- Approved a special temporary on‑sale alcohol license for CTW LLC for an event in May. (Motion moved by Alderman Alliser; second by Alderman Gayton; motion carried.) - Placed Grace Kroll on step 1 of the Aquatic Center manager wage scale for the season, at a seasonal salary of $7,204.96, after staff recommended placing her at step 1. (Motion moved by Abendie Burkey; second by Alderman Bargain; motion carried.) - Approved seasonal hires for the aquatic center and seasonal public‑works hires, with wages shown in salary line items. (Motion moved and seconded; motions carried.) - Adopted the Uniform Grant Guidance policies and procedures, a document staff adapted from a model used by other municipalities and recommended by the city’s auditors to reduce future audit findings. Laurie (city staff) said the manual centralizes internal controls for federal grant management. (Motion moved by Alderman Parjan; second by Alderman Ackerman; motion carried.) - Accepted the 2023 audit draft and authorized the city to sign an engagement letter to prepare the 2024 annual report with the auditor firm. (Motion to approve audit moved by Alderman Eckern; engagement letter approval moved by Alderman Bierke with second by Alderman Aiken; motions carried.)

Key resolutions and budget actions approved:

- Resolution 2025‑05 (authorizing an undivided shared interest in real property with the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe): Council authorized the mayor to establish an undivided one‑half interest in the lot designated for the Boys & Girls Club early learning center so the city and the tribe can jointly pursue project funding and lease the property to the club. Cole (city staff) said the club has procured funding and bids will open May 5; council discussion included ensuring reversion language if the project did not proceed. (Motion moved by Alderman Partia; second by Alderman Allers; motion carried.)

- Resolution 2025‑06 (remitting previously reserved FEMA funds to the unrestricted general fund): Council remitted $43,636.98 of unallocated FEMA reimbursements back to the general fund after staff explained those funds had been on the balance sheet since 2019 and should be returned because the general fund had already covered the initial expenditures. (Motion moved by Alderman Yates; second by Alderman Eckern; motion carried.)

- Resolution 2025‑07 (allocating $15,000 from the unrestricted general fund reserve for Boys & Girls Club fitness equipment): After the FEMA remittance, council allocated $15,000 to subsidize purchasing exercise equipment for a community gym space the Boys & Girls Club will operate; club staff must submit receipts for the purchases. Cole said the equipment estimate ranges $10,000–$20,000 and staff would track receipts. (Motion moved by Albert Murphy; second by Alderman Eckern; motion carried.)

- Resolution 2025‑08 (allocating additional funds for asphalt/street repairs): Council authorized allocating additional remitted funds for three prioritized asphalt projects — two deteriorated intersections slated for removal and replacement, repairs to the city bike path, and a roughly 40‑foot section of Community Drive tied to the Boys & Girls Club expansion. Cole presented contractor quotes: approximately $24,000 for the bike path, $18,000 for intersection work, and an estimated $27,000 for Community Drive improvements; those sums exceed the $40,000 originally budgeted for street repairs, creating a $29,000 shortfall that the remitted funds will help cover. (Motion moved by Alderman Gaynor; second by Alderman Bargain; motion carried.)

Other personnel actions the council approved included adding Wade Quick to the volunteer fire department roster on probation, adopting a revised apprentice lineman wage scale (a proposed ~20% update), placing Wyatt Resmond on step 3 of the apprentice lineman scale on his return from active duty, approving a step increase for public‑works operator Andy Weade, and approving Micah Otto as a seasonal laborer at step 1 of the seasonal wage scale. All of these motions carried by voice vote during the meeting.

Votes at a glance (selected items): - Special temporary alcohol license (CTW LLC, May event): approved (moved Alderman Alliser; second Alderman Gayton) - Grace Kroll, Aquatic Center manager, step 1: approved (moved Abendie Burkey; second Alderman Bargain) - Uniform Grant Guidance policy manual: approved (moved Alderman Parjan; second Alderman Ackerman) - 2023 audit draft: accepted (moved Alderman Eckern; second Alderman Ollis) - Resolution 2025‑05 (undivided interest for Boys & Girls Club property): approved (moved Alderman Partia; second Alderman Allers) - Resolution 2025‑06 (remit FEMA funds to general fund): approved (moved Alderman Yates; second Alderman Eckern) - Resolution 2025‑07 (allocate $15,000 for Boys & Girls Club equipment): approved (moved Albert Murphy; second Alderman Eckern) - Resolution 2025‑08 (allocate funds for asphalt/street repairs): approved (moved Alderman Gaynor; second Alderman Bargain)

What this means: several routine personnel and fiscal housekeeping items passed by voice vote; the council also committed to a property‑sharing structure with the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe to support the Boys & Girls Club expansion and approved using previously restricted FEMA reimbursements to fund community gym equipment and supplement street repair projects. Council indicated staff will ensure receipts and project oversight for the club purchases and will return with further details if bid outcomes or volunteer donations (for concrete versus asphalt) change project scopes.