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Yankton commission approves drafting letter to preserve National Park Service presence after GSA lease notices
Summary
City staff will prepare a letter for the mayor asking the General Services Administration and National Park Service to retain the NPS office in Yankton after the GSA notified 164 locations nationally of lease terminations; commission gave unanimous assent to drafting the letter and possible future resolution.
YANKTON, S.D. — City Manager Dave told the City Commission on Tuesday that the General Services Administration recently notified 164 locations nationwide that GSA intends to terminate leases in certain federal facilities; one of the affected South Dakota locations is Yankton, where the National Park Service occupies leased space.
Dave said the NPS office houses 12 full‑time employees who moved to Yankton when the office was recruited here. He asked permission to draft a letter, for the mayor to sign, supporting retention of the National Park Service presence in Yankton. "We're hopeful that Yankton is one of the few locations they keep open," he said.
Commissioners asked procedural questions about leases and costs. Dave said GSA leases are ‘‘all inclusive’’ and can look different than typical commercial leases because they can cover services down to janitorial tasks; if GSA seeks more affordable space the lease comparables may not match the commercial market. He said the NPS staff stationed in Yankton did not yet know their fate.
No member objected to drafting the letter. Dave said staff may later ask the commission to consider a supporting resolution if warranted.
Why it matters: the NPS office is a locally visible federal presence and its loss would remove an employer and a visitor‑service function based in Yankton. The city emphasized it had worked for years to recruit that NPS office.
Ending: Staff will prepare the draft letter for the mayor to sign and will return to the commission if a formal resolution is advisable.
