Mitchell SEA approves funding for local sports, music and community events

The Mitchell Sports and Events Authority on a voice vote approved funding for seven community events and a one‑time facility purchase, awarding a series of grants totaling roughly $23,750.

The awards, passed unanimously by voice votes recorded in the meeting transcript, included support for a Corn Palace ice festival, school and club music events, a high‑school basketball classic, a 12‑and‑under state swim meet, and an indoor futsal (indoor soccer) tournament. Applicants described expected attendance and hotel‑room impacts when requesting support.

The funding matters to the city because applicants tied the grants to visitor spending. Brian Bolche, secretary of the Mitchell Figure Skating Club, said the club expects 35 skaters and judges from multiple states and asked the authority to repeat a prior $750 award: “So we were just asking for some support again on that level.” Joel Van Persen, director of bands at Mitchell Middle School and SDMEA board member, asked for $1,500 to bring two national clinicians for the middle school all‑state jazz band and said 42 students would attend and “all of them, except 1, will need a hotel room.”

Organizers of other events gave similar estimates. Brad Barcher, organizer of the DW Classic basketball tournament, told the authority he expects 36 teams across boys’ and girls’ divisions and described multi‑night hotel stays for visiting teams. Jason Weadey (with Rob Schalski) asked for funding for the Dakota Riptide 12‑and‑under state swim championships and estimated between “320 and 350 swimmers” attending the meet. Nicholas Reinhart, representing the indoor futsal tournament, described growth in participating teams and said the tournament would “be above a hundred teams again.” The Mitchell Music Boosters requested $4,000 to finish purchasing 140 black stage chairs for the Performing Arts Center; Van Persen described the chairs as a one‑time purchase to support multiple annual events.

All seven motions were moved, seconded and passed by voice vote during the meeting. The transcript records motions and seconds but no roll‑call tallies; outcomes are listed below.

Votes at a glance - Corn Palace Ice Festival — Award approved: $750. Motion: made by Tim (board member); second by Kevin (board member). Outcome: approved by voice vote. - Middle school all‑state jazz band (SDMEA clinicians) — Award approved: $1,000 (request: $1,500). Motion: Tim (board member); second: Jordan (board member). Outcome: approved by voice vote. - Mitchell Music Boosters — Black concert chairs purchase — Award approved: $4,000 (request: about $4,000). Motion: Tim (board member); second: Kevin (board member). Outcome: approved by voice vote. - DW Culver’s Boys & Girls Basketball Classic — Award approved: $3,000. Motion: Tim (board member); second: (record shows a second). Outcome: approved by voice vote. - Dakota Riptide 12U State Swim Championships — Award approved: $4,000. Motion: Tim (board member); second: Tim/Given in transcript. Outcome: approved by voice vote. - 15th annual indoor futsal (Foosball/Futsal) winter classic — Award approved: $3,500 (request: $3,500). Motion: (made and seconded). Outcome: approved by voice vote.

Actions taken at the meeting were described as voice votes; the transcript records commissioners saying “Aye” and “Motion passed” but does not contain a roll‑call with individual yes/no tallies. The authority also approved minutes and the financial report during the same meeting.

Ending The awards are intended to support events that organizers said bring hotel room nights and restaurant visits to Mitchell. Several presenters asked event organizers to encourage attendees to use the authority’s newly launched event microsites and hotel booking tools (discussed separately during the meeting) to better track room nights associated with funded events.