Dell Rapids City Council members voted to buy seven solar trail lights from Dells Electric during their meeting, a move council members said is intended to improve safety on a partly unlit riverside trail.

Council member Nelson moved to purchase seven lights and Ron Sogut seconded; the motion passed on a voice vote. The seven-unit purchase was chosen specifically to keep the project under the city's $50,000 bid threshold for supplies and services.

The council's parks steering committee had earlier identified trail lighting as a 2025 priority. Staff told the council the parks master plan budget initially allocated $150,000 for related park work and that remaining funds could cover up to eight installed solar units at about $6,400 each, including pole, pad, rebar and concrete. "We could get up to 8 trail lights with our remaining funds. That would be about $51,450. I recommend approving up to $52,000 if council so desires," a staff member said during the discussion.

Why it matters: Council and staff framed the lights as a public-safety and amenity investment for the trail section that runs from the pedestrian bridge to the 115 bridge. Staff estimated the proposed eight lights would cover roughly 60% of the currently unlit portion; the approved seven lights will cover slightly less and keep the purchase below the formal bid threshold.

Discussion and details: Council members and staff discussed the technical and operational tradeoffs between solar and electric lighting. Staff and an engineering consultant noted there is no nearby utility connection along much of the trail peninsula and that bedrock could make trenching for conduit and power costly. That context informed the push toward solar units despite concerns about replacement parts and maintenance.

The council heard several technical clarifications: the proposed fixtures would be mounted on 12-foot poles, the bid price included installation, and the product quoted carried a five-year limited warranty. A council member called attention to the lights' rated life of roughly 2,000 cycles (about 5.5 years at daily cycling) and raised concerns that batteries and replacement parts could be obsolete or incompatible when warranty periods end.

Alternatives and concerns: Speakers urged care in selecting a reputable manufacturer and discussed staging installations so lighting patterns remain consistent if new units are added later. Staff also noted possible future funding sources, including an annual endowment held by the Community Foundation of Sioux Falls, and said additional units could be purchased in future budgets.

Procurement and direction: Because the seven-unit purchase keeps the project under the city's $50,000 procurement threshold for supplies and services (the council cited a $100,000 threshold for public improvements), members chose seven units rather than eight. Council directed public works staff and Dells Electric to finalize placement and provide a project update before installation.

Next steps and implementation: Staff said Clarence (public works) and Dells Electric will determine final placement and return to council with a project update. The council did not adopt any new maintenance program or long-term warranty plan during the meeting.