Mitchell council removes Corn Palace renovation from agenda after donor, cost concerns

The Mitchell City Council voted to remove item 14, the proposed Corn Palace renovation project, from the meeting agenda after members raised questions about the project's estimated cost and whether private donor funding would materialize.

Council members debated the timing and scope of the proposal before voting to remove the item from that night's consent agenda. A council member who said they served on the steering committee objected to moving forward while key donor commitments and other decision points remained unresolved, and asked that the item be deleted from the agenda until more information is available.

The request to remove the item opened a broader discussion about the project's reported maximum cost of up to $23,000,000 and whether that amount would be borne by city taxpayers. Several council members said the $23 million figure was contingent on securing private donors and on final bid results, and at least one council member said they would not support committing large sums without a confirmed donor. A member of the public urged the council to reject the project outright.

Roger Musick, a member of the public who addressed the council during Citizens Input, said Mitchell needed "smart fact based decisions about the future of the corn pellets," and asked what facts supported an expansion. Musick said he had shared a website (mitchellfacts.com) and public radio material to question assumptions the project proponents have used to justify expansion.

City staff and some council members noted that project documents had been presented on a timeline recommended by project staff (referred to in the meeting as Robin's timeline) and that additional committee meetings were expected. One council member said key meetings scheduled for the week were "crucial to this project." Another member said the Corn Palace director had displayed the proposal during a previous presentation and that a July vote was anticipated, while others said proceeding now would be premature.

After a motion and second to remove item 14, council members voted in favor; the mayor announced, "Motion carries. We are removing number 14 from the agenda." The council then proceeded with the rest of the meeting.

The removal leaves the Corn Palace renovation proposal temporarily off the council agenda; council members and public commenters said the item would likely return once donor commitments, bid estimates and committee input are clearer.