Council approves draft implementation plan and up to $250,000 in transition funding for economic development merger

The Brookings City Council on May 20 approved a draft implementation plan for the proposed merger of four local economic organizations and authorized up to $250,000 in transition funding to support the consolidation.

The plan, developed by the Economic Development Merger Committee, outlines a new organizational structure combining the Brookings Area Chamber of Commerce, the Brookings Economic Development Corporation, Downtown Brookings and Visit Brookings into a single entity. Nick Wendell, co-chair of the merger committee, told the council the goals are to "preserve and enhance the existing missions" of the organizations, maximize public and private resources and better position the Brookings region to pursue opportunities.

Why it matters: The council’s approval signals funding support in the 2026 budget cycle and clears the way for formation of a new board and a search for a president and CEO. Committee co-chair Tom Fishback said the new board will be selected by mid‑June, and the committee expects a CEO in place by late summer or early fall so a merged organization could begin operations in January of the following year.

Details: The draft plan describes a central board of directors, a president/CEO, two shared-services pillars (operations; sales/data/marketing) and three mission-focused pillars (business development; community development; destination development). The committee recommended appointing an 11-member board consisting of five at-large members, three advisory-council chairs and three partner designees (city of Brookings, South Dakota State University and Brookings County). The implementation plan envisions initial staffing across pillars, with some positions described as probable but not finalized.

Transition funding: Wendell and Fishback asked the council to authorize "up to $250,000" from the Economic Development Reserve Fund to cover transition costs such as the board and CEO search, branding and start-up activities. Wendell said the funds are intended to cover one-time expenses while the existing organizations continue their ongoing missions through 2025.

Board and organizational steps: The merger committee said it will solicit board applications, conduct interviews and use a selection subcommittee to name the initial directors. The new board’s first formal charge will be to lead the CEO search; merger leaders said they expect a search to include broad stakeholder interaction during finalist interviews.

Questions and next steps: Council members asked how the existing organizations and their staffs were involved. Wendell said the committee gathered budgets, bylaws and job descriptions and held staff forums and interviews; the committee also met with peer communities that have completed similar mergers. The plan sets June 30 as the deadline for the four organizations’ boards to confirm whether they will participate in the merger.

Council vote: The motion to approve the implementation plan and authorize transition funding passed on a roll call vote (unanimous). No further conditions were attached at the council’s public vote.

Public comment: A member of the public urged caution, saying in past mergers he observed separate missions that did not always mesh and recommended the organizations make their own determinations about joining.

What to watch: The council and merger committee will present the implementation plan to the four existing boards in May and June; if boards affirm participation, the committee will convene the selection subcommittee and proceed with board appointments and the CEO search.