Watertown Development Company outlines long‑term land and jobs strategy to Codington County commissioners

Chris Clifton, executive director of the Watertown Development Company, presented the development agency’s annual report to the Codington County Commission on Nov. 4, describing ongoing property investments, partner projects and steps to prepare sites for economic growth.

Clifton outlined multi‑year efforts to acquire and improve industrial and airport‑adjacent properties, noting long lead times and infrastructure work required to make sites marketable to employers. He described recent transactions in which sites moved rapidly from sale to construction and said that, in several cases, private investment has followed county and development‑company infrastructure work. Clifton said partnerships typically combine public investment with private capital to reduce upfront risk for private developers.

Clifton also said the state has signaled preliminary support of roughly $400,000 toward a partner project connected to a boat station (details were presented to the commission in narrative form). He emphasized that the development work is intended to increase payroll, tax base and regional economic activity, and he argued that having shovel‑ready sites is critical to winning and retaining employers.

Commissioners thanked Clifton and noted the regional economic benefits beyond Watertown. No formal action was taken; the presentation served as a status report to county officials.

Why it matters: Local economic development agencies often acquire, entitle and improve land in advance of private investment; those actions can accelerate job creation and broaden the local tax base but require public‑private partnerships and up‑front capital.

What’s next: Clifton invited commissioners to the agency’s next annual meeting and said staff will continue site preparation and outreach to prospective employers.