Dell Rapids council hears funding requests from Chamber, museum, baseball and other groups ahead of budget workshop

Dell Rapids city councilors on Aug. 7 heard requests from multiple local nonprofits and community groups as they prepare next week’s budget workshop.

The Dell Rapids Chamber of Commerce asked the council for a $75,000 contribution in the 2025 budget, an increase the chamber said would support an administrator, marketing and community events. “We asked for 2025 budget, for a contribution of $75,000 to our organization,” Amber Larson, chamber president, told the council. Larson and Nate O’Brien, the chamber’s vice president, described 2023 advertising that produced hundreds of thousands of impressions and an estimated 9,000 visitors drawn to local events.

The Dell Rapids Museum board requested a one‑time $10,000 grant to cover recent lighting upgrades and asked that the city raise its annual allotment to $50,000 to support building repairs and program expansion. “Our historic building … is one of the jewels of Main Street,” Brenda Risty said, noting the museum lacks Wi‑Fi, a museum‑quality printer and basic digitization equipment.

Other requests included:

- Dell Rapids Baseball Association: Lee Bolak asked for $128,000 to move Volunteer Field’s backstop, update dugouts and improve playability; the association said volunteer labor has already saved roughly $80,000 on recent projects.

- Senior Citizen Center: Marie Fredericen and Joyce Van Dispen reported rising insurance and maintenance costs and identified painting at about $12,000–$12,860 and front‑door/parking work near $7,500.

- Cemetery Board: Steve Sinek requested a $2,500 stipend for 2025 and described plans to survey additional burial blocks and map graves (estimated $1,500–$2,000) to improve recordkeeping.

- Dell Rapids Ambulance Service: Ryan Siddic described improved reserves and said the service is starting to put funds aside for vehicle replacement; he also summarized past, unsuccessful attempts to form an ambulance district.

- Economic Development Corporation: Dan Klein reported ongoing projects (Quartzsite Street paving, façade grant program), noted about 35 acres of shovel‑ready land south of Quartzsite Street and described a possible grading project in 2025.

City staff repeatedly emphasized that these presentations are requests only; formal budget decisions will be made at a special budget meeting on Monday, Aug. 12, when Stockwell Engineering will also brief the council on the master park plan.

Council members asked clarifying questions about project scope and cost estimates and said they would review the requests before next week’s workshop.