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Dell Rapids council forms parks committee to guide master-plan spending
Summary
The Dell Rapids City Council appointed three city council members to a new parks committee to steer implementation of the recently adopted park master plan and to help prioritize $150,000 in master-plan funding and an $80,000 baseball allocation. Council discussed project priorities and a recent on-site construction correction.
The Dell Rapids City Council voted to create a standing parks committee to shepherd implementation of the city’s park master plan and help prioritize two budget allocations: $150,000 earmarked in the 2025 budget for master-plan items and a separate $80,000 for baseball projects.
Council member Steve introduced the recommendation, saying the master plan released this past summer identified potential improvements and funding options. He told colleagues the parks master-plan steering committee reconvened Oct. 15 and recommended a smaller, stable council committee to provide continuity while the plan is carried forward. "With the issuance of the park master plan this past summer, council appropriated $150,000 in the 2025 budget for unspecified items associated with the park master plan," Steve said.
Mayor Early said the committee will help weigh trade-offs between concentrating funds on a single large project — such as a pool renovation costing "3 and 3 and a half million dollars" — versus spreading the money across multiple smaller projects like trail completion, lighting and court repairs. The council discussed possible near-term projects including updating courts, pursuing pickleball courts if community groups raise funds, and whether to leverage the baseball allocation with other sources.
Steve recommended appointing council members Pavicelli, Hanslick and Ron Sagen to the parks committee because they are not up for re-election and can provide "stable guidance for the process." Barry moved to approve the appointments; Gary seconded. The motion carried on an oral "aye" vote.
The meeting also addressed a construction error discovered on the park building site: a council member, Gary, reported that plan orientation on site differed from the intended layout and that the bathroom and large doors were inverted. Steve said he contacted APX Construction and the plans were corrected before concrete was poured. "They got the plans fixed," Steve said, and the contractor moved interior work to place the bathroom in the northwest corner; the project is slightly behind schedule but should recover if weather allows.
What happens next: the newly formed parks committee will reconvene with the steering committee and community stakeholders to recommend how to expend the $150,000 and the $80,000 baseball allocation; any formal funding decisions return to the full council for approval.
