Residents raise sewer‑easement, liquor‑license and water‑meter complaints in council public input

During public input at the Nov. 12 Sioux Falls City Council meeting, several residents raised concerns about utilities, liquor‑license enforcement and water‑meter replacement practices.

Chester De Jong (S5) told the council he had previously presented evidence and now alleges the city has no recorded easement for "390 feet of sewer main" across his property and cited City Ordinance 157.117. He said Minnehaha County deeds, Dakota Title Company records and a former city real‑estate specialist indicated no easement and urged the city to recognize and record the easement so crews can access and repair sewer infrastructure. De Jong displayed a city engineering map and described manholes and trees relative to the sewer line as evidence of the problem.

An unidentified speaker (S4) described neighborhood enforcement concerns tied to a liquor license on West 11th Street, saying police told him they could not bring complaints to council or the city attorney’s office and urging council to "pull that license" if violations recur. The speaker also described undercover operations and urged stronger action when establishments fail to comply with underage‑sales or serving violations.

Tim Astanga (S8) raised complaints about water‑meter replacements and appointment windows. He said a renter waited two hours for a technician and that his household received an unusually high bill ($130) when his normal bill is around $28, asking the city to shorten notice windows or offer 30‑minute calls ahead rather than two‑hour blocks.

Council did not take immediate formal action on these public‑comment items during the meeting; staff follow‑up and verification were not recorded on the transcript.