At the Dec. 30 Rapid City Public Works Committee meeting, resident Mark Millar asked whether utilities in the proposed Liberty Land tax-increment financing (TIF) project would remain privately owned or be dedicated to the city, raising concerns about past cases in which master-metered utility structures shifted costs to tenants or the municipality.

"I'm Mark Millar," the commenter said, identifying himself as a contractor and noting he had "heard this from the Department of Labor" before turning to questions about the Liberty Land project and whether utilities would be held inside private property lines or become public infrastructure.

City staff responded that utilities and streets included in a TIF are public improvements. "They will be owned by the city," the staff member said, adding that such improvements are typically installed in part by the city and in part by the developer. The staff explanation noted that, at later design stages, service to individual lots could be configured either with direct service from the public right-of-way or via public utility easements that allow mains to pass through private property when necessary.

Staff also said multifamily or mobile-home projects sometimes use a master meter at the lot line, with the park owner then providing services to individual users; in those cases, correct installation and billing arrangements are critical so that owners remain responsible and taxpayers are not left with long-term maintenance liabilities.

The chair and staff emphasized that the city's infrastructure design manual sets criteria for what must be public and what may be private, and that access and clear maintenance responsibility are required to ensure the city can respond in emergencies.

No formal action was taken on the Liberty Land questions during the meeting; the exchange occurred during the public comment period and staff indicated that final utility ownership and servicing arrangements will be determined during the project's design and permitting stages.