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Sioux Falls council approves supplemental appropriations, CIP amendment and $5 million airport loan
Summary
Council approved 2026 supplemental appropriations to buy land for Fire Station 13, accept a $1,993,408 federal transit grant (with city match for bus shelters), a $600,000 highways transfer, a $2 million CIP land-acquisition increase, and a $5 million interest-free loan offer to the Sioux Falls Airport Authority contingent on state matching; all votes passed 7–0.
The Sioux Falls City Council on Jan. 20 approved multiple spending and capital-plan actions aimed at advancing public safety facilities, transit access and an airport expansion.
City finance staff presented a supplemental-appropriations ordinance for 2026 that included three primary components: a transfer from the centralized facilities fund to the sales tax fund to help purchase land for a planned Fire Station 13 and a southeast fire/police substation; acceptance and supplementation of a federal transit grant for $1,993,408 to fund accessible bus shelters and pads across the city (staff said an earlier $300,000 previously appropriated would be used in part as the city match); and a $600,000 transfer for arterial improvements in the highways and streets program. The ordinance passed on a 7–0 vote.
Separately, council approved a resolution amending the 2026–2030 Capital Improvements Program to increase centralized land-acquisition authority by $2,000,000 to acquire land for Fire Station 13 and potential southeast facilities, to amend the transit accessible bus stops project (No. 29008), and to add $600,000 for arterial improvements. That amendment passed 7–0.
Council also adopted an ordinance providing a $5,000,000 interest-free loan to the Sioux Falls Airport Authority to support an airport expansion project; the loan is structured as the city’s 2026 appropriation and is contingent on the state matching the amount. Councilors discussed that this is not an open-ended perpetual offer—if the state does not match in 2026 the city would need to reauthorize or reappropriate in a future year. The loan ordinance passed 7–0.
Council asked staff clarifying questions about how previously appropriated dollars would be used as match for the transit grant and heard public comment urging deferral from one attendee, but took final action on all items the same night.
Votes at a glance: - Supplemental appropriations for 2026 (land purchase, transit grant $1,993,408, $600,000 highways): approved 7–0. - CIP amendment (increase centralized land acquisition $2,000,000; amend transit project #29008; $600,000 arterial improvements): approved 7–0. - Ordinance to provide a $5,000,000 loan to the Sioux Falls Airport Authority for expansion (contingent on state match): approved 7–0.
Next steps: Staff will incorporate the appropriations into the 2026 budget and proceed with bidding and land acquisition work; the airport loan will proceed if and when a state match is secured.
