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Council delays city frontage inventory contract after residents question price and fairness of a possible street fee
Summary
Council discussed a $25,000–$30,000 DGR contract to inventory parcel street frontage — foundational data for a possible frontage-based street maintenance fee — but residents objected to preemptive spending and fairness; council voted to table the contract until state property-tax proposals are clearer.
Council considered a task order with DGR Engineering to compile a verified street-frontage inventory and import the data into the city's GIS system. Administrator Steve said the inventory would supply the linear feet by parcel the city would need to model a frontage fee; he framed the item as “the first step in a public process” that would let council decide whether to pursue a street-maintenance fee. Lance Mayer of DGR described the technical work and lifecycle costs for streets, saying, “In about 5 years is when you'd probably start looking at your 1st chip seal or slurry seal in a perfect world.”
Several residents and councilors questioned the schedule and the $25,000–$30,000 price tag, suggesting staff could gather rough frontage estimates internally or target specific project areas. Concerned residents argued a frontage fee could be regressive and unfair to corner lots; some urged the council to wait until pending state-level property-tax proposals in Pierre are resolved. After discussion council voted to table the DGR frontage inventory contract.
