Council puts forward plans for Sanborn work funds
As the South Sanborn Boulevard project comes to a conclusion, the Mitchell City Council continued laying the groundwork for the 2019 and 2020 project work further north on the primary Mitchell route.
Mitchell City Hall. (Republic file photo)
By Marcus Traxler
The council met in regular session Monday at Mitchell City Hall and had a public hearing as part of the application process for funding from the state Board of Water and Natural Resources. The city is expecting to upgrade its water infrastructure under North Sanborn Boulevard during the summer of 2019, with some work continuing into 2020, according to the funding applications to be submitted to the state. Mitchell plans to have the plans and specifics finished later in 2018, while putting the project out for bid in early 2019.
The city is seeking $6,842,000 in funding for sanitary/storm sewer facilities funding to replace the sanitary sewer main and storm water infrastructure along Sanborn Boulevard. The storm water upgrades will allow water to drain south to Dry Run Creek, including the Ninth Avenue area, which frequently floods after heavy rains.
The city is seeking funding from the state Board of Water and Natural Resources for the project for either grants or loans from: $6.84 million from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, $821,000 from the Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund and $682,000 from the non-point source program. The overall cost, including water, sewer, storm and street work is $7.78 million.
The council also authorized Mayor Bob Everson as signatory for documents for bridge funding agreement with the South Dakota Department of Transportation for a Bridge Improvement Grant on the Sanborn Boulevard project.
The city is seeking a 20/80 split with the state on costs for the $966,210 project, which will replace the approach and sleeper slabs on both sides of the bridge, remove and replace the sidewalk adjacent, nearby railings, surface repairs, bridge deck surface and chip seal coating. Brosz Engineering, due to their experience with Mitchell bridge work and preparation of the grant, is recommended for the design.
• Approved minutes of the July 2 council meeting and Planning Committee meeting from June 25.
• Received June finance, police, fire/EMS, library, water, Palace Transit, community services and airport reports.
• Appointed Kevin Genzlinger to fill the unexpired term of Bob Everson through July 2021 to the planning commission.
• Supplemented the police department's general fund in the amount of $9,000 for radar speed boards from an Elks Club donation.
• Amended the event map for Aug. 2 special event on Main Street.
• Set 1:30 p.m. on Aug. 13 as the time and date for the bid opening to demolish the Jitters Building.
• Approved pay estimates, bills, payroll, salary adjustments, new employee hires and authorize payment of recurring and other expenses.
The council took the following actions:
• Pledge of Allegiance, invocation from Grace Baptist, roll call. (Acknowledged the absences of council members Marty Barington, Jeff Smith and Susan Tjarks.)
• Hear citizens input and receive traffic committee report.
• Approved the following: a special event liquor license at the Masonic Lodge Aug. 3 for the Lakeview golf mixer; and the transfer of retail (on-sale) liquor license RL-5353 from LAB, LLC, 501 S. Sanborn Blvd. to The Back 40, LLC, dba The Back 40 Taphouse Grill, 511 N. Main St.; and the transfer of retail (on-off sale) malt beverage license RB-2169 from The Back 40, LLC, dba The Back 40 Taphouse Grill, 511 N. Main St. to LAB, LLC, 501 S. Sanborn Blvd.
• Approved Horsley Specialities, Inc., of Rapid City, to conduct asbestos remediation of the Jitters Building. Horsley was the lone bidder at a cost of $7,600.
• Awarded the bid for the wastewater manhole rehabilitation project to Key Contracting, of West Fargo, N.D., in the amount of $239,210.55. The project will include renovating 29 manholes in the Dry Run Creek area that are deteriorating. Key was the only bidder.
• Approved agreement with GeoTek Engineering, of Sioux Falls, for $9,515 at the Recreation Center water leak slab assessment. Moisture is still occurring in the Rec Center following the water main break last month.
• Approved resolution action on the following plats: #R2018-35, a plat of Lot 13, Block 4 of The Woods First Addition, a subdivision of the east half of the southwest quarter of Section 23 of Mitchell Township, city of Mitchell; #R2018-36, a plat of Lot 21, Block 9 of CJM Second Addition in the west half of Section 32, Mitchell Township, city of Mitchell; #R2018-37, a plat of Lot 3A, Block 1A of CJM Second Addition, a portion of previously platted Block 1A of CJM Second Addition in the northwest quarter of Section 32, and a portion of previously platted Irregular Tract No. 3 in the southwest quarter of Section 32, all in Mitchell Township, city of Mitchell; #R2018-38, a plat of Lot 0, a subdivision of previously platted Lot S of Maui Farms Second Addition, city of Mitchell; #R2018-39, a plat of Lots A and B of Mason's Addition in the west half of the northeast quarter of Section 17, Mitchell Township; #R2018-40, a plat of Lot 5 in Tract H Wild Oak Golf Club addition to the city of Mitchell.
• Meeting as the Board of Adjustment, tabled the following motions (due to a lack of council members present; six were needed): a conditional use permit from Tammy Miller to operate a family residential child care center in her home at 506 W. Birch Ave.; a front-yard variance of 20 feet instead of 25 feet and a backyard variance of 18 feet instead of 25 feet from Boyd Reimnitz to construct a single-family home in the 200 block of W. 15th Ave.; a conditional use permit from Dustin and Nichole Sullivan to build a facility to provide outside commercial storage, outside storage and a self-service storage facility at 40822 256th St.; a sideyard variance from Darlene Buhler of 1-foot instead of 3 feet to build a detached garage at 508 E. Sixth Ave.
Prior to the council meeting, the city traffic commission:
• Tabled the request for a no parking zone from Susan Galpin at 1529 Country Drive to the October commission meeting.
• Approved a request from Kevin Stahl for a parade permit for the Classic Tractor Drive on Aug. 25 from Shanard Road past the Corn Palace and finishing at Tractor Supply Company on South Mentzer Street.
• The Corn Palace Challenge Bull Ride will be held Sept. 28 and 29, closing the 600 block of North Main Street from 7 a.m. Sept. 28 to 7 a.m. Sept. 30. Parts of the City Hall parking lot will be closed from Sept. 25 to Oct. 1.
• Approved a no parking zone request at 117 S. Lawler St. from D&E Music across from The Daily Republic building.
• Approved street closures and a parade permit for the Tour de Corn event at 9:30 a.m. Aug. 18.
Traxler is the assistant editor and sports editor for the Mitchell Republic. He's worked for the newspaper since 2014 and has covered a wide variety of topics. He can be reached at mtraxler@mitchellrepublic.com.