HURON — During Monday’s Huron City Commission meeting, assistant engineer Dennis Bennett shared with the commission a preliminary schedule for upcoming work on Hwy. 37, also known as Dakota Ave., through the downtown area in 2024.

Bennett noted that after talking with the South Dakota Department of Transportation (DOT) today, the work on the South side of the Market St. intersection up to the 3rd St. intersection would take place from May 13 to July 13. From June 25 through September 11, work beginning at the 3rd St. intersection up to the 5th St. intersection would take place.

Remaining work from the 5th St. intersection to 9th St. and from the Market St. intersection north to Hwy. 14 will be done by DOT in 2025.

Mayor Harrington opened the meeting with a proclamation declaring Friday, April 26, as Arbor Day in the city of Huron and encouraged residents to plant trees to continue the beautification of the city.

Commissioner Bryan Smith and Parks & Recreation Director Chad Schroder both discussed the cleanup of city property that took place Monday by city staff. Schroder explained that groups have set up to clean certain areas that the city staff did not address today, but also encouraged businesses around the city to join in the cleanup effort this week.

The commission then met as the city board of adjustment to review two variance requests.

The first was filed by Cody Daly at 138 Pennington Ave. NW. The request was to allow a temporary mobile home on the lot while a permanent home is placed on the adjacent lot. The variance was approved for six months, but could be extended by the city inspector.

The second variance was filed by Greater Huron Development Corporation (GHDC) to request three lots in the second Broadland Creek addition to be platted with less than one hundred feet width, which is city code. GHDC president/CEO Ted Haeder explained that the three lots were the three largest of the addition, but due to being part of a corner, they have less frontage than required. This was approved.

Bennett presented three bids that were recently awarded for approval.

The first was on lift station improvements for 2024-2025. TLC Olson Construction, LLC, of Huron was awarded the bid with a bid of $1,182,286.40. American Rescue Plan Act funds will be part of the funding for this project for the city.

The second bid was awarded to Midland Contracting, Inc. of Volga for the 4th St. reconstruction project to begin this year and continue through 2025. The awarded bid was for $2,023,270.94. Bennett explained that moving and reconstructing 4th St. in the area will take place in 2024, but paving will be done in 2025. The solid waste station will be accessible at all times throughout the project as crews will close the current street in sections to allow for access.

The final bid was for asphalt emulsion for chip sealing. Jebro, Inc. of Sioux City, Iowa, was awarded the bid with a bid of $107,614.76.

All three bids were approved.

Ownership change on a previously approved cannabis conditional use permit to SF Partnership, LLC was approved as was the dispensary license for SF Partnership, LLC, at 800 21st St. SW.
Finance director Paullyn Carey presented the unaudited financial reports for 2023 for approval. The auditor will be in the office this week to review the statements. These were approved.

A request was made on behalf of the Capital Asset Committee for drain covers at Splash Central due to aging beyond useful life.

The total request was $11,961.90 and the covers will last for 10 years before needing to be replaced. Funds from the second penny tax will be utilized for this expense. The request was approved.

Commissioners also:
• Approved the full-time status of William Gray, airport operations maintenance technician.
• Approved the full-time status of Stacey Andrews, circulation desk manager at the Huron Public Library.
• Accepted the voluntary resignation of volunteer firefighter Colton Olivier.
• Approved 47 seasonal hiring recommendations for Parks & Recreation, Splash Central, Golf Pro Shop, and Golf Maintenance.

The commission held a work session with members of a work group spawned by Huron Rising 2.0 to evaluate the possibility of using city-owned facilities for a community daycare facility.

The commission closed the public meeting to go into executive session on personnel.