HURON — Assistant city engineer Dennis Bennett had a large smile upon his face when he presented his payment request to the Huron City Commission during the meeting Monday evening.

“It brings me great joy…,” Bennett began, as he presented a payment of $126,385 to Gridor Construction Inc, the final payment for the Phase I wastewater treatment facility improvements. This was unanimously approved.

The meeting opened with an essential transfer of a variance for Jenna Teveldal to conduct microblading within her salon, located at 1279 Second St. SW. Teveldal had been approved for a similar variance at a previous location, but needed to re-apply as part of a move to a new location, per city statute.

This was approved.

During public forum, Mayor Gary Harrington encouraged residents with a fire hydrant on their property to remember to clear the snow away from the hydrant.

Also during public forum, Jason Bechtold encouraged commissioners and Huron residents to participate in this year’s Polar Plunge on Saturday, Jan. 27. Sign up to participate is at 11 a.m. at Big D’s, with the event taking place at 1:30 p.m. on Ravine Lake to benefit Special Olympics.

City planner Barry Cranston explained Ordinance 2260-23-413, which changes detailing businesses from a Tier 3 home occupancy to a Tier 2, which would allow applicants to be approved without coming before the commission as long as the planning office had received no complaints in the window before approval. The commission approved the ordinance.

Interim police chief Derek Layher presented three items to the commission. The first was a request to restructure the ranks within the Huron Police Department to remove the Detective Captain position and to add a Deputy Chief position, along with posting internally for the position. This was approved, with the new Deputy Chief taking effect April 21.

Layher also requested authorization to apply for a Homeland Security Grant to update building access controls.

This was approved, as was a similar request by Fire Chief Ron Hines for the grant program.

Finally, Layher presented a firearm exchange that had been reached with Huron Guns & Ammo to exchange 15 HPD firearms for 10 new firearms for the department. There is no cost to the exchange. This was approved.

The commission approved the implementation of a pilot program to prevent slips and falls at the workplace, in coordination with the city’s safety committee and the South Dakota Municipal League Workers Compensation Fund.

The permit renewal for the lime beds near the wastewater treatment plant was approved.

Commissioner Rich Bragg announced that the Solid Waste Department would be closing the yard waste drop off site for the winter season. It will re-open at its new location as part of the construction of the solid waste transfer station facility in the spring.

Commissioners also:
• Set Feb. 5 as the public hearing date to consider an annexation petition filed by the city for the Kamenz Addition.
• Approved a correction to Section 6: Garbage Collection Rates Extra pick-ups on Resolution No. 2023-17 to increase from $30 to $50.
• Approved the termination of part-time 911 telecommunicators Christine Bales and Jeremy James.

• Approved the second reading of Ordinance 2257-5-135 regarding the Business Improvement District Board of Directors.
• Approved the second reading of Ordinance 2258-30-244 regarding supplemental appropriations.
• Approved the second reading of Ordinance 2259-15-24 regarding names of streets and drives.
• Approved 2023 year-end fund transfers.
• Approved adding the freight elevator to annual safety inspections.

The commission held a discussion on contacting households that received a final notice for the water meter changeout project and still did not respond during a work session.

Water and sewer supervisor Rob Rieger mentioned that 240 residents in areas of Huron that have been addressed already by the project failed to make appointments to get their meter changed. He intends to keep working to communicate with residents, but discussed potential responses for those who still do not get the meter change appointment set, up to and including shut off of the water to the residence.

The public meeting then adjourned so commissioners could hold an executive session regarding a contractual matter.