City approves first reading of special event alcohol license ordinance

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HURON — Among many agenda items Monday night, the Huron city commission approved the first reading of Ordinance No. 2221-5-130 regarding special event alcohol licenses and consumption permits.

The second reading is set for March 1.

The ordinance will adjust current pricing from $50 for the first day of a special event license with $5 for each day afterward to a flat $50 per day fee. It also reduces the amount of special event licenses for any single applicant in a calendar year from 52 to 24.

Consumption permits will no longer need to go through the city commission for approval with the changes in the ordinance, and the price for permits will go up from $5 to $10.

Along with those changes, two new event licenses will be offered. The first is a special off-sale package malt beverage dealers license and the second is a special off-sale package dealers license. This will allow the city to grant licenses for sale to dealers at events such as whiskey tastings.

The commission began the meeting in session as the board of adjustment to hear a variance request from William Folk. The variance to add an addition to an existing Morton building on the property was approved.

City engineer Brett Runge presented a number of items for the commission to approve via bid/quote.
I-State Truck Center was awarded the bid for a semi tractor for the Street Department at state bid of $111,036. Due to a 50% matching grant, the cost to the city of the truck will be $55,518.

Iverson Auto was awarded two bids. The first was a 1/2-ton pickup for the street department off state bid at a cost of $27,728. The second was a 3/4-ton pickup for the water treatment department off state bid for $30,589.

Lot Pros, Inc. of Fergus Falls, Minn., submitted the low bid for asphalt concrete crack sealing at $35,000. This was approved.

The street milling and overlay bid was awarded to Asphalt Paving & Materials Co. of Huron for $1,348,462.10. This is below proposed budget, so Runge did note to the commission that the street department could consider other milling and overlay projects to fill the full budget that were originally planned for a later date.

The commissioners approved a contract with Foerster Testing of Brookings for construction testing during Phase I of the wastewater treatment facility improvements project. Runge explained that Foerster would receive payment not to exceed $44,665 for testing of soil on the building site and testing the concrete that is being poured at the site.

Bid opening was set for 2 p.m. on March 9 for a 2-way live floor trailer for the solid waste department.
Erick Larson of Huron Regional Medical Center (HRMC) addressed the commission with a request from the HRMC board of directors. The HRMC board requested to suspend the annual commitment to the Central Park project for four years in order to redirect those funds to the DEX project. The commission approved a motion to accept this suspension of commitment.

After a lengthy discussion the employee Coronavirus Protection Policy was extended for 60 days.
Huron Police Chief Kevin Van Diepen presented to the commission a request to apply for a Homeland Security grant for mobile video cameras for patrol cars. This was approved.

The renewal to operate a construction and demolition debris disposal facility with the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources was approved by the commissioners.

Four city properties were declared as surplus to be sold by Meyer Auction Service on March 16. The locations are the former street department shop property at 467 1st St. SW, a vacant lot at 113 Nebraska Ave. S.W., a vacant lot at 131 Nebraska Ave. S.W., and a vacant lot at 549 2nd St. S.W.

The commission held a lengthy work session regarding city COVID-19 resolutions and ordinances. In the process of reviewing these, city attorney Tucker Volesky stated that Ordinance 2208, put in place March 22, 2020, was still in effect, despite the intent of multiple resolutions to restrict it as an ordinance must be repealed or amended. The commission chose to have first hearing on full repeal of the original ordinance Monday night with a second reading of the repeal on March 1.

A comprehensive resolution to update all COVID-19 resolutions active in the city will also be addressed at the March 1 meeting after discussion among the commissioners about its content.

Commissioners also:
• Approved a raffle for the HRMC foundation March 26.
• Approved a special event on-sale alcoholic beverage license for the South Dakota State fair for a wedding reception Feb. 27 at the Nordby Exhibit Hall.
• Approved the promotion of Mike Juelfs to the Central Park Maintenance 2 position.
• Approved the creation and advertising for an additional street maintenance 1 position.

The commission adjourned to executive session at 7:24 p.m.