BROOKINGS – The Brookings City Council will consider appropriations to the 2019 budget in the last council meeting of 2019, including a financial plan by Tom Richter, executive director of the Swiftel Center.

The study session will begin at 5 p.m. Tuesday at the Brookings City & County Government Center. That will include a presentation on the Bob Shelden project with RDG Consultants and a discussion pertaining to establishing a Brookings Youth Council.

The regular meeting will begin at 6 p.m.

Budget appropriations

Chief Financial Officer Erick Rangel will present the amended budget and explain the updates and distribution of funds.

“These are mostly unforeseen expenses at the time 2019’s budget was established,” according to a memo by Rangel, included as an attachment to the agenda, which is available on the city’s website.

Part of the presentation will be an update on the Swiftel Center, as requested by Councilor Dan Hansen at the Nov. 26 council meeting. 

An agenda attachment includes a historical information graph on the Swiftel Center’s expenses, including the $885,089 projected overall cost to the city in 2019.

The presentation also has a 2020 Budget Initiatives list, which includes plans for revenue enhancements for tickets, increasing the catering service charge, re-organizing food and beverage staffing, bringing snow removal services in-house, and savings on product purchases, for a total of $77,100 in savings.

Another list compares the Swiftel Center with four arenas in Midwestern states. The Swiftel Center has a comparable operating allocation with three of them, being in the $400,000 range. The Swiftel Center is the only one that has a total city allocation of less than $1 million. The Swiftel Center has the lowest percentage of total allocation of total revenue at 39.1%; the next lowest is 49.1% and two are listed at 119.9%.

Shelden field 

In August 2019, the RDG group was hired to come up with design ideas for the Bob Shelden project.

“The focus of the project has been to provide improvements in the ballfield playing surface, create a quality fan experience, enhance overall safety and reduce maintenance needs,” according to the attachment.

The estimated pre-bid proposal is $3.1 million; bond funds will provide necessary financing. Once bid, actual costs and agreement will be presented to the city council in February, according to the attachment

A presentation on the project, with proposed site layout plans, architectural plans and cost estimates, was also attached to the agenda.

Action items

The council will consider the annual liquor alcohol license renewals for 2020; appointments to city boards, committees and commissions; revising a preliminary plat for 46 residential lots in the Timberline Addition; and declaring city assets surplus property.

The council will consider the purchase of a 2020 Elgin Pelican Street Sweeper from Sanitation Products for $206,226. The 2020 CIP has a budget amount of $195,000. 

“The equipment cost is over budget; however, the sale of the existing 2014 sweeper will reduce the overall price and bring it within budget. Sweepers are replaced every six years. The street sweeper is part of street maintenance, but more importantly stormwater best management practices,” according to an attachment. 

“The Street Department has two street sweepers within its fleet that run every day of the workweek. The street sweeper not only assists in maintaining the street surface, but assists in stormwater efforts,” according to an attachment.

The council will consider the purchase of two 2020 police sport utility vehicles.

Two bids were received with Nelson Auto Center of Fergus Falls, Minnesota, submitting the low bid of $77,866.

“This purchase replaces one 2017 Ford marked police vehicle which has reached its 100,000-mile benchmark for replacement. This vehicle has been slated to be declared as surplus and sold. The second vehicle will be an additional vehicle to the fleet of patrol vehicles which was approved by the city council as part of the 10-year CIP for the 2020 budget year,” according to an attachment.

Second readings

Second readings set for Tuesday include:

• On-off sale malt license for Woody’s Axe Throwing LLC, Terry Nelson owner, at the Wilbert Square Addition; and

• A zoning ordinance amendment to clarify and create consistency with the amendment process for initial and final development plans within a Planned Development District.

Other business

The council will consider adopting the Brookings County Pre-Disaster Mitigation Plan for 2019-2024, and authorizing the city manager to sign documents for a Federal Emergency Management Agency Hazard Mitigation Grant Application to cover flood remediation options on Six Mile Creek.

“The city hired RESPEC, engineering consultants, to assist with a grant application. The approximate project cost of the feasibility study is $100,000 and the grant request is for 75% of the project cost. The city’s share of the project would be approximately $25,000 which is 25% of the project cost,” according to an attachment. “The city’s estimated share of the grant is $25,000, which would be paid for out of the Storm Drainage Fund.”

The council also will consider authorizing the city manager to sign documents to relinquish the 14 C.F.R. Part 139 certificate for the Brookings Regional Airport.

“The Brookings Regional Airport holds a certificate that meets the requirements of 14 CFR Part 139. This certificate allows the airport to serve scheduled and unscheduled large aircraft with more than 30 seats, as well as small air carriers with more than nine seats but less than 31 seats. The city has retained the certificate since 2007, when the city lost scheduled commercial air service,” according to an attachment.

“City staff discussed the certificate and future funding with the SDDOT Aeronautics Office and FAA Airports District Office. The city is eligible for the grant funding as in the past and the city can also obtain the Certificate from the FAA if Essential Air Service is offered to the City of Brookings in the future,” according to the attachment.

Contact Jodelle Greiner at jgreiner@brookingsregister.com.