Aberdeen City Council Meeting - October 20, 2025

The Aberdeen City Council met on October 20, 2025, with Deputy Mayor Alan Johnson presiding due to Mayor Shannon's absence. The council approved multiple agenda items, including consent calendar items, ordinances, agreements, grant awards, and pay requests. The meeting featured significant discussions on the voluntary annexation of the Brown County Fairgrounds and the creation of a hospital resource officer position at Avera St. Luke's.

Consent Calendar

• Approved nine consent items unanimously, including a special one-day alcoholic beverage license, transfers of malt beverage and wine licenses, a petition to rezone, requests from the Water Reclamation Facility, a community event permit, and a certificate of amendment for the regional railroad authority. Councilmember Nilsen abstained on item F.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public signed up for open forum.

Discussion Items

• Old Business – Ordinance 25-1001 (Budget Supplement): Second reading and final adoption of a $1.189 million supplement for unanticipated projects. Approved unanimously (8-0).
• Old Business – Ordinance 25-104 (Parks & Rec): Second reading of a quarterly ordinance allowing gift fund expenditures. Unanimously approved (8-0).
• Old Business – Ordinance 25-103 (Fairgrounds Annexation): Second reading establishing the framework for the fairgrounds annexation agreement. City Attorney Ron Wager presented the details. Unanimously approved (8-0).
• New Business – Fairgrounds Annexation Agreement with Brown County: Council approved the actual agreement to voluntarily annex the fairgrounds. Upon annexation, the area will be subject to municipal sales tax (including city and third-penny taxes), and those revenues will be remitted to the county. The city will not provide municipal services there. The county retains exclusive jurisdiction, cannot authorize off-sale alcohol or video lottery, and can de-annex. The agreement can be terminated by either party. The Brown County Commission approved it 5-0 on October 14. Council approved unanimously (8-0). The ordinance becomes effective 20 days after publication (October 23), with annexation expected by end of 2025 and first taxable transactions around April 1, 2026.
• New Business – Downtown BID Board Appointments: Affirmed appointments of Ashley Wolfe and Riley Hupler to the Downtown Business Improvement District Board for terms ending December 31, 2027. Approved unanimously.
• New Business – Hospital Resource Officer Agreement: Approved a one-year, auto-renewing agreement with Avera St. Luke's to provide a hospital resource officer (HRO). Chief McNeil explained the HRO will be on campus evenings, seven days a week, using multiple officers. The officer will respond to emergencies outside the hospital if needed. Approved unanimously.
• New Business – Grants and Pay Requests: Approved multiple items including:
  • City manager signature on a $240,000 5310 grant for two buses for disabled/elderly (unanimous roll call).
  • City manager signature on a $366,085.13 5311 grant for transit operations (unanimous roll call).
  • Pay request #4 ($4,255,921) to PKG Contracting for Water Reclamation Facility improvements (concrete slab for aeration basin) – unanimous.
  • Joint funding payment of $26,080 to USGS for stream gauging stations (unanimous).
  • Pay request #2 ($266,705.89) to HF Jacobson for granular fill for the Public Works building foundation (unanimous).
  • Pay request #8 ($676,893.72) to Prompt Construction for 10th Avenue Southeast Bridge replacement (bridge deck concrete and steel) – unanimous.
  • Three payments for airport GA Apron Reconstruction Phase 2 (total ~$523,000) – unanimous.
  • Two payments for airport terminal expansion ($2,721 and $24,085) – unanimous.
  • Two payments for airport terminal access road/parking lot ($68,726 and $718,652) – unanimous.
  • Payment of $625 to Helms & Associates for a preconditioned air unit (VALE grant) – unanimous.
• Claims and Payroll: Approved except Councilmember Ronane abstained on payment to Climate Control, and Councilmember Nilsen abstained on payment to Banner Associates.
• City Manager Report: City Manager Robin Bob Zine noted upcoming quarterly Parks & Rec staff meetings, transition work with Deputy City Manager Dave, and appreciation for the police chief selection process.

Key Outcomes

• Ordinance 25-1001 (budget supplement) adopted unanimously (8-0).
• Ordinance 25-104 (parks & rec) adopted unanimously (8-0).
• Ordinance 25-103 (fairgrounds annexation framework) adopted unanimously (8-0).
• Fairgrounds annexation agreement with Brown County approved unanimously (8-0).
• Downtown BID board appointments approved unanimously.
• Hospital resource officer agreement approved unanimously.
• All grant approvals, pay requests, and the USGS agreement approved unanimously (various roll calls).
• Claims and payroll approved with two abstentions.
• Meeting adjourned.