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Record of Proceedings

Brookings City Council Study Session October 15, 2024: Economic Development Partners and No Mow May

Meeting Portal — Tuesday, October 15, 2024
BodyBrookings, South Dakota
SessionMeeting Portal
DateTuesday, October 15, 2024
StatusFILED
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0:35

Okay.

0:36

Call this meeting in order.

0:39

Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.

0:58

Thank you all for coming this evening.

1:00

Will the city clerk please take the attendance?

1:02

All council members are present, Mr.

1:03

Mayor.

1:04

All right.

1:04

Item three is the approval of the agenda.

1:06

Entertain a motion to approve the agenda.

1:08

So moved.

1:09

Second.

1:09

We move and second.

1:10

Please call the roll.

1:11

Avery.

1:13

Doran.

1:14

Hi.

1:14

Neymar.

1:15

Rasmussen.

1:16

Aye.

1:17

Specker.

1:18

Tilton Byrne.

1:18

Hi.

1:19

Wendell.

1:19

Hi.

1:20

All right.

1:20

On to open forum.

1:21

Is there any member of the public who wishes to address the council on an item not listed on tonight's agenda?

1:29

Okay.

1:30

We'll move on to item five.

1:32

Presentation update on no more may by the Brooking Sustainability Council.

1:37

Robin Butterbaugh will sustainable council member will present this item.

1:42

Thank you, Mayor and members of the council.

1:45

I'm here as part of the Sustainability Council, and I have a few of our other members here in support.

1:52

And so what I wanted to talk about today were the kind of a recap of the NOMO May initiative that we adopted two years ago.

2:00

The council passed the ordinance for.

3:06

So NOMO may really, if you have primarily turf grasses in your yards and you let them grow, you know, it's hard to mow.

3:23

So there are a few alternatives that we've looked into.

3:26

And the primary one that I'm going to talk about today is the potential of becoming a B City USA.

3:32

Now, NOMO May is originally put forth by B City USA, but that's just one of the potential um aspects of promoting pollinators that uh that a city can adopt.

3:44

Um so B City USA to become a B city, we would potentially put together a committee, create an enhanced pollinator habitat using native plants, have some public events, and there'd be signage involved with B City.

3:59

So there's a lot of different smaller initiatives that could be a part of being a B City USA.

4:05

And so as of right now, uh Brooking Sustainability Council is recommending some research into B City USA and the potential to adopt a resolution to become a B City USA, and under that umbrella, we'd be able to do some other maybe initiatives or incentives for native plantings with the public.

5:04

So there's a couple there's some of these things that are already done, but then we could always do different incentives for native plants.

5:11

You know, there's there's other ordinances that could be involved, but not necessarily.

5:14

There's certain communities that uh have permits for people to have pollinator gardens that might be outside of the what the traditional like lawn height requirements are.

5:25

So there are there are a number of alternative things that we can promote that would fall under our B City USA.

5:32

So at this point, the Sustainability Council is looking into the full requirements for that, and then we'll come to the City Council for a resolution.

5:43

So if you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer any.

5:47

Council questions, comments, Councilmember Duran.

5:51

Thank you, Mayor.

5:52

Um, for the committee, do you envision that being uh made up of current members, or would that be like a new committee of of new members underneath the um sustainability committee?

6:03

Or how do you envision that structure?

6:05

Yeah, I think that uh initially it probably would be the sustainability council members, but it would be great if we could get a little bit more community involvement as well.

6:13

So I mean that would be something where to initiate it, probably sustainability council, but then put maybe open it up to to other community members.

6:22

Thank you.

6:24

Councilmember Chiltenburn.

6:26

I just want to take a moment to thank the Sustainability Council for always bringing these great ideas forward.

6:32

I um I really enjoyed seeing NOMO May take place and see how many uh homes did participate in that.

6:38

Um I think it really illustrated how the community is committed to sort of helping um pollinator populations and all of that.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Economic Development█████████████████████████████████████████████64%
Public Engagement███████████15%
Environmental Protection████5%
Community Engagement████5%
Procedural███4%
Workforce Development██3%
Technology and Innovation██3%
Public Works█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Brookings City Council Study Session

Date: October 15, 2024 | Time: 6:00 PM | Location: Council Chambers, Brookings City & County Government Center

Attendance: All council members present (Mayor Oepke G. Niemeyer, Deputy Mayor Nick Wendell, Council Members Wayne Avery, Holly Tilton Byrne, Bonny Specker, Brianna Doran, Andrew Rasmussen).

The Brookings City Council held a study session on October 15, 2024, to receive updates from the Brookings Sustainability Council and economic development partners. The council heard presentations on the "No Mow May" initiative and the 2025 Economic Development Funding Recommendation, with updates from the Brookings Economic Development Corporation (BEDC), SDSU Research Park, Brookings Area Chamber of Commerce, Visit Brookings, Downtown Brookings, and the Dakota Bank Center. No formal votes were taken during the study session.

Consent Calendar

  • Agenda approved unanimously by voice vote.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No public comments were made during Open Forum. No members of the public addressed the council on non-agenda items.

Presentation: No Mow May Update & B City USA Exploration

  • Presenter: Robin Butterbaugh, Sustainability Council member, with other council members in support.
  • Summary: The Sustainability Council provided a recap of the No Mow May initiative, which was adopted two years ago via ordinance. The council is now exploring becoming a "Bee City USA" to further promote pollinators and native plantings. Becoming a Bee City USA would involve forming a committee, creating enhanced pollinator habitats with native plants, hosting public events, and installing signage.
  • Council Discussion: Councilmember Doran asked about the structure of the potential committee. Butterbaugh responded that it would likely start with Sustainability Council members but could be opened to the community. Councilmember Tilton Byrne expressed appreciation for the Sustainability Council's efforts, noting that No Mow May illustrated community commitment to pollinators. Councilmember Wendell echoed appreciation and expressed interest in recommendations to reduce pesticide use in public spaces, which Butterbaugh indicated would be part of a comprehensive integrated pest management program.

Presentation: Economic Development Partners 2025 Funding Recommendations

  • Facilitator: Samantha Beckman, Assistant to the City Manager.

  • Purpose: Each partner provided updates on their 2024 activities and 2025 funding requests, aligned with the Community Economic Development Master Plan.

  • Brookings Economic Development Corporation (BEDC) – Tim Reed, CEO:

    • 2025 Funding Request: Not explicitly stated in the transcript.
    • Activities: Business retention and expansion visits, industry cluster work (advanced manufacturing, food manufacturing, bioproducts), Co-Starters program (twice a year), youth entrepreneurship, and plans for a revolving loan fund by end of first quarter 2025. The BEDC is working with about four businesses looking to expand in Brookings.
    • Child Care Collaborative: Under goal 4 (Talent for Tomorrow), 60 pre-K students started this fall, and 80 birth-to-two children will be served in spring at the Infant Focus Boys and Girls Club site.
    • CTE Programs: Beginning to work with the school system; noted that one in four workers in the community works in manufacturing.
    • Consumer Survey: Over 600 responses received; goal is at least three times that number.
    • Discussion: Councilmember Wendell asked about business retention visits; Reed noted they help connect businesses to services and identify community needs (e.g., child care, public safety). Councilmember Specker asked if the plan's actions need revisiting; Reed agreed, mentioning monthly partner meetings. Councilmember Tilton Byrne asked about the revolving loan fund and child care collaborative; Reed said details by end of year and contacts for the program be made through the Boys and Girls Club.

  • SDSU Research Park – Dwayne Chapek, CEO:

    • 2025 Funding Request: Not explicitly stated in the transcript.
    • Activities: Recruiting efforts for the new biofacility, with 140 companies identified, 25 contacted 3 times, and 5 committed to attending a conference. Three companies are already in the biofacility.
    • Startups: In the past year and a half, worked with 15 startups now located in the Innovation Center, creating 35 direct jobs, 59 total jobs (including indirect and induced), and $3.3 million in annual salary impact.
    • Small Business Development Center: Over 40 unique client visits in the first three quarters, with 39 active clients.
    • Innovate Sodak: Three day-trips planned to visit 10 communities; four major projects, one completed.
    • Discussion: Councilmember Wendell asked about board appointments; Chapek explained the board is composed of representatives from partner organizations (e.g., SDSU, foundation, regents, mayor, BEDC, county commissioner) with no at-large positions. Councilmember Doran asked about job origins; Chapek noted most are local, with some international hires (e.g., a scientist from Brazil).

  • Brookings Area Chamber of Commerce – Kelsey Doom, President & CEO:

    • 2025 Funding Request: $20,000 for the Chamber (separate from $20,000 for Downtown at Sundown, clarified from last year's $30,000 and $25,000 respectively).
    • Activities: Connect Brookings (young professional events, monthly meetups average 20 attendees, Work Ready Boot Camp with 40 students, Young Professional Summit with ~75 attendees).
    • Surveys: SDSU student survey (450-500 responses annually) shows housing as top factor for choosing community, followed by quality of life. Student intent to stay in Brookings after graduation increased ~4% from 2023 to 2024. New resident survey (51 participants) shows 82% employed full-time, 10% retired, 49% moving for jobs, 22% for quality of life, 29% "boomerangs." LiveInBrookings.org has had over 12,000 visits in 12 months.
    • Business Advisory Network: 45 participants, 93% average survey participation, 60% small business owners.
    • Leadership Brookings: ~45 applicants, 35 spots available.
    • Discussion: Councilmember Specker asked about survey access; Doom explained targeted populations. Councilmember Doran asked about residency timeline for new resident survey and whether amenity improvements are due to awareness; Doom noted most participants within a year and believes awareness is key.

  • Visit Brookings – Laura Shane Carbonot:

    • 2025 Funding Request: Not explicitly stated in the transcript.
    • Activities: Digital marketing targeting visitors from South Dakota and Minnesota; "Bring It to Brookings" campaign to attract meetings; tourism ambassador program with 47 certified individuals; benchmarking against peer communities.
    • Metrics: Occupancy rate as of August 2024 was 66.6% (similar to state and Glacial Lakes region). Visitor spending in Brookings County up slightly over 3% from prior year. Extended stays (28+ days) reduce occupancy tax revenue, affecting BID collections.
    • Discussion: Councilmember Tilton Byrne asked about ambassador numbers (47). Councilmember Wendell asked about training frequency and ongoing engagement; Carbonot noted monthly trainings and recertification requirements (50 points annually).

  • Downtown Brookings – Kirsten Gestall:

    • 2025 Funding Request: Not explicitly stated in the transcript.
    • Activities: Implemented master plan; event microgrants; community events (Frost Fest, Farmers Market with new winter market, Bonanza, Third Thursday program); public art projects (bunny trail, two new mini murals); exterior lighting and camera grants (7 businesses); signage grants (7 businesses); business coffee hours.
    • Impact: $60,000 in grants secured; over 750 booths at events; 1.6 million social media impressions; $19,000 in grants to 15 businesses.
    • Discussion: Councilmember Wendell asked about alley lighting selection; Gestall explained they prioritized high-traffic, dark areas. Councilmember Tilton Byrne expressed excitement about the winter market and asked about mural locations (three penguins at Perkins Storage and Transfer, and a girl painting outside Play Tutoring).

  • Dakota Bank Center – Ashley Bigger, General Manager:

    • 2025 Funding Request: $390,000 (revised budget request), down from $562,000 deficit in 2019.
    • Activities: Hosted 194 events in 2023, forecasting 184 events in 2024 and 191 in 2025. 50% of events are meetings/conferences; concerts and rodeos make up about 5%. Paid over $215,000 in sales and use tax in 2023.
    • Economic Impact: Mid-year 2024: 55,000 attendees at 18 events with 600+ attendees, generating $6.7 million in economic impact.
    • Capital Improvements: $325,000 in capital contributions from Oak View Group (new HVAC, audio system, roof). Future improvements include floor polishing, restroom renovations.
    • Discussion: Councilmember Doran asked about event makeup; Bigger noted a mix of local and regional organizations.

Key Outcomes

  • No formal votes or resolutions were passed during the study session.
  • The Sustainability Council will continue researching Bee City USA requirements and return to the City Council with a resolution at a future meeting.
  • Economic development partners will continue their 2024 activities and will have their 2025 funding requests considered by the City Council at a future meeting.
  • The City Council will receive annual reports from the Dakota Bank Center and other partners.

Meeting Transcript

Okay. Call this meeting in order. Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. Thank you all for coming this evening. Will the city clerk please take the attendance? All council members are present, Mr. Mayor. All right. Item three is the approval of the agenda. Entertain a motion to approve the agenda. So moved. Second. We move and second. Please call the roll. Avery. Doran. Hi. Neymar. Rasmussen. Aye. Specker. Tilton Byrne. Hi. Wendell. Hi. All right. On to open forum. Is there any member of the public who wishes to address the council on an item not listed on tonight's agenda? Okay. We'll move on to item five. Presentation update on no more may by the Brooking Sustainability Council. Robin Butterbaugh will sustainable council member will present this item. Thank you, Mayor and members of the council. I'm here as part of the Sustainability Council, and I have a few of our other members here in support. And so what I wanted to talk about today were the kind of a recap of the NOMO May initiative that we adopted two years ago. The council passed the ordinance for. So NOMO may really, if you have primarily turf grasses in your yards and you let them grow, you know, it's hard to mow. So there are a few alternatives that we've looked into. And the primary one that I'm going to talk about today is the potential of becoming a B City USA. Now, NOMO May is originally put forth by B City USA, but that's just one of the potential um aspects of promoting pollinators that uh that a city can adopt. Um so B City USA to become a B city, we would potentially put together a committee, create an enhanced pollinator habitat using native plants, have some public events, and there'd be signage involved with B City. So there's a lot of different smaller initiatives that could be a part of being a B City USA. And so as of right now, uh Brooking Sustainability Council is recommending some research into B City USA and the potential to adopt a resolution to become a B City USA, and under that umbrella, we'd be able to do some other maybe initiatives or incentives for native plantings with the public. So there's a couple there's some of these things that are already done, but then we could always do different incentives for native plants. You know, there's there's other ordinances that could be involved, but not necessarily. There's certain communities that uh have permits for people to have pollinator gardens that might be outside of the what the traditional like lawn height requirements are. So there are there are a number of alternative things that we can promote that would fall under our B City USA. So at this point, the Sustainability Council is looking into the full requirements for that, and then we'll come to the City Council for a resolution. So if you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer any. Council questions, comments, Councilmember Duran.

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