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Record of Proceedings

Brookings City Council Meeting November 26, 2024: Officer Pinning, License Denial, Merger Study Group

Meeting Portal — Tuesday, November 26, 2024
BodyBrookings, South Dakota
SessionMeeting Portal
DateTuesday, November 26, 2024
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:00:38

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it
0:06

Okay.

0:07

Good evening.

0:08

Call this meeting to order.

0:10

Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.

0:32

Thank you all for coming this evening.

0:34

Will the clerk please take attendance?

0:46

Thank you.

0:48

Action approve the agenda.

0:49

Entertain a motion to approve the agenda.

0:51

So move.

0:54

Comments from the public.

0:57

Council have any comments on the agenda?

1:00

Please call the roll.

1:03

Aye.

1:04

Aye.

1:05

Aye.

1:07

Aye.

1:08

Aye.

1:10

Open forum.

1:11

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

1:22

Okay, we'll move on to the consent agenda.

1:24

Approval of it.

1:25

Are there any items to be removed from the consent agenda?

1:32

Seeing none, entertain a motion to approve the consent agenda.

1:35

So moved.

1:36

Second.

1:37

And move and second.

1:38

Is there any public comment on any of the items on the consent agenda?

1:43

Council questions, comments.

1:46

Please call the roll.

1:49

Aye.

1:51

Aye.

1:52

Aye.

1:53

Aye.

1:56

Aye.

1:57

Okay, presentations and reports.

2:00

First thing we have is pinning ceremony for the Brookings Police Department.

2:04

Officers Master and Walterman.

2:06

And Chief Drake will officiate.

2:34

Thank you for coming.

2:35

Thank you, community.

2:37

Thank you for city council, the mayor, and the city employees to welcome two of our new police officers to the City of Brookings Police Department.

2:45

We have Office Officer Lisa Walterman and Officer Remy Master.

2:51

If they both would come forward.

3:08

She is the mother of a nine-year-old son.

3:11

And she also came from the Brookings County jail where we recruited her, and she is now a police officer for our city.

3:19

She loves her two dogs, and she is a world champion equestrian rider.

3:25

Officer Remy Masters comes from Hawaii, not Minnesota.

3:33

And it's definitely a lot warmer because I just checked the weather there as opposed to Minnesota or Brookings.

3:39

He spent four years in law enforcement prior to joining the City of Brookings Police Department in North Dakota and in South Dakota.

3:47

And then prior to that, he spent four years in the armed services serving in the United States Army.

3:53

And he is here with Lisa to become part of our great family.

3:58

So without further ado, I turn it over to our city mayor to perform the oath of office for these police officers.

4:14

Both of them at the same time?

4:16

Okay.

4:18

Okay, aye.

4:19

State your name.

4:24

Do you solemnly swear?

4:27

That I will support the Constitution.

4:32

And the laws of the United States.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Budget Equity Analysis███████████████████19%
Procedural██████████████████18%
Public Works█████████████13%
Cannabis Regulation█████████████13%
Public Safety███████████11%
Personnel Matters██████6%
Economic Development█████5%
Commercial Corridor Design█████5%
Parks and Recreation█████5%
Summary of Proceedings

Brookings City Council Meeting – November 26, 2024

The Brookings City Council met on November 26, 2024, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers. The meeting included a pinning ceremony for two new police officers, a proclamation for Small Business Saturday, a year-to-date financial report, approval of union contracts and a change order, a public hearing on a convenience store site plan, a contested liquor license renewal for LaCantina Restaurant which was denied, fund transfers, jurisdictional change for landfill road, a progress report, and approval of a motion to form an investigatory group to explore merging four economic development organizations.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved minutes from November 12 and 19, 2024.
  • Approved annual renewals for Medical Cannabis Establishment Licenses.
  • Approved annual Liquor and Wine Alcohol License Renewals for 2025.
  • Approved Temporary Alcohol / Special Event Alcoholic Beverage Licenses.
  • All items passed unanimously.

Presentations/Reports

  • Pinning Ceremony: Police Chief Scott Drake officiated the oath of office for new officers Lisa Walterman and Remy Master. Mayor Oepke G. Niemeyer administered the oath. Council congratulated them.
  • Proclamation: Mayor proclaimed November 30, 2024, as Small Business Saturday in Brookings, noting that 68 cents of every dollar spent at small businesses stays local.
  • 2024 Year-to-Date Financial Report: Finance Director Ashley Rentz presented. Highlights: sales tax (3B) was flat through September but received a $64,000 audit payment and an additional ~$45,000 in November. General fund expenditures at 73% vs 85% of year, revenues at 81%. City reserves $17.3 million, police facility project estimated at $18 million (deficit $687,000). Capital projects and community ARPA funding updates. Council asked about audit payments and a third street sweeper.

Contracts/Change Orders

  • 7A: Police Union Agreement (2025–2027): HR Director Casey Bell presented. 2.5% COLA and up to 2% merit increase in 2025, annual salary opener. Approved unanimously.
  • 7B: City General Union Agreement (2025–2027): Same terms as police. Approved unanimously.
  • 7C: Resolution 24-109 – Change Order #1 for Street Maintenance Overlay Project: City Engineer Charlie Richter presented. Change order of $127,664.57 for gravel and resurfacing of 14th Ave due to unforeseen conditions. Total contract now $1,334,145.92, still under engineer's estimate. Approved unanimously.

Public Hearings and Second Readings

  • 9A: Commercial Corridor Design Review – Circle K (Moriarty Edgebrook): Community Development Director Mike Struck presented. Proposed convenience store with car wash at 22nd Ave and 20th St S. Two exceptions needed: 63.4-foot setback from east property line (due to utility easement) and 5.5-foot landscape setback on south property line (instead of 10 feet). Planning Commission recommended approval. Jim Gepner, development manager for Circle K, spoke in favor. Council approved unanimously.
  • 9B: Tabled Item – LaCantina Restaurant Liquor License Renewal: The restaurant had failed three alcohol compliance checks in 2022, one in 2023, and one in 2024, but passed the most recent in September 2024. Owner Ray Aranda explained that failures occurred on busy Thursday Margarita nights, though they now use ID scanners and ask for IDs. Council expressed concerns about training and that problems may occur other nights. After discussion, council voted 6–1 to deny renewal (Mayor Niemeyer the sole yes). The license expires December 31, 2024; the city will notify the State Department of Revenue for final determination.

Other Business

  • 10A: Resolution 24-108 – Fund Transfers: Finance Director Rentz presented transfers totaling $185,000: $62,000 for employee retirements/separations (police and parks), $45,000 from community development to code enforcement, $57,000 from police to community service for labor support, $21,000 from building sinking fund to capital improvement for radio antenna relocation. Approved unanimously.
  • 10B: Resolution 24-107 – Jurisdictional Change for 34th Ave & 30th St (Landfill Road): Public Works Director John Thompson presented. Changes jurisdictional control from county to city for permitting, while city reaffirms maintenance commitment. County already passed reciprocal resolution. Approved unanimously.
  • Progress Report: Assistant to City Manager Samantha Beckman provided November update. Upcoming events: Mayor's Holiday Celebration Dec. 10, tree lighting Dec. 6, pedestrian scramble project at Main & Third St, airport taxiway project, police community outreach, new fire chief hired, Parks & Rec activities, library window replacement, Dakota Bank Center events. Council discussed pedestrian scramble details.

Key Outcomes

  • LaCantina Restaurant Liquor License Renewal Denied (6–1 vote).
  • Motion to form an investigatory group to merge four economic development organizations (Chamber, EDC, Downtown Brookings, Visit Brookings) approved unanimously. Group to include three council members and representatives from each agency, targeting an implementation plan by April 2025.
  • All other actions approved unanimously (consent agenda, union contracts, change order, site plan, fund transfers, jurisdictional change).
  • **Councilmember Specker requested a future forestry update on ash borer management.

Meeting Transcript

Okay. Good evening. Call this meeting to order. Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. Thank you all for coming this evening. Will the clerk please take attendance? Thank you. Action approve the agenda. Entertain a motion to approve the agenda. So move. Comments from the public. Council have any comments on the agenda? Please call the roll. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Open forum. Is there any member of the public who wishes to address the council on an item not on tonight's agenda? Okay, we'll move on to the consent agenda. Approval of it. Are there any items to be removed from the consent agenda? Seeing none, entertain a motion to approve the consent agenda. So moved. Second. And move and second. Is there any public comment on any of the items on the consent agenda? Council questions, comments. Please call the roll. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Okay, presentations and reports. First thing we have is pinning ceremony for the Brookings Police Department. Officers Master and Walterman. And Chief Drake will officiate. Thank you for coming. Thank you, community. Thank you for city council, the mayor, and the city employees to welcome two of our new police officers to the City of Brookings Police Department. We have Office Officer Lisa Walterman and Officer Remy Master. If they both would come forward. She is the mother of a nine-year-old son. And she also came from the Brookings County jail where we recruited her, and she is now a police officer for our city. She loves her two dogs, and she is a world champion equestrian rider. Officer Remy Masters comes from Hawaii, not Minnesota. And it's definitely a lot warmer because I just checked the weather there as opposed to Minnesota or Brookings. He spent four years in law enforcement prior to joining the City of Brookings Police Department in North Dakota and in South Dakota.

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