OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Brookings City Council Regular Meeting – August 26, 2025

Meeting Portal — Tuesday, August 26, 2025
BodyBrookings, South Dakota
SessionMeeting Portal
DateTuesday, August 26, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 35:45

Transcript — Verbatim
0:44

Okay.

0:45

I call this meeting to order.

0:47

Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.

1:08

Okay.

1:08

Welcome everyone this evening.

1:11

Will the city clerk please take attendance?

1:13

All council members are present, Mr.

1:15

Mayor.

1:15

Thank you.

1:16

Item three is the approval of the agenda.

1:18

I entertain a motion to approve the agenda.

1:21

So move.

1:21

Second.

1:22

Are there any comments on the agenda from the public?

1:27

Any comments, questions from council.

1:31

Was city clerk please call the roll.

1:33

Doran.

1:34

Aye.

1:35

Hager.

1:35

Aye.

1:36

Neymar.

1:38

Tilton Byrne.

1:39

Aye.

1:39

Wendell.

1:40

Aye.

1:40

Avery.

1:41

Aye.

1:42

All right.

1:42

Item four open forum.

1:44

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

2:03

Thank you, Mayor.

2:04

Members of council.

2:05

I just wanted to make you aware of some damage we experienced over this last weekend.

2:10

A three-year-old tree in one of our boulevards was killed due to people hanging and pulling on it.

2:17

Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident.

2:20

Last year we experienced about 23 or 20 trees lost with similar damage, with this estimated cost to the city of about 10,000.

2:31

It's not just about the financial impact, it's also about the environmental impact.

2:35

Trees are one of the iconic elements of what makes our city great.

3:29

So having healthy trees purposely destroyed is both disheartening and unacceptable in my eyes.

3:41

And we know that most residents care deeply about protecting and preserving them.

3:45

Several departments within the city of Brookings are working together to raise awareness, monitor park and boulevard areas, and share reminders to the public about the value of trees and the long-term impacts of those losses.

3:59

Staff are also reviewing strategies to prevent and address this type of damage moving forward.

4:21

Any other comments?

4:22

Holly Tiltenbird.

4:24

Um I just wanted to say thank you to Kristen and the team for the work that they do to make sure we do have awesome trees, healthy trees in our community.

4:31

Um you mentioned last year that about 20 trees suffered this damage, and I know I've seen uh similar damage happen to trees on private property, so the 20 would only reflect those that are on the public property.

4:42

And so I appreciate the work that's being done to raise awareness around this and then to replant trees when this damage is happening.

4:47

So thank you to you and your team.

4:49

Um these trees really do make a difference for the beauty of our community.

5:00

I just want to take a quick moment to make sure the public also understands, as we always should, that we still have rebates available for people to plant trees, and the fall time is the best is one of the best times to plant trees.

5:05

So please, if you're interested, check out our parks website, come and see Kristen.

5:10

She'd love to talk to you more about planting trees in the community of Brookings.

5:17

Okay, I think our deputy mayor has comment.

5:20

Yeah.

5:20

Uh thank you, Mayor.

5:22

I I was just gonna make a note about um what had been some sort of troubling trends around um access to local media in our community over the last year, of course.

5:31

We've seen kind of a removal of local coverage through Brookings Radio, and what ended up being a temporary closure at the Brookings Register.

5:38

I think the community really came out with strong concern around that, and the concern was encouraging.

5:43

Um, and I think the response that we've seen indicates that our community is a viable media marketplace.

5:50

Um last week, uh Paul and I had an opportunity to sit down with Brookings Radio.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Engagement████████████████16%
Procedural████████████12%
Personnel Matters███████████11%
Budget Equity Analysis██████████10%
Youth Programs█████████9%
Cannabis Regulation█████████9%
Water And Wastewater Management█████████9%
Public Safety████████8%
Parks and Recreation██████6%
Summary of Proceedings

Brookings City Council Regular Meeting – August 26, 2025

The Brookings City Council met on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers. The meeting covered consent agenda items, presentations, first and second readings of ordinances, public hearings, and the monthly progress report.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved City Council meeting minutes from August 12, 2025.
  • Approved appointment of Walker Kropuenske to the Historic Preservation Commission.
  • Approved Resolution 25-068 declaring surplus property. Councilmember Specker asked about the city's surplus sale; city staff clarified that surplus items are listed on public surplus.com and bikes are donated to a local church for refurbishment and community distribution.
  • Approved Resolution 25-074 authorizing the City Manager to enter into an On-Sale Liquor Operating Agreement with Den Wil Hospitality Group, Inc., dba The End Zone.
  • Approved Resolution 25-073 awarding bids for 2025-2026 Contractor Snow Removal Equipment Contracts.
  • Approved temporary alcohol / special event alcoholic beverage licenses from existing license holders.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Kristen (Parks Director) reported that a three-year-old boulevard tree was killed by people hanging and pulling on it. She noted that last year about 20 trees were lost in similar incidents, costing the city an estimated $10,000. She expressed concern about the environmental and financial impact and stated that staff are working on awareness and prevention strategies.
  • Deputy Mayor Wendell commented on recent challenges in local media, noting the temporary closure of Brookings Radio and Brookings Register. He expressed optimism about Brookings Radio re-engaging long-form local conversations and the Register returning to twice-weekly print. He urged the community to support local media by subscribing and advertising.

Presentations & Reports

  • Employee Promotion: Fire Chief Troy Heels Hughes introduced Jeremy Scott as the new Deputy Chief of Fire. Scott has 25 years with the fire department (19 as city employee). Chief Hughes noted strong volunteer support for Scott. Scott thanked the council and community, mentioning he returned to Brookings after a short stint in Minnesota because it felt like home.
  • SDSU Student Association: Anna Hunt reported on Meet State move-in weekend, assistance with student move-in, and a request for a student promotion fund increase. She highlighted upcoming events: Jack's Bash (August 28), SDSU football vs. Sacramento State (August 30), and volleyball vs. Ole Miss (September 5). Councilmember Specker requested the Student Association encourage the Collegian to publish an article about tree preservation; Hunt agreed to speak with the student body president.

Discussion Items

  • First Reading – Ordinance 25-030 (Property Tax Levy 2026): Ashley Rensch presented the ordinance certifying the 2026 property tax levy. The increase is $209,516 for a total of $4,408,219, based on a growth factor of 2.09% and CPI factor of 2.9%. Councilmember Specker clarified that less than 20% of property taxes go to the city and that the levy cap (3%) can cause the city to fall behind during high inflation. Councilmember Hager noted Brookings has one of the lowest property tax levies among comparable South Dakota cities. Second reading set for September 9, 2025.
  • First Reading – Ordinance 25-031 (Budget Amendment No. 7): Ashley Rensch presented the ordinance transferring $100,000 from general fund reserves to the fire facility capital project fund for engineering and soil testing for replacing the downtown fire station. Fire Chief Hughes outlined the timeline: neighborhood meetings in September, design this fall, bidding next spring. Second reading set for September 9, 2025.
  • Second Reading – Ordinance 25-029 (Budget Amendment No. 6): The ordinance increases library grant revenue/expenditures by $120,000 (Lowe's Hometown Grant) and increases the city-county administration building budget by $54,900 (preliminary agreement with Johnson Controls for chiller replacement). No changes from first reading. Approved unanimously (7-0).
  • Public Hearing – Liquor License Transfer (4300 S Main Ave): Transfer of On-Off Sale Malt License from Edwin Alvarez/Yessica’s LLC to Rebeca Maria Sala/Qiubo Restaurant LLC. Staff recommended approval. Approved unanimously (7-0).
  • Public Hearing – Resolution 25-070 (Wine Operating Agreement): Authorizes City Manager to enter into a 10-year On-Off Sale Wine Operating Agreement with Rebeca Maria Sala/Qiubo Restaurant LLC. Staff recommended approval. Approved unanimously (7-0).

Key Outcomes

  • Consent agenda approved with all items passed via roll call (7-0).
  • First readings of Ordinance 25-030 and 25-031 introduced; second readings scheduled for September 9, 2025.
  • Ordinance 25-029 (Budget Amendment No. 6) approved 7-0.
  • Liquor license transfer approved 7-0.
  • Wine operating agreement approved 7-0.
  • Next meeting set for September 9, 2025, with agenda items including a proclamation for National Suicide Prevention Week, bid award for sewer/road project, first reading of joint city-county zoning, second readings, liquor transfer, and temporary alcohol for SDSU watch party.

Brookings Progress Report (August 2025)

  • Dakota Bank Center: 11 event days in August, including active shooter training; arena restroom renovations nearing completion.
  • Public Works: Airport parallel taxiway and 12th Street South traffic signal projects completed; 12th Street South Shared Use Path in progress; Arrowhead Park Trail and Drainage Improvements starting September.
  • Police Department: Safety Town, Downtown at Sundown, National Night Out; Citizens First Responder Academy applications due September 1.
  • Solid Waste: Record-breaking 431 vehicles at household hazardous waste event; food donations for Brookings Food Pantry; route optimization technology to be implemented in 2026.
  • Parks: Hillcrest Aquatic Center closed; dead spruce trees removed at Rotary Park; boulevard ash tree removals begin in Zone 4 (Dirtall, Elmwood, Old Wine areas) under emerald ash borer management plan; prescribed burn planned at Dakota Nature Park in late September/early October.
  • Community reminded of tree planting rebates and bike registration.

Meeting Transcript

Okay. I call this meeting to order. Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. Okay. Welcome everyone this evening. Will the city clerk please take attendance? All council members are present, Mr. Mayor. Thank you. Item three is the approval of the agenda. I entertain a motion to approve the agenda. So move. Second. Are there any comments on the agenda from the public? Any comments, questions from council. Was city clerk please call the roll. Doran. Aye. Hager. Aye. Neymar. Tilton Byrne. Aye. Wendell. Aye. Avery. Aye. All right. Item four open forum. Is there any member of the public who wishes to address the council on an item not listed on tonight's agenda? Thank you, Mayor. Members of council. I just wanted to make you aware of some damage we experienced over this last weekend. A three-year-old tree in one of our boulevards was killed due to people hanging and pulling on it. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident. Last year we experienced about 23 or 20 trees lost with similar damage, with this estimated cost to the city of about 10,000. It's not just about the financial impact, it's also about the environmental impact. Trees are one of the iconic elements of what makes our city great. So having healthy trees purposely destroyed is both disheartening and unacceptable in my eyes. And we know that most residents care deeply about protecting and preserving them. Several departments within the city of Brookings are working together to raise awareness, monitor park and boulevard areas, and share reminders to the public about the value of trees and the long-term impacts of those losses. Staff are also reviewing strategies to prevent and address this type of damage moving forward. Any other comments? Holly Tiltenbird. Um I just wanted to say thank you to Kristen and the team for the work that they do to make sure we do have awesome trees, healthy trees in our community. Um you mentioned last year that about 20 trees suffered this damage, and I know I've seen uh similar damage happen to trees on private property, so the 20 would only reflect those that are on the public property. And so I appreciate the work that's being done to raise awareness around this and then to replant trees when this damage is happening. So thank you to you and your team. Um these trees really do make a difference for the beauty of our community. I just want to take a quick moment to make sure the public also understands, as we always should, that we still have rebates available for people to plant trees, and the fall time is the best is one of the best times to plant trees.

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