I call this meeting to order.

Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.

Will the city clerk please take attendance?

All council members are present, Mr.

Deputy Mayor.

Mayor Neymar is absent this evening, and City Attorney Susan Rasmussen is joining via conference call.

Thank you.

As the city clerk noted, you're all stuck with me this evening, but we have a relatively light agenda, so things should uh go smoothly.

Um item three is the approval of the agenda.

I entertain a motion to approve the agenda.

So moved.

Second.

We have a motion and a second.

Are there any comments on the agenda from the public?

Are there any comments on the agenda from the council?

Will the city clerk please call the roll?

Avery.

Doran, aye.

Hager, aye.

Specker, aye.

Tiltonburn, aye.

Wendell.

Aye.

Item number four on the agenda is the open forum.

This is an opportunity for a member of the public that wants to speak to an item that is not printed on our agenda to come forward.

Uh if there's any member of the agenda or any member of the public that does have a comment to share during open forum, please uh come forward now to the podium.

You can introduce yourself, share your address, and then share your comment.

Okay.

Seeing none, I do have an announcement to share on behalf of the city of Brookings.

We are excited to announce that Aldi has an opening date.

Our Aldi will open in the marketplace on Thursday, November 20th, with a ribbon cutting at 8 30 a.m.

So we are thrilled with that development.

We'll be able to celebrate uh Aldi coming together.

Chief, I'll follow your lead.

Let's clap for that.

That is uh the sound of a community very excited about uh Aldi opening.

So let's move on then to item number five, which is the consent agenda.

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

Okay, seeing none, I entertain a motion to approve the consent agenda.

So moved.

Second.

We have a motion and a second.

Is there any public comment on any consent agenda item?

Okay, does the council have any questions or comments on any consent agenda item?

Will the city clerk please call the roll?

Doran.

Aye.

Hager, aye.

Specker, aye.

Tiltonburn.

Aye.

Wendell.

Aye.

Avery.

Aye.

Okay, item number six is a proclamation for National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

If Maureen and uh Mark Sternhagen will come forward.

Whereas National Disability Employment Awareness Month is commemorating its eightieth anniversary of educating about disability employment issues and celebrate the many and varied contributions of America's disabled workers.

And whereas NDEAM is led by the U.S.

Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy, but its true spirit lies in the many observances held at the grassroots level across the nation every year.

Employers of all sizes and in all industries are encouraged to participate in NDEAM and whereas workplaces, welcoming of the talents of all people, including disabled people, are a critical part of our efforts to build an inclusive community and a strong economy.

Now, therefore, I, Nick Wendell, Deputy Mayor of the City of Brookings, do hereby proclaim October 2025 as National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

And I call upon employers, schools, and other community organizations in Brookings to observe this month with appropriate programs and activities and to advance its important message that disabled people are equal to the task throughout the year.

I'm going to now turn the microphone over to Mark from our disability awareness committee to share some comments.

Thank you.

NDEAM, National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

Very important, particularly now in today's world, to realize that disabled people not only make great employees very often, sometimes some of the best employees, often working harder because maybe they had to, but also it's they have a feeling, every all of us, it's a human inbreed inbred into us to want to be part of society, to help society become better, to contribute.

And yes, there certainly are some out there outliers that will live off the system, but they're a minority.

Most of them, most disabled want to work.

Not necessarily crawling through the fields and picking vegetables, but they want to work.

They want to make a contributing part of the society and make some of the better workers.

The other thing to keep in mind always is every single one of us is one small step away from being disabled, being that person that needs to get that job, and that their disability is maybe hindering that.

So always keep that in mind.

Don't ever forget that.

So thank you.

Um I have a couple of announcements.

First off, next Tuesday night, um, our committee, along with the SDSU Office of Multicultural Affairs and Access, which also has a new name, I don't know right now, um, putting on an event in the SDSU Student Union.

I strongly encourage all of you to try to attend.

Billy Sutton will be the speaker, and it's about leadership and disabilities.

So if you've not heard him speak, he's a great speaker.

Um I have the great honor of being able to introduce him.

Um he's a good friend of mine, but if you can possibly make it to that, um, please try to, because I think that you will be very glad you did, and there's a lot of good information there.

The other thing that I want to mention, and this is me, not part of any committee or anything else, just me.

Um next Friday, October 24th, is World Polio Day.

And if you didn't know, I had polio.

The reason I got polio is because I missed out on the vaccine because it was in short supply.

There is absolutely no question, had I been vaccinated, I would not have gotten polio, and that's a fact.

So thank you, and I hope you'll think about this disability awareness this month and think that that could be you.

So thank you.

Okay, item six B on our agenda is the exciting introduction of new and promoted City of Brookings employees.

I'd like to invite the following staff forward to make introductions, and let's start with John Thompson, our public works director.

Good evening, Deputy Mayor, City Council members, John Thompson with Public Works.

This evening I'm proud to introduce to you, which you've probably already known for several years.

Josh McLean.

Josh McLean is now promoted to the assistant street manager.

Josh has been with the city for over 17 years.

And if you've all known him, he's got a passion for this community and providing excellent service.

You can call him just about any time during the day or the weekend.

He's always there to help.

And I'm extremely proud of him to be able to take this position and get into this new leadership role.

And he's going to do an excellent job for us.

So Josh, you got anything to say?

Yeah.

Uh just uh thankful for this opportunity.

Uh look forward to the new relationships I get to build.

Uh I love working for the city and uh enjoy working with the public also, so thanks and I appreciate this opportunity.

Congratulations.

I'd now like to invite our police chief, Michael Drake, to come forward and introduce a couple of our new staff members.

Good evening, y'all.

Uh our executive coordinator, Midge Christensen could not make it here tonight.

Um, but on her behalf, I just want to say how excited we are to add her to our team.

She comes with over thirty years of experience with the Department of Probation Corrections and Parole out of Minnesota from the local level to the county, state, and then the federal level with uh that she ended her career in.

And we were blessed that she wanted to join the Brookings Police Department after all that experience.

Uh she did go to SDSU, her uh daughters here, so she has roots to our community.

Um so we're really proud and excited to have her join our team to make us more professional and move forward in the direction that the community deserves when it comes to public safety and service to all our citizens.

Um secondly, uh, I would like to just introduce our deputy police chief Ryan Baranios, uh, Mr.

Deputy Mayor, City Council, city employees in the community.

I'm proud to introduce to the Brookings community our new deputy chief, Ryan J.

Baranos.

Ryan grew up in Northern Indiana, but he spent most of his adult life in Arizona working twenty-four years for the Maricopa County Sheriff's Department, where he served as a patrol deputy, uh, sergeant and lieutenant, and he had different titles and worked in the Detective Bureau, their training unit, and then back in the patrol division.

Maricorpa County serves over 9,000 square miles with over 4.7 million people.

He retired from that job, and then he moved to Esthis Park, Colorado, where he served a community of about six thousand, and it was about six point eight square miles, and he worked there as a police captain for his last two years uh before joining our great community.

And there they would see almost four million people each summer.

So between those three months, uh, where it gets a little quieter here, they all go to Estes Park, so I found out where they all go, uh, along with about four million other people.

And he did two years there as a police captain, they're number two, and now we are proud that we stole him away from them, and he's part of our team.

Uh he does come with his master's degree in arts for human resources, and he also graduated the staff and command police uh college from Northwestern University.

Uh he did move to the community with his uh supportive family, his wife, his daughter, and his son.

So with that being said, uh Mr.

Deputy Mayor, I would like you to come forward and swear our deputy police chief in uh to the city of Brookings and to join our community.

Okay.

Repeat after me.

I, Ryan Baranios.

I Brian Baranios.

I do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution.

That I will support the Constitution.

And the laws of the United States.

The Constitution, the Constitution, and the laws of the State of South Dakota.

And the laws of the State of South Dakota.

And that I will faithfully discharge the duties, and I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of deputy chief of police of the office of the deputy police.

Of the Office of the Deputy Police Chief of Police.

For the city of Brookings, South Dakota.

For the city of Brookings, South Dakota.

Congratulations.

Sure, everybody.

All right.

Let's see.

So everybody can you see my face?

There you go.

Holly, a little bit further that way.

That's wonderful.

There we go.

Okay, here we go.

Thank you very much.

Okay.

Okay, one last one.

Thank you all very much.

Appreciate that.

Okay, I'd now like to welcome uh city manager Paul Barino or Brazino to introduce our new deputy city manager.

That's all right.

I get called a lot of things, Nick.

That's an honor for me to introduce Johnny as our new deputy city manager.

Johnny comes to us uh from Missouri.

He has over 20 years of experience working in Missouri, Kansas, I believe down in Texas, carrying such jobs as working for the police or the public works department, parks department, and most recently uh uh director of facilities management in Boone County, Missouri.

Comes with a lot of education, but most importantly, a lot of heart for municipal government.

Johnny was picked over twenty sixty-five uh great applicants that we had apply from across the nation.

And um we're really excited uh and um for Johnny to be a part of our organization for all that he'll bring.

Um Johnny, anything you would like to say.

I just want to thank the governing body for everything you guys are doing for the community and the manager for his leadership and public service, as you know, we wear many hats and we have thankless positions, so just thank you for everything that you guys are doing.

Thanks, Johnny.

Today is Johnny's first day.

Johnny will be overseeing finance, community development parks department, fire department.

Um most importantly, I want to make sure the public knows that we do have a public meeting uh that'll occur for our deputies uh November 20th at Domelli's, is that correct, Sherry?

Or are looking for staff, I believe it's November 20th, 22nd.

Uh it's gonna be October, thank you.

I got so excited with the announcement of all these, I'm getting my dates mixed up.

Uh but most importantly want to make sure that the public knows that they're invited to attend, and hopefully the whole community can come out to welcome our newest employees uh to the community of Brookings, and I'm very grateful to have such wonderful applicants and those individuals that have decided to step up that have been part of the organization for quite some time.

This organization has some of the greatest employees that are dedicated to our community, and the reason why we can do such successful things is because of those employees.

So once again, hopefully the public can make it out in October.

Thank you.

And I think this is a great celebration of some staff that are joining us, so perhaps right after the meeting adjourns.

If we could take a photo with Josh and with Johnny as well to recognize uh tonight, that'd be great.

Okay, item 6C is a report from the South Dakota State University Students Association, and I'd invite Anna Hunt, the SDSU Students Association government affairs chair to come forward and provide an update.

Thanks, Anna.

Hi, uh it's been a little bit since I've been here.

Uh so September 27th, we hosted Senior Day.

We hosted about 460 students and their families on campus.

And then students association Al excuse me also added a new ex-officio from residence hall association, so we're excited for that.

We also added three new organizations registered uh at the school.

We added uh a National Society of Black Engineers, Bison Club, and then the Art Club as well.

And then we also were able to participate in Bumamil.

Vice President Willis actually hosted us at her house.

It was lovely.

Gasmeter dog, he's really cute.

Um, the Board of Regents survey for housing and meal plan was also open from October 1st to the 10th.

We were able to get pretty good feedback through that.

And then our first student promotion fund committee meeting was actually last week.

We went over one application for that.

And I do have the answer for the um OMAA uh name change.

It's under the student activity or student engagement center is their new name.

So and then volleyball hosts NDSU this week on Thursday at 7 p.m.

End of report.

Does the council have any questions for Anna?

Well, before you step away, I just want to say on behalf of the City of Brookings, congratulations to the university on another outstanding Hobo Day.

It's a tremendous student-driven left effort, and we really appreciate it.

Thank you.

Okay, item 6D are reports from our city council ex officios.

First, do we have a report from the municipal utility board, either council member Specker or Avery?

Yes, we do.

Um I just attended the uh BMU meeting this afternoon, so it's all fresh in my mind.

The uh we did spend quite a bit of time talking about the uh um first reading of the budget, which is quite lengthy and a lot of numbers and uh and things like that.

So I don't think we can really go into that at this point.

But there was some other things that were on the agenda that were I found that were interesting.

One uh they talked about the 34th Avenue uh water treatment plant.

The date for substantial completion of the plant was set at October 13th, 2025, and it's not done.

So they're they're expecting that that will probably be stretched out maybe weeks or possibly months.

But it's uh it's going well, but it's just uh a project that large just sometimes it takes a little extra time and some unforeseen things can come up, but it's still moving along.

Uh they do expect to have a ribbon cutting ceremony for uh local officials uh at the scheduled time of December 3rd, 2025 with the uh community open house that will be scheduled in the early summer of 2026.

So that we can look forward to that.

We didn't they also talked about the city and the BMU have finalized an agreement to uh for the uh BMU to supply the raw water for the uh golf course watering, and that's been signed by the city now and by agreed to today to be signed by BMU.

So that's that's moving along, and that project will go forward.

So uh those were some of the highlights.

So we've we've talked about it before, but you'll see uh changes in your billings and the the billing dates and the format of your billing statement.

So we've talked about it be you know a number of times, but now it's you'll see it in your billing, and just be aware if you have questions, just call and they'll answer them.

So that's the end of my report.

Thank you, Councilmember Avery.

Next is a report from the Brookings Health Systems Board of Trustees from either Councilmember Doran or Councilmember Hager.

Okay.

So I attended the BHS Board of Trustees meeting back on September 29th.

And so there are a few highlights that I'll go through.

At that particular point in time, we did have a brief discussion about then a possible government shutdown.

So obviously now we do have that occurring, but the consensus was that things should be okay in the short term.

No benefits would be interrupted, just that there might be some administrative slowdowns and reduced customer support.

A longer term shutdown would create some uncertainty, but the good thing, at least as far as Medicaid matches, is that those do go through at least the first quarter.

Brookings Health System is also participating in providing some input to the South Dakota Department of Social Services for the state's application to receive funds from the rural health transformation program that was created by the one big beautiful bill.

So at this point, they're just providing some insight into how the state could use some of that money.

But that would provide some funding for five years through fiscal year 2026 through 2030.

And then there was a variety of executive and board committee reports that focused on a variety of different topics.

But I think some of the things worth highlighting is that everything looks good as far as compliance, especially with HIPAA, patient experience, and the budget.

And things are going well in terms of some of their technological advancements with the transition to EPIC, which is an electronic health care management system.

And that particular portal has some ways in which to ensure that AI is used in an ethical way that also improves the diagnosis of patients and also helps with compliance efforts.

And that's the end of the report.

Thank you, Councilmember Hager.

I have a report from the Economic Development Merger Committee.

That group is well underway.

We meet every other Thursday afternoon.

You might recall that's a nine-member board that starting January 1st will provide support and oversight to a newly merged organization that will represent the Economic Development Corporation, the Brookings Area Chamber of Commerce, Visit Brookings, and Downtown Brookings.

That group has been deeply engaged in the work of preparing for that merge.

Last week, the consulting firm that is helping us lead the search for a president and CEO that will lead the merged organization.

We're here in Brookings and met with a number of stakeholders to get a better sense of the needs of that position, and we'll continue to do work to build that candidate pool.

Uh and you all will be engaged in that process, and there'll be a public-facing part of that search process as well as we narrow that pool of potential candidates for the next president and CEO into a list of more possible folks that we'll be inviting to an in-person interview in the community.

So the work of the president and CEO search is sort of paramount for that group right now.

But we've also been working on a branding uh effort and are engaging a marketing firm that will help us build a new brand for this newly merged organization and working through the budgeting process as well to prepare for how to provide financial support that is enduring for a newly merged organization.

There's a whole variety of other kind of subtopics the group is working on, but those are some of the highlights.

We provide ex officio reports uh at our meetings uh so that you all get a sense of the work that the council does as ex officious on a number of our municipal partners and other services and organizations in the community.

So it is a chance for us to in this public forum kind of report back on what's happening in those board meetings.

Uh and certainly if you have questions on any of those topics with our municipal partners, please reach out to the council.

We likely have a member that serves in one of those groups and can provide some additional insight or share feedback.

Item number six E is a report on downtown at sundown.

Uh do we have a member of the Chamber of Commerce staff here to provide their annual report?

Deputy Mayor, it doesn't appear that she is here this evening.

I'll reach out and we'll reschedule this item.

Okay.

Thanks.

Phenomenal event, and one that I think we want to be able to provide some highlights to the council on as we provide considerable financial support to the program.

Uh so it'll be helpful for us to get that annual public report at a time when their staff members able to join us.

Item number seven on the agenda are contracts and change orders, and there are none.

Item number eight is first readings, and there are none.

So we will proceed to item nine, public hearings and second readings.

This evening, item 9A is a public hearing in action on ordinance 25-032, an ordinance to rezone the west half of the northwest quarter, excluding platted areas in section 20, township 110 north, range 49, west from agriculture district to an industrial light district.

Mike Strook, the community development director, will present this item.

Take it away, Mike.

Thank you, Deputy Mayor and Councilmembers.

Um, the item before you tonight is a rezoning for the NEHanson property located up on the bypass and 34th Avenue.

It's approximately 54 acres that is being proposed to rezone from AIG to an I-1 light industrial district.

Uh the rezoning is consistent with our comprehensive plan is identified this area is for future uh business or industrial uses.

It does come to you as a unanimous uh recommendation from the planning commission and uh development review team supports the request.

With that, I'd stand for any questions you may have.

I'd like to entertain a motion to approve.

So moved.

Okay.

We have a motion and a second.

I open the public hearing on this item.

Is there any public comment?

The public hearing is now closed.

Does the council have any questions or comments on this item?

Okay, hearing none.

Will the city clerk please call the roll?

Hager, aye.

Specker.

Aye.

Tilton Byrne.

Aye.

Wendell?

Aye.

Avery.

Aye.

Noran.

Aye.

Okay.

Motion passes.

Item 10 is other business, and we have none.

I will give you kind of a preview of upcoming meetings.

We have a study session scheduled for October 21st.

Some highlights on the agenda for that study session, which will be held at 6 p.m.

in the community room next door.

We'll hear from the SDSU extension on a first impressions program.

I believe we've heard once about that program, but we'll get an update on the 21st.

We'll also hear about a process review that's being undergone on major home occupations.

We had a request from a council member to get an update on that process, so we'll hear that on the 21st.

And then we'll get an update on the city's mass notification software from our public information officer Sherry Bordowick.

At our regular meeting on Tuesday, October 28th at 6 p.m.

here in the chambers.

I attended the uh Indian Hills Homeowners Association meeting last week, and there was some discussion there regarding their walking path, bicycle path, and uh it concerned um the use of it with getting to be more and more uh competition for that space with the the motorized bicycles and the one big concern it seemed like came out of that meeting was the motorized scooters that you see now.

So you have very young people operating these things on on the pass, but they're also on the streets, and you see you worry more about them getting hurt than than a motorist or another person.

So it there is a thought that there should be some maybe some rules there or some uh signage or or something that it would go along with both the Indian Hills Path and our city um pass.

So I'm not sure how I at that time they they indicated that they'd be writing a letter to the council, and I think I said you know, when we get that, we can probably be looking at a study session topic.

So council member Avery, would you like to make a formal motion to direct staff that when we receive additional information that we add that to the agenda for a study session?

I would do I would like to do that.

Yes.

Okay, do you have a second?

Second.

Okay.

It has been moved and seconded.

Any discussion among council on that topic?

Anything you'd want added to that discussion.

No, I think that's was the uh the what came out of that meeting is there's just concerns about safety.

So just just to clarify, you're talking about scooters on trails and excess speeds and and um if there's laws or rules or regulations that could either prevent it or mitigate it.

And it might be a case of some education too for um like in the schools, because I I do quite a bit of uh walking, and adults when they come up behind you on a bicycle say I'm passing on the left.

Kids are silent, they just come flying by, you know.

And you know, I don't know if they realize that that can be dangerous, but somewhere where we've missed that part.

Okay, okay.

So uh we have a motion in a second to add a discussion around motorized scooter usage on paths and other public pathways uh and streets, potentially including uh some educational efforts.

Uh do we need a roll call on that?

Okay, city clerk, please call the roll.

Tilton Byrne, aye.

Wendell?

Aye.

Avery?

Aye.

Doran?

Aye.

Hager?

Aye.

Specker, aye.

Motion passes.

Any other topics to add to a future meeting or study session agenda?

Okay.

Hearing none, I would entertain a motion to adjourn.

So moved.

Second.

Been moved and seconded.

All those in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Meeting adjourned.

If we could take a photo with uh some of our our new staff as a council, that'd be great.