Brookings City Council Meeting - September 22, 2026

The Brookings City Council met at 6:00 PM on September 22, 2026, in Council Chambers for a regular meeting that combined Budget Workshop #2 (10-year Capital Improvement Plan and consolidated fee schedule) with a Dacotah Bank Center Exploratory Committee presentation, extended public comment and council discussion of the Flock automated license plate reader system, and action on a $145,000 budget amendment supporting the city's exit from the venue management agreement at the Dacotah Bank Center. The facility is spelled "Dacotah Bank Center" in the agenda but "Dakota Bank Center" in much of the transcript.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the September 8, 2026 City Council meeting minutes (ID 26-0379).
• Received City Council Ex-Officio reports (ID 26-0384), including a report that the SDSU Student Association had passed an ordinance formally including a land acknowledgement before each student association meeting.
• Received the Dacotah Bank Center Exploratory Committee presentation (ID 26-0383).

Public Comments & Testimony

• A resident commented on the Flock safety camera system, noting that the evening's presentation stated data is shared with 12 South Dakota agencies, 1,219 out-of-state agencies, and four federal agencies. The speaker reported that public records requests to the Brookings Police Department had been denied, that the one claim they could verify took four months and a large volume of emails to correct, and asked the council to respond in writing with a date for an answer.
• A resident spoke on the Brookings Downtown Third Space, describing prior career experience as a decision-maker facing a deteriorated historic building with no potential for reuse, and expressed support for replacing the building with a new structure of comparable size from both sustainability and economic perspectives.

Discussion Items

Budget Workshop #2 - 10-Year Capital Improvement Plan & Fee Schedule

• Staff reported no new general-funded employees are planned for next year.
• Public works, parks and recreation, and public safety together consume approximately 98% of overall capital improvement plan revenue and expenditures for next year.
• The city moved from a five-year to a 10-year capital improvement plan about eight years ago in order to look further ahead and ensure sufficient revenue is set aside; operating funds are never placed inside the CIP.
• City council policy dedicates approximately 1% of CIP-eligible projects to public art.
• Additional fire vehicle replacements are anticipated in the 2028 fiscal year.
• The final consolidated fee schedule, including park board fee recommendations once the park board completes its review, will return for adoption on November 10, 2026, together with the budget ordinance and the 10-year capital improvement plan.

Dacotah Bank Center Exploratory Committee

• The committee hosted two open houses at the end of March, sharing survey data and gathering community input on current facility use and future priorities.
• Thirty-five percent (35%) of survey respondents said they wanted the future version of the center to be a hybrid between recreation and events.
• Placer data from anonymous cell phone tracking showed visitors to the center also visited hotel properties in Brookings, informing the quality-of-life and revenue case for the facility.
• The city intends to offer employment to all 10 full-time current staff members, who are presently OVG employees, with conversations continuing over the next couple of weeks.
• Events already scheduled at the center for 2027 will be preserved, and the capital improvement plan includes a line item for the facility.
• Council members expressed that a lack of unanimous community agreement should not paralyze progress, and confirmed that each large future investment would come back to a public meeting for discussion.

Flock Safety Camera Discussion

• After public comment, the council and police department discussed the Flock automated license plate reader system.
• A council member asked whether other communities using Flock had discussed developing memoranda of understanding with other agencies for data sharing.
• Chief Drake responded that data is used only for legitimate investigative purposes that fall under the purview of public safety; that officers and dispatchers see only a small, alert-oriented version of the system; that Flock's license terms are public record and reviewed regularly; and that internal controls, budgeting, and oversight are in place.
• The chief drew an analogy to medical professionals sharing data after validating identity and just cause, and compared an officer reviewing camera data to an officer stationed at an intersection photographing vehicles.
• Council members acknowledged the ongoing public dialogue among council, staff, the police department, and community members regarding trust between the community and the police department.

Brookings Downtown Third Space

• Staff described the project as reimagining a downtown space, noting the improvement was identified in the 2026 safety action plan that came before council earlier this year.
• After discussions with the developer, the city contracted with HDR landscape architects to help reimagine the space, and the concept honors the legacy of the armory as a key design consideration.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the consent agenda, including the September 8, 2026 minutes, ex-officio reports, and the Dacotah Bank Center Exploratory Committee presentation.
• Approved an additional $145,000 in budget authority from the bed or pillow tax fund to support one-time transition costs associated with the city's exit from the current venue management agreement at the Dacotah Bank Center.
• Took second reading action on Ordinance 26-029 (the subject of the ordinance is not specified in the source material).
• Conducted a public hearing and took action on Resolution 26-053, levying assessments for concrete maintenance; the improvement was identified in the 2026 safety action plan.
• Recognized Domestic Violence Awareness Month by proclamation.
• Scheduled the budget first reading for October 27, 2026, and the final proposed budget hearing, including adoption of the budget, the 10-year capital improvement plan, and the consolidated fee schedule, for November 10, 2026.
• Staff will continue conversations with the 10 full-time Dacotah Bank Center staff members regarding transition to city employment over the coming weeks.