Vermillion City Council and Joint Clay County Meeting Summary – April 6, 2026
STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE
Vermillion City Council and Joint Clay County Meeting Summary – April 6, 2026
The joint meeting of the Vermillion City Council and Clay County Commission began at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, April 6, 2026, followed by the regular Vermillion City Council meeting at 6:00 p.m. The meetings covered rezoning, comprehensive plan adoption, multiple proclamations, consent agenda items, ordinance amendments, and several infrastructure and utility agreements.
Consent Calendar
- Approved invoices payable, fuel quotes, street closure requests (Rose Street and North Plum Street for USD Move In Day on August 21, 2026; Main Street and High Street for USD Dakota Days Parade on October 3, 2026), declaration of surplus vehicles/equipment, and a resolution to purchase a dump truck body for the street department. All items were approved unanimously.
Proclamations
- Child Abuse Prevention Month (April 2026): Caitlin Domer (Clay County Child Protection Team president) read the proclamation. It noted that CASA assisted 29 children in February 2026. Downtown Main Street tree lights will be blue from April 6–12, 2026 to raise awareness.
- Youth Mayor for a Day: Cadence Otto, an eighth-grade student from Vermillion Middle School, was recognized as the first youth mayor for a day after winning an essay contest on addressing substance abuse among youth. She met with Governor Roden, state legislators, and mayors.
- Cornerstones Career Learning Center 40th Anniversary: April 6, 2026 was proclaimed as Cornerstones 40th Anniversary Day in Vermillion.
- Blair Merkwan – First Girls Wrestling State Champion: Blair Merkwan made history as Vermillion High School’s first girls state wrestling champion, winning the 170-pound weight class title in 2026. The proclamation was presented after the consent calendar.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Councilor Hellwig acknowledged the passing of former Vermillion City Council member and state senator Karen Munster.
- No members of the public spoke during visitors to be heard or on specific agenda items.
Joint Meeting Items (5:30 p.m.)
Ordinance 1553 – Rezoning in Fairview Township (Rural Residential District)
- The planning commission voted 6-0 (city) and unanimously (county) to recommend approval of the zoning request to add building eligibility in a rural residential district adjacent to existing residential areas. Neighboring property owners had concerns about future land use, wetlands, and taxes, but after discussion the commissions recommended approval. The joint meeting approved the ordinance for second reading and advanced it to the April 20, 2026 meeting.
2025 Joint Jurisdiction Comprehensive Plan Amendment
- Staff presented the redlined plan with boundary line changes as discussed previously. No maps were altered. The city council and county commission both voted unanimously to adopt the resolution approving the plan amendment.
Old Business
Second Reading: Ordinance 1552 – Planning and Zoning Commission Term Adjustments
- The ordinance modifies term rotation to spread expirations over a three-year cycle (three terms per year) with a two-year gap, using a multi-year transition. No public comment. Roll call vote: all nine council members voted yes. Motion carried.
New Business
Tom Street Lift Station – Change Order No. 2 & Liquidated Damages Settlement
- The project (awarded May 2023 for $1,553,066.45) was substantially completed on January 21, 2026—over 600 days late. Liquidated damages of $812,700 ($1,350/day for 602 days) were settled at $299,700. Change order #2 deducts $38,325.52 for three items. Total construction cost after changes: $1,518,456.69 before liquidated damages, net $1,218,756.69. Council approved the change order and settlement unanimously.
Tom Street Lift Station – Engineering Agreement Amendment No. 3
- Due to contractor delays, Banner Associates required additional services. Amendment No. 3 adds $52,622, bringing total engineering cost to $235,944.30. The liquidated damages settlement covers these costs. Budget revision needed. Council approved unanimously.
Wastewater Rate Adjustment Resolution
- The resolution adjusts the sewer multiplier from 170% to 190% of winter water average. For an average customer (581 cubic feet/month), the monthly sewer bill rises from $52.56 to $58.75 (increase of $6.19). This is part of a planned rate path toward 211% by April 2027 to fund the $20.1 million wastewater treatment plant renovation. The city is seeking alternative funding (e.g., EDA grant of $5 million) to reduce borrowing. Council approved the resolution unanimously.
Helms & Associates Engineering Agreement – Airport Pavement Maintenance
- Agreement for design, bidding, and construction administration of pavement maintenance at Harold Davidson Field. Fee not to exceed $40,000 (hourly); estimated $33,000 for design. Funding: 95% federal, 2.5% state, 2.5% city (corrected from stated 97.5% city reimbursement). After reimbursements, city share is approximately $1,000. Council approved unanimously.
Clay Rural Water System – Transfer of Service Rights Agreement
- For annexed property (Munger Tracts 1, 2, and 3) to be developed for residential use. City will pay $2,400 one-time fee for existing customer. Amendments to interconnection agreements change flat water rate to a tiered rate for 10 years, resulting in ~$4,500 annual lost revenue. City will abandon Clay Rural infrastructure at property line. Both boards approved; USDA approval also required. Council approved unanimously.
Memorandum of Understanding with Clay Union Electric – Service Territory Swap
- GA Hahn Development LLC plans 34 housing units on Lot 1, Block 2 of Madison Park Addition. A 38-foot strip is in Clay Union territory; city will swap that for territory in Lot 1, Albers Subdivision (Cypress Rail property), redrawing the line to fully encompass an existing building into Clay Union’s service area. No lost revenue payments. After council approval, the agreement goes to Clay Union board and then to the Public Utilities Commission. Council approved unanimously.
City Manager’s Report
- Upcoming meetings: Historic Preservation Commission (April 8), Library Board (April 15), online 10% discount sale for apprentice plunge passes (April 11–12). Terms expiring on Human Relations Commission (three seats, including one post-secondary student one-year term) and Library Board (three three-year terms); expression of interest forms due April 23, appointments on May 4.
Executive Session
- Council moved into executive session (motion by Councilor Murray, second by Councilor Cheesman) after the regular meeting adjourned. No details were disclosed.
Key Outcomes
- Ordinance 1553 (Rezoning): Approved for second reading; final reading scheduled for April 20, 2026.
- Comprehensive Plan Amendment: Adopted unanimously by both city and county.
- Ordinance 1552 (Planning Commission Terms): Approved on second reading; roll call vote 9-0.
- Tom Street Lift Station Change Order & Liquidated Damages: Approved (deduct $38,325.52, LD settlement $299,700).
- Tom Street Lift Station Engineering Amendment No. 3: Approved ($52,622 increase).
- Wastewater Rate Adjustment to 190%: Approved; further discussions on rate trajectory for 211% to be held at budget sessions.
- Airport Pavement Maintenance Agreement: Approved (Helms & Assoc., $40,000 not-to-exceed).
- Clay Rural Water Service Rights Transfer: Approved; includes $2,400 payment and interconnection amendments.
- Clay Union Electric MOU: Approved; territory swap to be filed with PUC.
Meeting Transcript
We'll call the uh joint jurisdiction joint meeting with the Clay County Commissions to order for Monday April 6th, 5 30 p.m. Uh Alex, we call roll. Caller here. Here, all in here, Denwine, LA, here, even here, tomorrow, mayor poll. Here we'll call Clay County to order. Um start with roll call. Here's the easy three. We'll approve agenda. Move to approve agenda. Second. I have a motion and a second. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Same sign. Motion. Motion approved. Uh is everybody had a chance to review the agenda. So is there a motion to adopt? Motion approved by Councillor Price. Second by Councillor Holland. Any discussion? All those in favor support by saying aye. Aye. Opposed by saying nay. Agenda is adopted. Uh for visitors to be heard. Are there any visitors to be heard uh on anything not on the agenda for the joint jurisdiction? Seeing none, we'll move into the public hearings. We did a first reading of ordinance 1553. This is to amend the joint zoning regulations in reference uh to rural residential district from ag district um be in the area of Fairview Township. I don't know who wants to go start. Noah I can start. So good afternoon. We got approached as a county to rezone uh the parcel in front of you guys. Um the maps given to you. Um right now, the way the current ordinance is written, um, there's only three building eligibilities per quarter quarter, and it doesn't specify the districts, so with these already being uh rule residential, it takes away those building eligibilities. So what this would be doing would be adding additional building eligibility in a district that's already right next to another rule residential. So other than that, I mean it's a pretty straightforward, a little bit closer shot. Straightforward. Uh these four are already rule residential, and in regards to the comprehensive plan, you know, it's falling right in line with what's already there. All right, Jose, do you have any input on that? Uh I guess I'll just add to what Noah said that the city and county planning commission did meet to discuss this. Uh they met on March 9th. Uh at that meeting there were a few neighboring property owners that uh attended the meeting. Uh most of their comments or concerns uh were uh related to future land uses, impact to existing wetlands, uh, and impacts uh of the rezoning to taxes uh after all of this was discussed and talked over. Uh the planning commission zid vote uh and the city's planning commission anyway so uh voted 60 to recommend approval of the zoning request. The county's planning commission also voted unanimously to recommend uh to the county board of commissioners to uh vote approval of this uh ordinance amendment thank you uh are there any visitors to be heard on this topic seeing none uh county and city have any discussion motions by either board move to adopt the zoning for this motion and a second any further discussion hearing none all those in favor say aye. All right, all right, opposed same sign motion passes. This require a second reading. This is also require a second reading, so you would be actually moving it to the second reading.
openpublica.com