by Carrie Moritz, Gazette
On Monday, the Garretson City Council met in regular session, with much of the meeting being informational in nature. The council heard a request to install a second sanitary lift station in the industrial park, and began a debate to waive open container and peddler license fees during Jesse James Days 2024.
Partway through the meeting, Mayor Greg Beaner let attendees know the street dance request for June 17 had been taken off the agenda. Three people had attended for that reason, and Mayor Beaner informed them that the proprietor of The Gulch, Tracie Jellis, had opted to move the dance indoors.
However, The Combine proprietor LeRoy Austin was in attendance on behalf of the Garretson Commercial Club, and he asked if a "street" dance would still be a possibility if it was moved to a different location, such as the Jaycee Complex.
He stated he would be interested in setting that up if it were approved. While the council was unable to take any action on the request until the May meeting, the members appeared amenable to the request.
Park Board member Kelli Schleuter expressed concerns about vandalism or damage to the complex, especially to newer plants, trees, and playground equipment. Austin assured her the Minnehaha Sheriff's Department would be involved in ensuring as little damage as possible would occur, and Mayor Beaner stated any damages could likely be repaired.
On behalf of the Commercial Club, Austin also requested information on waiving open container ordinances and peddler's fees for Jesse James Days. Current plans for Friday night, June 16, may have a car show at the school parking lot, a lighter musical concert that could appeal to older crowds at the corner of 3rd and Main, and a bean bag tournament on the north end of Main Street in front of the Sports Cabin, and the Club saw appeal in allowing attendees to go from The Combine, The Gulch, and The Sports Cabin areas with beverages in hand.
The council wanted to vote on those requests at the meeting, but realized it would be necessary to place them on the May agenda. Any members of the public who would have input are encouraged to attend.
Street Updates
With construction season beginning for the year, Maintenance Supervisors Jordan Doane and Ryan Nussbaum had several updates for the council, including an update on the 5th Street bridge and the construction planning progress for 4th and 5th Streets.
As of Monday, the 5th Street bridge was closed to drive-through traffic, a closure that will continue for the duration of the construction project that is estimated to take approximately three months. The company had initially hoped to keep the bridge open during construction and limit traffic to one lane. However, this variation of the construction plans had also intended for the company to continue work through the winter, something this past season's extensive snowfall made impossible. The company will be lifting the bridge in order to replace bearings that allow the movement necessary for the bridge to be safe.
Nussbaum continued his report by letting the council know initial meetings with engineers had taken place for the 4th and 5th Street construction project. He stated they had opted to break the project down into three phases over three years, with the first beginning in 2024. Replacement of water mains and sewer mains are the crux of the construction, but it will also include a replacement of streets, curb and gutter, and sidewalks. Phase I will include 4th Street from Main to Sherman Avenue in 2024, Phase II will be 4th Street from Sherman Avenue to Oak Avenue in 2025, and Phase III will be 5th Street and side streets between 4th and 5th in 2026.
Doane and Nussbaum also requested a go-ahead on pursuing a shared purchase with Humboldt for a vacuum truck, which is used to clean pipes and remove debris for pothole repair. Currently, both Garretson and Humboldt contract out for a truck, but Doane and Nussbaum believe having one in-house would be extremely useful. City Finance Officer Paetyn Dreckman stated the $40,000-to-$45,000 cost for Garretson's half could be spread among several different departments, as the truck could be used in many different ways. Doane stated that used trucks in good condition are nearly impossible to find, and that Humboldt representatives had approached them with the cost-sharing option. The council agreed to allow Doane and Nussbaum have a shared-use agreement drawn up by the city attorney, which they would review at the next meeting.
Later, Nussbaum, Doane, and Tim Mader, owner of Splitrock Custom Storage, spoke on a request to add a second lift station to the Industrial Park in the northern area of town. Mader stated he was receiving requests for both water and sewer services on the property, and while water was available, sewer was not, due to the shallowness of the lift station by the bridge on Highway 11.
"I've had over ten calls since last September... some people want to put some really nice sheds in there," Mader said. He stated that Garretson was the same distance as Tea or Harrisburg for most of his inquirers but cheaper in cost for investment. However, sewer services were necessary for many of them.
Matt Martin of Infrastructure Design was in attendance, and he pointed out there was two likely options for the lift station. The first would be a smaller lift pump at approximately $70,000 and the second would be a large lift pump that cost approximately $300,000. He explained that the larger lift would serve not only the 15 acres south of 5th Street that need it, but would add an additional 20 acres north of 5th Street. That area to the north already has some sewer coverage; the larger pump would bring sewer services even further north.
After learning that larger pipe could be installed just in case future development demands it, but the smaller pump could be placed first, the council requested Martin continue to work with Doane and Nussbaum on further clarifying costs. Mayor Beaner, along with members of the council, pointed out that a return on investment would likely be made up very quickly in tax revenue.
Tourism investment requested
During old business, Mayor Beaner updated the council on plans that have been drafted by Kris Frerk for tourism investments. Along with an Art Hunt, which would allow visitors to search for specific pieces of art around town, Frerk, who is on the Southeast SD Tourism executive board, had commissioned a metal sculpture symbolizing the likeness of Jesse James and was working on new cards and postcards to be placed and sold at The Treasure Chest, Split Rock Park, and Devil's Gulch. Frerk was formally requesting the city help these initiatives with an investment of $3,000, which they agreed to.
Frerk also requested the City begin issuing reports and tracking sales tax income, in order to have a baseline from which they could track how well the initiatives are working. She intends to launch a soft start this summer and ensure it's built upon each year.
"This is really important with the expansion of Palisades State Park," Mayor Beaner said.
Park Board member Kelli Schleuter gave updates on beautification initiatives at Split Rock Park and Devil's Gulch, which will include placement of a metal sign at the entrance to Devil's Gulch that is similar to the one at the entrance to Split Rock Park. They will also be having a small footbridge built across the ravine from the picnic shelter to the campground to replace a walkway currently made of old railroad ties. This walkway was mostly hidden until the trees were removed from the ravine two years ago, and now it sees regular use.
A third area of beautification was brought to the table by council member Dave Bonte, who requested a formal survey be completed on the land boundaries by the railroad tracks south of 5th Street. He pointed out the railroad has been placing several items in the area, with some potentially encroaching on city property. He, and the Park Board, would like to see the area south of the bridge eventually be developed for activities such as picnicking, swimming, and camping, but this requires road access from 5th Street and a solidly-understood boundary between the two entities. Bonte stated he does have some interest in the development, as he owns lands just to the south of the area. Martin, of Infrastructure Design, agreed to put Doane and Nussbaum in contact with the survey manager from his company.
The next regular meeting of the Garretson City Council will be held on Monday, May 8 at 6:30 p.m. at the Legion Dugout.
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