Indoor pool on Mitchell City Council’s agenda again

Oct. 06--The Mitchell City Council will tonight again discuss the proposed construction of a competition-sized indoor swimming pool in the city.

The council's agenda includes a 6:30 p.m. work session with City Administrator Stephanie Ellwein, a 7:20 p.m.Public Works Committee meeting and the 7:30 p.m. council meeting in Council Chambers at City Hall, 612 N. Main St.

In recent weeks, city officials and others involved in the project have met multiple times with an architectural firm, JLG Architects, of Alexandria, Minn., to discuss the indoor pool project. In an interview Thursday with The Daily Republic, Mayor Ken Tracy said those discussions started with the city presenting the firm with features it hoped to include, with the intention of getting a more accurate estimate of the cost.

Initially, the firm estimated the cost of the project would be nearly $8 million, according to Tracy.

After that, the firm was asked to estimate the cost of the project with the size of the pool reduced, though still with eight lanes, Tracy said. In its initial proposal, the city asked for a pool that was 25 meters by 25 yards, but then asked for a pool 25 yards by 60 feet.

That, along with a few other changes, reduced the estimated cost to between $6.6 million and $6.8 million, according to Tracy.

In both of the firm's estimates, the proposed facility included two separate pools, a competition pool and a leisure pool, each with its own temperature control, Tracy said.

The council also plans to discuss the construction of a new city hall planned for southern downtown Mitchell. The existing City Hall building, which is attached to the Corn Palace, could be renovated to house tourism exhibits as part of the second phase of the two-phase renovation of the city-owned tourist attraction.

Consent agenda

Council members plan to consider approving the following items as part of a consent agenda:

--The agenda and minutes from prior council meetings and committee meetings.

--Raffle requests from the Mitchell Aquatic Club, with the drawings to be held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday in 2015, the Mitchell Area Safehouse Foundation, with the drawing to be held March 28, and the James Valley Community Center, with the drawing to be held Jan. 17.

--An application of David Backlund Jr., doing business as ParTee Bar, for a special event liquor license for the Pheasants Forever banquet Oct. 17 at the Corn Palace.

--An automatic supplement to the parks and recreation portion of the special revenue fund of $5,000 from a South Dakota Department of Health grant for mosquito control.

--An automatic supplement to the fire portion of the general fund of $850 from a donation for the purchase of fire alarms.

--An application to transfer a retail on-off sale malt beverage license from V.V. Inc., doing business as Hideout Casino, to V.V. Inc., doing business at Hideout Casino, both at 510 E. Havens St., due to a change in configuration of the licensed premises.

--A change order for Thorstad Companies for the utilities and construction project on Second Avenue, from Minnesota Street to Sanborn Boulevard, for additional work and extra days to complete the project, increasing the contract amount by $26,882.85 for an adjusted contract amount of $250,207.65.

--A change order for Sunkota Construction for the library furniture bid package for work room stations, increasing the contract amount by $13,700 for an adjusted contract amount of $47,680.

--A change order for gabions rip-rap repair on the north side of the Lake Mitchell spillway for flowable fill used to fill void north of spillway, decreasing the contract amount by $1,512.42 for a final contract amount of $257,031.30.

--Mayor to sign forms on behalf of the city of Mitchell for the Davison-Hanson Farm Service Agency regarding city-owned property.

--Surplus 80 double-sided bookcases from the Mitchell Public Library.

--Gas and diesel fuel bids.

--A list of pay estimates.

--Bills, payroll, salary adjustments and new employee hires, and authorization for payment of recurring and other expenses in advance as approved by the finance officer.

Other business

In scheduled business tonight, council members plan to:

--Consider, during a 7:20 p.m.Public Works Committee meeting, a driveway opening request at 1605 E. First Ave.

--Sit as the board of adjustment and set an Oct. 20 date for hearings on the application of Travis Kelly for a backyard variance of 6 feet rather than the required 25 feet for an addition to connect his garage to his residence at 620 W. 14th Ave.; on the application of Michelle Mueller-Carter for a conditional use permit to operate a day care in her home at 1401 S. Main St.; and on the application of Dusty and Kirstin Kiner for lot width variances at 24994 406th Ave.; and conduct hearings on the application of Wendi Henglefelt for a sideyard variance of 11 feet rather than the required 20 feet for construction and replacement of an detached garage at 627 E. Sixth Ave.; and on the application of Armond and Joann Olson for a sideyard variance of 9 feet rather the required 20 feet for construction and extension of a covered porch at 1300 E. Second Ave.

--Consider approving a request from BankWest for an extension of time for the placement of their temporary building at 1920 N. Sanborn Blvd.

--Consider a resolution to accept the operating agreement for Sanborn County Transit for the 2014-2015 fiscal year.

--Consider a resolution to accept the operating agreement for Palace Transit for the 2014-2015 fiscal year.

--Consider a resolution to transfer residual equity to special assessment revolving fund.

--Consider a resolution to declare the necessity for construction of base course, concrete curb and gutter, bituminous paving, accessories, engineering fees and miscellaneous expenses on 21st Avenue from Pheasant Street approximately 270 feet east.

--Consider a resolution to declare the necessity for construction of base course, concrete curb and gutter, bituminous paving, accessories, engineering fees and miscellaneous expenses on the 1900 to 2200 blocks for Pheasant Street to extend Pheasant Street approximately 735 linear feet to the south.

--Conduct a public hearing on a land lease for three years for airport farm ground and airport pasture ground.

--Declare high bids for airport farm ground and airport pasture ground.

--Consider a resolution of intent to lease city-owned agricultural land and notice of hearing.

--Conduct the second of two required readings and consider adopting an ordinance supplementing the street and sidewalk portion of the general fund with $50,000 from the general fund for Pheasant Street construction.

--Conduct the first of two required readings of an ordinance amending the Mitchell City Code by renaming the Corn Palace Festival Board to the Corn Palace Entertainment Board and providing for makeup of the board and establishing staggered three-year terms for appointed members.

--Conduct the first of two required readings of an ordinance on illicit discharge.

--Conduct the first of two required readings of an ordinance rezoning property at 701 N. Blair St. from Transportation, Warehousing and Commercial District to High Density Residential District.

--Conduct the first of two required readings of an ordinance rezoning property legally described as the west one-half of the northwest one-fourth, Section 3, Township 103 North, Range 60 West, Davison County, from Transportation, Warehousing and Commercial District to Urban Development District.

--Conduct the first of two required readings of an ordinance supplementing the data processing portion of the general fund with $6,294 from the general fund cash balance for laserfiche software support; the information technology portion of the general fund with $2,131 from a reimbursement for computer hardware; the public works portion of the general fund with $11,000 from the general fund cash balance for sidewalk construction; the entertainment tax portion of the special revenue fund with $100,000 from the general fund cash balance for other financing sources; the library renovation portion of the capital project fund with $2,559 from interest earned for library renovation; the TIF No. 19 portion of the capital project fund with $44,000 from bond proceeds for infrastructure construction; the water distribution portion of the enterprise fund with $10,000 from the water fund cash balance for West Second Avenue utilities; the sewer portion of the enterprise fund with $12,500 from the sewer fund cash balance for supplies; the sewer portion of the enterprise fund with $12,000 from the sewer fund cash balance for West Second Avenue utilities; the Corn Palace portion of the enterprise fund with $3,000 for maintenance overtime, $700 for overtime part-time, $12,000 for decorating part-time, $750 for shows overtime and $4,600 for shows part-time, all from the Corn Palace fund cash balance; and the health insurance portion of the internal service fund with $200,000 from the general fund for medical expenses.

--Conduct the first of two required readings of an ordinance amending the ordinances involving the city of Mitchell's fire code by adding a section involving multifamily rentals.

--Consider amending the annual appropriations ordinance for 2015.

--Consider approving a restructuring of the Recreation Center.

--Consider approving a moving permit for Val Krietlow to move a house at 1114 N. Main St. to 616 W. 10th Ave.

--Conduct a closed-door executive session for the purpose of preparing for contract negotiations or negotiating with employees or employee representatives.

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