Mitchell City Council to discuss mayor position [The Daily Republic, Mitchell, S.D.]

Oct. 07--Discussion of possible restructuring in Mitchell's city government, including talk of a full-time mayor or city manager, is on tonight's Mitchell City Council agenda, as is a discussion of the future of the city's Rec Center.

The agenda includes a Public Works Committee meeting at 7 p.m., a Finance Committee meeting at 7:20 p.m., and the City Council meeting at 7:30 p.m., all in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 612 N. Main St.

According to Mayor Ken Tracy, the council will discuss possible changes to positions within the city government due to the retirement of longtime Public Works Director Tim McGannon, who recently announced he will retire in December.

The discussion could include talk of changing the mayor's position from part-time to full-time, adding a city manager or redefining the duties of the public works director to include more supervision, Tracy said.

In 2011, Mitchell voters resoundingly defeated a proposal to add a city manager.

No action will be taken on the matter at tonight's meeting, Tracy said.

"I just thought it was a good time to get the discussion started," he said.

The council also plans to discuss the future of city's Rec Center, which Tracy said could include a remodel of the current building to the construction of a brand new facility. The city has been in talks with Avera Health, hoping to work with the company on the project, Tracy said.

With four major projects already in the works -- the second sheet of ice at the Mitchell Activities Center, an expansion and renovation of the Corn Palace, a renovation of the Mitchell Public Library and the construction of a new city hall -- financing another project right now may be difficult, Tracy said.

"I don't know that we're in a position to tackle that right now," he said, "but I don't think it's too early to start planning."

Consent agenda

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

--The meeting agenda, council minutes from the prior meeting and minutes from various committee meetings.

--Raffle requests from the Sam Tronnes Memorial Foundation/Pro Hockey Celebrity Hunt with the drawing to be held Nov. 2; First Circuit CASA with the drawing to be held Oct. 4-5; Forty+Eight with the drawing to be held Nov. 24; Disabled American Veterans with the drawing to be held Dec. 4; and My Fishing Pond with the drawing to be held Aug. 29.

--An application from the Palace City Lions Club for a special event liquor license for the Sawyer Brown concert on Nov. 1 at the Corn Palace.

--Set a Nov. 1 date to receive and consider bids for the three year Hayland Lease at Park, Landfill and WWTP, with a public hearing to be held at the Nov. 7 council meeting.

--Set an Oct. 21 date for a hearing on an application to transfer a retail on-off sale wine license and package malt beverage license from J Mart, 1527 W. Havens St., to Westside Sinclair, 1527 W. Havens St.

--Set an Oct. 21 date for a hearing on an application to transfer a retail on-off sale wine license and package malt beverage license from Jack's Sinclair, 1905 N. Main St., to Northside Sinclair, 1905 N. Main St.

--An application of Taxicab General Operators License for Granite Springs Lodge.

--A $7,858 change order for site excavation stabilization and fill on the west end of the Mitchell Activities Center, increasing the contract amount to $1,027,881.14 to Palace Builders.

--A list of pay estimates.

--Gas and diesel fuel bids.

--Approve bills, payroll salary adjustments and new employee hires, and authorize the payment of recurring and other expenses in advance as approved by the finance officer.

In scheduled business tonight, council members plan to:

--Hear, during a 7 p.m.Public Works Committee meeting, a recycling update from Street and Sanitation Superintendent Ron Olson.

--Review, during a 7:20 p.m.Finance Committee meeting, sales tax collections through Sept. 30, a proposal to pay off debt for a 2003 remodel of the Corn Palace lobby and a supplemental appropriations ordinance.

--Sit as the board of adjustment and set an Oct. 21 date to consider the application of Nathan and Erin Schlimgen for a front yard variance of 16 feet rather than the required 25 feet for an addition to their attached garage at 1500 Ridge Lane; the application of Martin Haase for a back yard variance of 12 feet rather than the required 16 feet for replacement and construction of an accessory building at 905 S. Minnesota St.; and the application of Sign Pros for a distance/radius variance of 225 feet rather than the required 300 feet for the installation of an off-premise sign in the 1100 block of South Ohlman Street.

--Conduct a hearing for vacation of a public right-of-way, specifically an alley near the east right-of-way near North Lytle Street.

--Consider a resolution to transfer $23,456.11 of residual equity remaining in a special fund for the soccer complex to the parks and recreation fund.

--Consider a resolution to vacate a public right-of-way, specifically an alley near the east right-of-way near North Lytle Street.

--Consider a resolution to appoint a Sports Authority Events Committee.

--Consider a resolution for the redemption of sales tax bonds.

--Consider adopting a resolution to plat Lot 18 of the Island First Addition, a subdivision of the southwest onequarter of Section 31, Township 104 North, Range 60 West of the fifth P.M., city of Mitchell.

--Consider a resolution to plat Lot 5, Block 7 of Westwood First Addition, a subdivision of the southwest one-quarter of Section 16, Township 103 North, Range 60 West of the fifth P.M., city of Mitchell.

--Consider an ordinance to supplement the insurance and bonds portion of the general fund with $11,000 from the general fund cash balance for liability claims; the debt service portion of the general fund with $455,600 from the general fund cash balance for the 2003 Corn Palace bond; the RSVP portion of the special revenue fund with $1,200 from grant funds for rent; and the Palace Transit portion of the special revenue fund with $3,025 from grant funds for computer hardware.

--Consider approving a lottery game of chance for the Mitchell Area Safehouse Foundation, to be held on Feb. 22.

--Consider authorizing the purchase of rubber flooring for the ice arena project.

--Consider authorizing the purchase agreement for the Veteran of Foreign Wars building.

--Hear a report on the Corn Palace Festival.

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