Commissioners discuss rezoning, highway shop funding, and SDDOT loan requests

The Lincoln County Commissioners met Tuesday, June 11 in the Lincoln County Boardroom. With all members present, Commissioners heard agenda items including first reading of ordinances, highway shop discussions, and SDDOT loan requests.

Commissioners heard the first reading for an Ordinance of Lincoln County, SD, rezoning a portion (approximately 104.17 acres) of the property legally described as NW1/4 (Ex. Lots H-1 and H-4 and Tower Estates and Tract 1 of Neeman Addition and Ponderosa Park Addition), Section 6-T99N-R50W LaValley Township from the A-1 Agricultural District to the I-1 Light Industrial District, and amending the Official Zoning Map of Lincoln County. The second reading and public hearing will occur on Tuesday, June 25 at the Board of Commissioner meeting.

Commissioners also heard the first reading for an Ordinance of Lincoln County, SD, rezoning a portion (approximately 5 acres) of the property legally described as NW1/4 (Ex. Lots H-1 and H-4 and Tower Estates and Tract 1 of Neeman Addition and Ponderosa Park Addition), Section 6-T99N-R50W LaValley Township from the A-1 Agricultural District to the RR Rural Residential District, and amending the Official Zoning Map of Lincoln County. The second reading and public hearing will occur on Tuesday, June 25 at the Board of Commissioner meeting.

Highway Superintendent, Terry Fluit joined the meeting for board action for the approval to request bids for the highway shop office additions.

“Again, we revised plans and we have a listing of all of the value engineering items that we can change up in here and we have a new cost estimate of $735,000,” Fluit said. 

Chairman Jim Jibben opened the floor for public comment and Scott Montgomery stood to voice his opinion. 

“I am asking you guys to vote no on this, we’re in the process of I think budgeted somewhere around $58 million for the new courthouse, and I don’t know why that couldn’t be incorporated into that or when some of the offices move out of here into that new building that that couldn’t be utilized, but I think the tax payers of Lincoln County are stressed. I think we need to look at every penny we’re spending, and I don’t see how this justifies an office space of the amount of almost $800,000. I just can’t see where the residents of Lincoln County are benefiting on this in any way, shape or form and I’m asking you to vote no,” he said. 

Betty Otten also stood to voice her opinion. 

“I too, I’m just amazed that the project has doubled for a highway shop office and I don’t care if he had a project that didn’t go through and it’s going to go through to next year, this is insane to pay this kind of an amount of a shop office,” she said. 

Commissioners agreed that the price was more than they were comfortable spending on the project and the motion to request bids failed 5-0.

Commission Admin Officer, Steve Rasmussen joined the meeting for board action to approve the submission of a SDDOT Transportation Loan Request for $15 million in connection with the I-29 and 85th Street Interchange project. 

“The County’s commitment to the project is $15 million, the current total per SDDOT in my conversations with them yesterday is $66,409,000. Of that, about $12 million has already been spent on the project towards engineering, design and environmental reports, so at this point it’s just $54 million in construction costs. The County’s participation in this project, if it moves forward, is capped at $15 million and any additional costs will be borne by the other stakeholders,” he said. 

Commissioner Jim Schmidt made a motion to move forward with the application process, seconded by Tiffani Landeen, the motion carried.