After a strong showing in 2009, the State Fair is in the black and looking forward to its 125th celebration later this year, the manager said in a report to the City Commission on Monday.

Jerome Hertel said it’s also looking positive that Gov. Mike Rounds’ recommendation for another $400,000 appropriation will be passed by the Legislature before the end of the session.

Attendance for the 2009 fair was 163,000, with a full campgrounds and 387 vendors. There were also successful off-season events on the grounds, Hertel said.

However, the fair did have to make some budget cuts and defer some maintenance, but overall it appears to be in good financial condition, he said.

Meanwhile, commissioners approved second and final reading of an ordinance to rezone Green Acres Addition, a new residential development in southwest Huron. The 40 acres, to be developed into 49 lots, are north of Parkside Drive and west of Lincoln Avenue Southwest.

Seven of the lots are being rezoned from large-lot residential to single-family residential and will form an L-shape on the west and south sides to serve as a single-family buffer zone for existing homes. Each lot will be one or two acres.

The rest of the lots are being rezoned to single-family, duplex and townhouse use and will be one-half acre in size.

In a related matter, the commission approved a joint planning commission recommendation to allow for a lot in the Green Acres Addition to be subdivided for one single-family residence and the balance of the lot for a storm detention pond.

In other action, the board approved the transfer of eight acres of city-owned land south of the Dakota Provisions plant and near the lagoons to Greater Huron Development Corporation.

The land is at the northeast corner of 209th Street and 403rd Avenue. Next month, the commission is expected to consider a variance filed by Dakota Provisions to build a byproducts plant to process fresh poultry offal.

Commissioners approved a pair of recommendations from the capital asset committee.

The traffic department will spend $3,000 for camera sensors at traffic signals at Third Street and Wisconsin Avenue Southwest and Third Street and Kansas Avenue Southeast. Funds will come from second penny sales tax revenues.

Also, the city will spend up to $10,000 for computer software for the Broadland Creek Golf Course, also paid with second penny funds. One third of the $1,500 annual license agreement will be paid by the golf pro.

Commissioners also accepted an offer of $74,357 in South Dakota Emergency Management grant funds to be used with the same amount from 911 funds to upgrade the police department’s dispatch center with new hardware and software to support the 911 system and comply with new federal regulations. There have been frequent breakdowns in the system over the past 18 months.

Commissioners also:

• Approved a plat filed by Dennis and Yvonne Davis for an acreage north of Huron and approved a temporary easement for Melissa Ahl and Darwin Kurtz. The easement is to allow for an adjacent sidewalk at a residence at Third Street and Lincoln Avenue Southwest to be lowered to meet Americans with Disabilities Act requirements. The front yard will be graded to match the sidewalk.

• Gave first reading of an ordinance raising the maximum penalty for violation of city codes from $200 to $500 to be consistent with state law.

• Renewed the contract with golf professional Jim Bigelow.

• Set March 15 as the bid-opening date for water main and lift station replacement and street milling and overlay.

• Denied a request from Royal Entertainment LLC to use the city-owned parking lot at 224 Wisconsin Ave. S.W. for an entertainment/music event July 9-10. Commissioners had said after a number of noise and parking complaints were filed after similar events in 2004 and 2005 that they would not approve another in the downtown area and recommended that the applicant look for another location.

• Accepted the retirement/resignation of Don Terpstra from the street department and posted internally for a replacement.

• Approved the full-time regular status of Capt. Dan Kight in the police department.

• Approved a raffle request for the American Baptist Women’s Ministries.

• Approved a fireworks display permit filed by the Huron Volunteer Fire Department for the South Dakota State Fair Speedway on July 3.

• Went into executive session for a personnel matter, and later had a work session to review assessments on tax sale property as well as an updated appraisal form.







For the complete article see the 02-23-2010 issue.

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