HURON – After significant testimony both in favor and against the project, the Huron City Commission approved a conditional use permit for High Plains Premium Beef to construct a beef processing facility in the Vantage Business Park Addition along Custer Ave.

A number of nearby residents questioned the odor of the facility and explained that previous experience when Dakota Provisions came to the area left them untrusting of promises made by this plant. Questions were also asked of the commissioners about the procedure of a conditional use permit and also about the overall direction the city is intending to move. The plant will have a number of conditions put on it, surrounding landscaping, smell, and a provision that no rendering plant connected to the facility be built in the Vantage Park area. High Plains was agreeable to all of these conditions.

After extended discussion, the commission voted unanimously to approve the conditional use permit.

The commission heard another conditional use permit to build a cell phone tower on the north side of Memorial Ballpark. The conditional use permit was approved, though the project will still need to get full approval from the National Parks Service to determine if similar property may need to be put into park ground to compensate for the use of the land in question.

City engineer Brett Runge presented two items.

The first was a change order on the Dakota Avenue project for a decrease of $90,812.50 and the second was a request to go to bid for the salt storage shed project, with a bid opening set for June 4 at 2 p.m. The shed project has a budget of $225,000. These were both approved.

Commissioners also:
• Proclaimed May 24 and 25 as Poppy Days in Huron.
• Approved a raffle for the HCVB-SD BBQ Championship on June 7-8 at the S.D. State Fairgrounds.
• Approved a special event on-sale alcoholic beverage license filed by Top Floor Events for a Chamber Mixer on June 11 at Splash Central-Central Park.
• Set June 3 as the public hearing to consider the first reading of Ordinance 2261-23-414 pertaining to the manufacture of mobile/modular homes.
• Set June 3 as the public hearing date to consider CommNet Cellular Inc/Verizon lease.

• Approved 47 seasonal hiring recommendations for Parks and Recreation and Splash Central.
• Approved a Quit Claim Deed to transfer Lot 1, Block 1, Sancom to the City of Huron.
• Approved the 2024 irrigation contract with the Huron Country Club.
• Approved the memorandum of understanding with the Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 3A, regarding night differential pay.

Bush Fullerton approached the commission during the public forum portion of the meeting with a concern regarding the fees to downtown business owners to connect to water and sewer as the project is being completed.

This was addressed as part of a work session that was already on the agenda for after the public meeting was completed.