HURON — Chuck Pyle of the Beadle County chapter of the Izaak Walton League presented an update on the rifle range renovation project to the Huron City Commission Monday during the regular meeting.

Pyle noted that the renovation began to be discussed among the shareholders in the range in 2017, with a grant submitted in 2019 that was initially put on the back burner by South Dakota Game Fish & Parks (SDGFP). Funding was available in 2022 and Pyle credited District 22 Representatives Roger Chase and Lynn Schneider for pushing the range as a project to be funded by SDGFP.

The current project that has been funded has a total budget of $700,000 with the state funding three-quarters of that. The design that SDGFP approved will require zero escape potential for any projectile from the range, and the design has three bays proposed in the design.

Pyle projects that the project will be finished for use in the fall.

The commission approved a pay request to Ferguson Waterworks for $94,422.61 for water meter replacement. Water superintendent Rob Rieger noted that since his last update to the commission, the total completion of the project is now over half, currently sitting at 50.9%. This was approved.

City engineer Brett Runge presented three items. The first was a payment request by Sentry Crane for work on the new solid waste transfer station in the amount of $575, 573.65. This was approved.

The commission also approved Runge’s second item, a change order with Gridor Construction for a decrease of $73,615. Runge explained that the decrease was due to site engineering done during the 2023 calendar year.

The final item from Runge was also approved. He presented a proposed agreement with Paradigm Scale & Kiosk to provide software and hardware for the yard waste drop off site and the new solid waste transfer station in the amount of $61,321.39. This was after the previous company contracted to provide the software and hardware went through a sale of the business and was unreachable, leading to the change in provider.

Three ordinances were approved for first reading. The first added a non-voting position for a State Fair representative on the Business Improvement District Board of Directors. The second approved the 2023 supplemental appropriation, and the third ordinance approved the names of streets and drives in the city, adding three new roadways to the list.

Parks and Recreation director Chad Schroder discussed the upcoming Winter Fest on Saturday, Jan. 20. The third annual event will feature sleigh rides, bouncy houses, a chili cook-off and more and run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. that day. Special event liability insurance is required for the event, and this was approved.

Commissioners also:
• Approved the Mayor to sign the combined election agreement with the Huron School District and to set April 9 as election date.

• Accepted the voluntary resignation of Ivy Copeland, part-time year-round library clerk.
• Approved the hire of Karissa Schroder as part-time seasonal recreation assistant for Parks & Recreation.
• Approved a retail on-off sale malt beverage & SD farm wine license for 21st Street Casino contingent upon inspection.
• Approved 2023 contingency fund transfers.

City offices will be closed Monday, Jan. 15, due to Martin Luther King Jr Day. The solid waste disposal site will be closed Monday, with Monday’s garbage and recycling pickups to be done on Wednesday, Jan. 17.

The meeting closed with the commission in executive session regarding a contractual and personnel matter.