HURON –– At Monday evening’s Huron City Commission meeting, Greater Huron Development Corporation (GHDC) President/CEO Ted Haeder reviewed the Request for Information (RFI) that GHDC sent to the state as bids for the new men’s prison were requested.

Haeder reported that the Governor’s Office of Economic Development reached out to request any potential sites for a new men’s prison that met certain specifications to submit to the state for review. The sites will be reviewed during the prison work group’s meetings this summer, ahead of the July 22 special legislative session about prison construction.

While Haeder expressed doubts whether the work group would choose Huron, he also stated that the city met the specifications laid out. Commissioners requested to be notified before future proposals are made public, which Haeder expressed took him and other economic development professionals around the state by surprise when information about proposals was made public.

The meeting opened with a variance request by Marty and Melvin Moeding, 388 Riverside Dr. NE, to subdivide a parcel into two lots for purposes of separating the business from the home on the property. This was approved.

During public forum, Commissioner Bryan Smith announced that Fourth St. SE finishing work would begin, weather permitting, this week. He also noted that Sherman Ave. would be closed through the end of May as part of that project, but access to the community gardens and solid waste facility would remain open with flaggers through the work.

A group of neighbors and residents of the Broadland Creek Court neighborhood spoke during public forum regarding the development work being done near their residences that has significantly changed the slope and removed trees that were not initially disclosed as part of the proposal when it was approved by the commission years ago.

After hearing from multiple residents, Mayor Mark Robisch announced that at the June 2 meeting, a work session would be held regarding the project.

Commissioners also:
• Approved the reclassification of Eugene Katz and Andrew Manolis from water-sewer maintenance II to maintenance III, effective June 1.
• Approved withdrawal of employment offer to Rhonda Yates for part-time, year-round library clerk position and approved advertising for the position.
• Approved seasonal hiring for Splash Central, an engineering intern, and a gymnastics instructor.
• Approved Human Resource Manager to issue a request for proposals for city attorney services.

• Approved applications for sale of malt beverages and South Dakota farm wine for 2025-2026.
• Appvoed the transfer of Southtown lot from the city to GHDC for purposes of sale.
• Approved the first reading of Ordinance 2131-5-123 regarding temporary commercial vendors, Ordinance 2016-5-100 regarding door-to-door sales, and Ordinance 2273-23-416 regarding church fencing in residential areas and set public hearing and/or second readings for June 2.

City offices will be closed and there will be no commission meeting on May 26 due to the Memorial Day holiday.

The solid waste facility will also be closed Saturady, May 24, and Monday, May 26, for Memorial Day, with garbage, recycling, and yard waste pickup normally scheduled for Monday rescheduled to Wednesday.