The Lennox City Council met Tuesday, November 12 in the Lennox Boardroom. Council members heard agenda items including a public hearing, wastewater treatment plan approval, and an interim CFO replacement.
After reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, Mayor Danny Fergen opened the meeting up with a public hearing on the final steps in a special assessment for the Central Basin 4 Project.
“December 12 of 2022 the council approved resolution 2022-12-12-01 a resolution of necessity for the Central Basin 4 Project. That resolution established the basis for a special assessment on this project, in keeping with Resolution 2020-10-26-02, Public Infrastructure Financing Framework. The resolution includes the final calculation of the total improvements to each property, as well as the total assessment for each property. In each case, you will find that the total of the improvements benefiting the subject property exceeds the costs being assessed to that property. Please keep in mind that some assessments were reduced under the 10 percent of assessed value rule established by the City Council in Resolution 2023-01-23-03,” said City Administrator, Nate Vander Plaats.
Mayor Fergen opened the floor up to public comment. Joyce Pingrey was the first to speak.
“I was here in June for the hearing, and it was canceled. Now I’m here again, five months later, and I still have the same issues. My driveway is falling apart, a couple of guys came and looked at it, they weren’t very friendly, I tried to talk to them, and they went to their pickup and drove away. I had a concrete guy come and look and he said just to repair the driveway would be $5,000,” she said.
“Just as a note on any issues that are still outstanding, we are in our warranty period and any concrete graphs, any of the issues that are noted are still punch list items or warranty items,” Vander Plaats said.
The City of Lennox and the South Dakota Department of Corrections (DOC) have been discussing and considering a potential connection of the new men’s prison to the Lennox Wastewater Treatment Facility. City Administrator, Nate Vander Plaats gave an update. Talks started on this project when Vander Plaats added it as a topic during the August 26 meeting after a failed vote in the City of Harrisburg. The City of Lennox and the South Dakota Department of Corrections have been in discussions for several months regarding a potential connection from the new men’s prison to the Lennox Wastewater Treatment Facility.
“We have discussed with the state language that would require us to cooperate in the mitigation of gas buildup or gas accumulation. I did confirm this afternoon that the Harrisburg plan was a bar screen and grinder pumps so that is something that we anticipate for this as well,” he said.
Vander Plaats told the Council the monthly base rate payments would be $52,500 per month with an up-front payment of $10,500,000. Mayor Fergen asked for public comment on the sewer agreement.
Scott Sandal spoke in favor of the new agreement.
“I guess on this particular topic I want to rise in support of you guys proceeding with this opportunity, I really do see it as an opportunity for the City of Lennox. Not to talk about whether the prison’s going to happen or not happen or why it’s happening, not talk about the pipeline, but the opportunity for Lennox, I do support that. I know you guys are here to do your due diligence and I thank you for that,” he said.
Daryl Hammer was also present to voice his opinion.
“The reason I’m here is we own land just to the East of Lennox. We were born and raised here in Lennox and are very disappointed in some of the decisions Lennox has made over the past years and I hope this council doesn’t carry over to a bad hand over to the younger generations that are coming down the way. One of the things I want to point out is that if you have a water break, and we know the land shifts in South Dakota, we have a lot of wells around here that we use for watering cattle and livestock, some are even on personal use yet. Who’s going to be responsible if you take and hurt these wells that are taking care of families and livelihoods?” he asked.
For over 20 minutes, the council heard from proponents and opponents on the matter. A motion to approve the agreement with department of corrections sewer connection was made by Britney Mowers, seconded by Billy Welch. Motion carried unanimously.
The Council had a second reading of Ordinance 654 where the City of Lennox feels it would benefit from an allowance in South Dakota Codified Law permitting municipalities to approve the annual appropriations ordinance later than currently scheduled. No changes have been made to the Ordinance since the first reading on October 28. With no comments or questions by the council, motion approved.
The City of Lennox arranged for a professional assessment of the bandshell this past summer and must decide whether to pursue repairs.
“You will recall that the city arranged for a professional structural assessment of the bandshell over this past summer and I did provide that report earlier this year, but it’s time to decide whether to pursue repairs next year,” Vander Plaats said. Koch Hazard estimates the repairs at $40,000. No motion was needed for Vander Plaats to move forward.
The City and community have expressed a desire for a dog park in Lennox.
“I don’t have a strong preference one way or another on this, I know the community has talked about dog parks for a long time, and we don’t currently have any use for this ground, and we do have a quote for fencing at about $8,200, we have to do some concrete work too at the entrance, and maybe a couple benches that can be relocated in the future. If this is something you are interested in, say the word and we will try and make something happen,” Vander Plaats said.
Alderman Van Driel asked if anyone had checked into liability insurance for the park.
“This would be covered under city liability and we can check with the pool to see what coverage would look like,” Vander Plaats responded.
The City Council went into executive session for the sole purpose of discussing the qualifications, competence, performance, character, or fitness of any public officer or employee or prospective officer or employee under SDCL 1-25-1(1) at 8:30 p.m.
The council left executive session at 9:15 p.m.
Alderman Van Driel made a motion to terminate Heidi Ihnen as the Finance Officer for the City of Lennox. Motion approved unanimously.
Van Driel made a motion to appoint Jen Pato (Spelling) as interim Finance Officer, motion approved unanimously. Van Driel made a motion to temporarily increase Carly Hammer’s wages to $21.25 per hour, motion approved unanimously.
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