Business group proposes ending one-way streets in downtown Mitchell

• One way

One-way streets in downtown Mitchell could be phased out.

Talk about it

Mitchell Main Street & Beyond is calling for an end to one-way streets in downtown Mitchell.

MMS&B will ask the Mitchell City Council’s Traffic Commission to make the change during a committee meeting before tonight’s council meeting. Second, Third and Fourth streets are all one-way. Second and Fourth streets run east and Third runs west.

Robert Schoenfelder, vice president of Mitchell Main Street and Beyond, submitted a letter to Public Safety Chief Lyndon Overweg asking for the change. Overweg is the chairman of the Traffic Commission.

“Those of us who live and work on these streets have seen an increasing number of people driving the wrong way and near misses so that we feel the one-way streets are no longer practical,” Schoenfelder wrote.

He said MMS&B sought input from businesses and all but one favored the change. The one that didn’t support the change was neutral, according to Schoenfelder.

He said safety and better traffic flow for residents and tourists are compelling reasons to make the change.

The Public Safety Department has offered an alternative proposal to change all one-way streets in the city to two-way streets.

The committee meeting starts at 7:05 p.m. and there are other items on its agenda. The council meeting starts at 7:30 p.m.

Both will be held in the City Hall Council Chambers, 612 N. Main St. The meetings are open to the public.

In other business, the Mitchell City Council will:

• Discuss the state’s executive session statutes.

City Councilman Mel Olson has asked for a discussion on the laws. Copies of all the laws were included in the agenda for tonight’s meeting.

• Sitting as the Board of Adjustment:

Hold a hearing on the application of Sue Callies for a conditional use permit to operate a day care center in her home at 1400 North Duff.

Set a Sept. 6 date for a hearing on the application of Wolfgang Dallmann for a variance to construct a carport at 1035 E 5th Ave.

• Hear reports from these departments, divisions and boards: A June report from the Finance Department, July reports from the Police Division, Fire Division, Mitchell Regional Ambulance, Palace Transit, the Water Department, June and July reports from Mitchell Regional Airport and a June report from the Library.

• Hold a hearing on the application of the Palace City Lions Club for the following Special Event Licenses, located at the Corn Palace and City Hall: Special Event Malt Beverage and Wine License on Aug. 23-27 for the Corn Palace Festival; Special Event Liquor License on Sept. 10 for a wedding reception; Special Event Liquor License on Sept. 16-18 for the Polka Festival; Special Event Liquor License on Sept. 24 for the Outkasts Car Show & Dance.

• Hold a hearing on the application of the Palace City Lions Club for a Special Event Malt Beverage License at Hitchcock Park on Aug. 27 for the Tour de Corn.

• Consider approving Resolution 2938, contingency transfers of $2,400 for window replacements at the library and $14,350 for painting at City Hall.

• Consider the first reading of Ordinance 2371, a supplemental appropriation of $16,500 for concrete joint repair on Sanborn.

• Set a Sept. 12 bid opening for a Fire Division emergency medical vehicle, bid 2011-38.

• Set a Sept. 12 bid opening for airport farmland, bid 2012-5.

• Set a Sept. 12 bid opening for airport pastureland, bid 2012-6.

• Consider approving an amendment to application by Public Safety Department for a highway safety grant with a city match.

• Consider a project agreement with state of South Dakota for a Recreational Trails Program Grant in the amount of $65,000.

• Review a notice of acceptability of work by Commercial Asphalt for city project 2010-26 for the Ash Avenue Street and utility improvements.

• Review bids for a landfill loader, city project 2011-39, in the amount of $141,930 for purchase of loader from the state of Minnesota.

• Review these raffle requests: RSVP Thrift Store, with the drawing to be held the Monday of the Parade of Lights; Mitchell Skating & Hockey Association, with drawing to be held in February 2012; Longfellow PTO, with the drawing to be held on Oct. 8; Mitchell Ducks Unlimited, with the drawing to be held Sept. 22; and Davison County Republican Party, with the drawing to be held Sept. 23.

• Hear a recommendation from Mayor Lou Sebert to appoint Billy Mawhiney to the Library Board.

• Approve these pay estimates and change orders:

South Side water tower project 2009-30 contracted to SPN & Associates. Pay estimate 21 in the amount of $5,338.10.

Lawler Street utilities project 2010-2 contracted to SPN & Associates. Pay estimate 11 in the amount of $680.

Change order 1 for Lawler Street P3693 (01), PCN 01D9, 2010 2B(0) Davison County City Project 2010-2A to Spencer Quarries Inc., increasing the contract amount by $11,527.93 for additional work.

Change order 2 for Lawler Street P3693 (01), PCN 01D0, 2010 2B(0) Davison County City Project 2010-2A to Spencer Quarries Inc., no adjustment to the contract and not affecting the contract amount of $451,640.97.

Lake Mitchell Campground riprap project 2010-5 contracted to SPN & Associates. Pay estimate 14 in the amount of $916.25.

Ash Avenue Street and utility improvement project 2010-26 contracted to Commercial Asphalt. Pay estimate 6, final, in the amount of $4,974.83.

Change order 1 for 23rd Avenue project P3658(03) Davison County City Project 2011-3 to Spencer Quarries Inc., decreasing contract amount by $50,502.90 by adjusting final quantities.

Mentzer sidewalk project 2011-4D contracted to Big O Concrete. Pay estimate 1 in the amount of $24,566.76.

Paving and overlay project 2011-15 contracted to Commercial Asphalt. Pay estimate 5 in the amount of $130,296.19.

Spruce corridor study project 2011-20 contracted to HR Green. Pay estimate 5 in the amount of $3,234.

Sanborn Street panel repairs project 2011-22 contracted to Rexwinkel Concrete. Pay estimate 2 in the amount of $80,432.20.

• The Traffic Commission will also:

Hear a request from Tire Associates to block or partially block a street at 1201 S. Rowley for four to six Fridays a year for a freight truck’s arrival.

Hear from Marge Winter, who is asking that the curb be painted and designated no parking on both the north and south sides of the driveway at 400 N. Kimball St. Cars park too close to the driveway, Winter said, making it difficult to back out.

Hear from Avera Queen of Peace, which is asking that Fifth Street between Kittridge and Hunter be closed from 3:30 to 8 p.m. Sept. 8 for its annual employee picnic.

Hear a Longfellow School request that the bus-only parking sign on First Avenue by the school be extended east by 20 feet to allow a bus to pull into its spot.

Review Mike Kuchera’s request to extend the no-parking area at northwest side of the East Second and Lawler intersection, with the yellow line painted an additional 20 feet on the west side of Lawler.

Hear from Matt Thomas of Performance Pet Products LLC, who is asking permission to load and unload trucks at the firm’s Slumberland Warehouse location, 812 N. Rowley. This would reduce traffic to one lane for 30 to 45 minutes once or twice a day.

Review Rob Parker’s request of a parade permit for Anna’s Angels Poker Run on Aug. 20. The parade route would be from Klock Werks, 915 S. Kimball, west on Havens to Highway 16 and then continuing west at the Ohlman/Havens intersection. There is a request for traffic control at Kimball and Havens, with the parade starting at noon.

• A Grace Reformed Church representative is scheduled to give the invocation.

Tags: city council, news, local, mitchell, downtown, business