Mitchell City Council will discuss moving City Hall

Talk about it

The Mitchell City Council will discuss the possible relocation of City Hall during its meeting tonight.

The move would not take place immediately or anytime soon, actually. But a study on a “next generation” Corn Palace is being conducted and one of the ideas has been to use City Hall as part of an expansion in the next few years.

If that happens, City Hall would have to move. City officials have said they are running out of space for workers and offices, so a relocation would deal with that issue as well.

No proposed new site for City Hall has been disclosed.

The Mitchell Area Chamber of Commerce Tourism/Corn Palace Area Development Committee has been studying how to increase the number of people who visit the Corn Palace, as well as finding a way for visitors to spend more time — and money — while they are in Mitchell.

A new, larger Corn Palace with more exhibits would turn slumping attendance figures around, the committee feels, and that means using City Hall’s space. Councilman Marty Barington is a member of the committee.

The city has hired Meyer Scherer & Rockcastle, a Minnesota architectural and consulting firm, to study the Corn Palace. The firm will be paid $115,000 to examine:

* City Hall space and how it can be used.

* How the Corn Palace impacts the downtown area.

* How to create a “next generation” Corn Palace.

* What the public wants and what its view of the Corn Palace and its future is.

A public forum was held on Sept. 27 and another one will be held soon, according to chamber committee member Doug Dailey.

Go to the Mitchell Area Chamber of Commerce website, www.mitchellchamber.com, to learn more about the process, read key documents, and find out more about the committee and its members. You can also find a link to a YouTube video of the Sept. 27 meeting.

The council meets at 7:30 p.m. at City Hall Council Chambers, 612 N. Main St. The meeting is open to the public.

In other business, the council will:

* Consider Ordinance 2387, establishing full-service restaurant on-sale licenses pursuant to SDCL 35-4-110.

This will allow the city to issue more liquor licenses if the business is classified as a full-service restaurant. No more than 40 percent of sales can come from alcohol under this definition.

The council has not set a fee for the license but the ordinance would empower it to do so.

* Hear a request from Cornerstone Coffeehouse and Deli, 123 E. Third Ave., to allow sidewalk consumption of alcoholic beverages.

* Hear the second reading and consider approval of Ordinance 2383, amending the City of Mitchell Zoning Code to define light manufacturing use in the downtown area.

That is tied to a hearing on the application of Brandon and Rachel Dykstra for a Conditional Use Permit to operate a custom furniture and retail store at 102 and 104 N Main St.

The Dykstras received initial approval from the council two weeks ago and received a recommendation for final approval from the Planning and Zoning Commission last week.

* Set a Dec. 19 date for a hearing on the application to transfer a retail (on-sale) liquor license to include Sunday sales and package (off-sale) liquor license to include Sunday sales from Jason Bates, doing business as the Longhorn Bar, 101 N. Main St., to Jason Bates, dba Longhorn Bar, at 108 N. Main St.

* Consider adopting Resolution 2959, an exchange agreement between the city of Mitchell and Frances Smith.

Several years ago, the city shifted a fence line and placed water and sewage lines on property near Lake Mitchell while also altering the path of North Harmon Drive.

Smith and the city made an agreement on property but it was not put into writing. Now, the proposed agreement is that lots 1A, 2A, 3A and 4A will belong to her and lot 4B will be city property. Smith will also have an easement across the two city lots for ingress/egress purposes.

Smith discovered the fact that the agreement was still informal when she attempted to sell lot 2A. The two land parcels are considered relatively worthless, according to the agreement, because of their size and the need to use them with nearby property, making their standalone value very low.

* Consider adopting Resolution 2960, a water use agreement with Poet Biorefining.

As part of the agreement, the council will hold the first reading of Ordinance 2385 to amend the water rates with Prairie Ethanol, dba PoetBiorefining, or Prairie Ethanol.

Under the new agreement, Poet will agree to pay $1.13 per 1,000 gallons and will buy a minimum of 4,000 gallons per month. It will also pay a $3,000 annual administrative fee.

The city may adjust rates as its discretion.

Poet will be in charge of maintenance and will pay the utility bill, which will be placed in its name.

n Consider Ordinance 2386, supplemental appropriations to numerous city departments and divisions.

* Hold the second reading of and consider adopting Ordinance 2384, supplemental appropriations of $31,500 for the Foster Street lift station; $30,000 in debt servicing for bond principal; $27,838 in bond interest for tax increment financing District 13; $16,5000 for a mower for the airport; $7,500 for professional services for the Fire Division; $5,000 for professional services for the Finance Department; a $1,000 payments for debt service for Second and Fourth streets bonds; and $100 for bond interest for TIF District 10.

* Set a Dec. 19 deadline to receive and consider bids for sealant-melter applicator as part of city project 2011-44. They will be accepted up until 1:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers.

* Set a Jan. 3 deadline to receive and consider bids for Class III concrete as part of pipe city project 2012-8. Bids will be accepted until 1:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers.

* Set a Jan. 3 deadline to receive and consider bids for water meters/transmitters as part of supply city project 2012-11. They will be accepted up to 1:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers

* Set a Jan. 3 deadline to receive and consider bids for water meters installation as part of city project 2012-12. They will be accepted up to 1:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers.

* Consider approving an amendment to a debt subordination agreement with CorTrust Bank N.A. to change debt balance from $800,000 to $794,750.98.

* Consider approving a supplement to the Special Revenue Fund, Parks and Recreation Department, Sports Complexes, in the amount of $3,500 for soccer complex improvements from a donation of funds.

* Review applications for the renewal of liquor and wine licenses.

* Review the applications of taxicab drivers’ license from Palace Transit, E-Z Ride Taxi Cab and Becky’s Vans-Designated Drivers.

n Review a request from the Mitchell Community Scholarship Fund to conduct a raffle with the drawing to be held on Feb. 27.

* Request of the Imagine Guild, Inc. to conduct a raffle with the drawing to be held on various dates throughout the year.

* Consider one pay estimate: Miscellaneous concrete areas project 2011-14C contracted to Rexwinkle Concrete. Pay estimate 2 in the amount of $14,667.80.

* The council will temporarily adjourn and sit as the Board of Adjustment to:

Hold a hearing on the application of Karl Knight for a variance to construct a shed/garage at 1800 Snead Ave. The request is being made because the height and size limitation will not be met

Hold a hearing on the application of Dean and Betty Sadler for a Conditional Use Permit to operate an office and massage therapy clinic at 2409 N. Main St.

Hold a hearing on the application of Joe Kindle for a variance to construct a 24-foot by 24-foot garage at 1401 S Main St., lot 167. The request is being made because the front yard setback will not be met.

* The Public Health and Safety and Sidewalk committees will meet prior to the council meeting.

The Public Health and Safety Committee is scheduled to meet at 6:40 p.m. to consider placing street lights on South Harmon Drive between 75 S. Harmon and 115 S. Harmon, and at the intersection of Juniper Avenue and Langdon Street.

The Sidewalk Committee is scheduled to meet from 6:50 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. to review the 2012 sidewalk plan.

Both meetings are at City Hall Council Chambers and are open to the public.

* A Mitchell Wesleyan Church representative is scheduled to give the invocation.

Tags: mitchell city council, corn palace, news, local, mitchell