Slayton City Council Discusses Nuisance P

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Building’s Collapsed Roof

The Slayton City Council spent a great deal of time discussing nuisance properties and a handful of other new business items at its meeting on Monday, April 3.

First, the council appointed Jacki Jurrens as the nuisance official. Volunteers Chris Jacobson (also a council member), Kim Konkol and Kristie Blankenship were then named as memboth nuisance motions, the discussion immediately moved to a current issue. Business owner Carla Goedtke addressed the council regarding a March 8 incident in which the roof fell in on the Slayton Auto building next door to her office on Broadway. “The said roof is now leaning against the south wall of the shared wall between the buildings,” she said. “It’s settling in. It is now bowing into our building. We have two inches of water in the back — water is coming in through the floor of the adjoined property.”

As of yet, there has been no effort by the next door owner to move the beams and rafters that are pushing against the shared wall, Carla said, adding that the area has become a safety hazard. “In the meantime, if you shut the back door, pieces of brick fall,” she said.

Police Chief Jeremy Steinle stated that he observed the damage and took photos, noting that one of the issues is that the owner of the building was out of town until this past week, so no one has been able to go onto the property. Conversations with the local fire department, the state fire marshal, engineers and the insurance company have also taken place. “The insurance company has already paid out to the owners of the building a fairly hefty chunk of money for the insurance claim, and there are funds available to them for clean up if they choose” Steinle said.

Mayor Miron Carney asked if the city had any ordinances that could help with mitigation. Malchow replied that the city ordinance was only for fires and explosions. The city attorney has also been contacted, as have representatives from the state and from Southwest Health and Human Services. Council members hope the owner will make things right in the near future, but if not, steps will be taken to force compliance.

As an addition to the agenda, the council discussed previous nuisance properties. The city recently purchased three “redemption properties” for $1 each. The two smallest ones will be demolished utilizing the city’s new mini excavator, but the larger, two-story house will need to be demolished using bigger equipment. The city plans to get three quotes for the project. Malchow anticipates the EDA will fund a significant amount of it. A plan to address the removal of live and dead cats has been made.

In other new business, the council approved funding for a new meter-reading gun ($2,500) and software ($600). Malchow said the current ones were extremely outdated and that there is no longer service support for the old software.

The council also authorized the purchase of an airport fuel system for $75,965, of which the city’s portion (30%) is $22,789.50. The remainder of the money will be executed as a grant from the state. The equipment request was pared down significantly, per the council’s recommendation, from an earlier version which included an estimated project cost of $291,000. The current cost-effective solution features a new hose, reel and nozzle from Dockendorf Equipment out of Sioux Falls. The Gasboy Islander Prime system will also have a credit card reader.

The council then had an in-depth discussion about campground sewer rates. Malchow said the subject came up last fall when the council approved the ratification of Dave Brown’s conditional use permit to operate a campground behind the gas station on State Highway 30. Brown is now looking to move forward with construction of a 40-site campground. “He wondered what other campgrounds (in the area) pay,” Malchow said. “Dave is familiar with what (City Limits Campground) pays because he owned it at one time. They get charged $20 per site. That is the flat fee for sewer, whether you’re residential, commercial, nonprofit or whatever.” Looking at it now, Heronimus said he thinks City Limits is getting billed too much as other facilities, such as the school, hotel and hospital, are only billed for a single address. Jacobson made a motion that starting May 1, the council treats campgrounds as commercial property, so there’s one water charge and one sewer charge per address year-round. After being seconded, the motion carried unanimously.

The council authorized a request from Malchow to attend the LMC Conference from June 21-23. Two nights of lodging was included. The council then approved a raise in reimbursement rates for lunch and dinner as part of the travel policy. Breakfast will continue to be reimbursed up to $15, while lunch and dinner increased by $5 each to $20 and $30. The previous rates were from 2019.

In unfinished business, the council approved the ATV ordinance. Class 1 vehicles such as golf carts and standard four wheelers are still prohibited on Broadway, though the ordinance now allows Class 2 vehicles on Broadway as long as they have the proper safety equipment. The Class 2 vehicles are not subject to the flag or slow-moving sign anymore either. Proof of insurance is needed. Two-year permits cost $20.

To start the meeting, the council approved the minutes and claims. Council member Kate Harmsen was absent. The pending issue of the 34th Street project was then thoroughly discussed, morphing into a quandary of whether or not to couple it with Maple Avenue needs or to put Maple Avenue on the front burner because the timeline for 34th Street appears to have been pushed out due to financial challenges. Malchow noted that there is less road since some of the snow and ice disappeared. “Potholes on Maple and everywhere, really, are bad,” he said. “It’s really brought up the topic around town.” People are wondering if the city should pivot and look at doing Maple Avenue. Funding would likely include a smaller scope versus the full sidewalk, curb and overlay project. To replace the entire curb and gutter on both sides, from 21st to 28th, is estimated to cost $308,000. To replace what the council determines to be of need would be $160,000. While discussions will continue, the council did approve a motion to give Malchow the authorization to contact American Engineering Testing to do some test borings on Maple Avenue, similar to what was approved recently for 34th Street. In the process of getting a true “under the road” picture, costs are not to exceed $4,500. Once the assessment is done, the city can then figure out what direction to go. The next council meeting is slated for Monday, April 17.