Dell Rapids Carnegie Public Library Earns Enhanced Accreditation
The Dell Rapids Carnegie Public Library has once again met benchmarks set forth by the South Dakota Public Library Standards for providing high quality library services to the community of Dell Rapids.
The library was among 13 other libraries that were awarded accreditation by the South Dakota State Library in front of lawmakers, library colleagues, and community members at the Capitol rotunda during the annual South Dakota Library Association Library Legislative Day. This year the library legislative day was held on February 13th.
The Dell Rapids library earned an “Enhanced” accreditation which means the library has an expansion of services beyond just the basics. The accreditation runs through the 2022 year.
City of Dell Rapids Planning for Spring Flooding
With the City of Dell Rapids having gone through two major floods in 2019 and the prediction of more flooding possible this spring, city staff is already busy making plans to be better prepared if flooding happens again.
Dell Rapids Mayor Tom Earley, City Administrator Justin Weiland, Public Works Director Clarence Fjellanger, and City Finance Officer Claire Baartman recently attended a training in Brandon hosted by the Minnehaha County Emergency Management. The meeting was held to give a base knowledge and training of Emergency Operation Centers. Attendees of the meeting also ran through a scenario exercise of how to run an operations facility with different roles.
“You walked away with at least a lot better understanding of when things happen, why they’re happening, and who’s making the decisions. There is a process in place,” said Mayor Earley during the Dell Rapids City Council’s last meeting on Tuesday, February 18th. “It was really helpful to understand the role, not only the county, but the people who were there from the state as well.”
Along with attending the training, the city is also making other plans in anticipation of more spring flooding.
Weiland reported, “We’re just making sure we have pumps ready to go, our lift stations are capable of handling. We kind of know what to expect from the waste water treatment facility and type of things we need to be prepared for when the water starts coming in.”
Other plans include making sure utilities in the flood prone homes are secure from sewer infiltration. Staff is also putting together cost estimates to replace fencing, fix damaged electric, repairs to various facilities, as well as calculating time for cleaning up fields and the campground once the waters recede. The goal would be to get the parks up and running prior to the summer events.
The National Weather Service is currently predicting a 25-50% probability of major (>15.0 ft) flooding from mid March to beginning of April and a 50-75% probability of moderate (14.0 ft) flooding. The same prediction shows a significant probability of at least minor (12.0 ft) of flooding from mid March through mid May.
https://water.weather.gov/ahps2/probability_information.php?wfo=fsd&gage=ders2
2020-2021 Dell Rapids School Calendar Approved
The Dell Rapids School District school calendar for the 2020-2021 year was recently approved at the last Dell Rapids School Board meeting.
The calendar will include built-in snow days again, but only two instead of three. The two built-in snow days are February 15th and April 5th. The first day of school will be on Wednesday, August 26th. Christmas break will start on Wednesday, December 23rd with school resuming on Monday, January 4th. The final day of school is scheduled for Friday, May 21st, 2021. Graduation will be held on Saturday, May 15th, 2021.
If there is a need to make up more than two snow days, those days will be made up after the May 21st date.
Dell Rapids School Gets Permission for Parking Update
Dell Rapids school board member Jeff Traill and Dell Rapids Superintendent Dr. Summer Schultz presented a parking update plan to the Dell Rapids City Council during the council’s regular meeting on Monday, February 3rd. The plan will give the school approximately 70 new parking spots over by the high school and middle school.
“I would term this a shorter term fix for some parking issues. Those of you that have been members of the community for a long time have heard it. We are short on parking at the middle school and high school. We agree 100 percent. Unfortunately it’s kind of a land-locked facility,” said Traill.
Traill said that this plan is more of a five-to-ten year short term fix or enhancement to the existing parking by the schools. The approximately 70 additional spots equates to an average of about one class enrollment every year to the high school. He said that the plan may not be ideal, but it does add spots by a combination of using existing school parking lots and areas as well as encroachments up to or within the city right of way. Because the plan does involve city right of way, this plan had to be approved by the Dell Rapids City Council.
The update will add 20 new spots to the staff parking long on the east side of Garfield Ave, but the majority of the updates will be done over by the middle school and football field area on 13th St. The north and south side of 13th St between Garfield Ave. and Harrison Ave. will remain parallel parking spots as they are today. The northeast parking lot and bus barn area will remain unchanged as of now.
The Dell Rapids City Council approved the plan which will allow the school to be able to add the parking lot updates to the already scheduled school renovations that will begin this spring. Those renovations include changes to the high school to bring modern technology into classroom teaching methods as well as changes to the middle school to accommodate four sections of classes.
Dell Rapids Staff Parking
Dell Rapids Parking by middle school
Dell Rapids Kindergarten Registration – February 26th Deadline
The Dell Rapids school district is now accepting Kindergarten registrations for the 2019-2020 school year. Registration closes February 26. If there are any questions regarding the screening, please contact Heidi Adams by email: Heidi.Adams@K12.sd.us
Registration can be found at this website: https://www.dr-k12.net/special/kindergarten_registration
Who should register?
- If your child will be 5 on or before September 1, 2020, you must register your child. This registration is for your child to be scheduled for Kindergarten screening. Current KPrep students do not need to register for this year’s Kindergarten screening.
Other ways you can register…
- You can register your child via this website or by contacting the elementary school by phone (605-428-5473, option 6).
Two options for Kindergarten next year:
- The district offers two programs for students who are age 5 on or before September 1, 2020 and entering kindergarten for the first time: (1) we offer a regular full day kindergarten program, and (2) we offer a full day K-prep program. The K-prep program is for students who may not exhibit Kindergarten readiness, as determined by school and parents.
Both Schools Perform at Respective One-Act Play Regionals
Both Dell Rapids St Mary and Dell Rapids Public high schools had performances in regional one-act play competitions on Wednesday, January 29th.
Dell Rapids St Mary performed at the Region 1B competition held at the Brandon Performing Arts Center. The team tied for 6th place overall. Jordan Eining and Austin Greene-LeBrune were named outstanding performers for their parts in the play.
Dell Rapids performed at the Region 3A competition held at the Dakota Prairie Playhouse in Madison. The Dell Rapids team placed third at their regions. Outstanding acting awards were earned by Mitchell Heinemann, Shannon Carlson, Latham Sundt, Peyton Gleason, and Kat Fletcher. Erin Larson and Abby Stauffenecker earned votes.
Flood Concerns Already High for Spring
Despite nearly two more months of winter on the calendar, officials are already issuing outlooks suggesting more flooding in the area is likely. This is due to rivers, lakes, and streams being full along with the ground being saturated from last year prior to the start of winter.
The National Weather Service released a graphical outlook of likely flooding scenarios. Currently the prediction for the most likely scenario, which would be a “normal end of winter”, would have minor and major flooding along the Big Sioux River. The river levels around Dell Rapids are shown to have a greater than 50% chance of major flooding. If a “drier end of winter” scenario happens, the river levels around Dell Rapids are predicted for a greater than 90% of minor flooding.
Another probability graph by the National Weather Service shows a 25-50% chance of moderate flooding (14.0′) of the Big Sioux River in Dell Rapids from the mid-March to mid-April time frame. That same graph shows a 10-25% chance of major flooding (15.0′). (https://water.weather.gov/ahps2/probability_information.php?wfo=fsd&gage=ders2)
No matter the outcome of the rest of this winter, the message from leaders is the same. People need to be prepared for another round of flooding this spring.
Sales Tax and Building Permit Numbers for 2019 Reported
The Dell Rapids City Council heard the final 2019 totals for building permits and an updated sales tax numbers during their regular meeting on Monday, January 6th.
The city reported lower building permit valuations in 2019 as compared to 2018. Dell Rapids had 12 new homes built and one new four-plex in 2019. This number is down slightly when the city saw 17 new homes built in 2018. Dell Rapids also did not have any large scale commercial projects in 2019. Despite the lower number of homes, building permit valuations were just over $4 million.
The council also heard that sales tax numbers continued to remain strong for 2019. Numbers are in through November, and the city has seen an increase of 5.1% over the same period in 2018. With the closing of both Shopko and Family Dollar in 2019, expectations were that sales tax revenue would be down slightly from 2018. Not only have numbers exceeded 2018, but signs point to 2019 surpassing the 2017 record numbers after the December numbers are finalized.
Kahler Funeral Home Changes Ownership
Kahler Funeral Home would like to formally announce a change of ownership. Ross and Tiffany Brende have officially assumed ownership and will be operating Kahler-Brende Funeral Home effective January 1st! We would like to take this opportunity to thank Mark and Jenifer Kahler for their years of dedication and remarkable service to the Dell Rapids community. We must also recognize the Dell Rapids community and surrounding areas for all of your support throughout the years. We are very honored to continue serving this wonderful community and dedicated to providing exemplary after life care. Please know Kahler-Brende Funeral Home is there for you and your family when in need and humbly grateful for this new opportunity.
Thank you,
Ross and Tiffany Brende
Kahler-Brende Funeral Home