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Big Year for Dell Rapids in 2015

January 7, 2016 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

The city of Dell Rapids received a total of 485 building permit requests in 2015 resulting in $11,816,021.31 worth of improvements throughout the city. Nineteen of the requests were for new homes or buildings including the new Dairy Queen building and Hometown Shopko.

In 2014 the city saw $6.5 million worth of improvements including 15 new structures, one of which was for the new Ace Hardware building. Dell Rapids had $9.4 million of improvements in 2013 on projects such as the new County Fair store, Casey’s, and Family Dollar.

In addition to the $11 million in improvements during 2015, the city of Dell Rapids should exceed $1 million in sales tax revenue for the year. The December numbers are not finalized yet, but the city had collected over $998,000 in sales tax through the month of November. This was an 8.17% increase over the same 11-month period in 2014.

City Council Makes Recommendation for 10th Street Project Assessments

December 27, 2015 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

The Dell Rapids City Council made a recommendation for potential property-owner assessments for the 10th Street Improvement project. The project will improve the street between Orchard Hills and Iowa Ave as well as utilities, drainage, sidewalk, driveway approaches, and retaining walls. The project is estimated to cost around $1.05 million.

The city received a grant from the Department of Transportation in the amount of $400,000 for the project. The Dell Rapids City Council discussed different options for assessments to fund the cost of the project during it’s regular meeting on Monday, December 21st.

Dell Rapids resident Terrance Nemec was in attendance at the meeting and spoke against the assessment. He said, “The presence of that section of 10^th street does virtually nothing for those property owners. They get virtually nothing out of having that street there. If anything if I was one of those property owners, I wouldn’t want it to go through because it’s going to be such a busy street. They don’t gain enough value in this process to warrant any assessment to them. If there is any benefit to that street, it’s to the City of Dell Rapids, the citizens of Dell Rapids, not to those property owners. So we as citizens of Dell Rapids have a responsibility to pay for that street. Let’s not expect them to pay our bill. I encourage the council to not place any assessment on these property owners.”

City Councilman Mark Crisp noted, “The land to the south side of 10^th street…is prime development land, and also to the east of Orchard Hills, there’s more developable land. So you think the taxpayers should pay for that, and not the developers? Then I would say turn the clock back to 15^th street. There was some haggling and negotiating back and forth, and we came to a compromise. Did I want that street? No. Did I want the assessment? No. But I was a developer along that, and for the future for the City of Dell Rapids, we came to an agreement and the street was put in. It is no different than this situation right here. Do I think the full assessment should probably be put on the owners? No, but I think the fairest to the taxpayers would be the second option.”

The second option discussed by the council is to apply the $400,000 DOT grant to the cost of the project, which will cover 38% of the total cost. The remaining amount of the project would then be assessed to the property owners along the street.

The roll-call vote passed unanimously for this option as the recommendation from the council to move forward on the assessment of the project.

Distracted Driving Assembly Held at Dell Rapids Schools

December 21, 2015 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

Students at Dell Rapids and Dell Rapids St Mary took part in student assemblies on Thursday, December 17th, on distracted driving. Students in grades 7-12 at Dell Rapids had their assembly at 1:00 p.m., while the students at Dell Rapids St Mary had their assembly at 2:30. The assembly was a powerful message on distracted driving organized by the Dell Rapids Connections group. The presenters of the assembly lost their son in a distracted-driving accident, and they speak at school in an effort to stop all students and adults from texting and driving.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2013, 3,154 people were killed, and an estimated 424,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver. Also according to the NHTSA, sending or receiving a text message takes a driver’s eyes from the road for an average of 4.6 seconds, the equivalent of driving the length of an entire football field blind at 55 mph.

Students and parents were able to sign pledges to never text and drive during the basketball double-header at Dell Rapids High School against Tea Area on Friday, December 18th. Important information and statistics were also handed out at the ball games.

Waste Water Rates Set to Increase in Dell Rapids

December 13, 2015 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

The waste water rates in Dell Rapids are set to increase. The Dell Rapids City Council approved a 20% increase in the sewer rates for the 2016 adopted budget. The rate increase is to help with costs for the waste water treatment facility project.

Ordinance 827 had its first reading during the latest city council meeting held on Monday, December 7th. The proposed increases are as follows:

Base rate will increase from $15.25 to $18.34.
Per 1,000 gallons rate will increase from $4.22 to $5.06.
Total increase for 5,000 gallon user will be $7.26 per month.

This proposed increase will be the first increase of a total increase that will be phased-in to cover the costs of the new treatment facility. The total increase will not be known until the final funding package for the waste water treatment facility is received from DENR.

Councilman Gary Haak motioned to approve this increase. Councilman David Sommerfeld seconded, and the motion passed.

Rezone Ordinance 822 Going to Public Vote

December 13, 2015 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

The citizens of Dell Rapids will get to decide if Ordinance 822 will be approved or rejected. Referendum petitions were submitted to City Hall to put the ordinance to a public vote. On October 19th the ordinance passed the second reading to rezone 608 E 6th Street from R2 to B2.

The Dell Rapids City Council voted to accept the petitions during their regular meeting on Monday, December 7th. The motion carried which meant the decision of this ordinance would go to a public vote. Councilman Mark Crisp then made a motion to set the date of the vote to coincide with the Municipal Election, which is being held on April 12th, 2016. Councilman David Sommerfeld seconded the motion, and the motion carried.

Dell Rapids Oral Interp Team Performs Well at State

December 7, 2015 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

The Dell Rapids Oral Interp team performed well at the 2015 State Oral Interp Festival held in Sturgis on Friday, December 4th, and Saturday December 5th.

Kendra Drew earned three superior ratings over the weekend. Drew received superiors on her drama and humorous pieces. She was also a member of the Dell Rapids Reader’s Theater group that earned a straight superior rating. Other members of the Reader’s Theater group along with Drew were Morgan Nemmers, Isabelal Tesnow, Trey Randel, Maggie Moore, and Brooke Hawthorne. Dell Rapids was one of only three schools to earn a straight superior rating in Reader’s Theater.

Drew’s three superior ratings at a state event are the best that a participant can do at the state festival.

Wreaths Across America Program Set

December 1, 2015 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

PIERRE, S.D. – The South Dakota Funeral Directors Association will again participate in Wreaths Across America, a national program which pays tribute to fallen veterans of all wars during the Christmas season. A formal wreath presentation will be held at the Flaming Fountain Veterans Memorial on Capitol Lake in Pierre at 11:00 AM on Monday, December 7, 2015.

The Wreaths Across America story began in 1992 when Worcester Wreath Company (a non-profit organization from Harrington, Maine) began a tradition of placing wreaths on the headstones of our Nation’s fallen heroes at Arlington National Cemetery during the holidays. The national wreath laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in Alexandria, Virginia will be held on Saturday, December 12, 2015 at 12:00 Noon EST. This will be the Wreaths Across America organization’s 24th year of laying wreaths at our Nation’s cemetery (www.WreathsAcrossAmerica.org). This year also marks the 151^st anniversary of Arlington National Cemetery (www.arlingtoncemetery.mil).

In 2014, Wreaths Across America and our national network of volunteers laid over 700,000 memorial wreaths at 1,000 locations in the United States and beyond. They were able to include ceremonies at the Pearl Harbor Memorial, as well as Bunker Hill, Valley Forge and the sites if the September 11 tragedies. Wreaths Across America accomplished this with help from 2,047 fundraising groups, corporate contributions, and donations of trucking, shipping, and thousands of helping hands. Our goal of covering Arlington National Cemetery was accomplished in 2014 with the placement of 226,525 wreaths.

The Wreaths Across America’s mission is to Remember, Honor, and Teach. Remember the fallen, Honor those who serve including their families who sacrifice, and Teach our children the cost of the freedoms we enjoy each day. It is our shared belief that…

‘The nation which forgets its defenders will soon be forgotten.’ – Calvin Coolidge

This year will be our 9^th annual wreath laying ceremony. Participants in the South Dakota ceremony are the Board of Directors and members of the South Dakota Funeral Directors Association (SDFDA), Pierre Post 8 American Legion, Pierre VFW Post 2038, Oahe Marine Corps League, Vietnam Era Veterans Association and the Disabled American Veterans. Featured speakers confirmed at this time will be Governor Dennis Daugaard; Major General Tim Reisch, Adjutant General of the South Dakota National Guard; and Doug Nohava, President of the South Dakota Funeral Directors Association. The T.F. Riggs High School Chamber Choir under the direction of Rodd Bauck will perform our national anthem. The public is encouraged to attend to help pay tribute to fallen soldiers during the Christmas season.

The South Dakota Funeral Directors Association is a professional association that represents the funeral service professionals and the funeral home establishments in the state. The Association provides education, legislative representation and public relations statewide.

Water Deposit Increase Proposed by Council

November 30, 2015 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

The Dell Rapids City Council passed the first reading of Ordinance 825, Water Utility Deposit Increase, at their last regular meeting held on Monday, November 16th. The ordinance proposed will raise the deposit required for water utility from $50.00 to $125.00 for renters.

City Administrator Justin Weiland said, “The council had discussion at the previous meeting regarding this issue, and it was the vocal consensus that the council was to raise it to that rate. This was spurred when council member (Lee) Burggraff brought up the issue between owners of the property and their renters, and leaving them with past due water bills.”

The $50.00 deposit rate has been in place since 1999. If the council passes the second reading of the ordinance, the new rate will go into effect on January 4th, 2016.

Christmas at the Dells Coming to Town

November 23, 2015 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

The Dell Rapids Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Christmas at the Dells celebration is just around the corner. This year’s celebration will take place the first weekend of December.

Events start at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 5th at the Dells Museum. Dells Bowl will have half-priced bowling starting at 1:00 p.m. River Community Church will be hosting a children’s craft event from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. There will be sleigh/hayrides from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. The American Legion will be having a soup supper from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. The Christmas Tree Lighting and the Parade of Lights will start at 6:30 p.m.

Events continue on Sunday starting at 12:00 p.m. at the Dells Museum that will run all day long. The Festival of Christmas Auction will start at 7:00 p.m.

Along with a weekend full of events, the Dell Rapids Chamber of Commerce will be having a gingerbread house contest and coloring contest. There will also be some new additions to the Christmas at the Dells celebration that will continue past the weekend through the month of December.

Dell Rapids Chamber of Commerce Treasurer Amber Larson says, “We are excited to add some new activities to our annual Christmas at the Dells celebration this year. The new additions include a ‘Shop Our Town Punch Card’, Holiday Lighting contest, children’s coloring contest, and a children’s craft event at RCC.”

The “Shop Our Town Punch Card” activity invites locals to visit many wonderful businesses in Dell Rapids. Shoppers are to collect 10 punches on the card and return it to Video Plus by December 17^th to be entered into a drawing for a new tablet. The punch cards can be found at Video Plus.

For residents that want to participate in the Holiday Lighting contest, they are asked to decorate their homes and contact the chamber by Monday, December 21st, by phone (428-4167), email (drchamberofcommerce@gmail.com), or mail (PO Box 81) with their names and address to be entered into the contest. Dell Rapids Chamber of Commerce board members will drive around Dell Rapids on the evening of Tuesday, December 22nd to pick out the winners. Winners will receive some fun prizes from the chamber.

Larson also says, “We enjoy planning this annual event and hope to reach out to the community to remind them of the great town we are proud to call home.”

More details about the event can be found on the Dell Rapids Chamber of Commerce website www.dellrapids.org.

Gas Prices Drop Below $2.00

November 18, 2015 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

Gas prices have fallen to below $2.00 a gallon in the area for the second time in the past year. Currently in Dell Rapids, gas prices are $1.879 for a gallon of gas. The last time gas prices were under $2.00 was December 19th, 2014, and the prices remained that low for only a short period of time.

Prices have steadily dropped throughout the past month. According to GasBuddy.com, the Sioux Falls area had an average price of $2.31 per gallon a month ago. The price was $2.05 a week ago. Currently the average price for a gallon of gas in the Sioux Falls area is $1.85. The current average is almost a dollar less than a year ago. At this time last year, the average price was $2.67.

The average price for the state of South Dakota is currently $2.12. The national average is $2.11 according to GasBuddy.com

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