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Transportation Board
Brookings, South Dakota
June 16, 2009
OFFICIAL MINUTES
The Brookings Transportation Board was called to order by Chairperson Robb
Rasmussen on Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at 2:00 PM in the City Hall meeting room.
Members present were Deanna Santema, Jeff Weldon, Art Conners, Terrell
Spence, Nancy Hartenhoff-Crooks, Rob Jones, Michael Forgy, Dean Kattelmann,
Jerry Raabe, and Rasmussen. Teresa McKnight, Roger DeGroot and Tyler Luckhurst
were absent. Brenda Schweitzer-BATA, City Engineer Jackie Lanning, and City
Clerk Shari Thornes were also present.
Item #2 – (Weldon/Conners) Motion to approve the minutes from the May 19, 2009,
meeting. All present voted aye. MOTION CARRIED.
Item #3 – (Raabe/Spence) Motion to approve the agenda. All present voted aye.
MOTION CARRIED.
Item #4 – Way Finding Signage – Rasmussen asked Dean Kattelmann for an
update on signage at SDSU. Kattelmann said their signs will go up the first week in
August, but the true test will be when the students arrive back on campus.
Kattelmann felt that SDSU has the support of the community as they make their
changes.
Item #5 – Update from BATA – Brenda Schweitzer thanked the Transportation Board
for their resolution of support. She added that BATA needs to plan for the future
which is a continuous planning process. She said she is in continuous contact with
the SD Department of Transportation and open to looking at any land that may be
for sale and appropriate for BATA. Schweitzer said her time now is spent
completing funding grants for operational funds for BATA. One change she would
like to implement would be 24-7 service. Because of this increase in service, she
has requested $10,000 more in funding from the City of Brookings for the following
year. Schweitzer explained that now there is a void in hours for transit services from
10:00 PM until 5:00 AM. She said she has discussed this void with the police chief
and the county sheriff and is open to a discussion with the Board. She would need
one driver and one van to cover those hours. Schweitzer said that the Safe Ride
Program, which is geared to SDSU riders and SDSU activities, provided rides for over
13,000 riders on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights during the college school
year. Raabe felt there was a great need to service the hours where there is now a
void. He felt employees would use the service to get to and from work.
Item #6 – Report from Officer Kurt Roland on seminar – Officer Roland was not
available for the meeting today. Rasmussen will see if he will be available for the
July meeting. Rasmussen said Officer Roland and Officer Jonathan Fey attended a
seminar by the International Police Mountain Bike Association. One bike for the
officers was purchased with Safe Routes to School grant funds, and the second
bike was donated by Sioux River Bicycles & Fitness. Both officers have 20 hours
training on the bike and 20 classroom training hours. Rasmussen said the officers
will be at the Bike Rodeo at the Brookings Library on June 17. City Engineer Jackie
Lanning said that the Traffic Safety Committee adopted the sharrow routes
concept after a lengthy debate. She added that it was a hard decision trying to
make all parties happy. The City Council will also want input on bike lanes.
Item #7 – Funding applications – Information was distributed on the three
transportation funding applications that will go eventually to the City Council. City
Manager Jeff Weldon said the Board can make a recommendation on which
programs they feel should be funded and to what degree the programs should be
funded. The Board’s recommendation should be given to him, and he will pass the
information on to the City Council during the budgeting process. Rasmussen asked
the Board if they wanted to study the applications before making a
recommendation. Forgy said yes. Weldon asked County Commissioner Deanna
Santema if she knew what the county was planning on doing regarding the BATA
request. She said no, they haven’t started the process yet. Schweitzer explained
that BATA is a general purpose transit ride. Safe Ride is geared to the SDSU students
and is highly publicized on campus. She said BATA provides two (2) vehicles and
two (2) drivers for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. The SDSU Student
Association provides a monitor on each bus. Schweitzer said the program is
financially covered 50% by BATA’s 5311 funding and a 50% matching funds
highway safety grant. Weldon explained that the Safe Rides Program is requesting
$5,000, the Volunteer Service Bank is requesting $5,000 for the first time, and BATA is
requesting an additional $10,000 above last year’s funding. Weldon stated that the
Transportation Board can only recommend to the City Council. He added that a
decision could be made at next month’s meeting and be in time for him to get the
recommendation to the City Council. Weldon said recommendations could be a
dollar amount for each request, request/requests could be deleted, or funding
could be recommended on all applications. The recommendation to the Council
is up to the Board.
The meeting was adjourned.
____________________________ _____________________________
Diane M. Spencer, Secretary Robb Rasmussen, Chairperson