HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016_09_20 CC PKTCity Council
City of Brookings
Meeting Agenda
Brookings City Council
Brookings City & County
Government Center
520 3rd St., Suite 230
Brookings, SD 57006
Phone: (605) 692-6281
Fax: (605) 692-6907
Vision Statement: "We are an inclusive, diverse, connected community that fuels the creative class,
embraces sustainability and pursues a complete lifestyle. We are committed to building a bright future
through dedication, generosity and authenticity. Bring your dreams!"
Community Room5:00 PMTuesday, September 20, 2016
Study Session
The City of Brookings is committed to providing a high quality of life for its citizens and fostering a diverse
economic base through innovative thinking, strategic planning, and proactive, fiscally responsible municipal
management.
5:00 PM STUDY SESSION
1. Call to Order / Pledge of Allegiance.
2. Record of Council Attendance.
3.ID 2016-0590 Intergovernmental update from Brookings School District; Supt. Klint
Willert.
- Council Questions / Discussion
- Estimated Time: 15 minutes
4.ID 2016-0576 Report from Downtown Open Space Task Force.
Committee Report
Concept 01 Budget (goes with Exhibit D)
Concept 02 Budget (goes with Exhibit C)
Chamber Letter
CVB Letter
Historic Preservation Commission Letter
Attachments:
- Council Questions / Discussion
- Item to return to Council for consideration or adoption at later date
- Estimated Time: 30 minutes
5.ID 2016-0618 Description of process to fill potential vacancy in mayoral position.
Page 1 City of Brookings
September 20, 2016City Council Meeting Agenda
City Attorney MemoAttachments:
- Council Questions / Discussion
- Item to return to Council for consideration or adoption at later date
- Estimated Time: 15 minutes
6.ID 2016-0616 Discussion on Residential Parking Permit Options for Neighborhoods
Around Campus.
Ad-Hoc Parking Committee History Memo
2010 Parking Counts
Attachments:
- Council Questions / Discussion
- Item to return to Council for consideration or adoption at later date
- Estimated Time: 30 minutes
7.ID 2016-0611 Improving Police Recruitment and Retention: A Report to the Brookings
City Council.
Report
Staff Number Comparison
Recruitment Applicant Comparison
Attachments:
- Council Questions / Discussion
- Item to return to Council for consideration or adoption at later date
- Estimated Time: 30 minutes
8.ID 2016-0581 Community planning process for Indoor Recreational Facility.
- Council Questions / Discussion
- Item to return to Council for consideration or adoption at later date
- Estimated Time: 30 minutes
9.ID 2016-0621 City Council Ex-Officio Reports
10. City Council member introduction of topics for future discussion.
Any Council Member may request discussion of any issue at a future meeting only.
Items cannot be added for action at this meeting. A motion and second is required
stating the issue, requested outcome, and time. A majority vote is required.
11. Adjourn.
Brookings City Council: Tim Reed, Mayor, Keith Corbett, Deputy Mayor & Council Member
Council Members Patty Bacon, Dan Hansen, Mary Kidwiler, Ope Niemeyer, and Nick Wendell
Council Staff:
Jeffrey W. Weldon, City Manager Steven Britzman, City Attorney Shari Thornes, City Clerk
View the City Council Meeting Live on the City Government Access Channel 9.
Rebroadcast Schedule: Wednesday 1:00pm/Thursday 7:00pm/Friday 9:00pm/Saturday 1:00pm
The complete City Council agenda packet is available on the city website: www.cityofbrookings.org
Assisted Listening Systems (ALS) are available upon request. Please contact Shari Thornes, Brookings City
Clerk, at (605)692-6281 or sthornes@cityofbrookings.org. If you require additional assistance, alternative
formats, and/or accessible locations consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act, please contact Shari
Thornes, City ADA Coordinator, at (605)692-6281 at least three working days prior to the meeting.
Page 2 City of Brookings
September 20, 2016City Council Meeting Agenda
Page 3 City of Brookings
City of Brookings
Staff Report
Brookings City & County
Government Center, 520
Third Street
Brookings, SD 57006
(605) 692-6281 phone
(605) 692-6907 fax
File #:ID 2016-0590,Version:1
Intergovernmental update from Brookings School District; Supt. Klint Willert.
Summary:
Brookings School District Superintendent Klint Willert will provide a brief update to the City Council
about intergovernmental issues.
City of Brookings Printed on 9/13/2016Page 1 of 1
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City of Brookings
Staff Report
Brookings City & County
Government Center, 520
Third Street
Brookings, SD 57006
(605) 692-6281 phone
(605) 692-6907 fax
File #:ID 2016-0576,Version:1
Report from Downtown Open Space Task Force.
Summary:
After tabling consideration of two private proposals responding to an RFP for the re-development of
the old Armory building, the City Council directed staff to assemble a task force to study other options
for outdoor public open space. Such space would be limited only to a general proximity of the
Central Business District and should consider public and private options, even those where re-
development was necessary. The Armory site was specifically directed to be considered. The task
force included four persons from the Chamber, CVB, DBI, and the City Manager.
Background:
The attached report addresses the City Council directive and recommends the removal of the Armory
building and the site be re-developed into a downtown “park” for a combination of passive uses to
‘soften’ the usual hardscape of a downtown area; and also an active park for public gathering outdoor
activities and special events conducive to downtown. The site is located in the Downtown Historic
District and the building is on the National Register of historic Places. Anything done affecting the
exterior of the building would require SHPO considerations. The Brookings Historic Preservation
Commission has held one review session about the status of the project to-date.
The two private sector options for re-development remain to be also considered by the Council.
Fiscal Impact:
Costs are not specifically known but would include financial considerations such as: demolition,
repairs if the building is to be saved, and re-development costs. Attached are cost estimates for each
of the two options for re-development. Grants remain a possibility as a means of deferment of some
such costs. Restoration/renovation costs have not been determined as the project scope necessary
to develop such cost estimates has not been ordered by the City Council.
Recommendation:
The committee recommends conversion of the Armory site into a downtown public open space if the
Council rejects both of the options for private re-development.
Attachments:
Committee Report
Concept 01 Budget (goes with Exhibit D)
Concept 02 Budget (goes with Exhibit C)
Letter from Chamber of Commerce
Letter from Convention & Visitors Bureau
Letter from the Brookings Historic Preservation Commission
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DOWNTOWN OPEN SPACE TASK FORCE
Final Report
August, 2016
Authorization:
At a City Council meeting on April 26, 2016, the Brookings City Council directed the City Manager to
undertake a feasibility evaluation of options for increasing the amount of greenspace and open space in
the downtown central business district (CBD). The specific action was as follows:
MOTION by Council Member Thorpe, SECONDED by Council Member Meyer, that the City Council
directs staff to analyze viable downtown green space and gathering space options including the
feasibility of the armory site and other city sites to include parking lots. The Council directs the
City manager to form an ad hoc committee to include members of the Convention and Visitors’
Bureau, Chamber of Commerce, and Downtown Brookings, Inc. to explore those options.
All voted aye.
This report is the final disposition of that directive.
The City Council is seeking to develop opportunities to improve green/open space to further enhance
the vitality, viability, commerce, diversity, and attraction of the central business district. One plank from
the 2016 Strategic Plan identifies ‘place-making’ opportunities and one such opportunity is the
downtown area. The vision for green/open space includes the ability to provide a variety of ‘active’ and
‘passive’ uses. It provides opportunities to beautify the CBD and ‘soften’ the hardscape that so often
characterizes an active CBD. It also must be large enough to accommodate active uses such as outdoor
gatherings, activities, and special events that bring people to the CBD.
Committee establishment:
The City Manager solicited recommendations of persons from the respective organizations identified in
the motion to serve on the task force. The organizations submitted the following representatives to
serve with City Manager Jeff Weldon.
David Merhib: Executive Director, Brookings Area Chamber of Commerce
Jennifer Johnson: Executive Director, Brookings Convention & Visitors Bureau
Dustin Hendrickson: President, Downtown Brookings, Inc.
Issue history:
Previously, the City Council directed the preparation and distribution of a Request for Proposal (RFP)
from private parties for the possible re-development of the Armory building. Two proposals were
received by the December 1, 2015 deadline. The City Council considered both proposals and took public
comment about each, as well as other comments about the Armory building on March 22, 2015. The
Council delayed a decision on either proposal until the April 26, 2016 meeting to encourage more public
input. The renovation-by-private-party option was expanded at that time to explore other options
resulting in the motion stated above. As such, neither private party renovation option has yet been
selected but are still under consideration pending City Council deliberation of this report.
The Committee met on three occasions; May 19, 2016, June 6, 2016, and June 28, 2016. Through the
City Manager, the committee commissioned the services of Confluence, Inc. Landscape Architects to
analyze open space options for the Armory site consistent with the Council’s directive.
Usage and physical condition of Armory building
The Armory building is an historic structure, one of many WPA-era projects constructed for the federal
government under the War Department in the 1930s as part of the FDR administration’s New Deal
Program. As typical with most Armories, this structure also hosted many community and civic functions
and purposes during its long history. The building is in the Downtown Historic Preservation District and
is a designated Historic Structure. Upon being vacated by the Department of Defense as an armory, it
was acquired by the City of Brookings and used by the Parks and Recreation Department primarily for
the single-court gymnasium, departmental offices, conference space, and departmental storage. The
Department vacated the office and conference room purpose in 2012 but retained its use for a variety of
recreation functions in the gymnasium. Public use of the basement was discontinued due to its
condition in 2009.
The building is used approximately 85 hours per month for a wide variety of recreational and civic
functions that are limited due to the functionality of the building. Operating expenses are
approximately $14,120 per year excluding apportioned staff time of full-time city staff. The amount of
revenue generated by the facility is negligible.
The City has attempted to provide basic maintenance to the structure including roof repairs, addition of
downspouts, exterior painting and tuck-pointing, accessibility repairs, and basement mold mitigation to
name a few. The building now needs more extensive renovation if it is to be preserved. Both private
renovation proposals have undertaken some independent investigation in accordance with their
proposal but the City has not undertaken a comprehensive investigation to quantitatively determine the
scope or extent of major renovation needed. Not surprisingly, such work is somewhat dependent upon
the end-use of the completed structure. Several issues needing to be addressed include but are not
limited to structural, mechanical, electrical, accessibility, lead and asbestos abatement. A
comprehensive analysis of the building’s condition as well as renovation is beyond the scope of this
report.
Report Findings:
1) Public parking lots serve as opportunities for creating open spaces. The Committee explored
each public parking lot in the CBD. While converting parking lots into open/green space can
have advantages for a CBD, it also carries the obvious disadvantages of reducing parking
capacity. Exhibit A is an aerial map which identifies the various parking lots examined. Exhibit B
is a corresponding utilization table of each lot with a percentage of occupancy during various
times of the day for each lot. (Source: City of Brookings Community Development Dept.) The
Committee concluded: (i) none of the lots are sufficient in size to warrant a suitable green/open
space conversion, and (ii) the advantages of converting any of the lots would not be worth the
disadvantage it would bring by a corresponding loss of parking. While one problem would be
solved; another would be created.
2) Privately-owned building space could be acquired for a demolition of existing structures for
conversion to green/open space. The Committee did not identify any particular
building(s)/location(s) that could be acquired and razed for green/open space. This option
would require potentially expensive and protracted property acquisition, and eventual
demolition of an historic structure. This would result in loss of building inventory, potential
business or residential dislocation, and loss of property and sales tax revenue, and loss of niche
retail commerce activity.
3) Street closures for special events serve as temporary opportunities for downtown gathering
space activities on a hard surface and are suitable for short-duration only since the streets need
to be re-opened. They do not serve any passive use as they are not permanent. The ability to
make them attractive is limited to the space of the public right-of-way.
4) Privately-owned open space was also considered by the Committee for any existing open spaces
privately-owned that might be suitable for green/open space. Very few such opportunities
exist. One such space currently well-utilized for this function is “Nick’s Park” which is owned
and managed privately by a business which serves as an ancillary outdoor dining use by the
business as well as passive open space. Another privately-owned open space exists next to Old
Market mid-block on Fifth Avenue. The Committee determined this location too small to
accommodate active uses. Finally, another privately-owned open space exists on Main Avenue
next to Rude’s Furniture which is the site of a demolished building. This location was found to
not be feasible for development due to site conditions and is also too small to accommodate
active uses.
5) The Armory site was examined as a potential conversion to green/open space. Such conversion
would require: (A) Demolition or re-location of the Armory building. Either option would be
potentially extremely expensive and the latter requires a replacement location. (B) As a historic
structure in a historic district, special considerations/provisions/processes would be necessary
for either a demolition or re-location. (C) The elimination of the building would cause a certain
degree of displacement of recreation and civic activities but the Committee concluded that
alternative locations could be identified to host them. (D) City taxpayers would be relieved of
costly operating and maintenance expenses as well as costly renovation expenses. (E) The City
of Brookings values historic preservation and historic structures; and a significant historic
structure would be lost if demolished and possibly compromised if re-located.
Confluence Landscape Architects provided the committee with two potential renditions of an
adaptive re-use of the Armory site if the building was eliminated and the site converted to
open/green space. The Committee concluded the site is large enough to accommodate both
‘active’ and ‘passive’ uses and would meet many of the other objectives of enhancing the CBD
without any loss of private property, parking, commerce, or tax base. Those two renditions are
design variations of the same general concept for open/green space and are attached as Exhibits
C and D.
Recommendation:
The Committee concluded the site is currently underutilized and could provide a significantly higher and
better use to the downtown and Brookings community if the site were to be the selected location for
green/open/gathering space for both active and passive uses. The value added to the downtown and
the Armory building resulting from extensive renovation compared to the financial investment required
is highly questionable. In other words, the return on investment is at best, highly speculative and most
likely very dubious.
To achieve viable green/open space in the downtown CBD, the Committee recommends the City Council
explore options and regulations with the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) regarding
demolition/re-location of the Armory building.
The Committee further recommends the City Council proceed with planning for re-development of the
site using the design considerations suggested by the landscape architect; and plan for subsequent
development of the Armory site for green/open/gathering space.
Next steps
This report is being circulated to the three organizations’ Board of Directors for review and comment
and will be submitted to the City Council for further public comment, deliberation, and action. The
three organizations are invited to provide written comments, responses, or opinions reflecting the
position of the respective organization to the City Manager which will be forwarded to the City Council.
Respectively submitted on Behalf of the Committee,
Jeffrey W. Weldon
City Manager
City of Brookings
Staff Report
Brookings City & County
Government Center, 520
Third Street
Brookings, SD 57006
(605) 692-6281 phone
(605) 692-6907 fax
File #:ID 2016-0618,Version:1
Description of process to fill potential vacancy in mayoral position.
Summary:
Pursuant to previous City Council action, the council directed an agenda item which discusses and
describes the process for filling a potential vacancy in the position of mayor. The answers are found
in state law and the city charter as enumerated and described in the City Attorney’s attached
documentation.
Attachments:
City Attorney memo
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Memorandum
To: Mayor Tim Reed, Council Members, Jeff Weldon, City Manager and Shari Thornes,
City Clerk
From: Steven J. Britzman, City Attorney
Date: September 13, 2016
Re: Vacancy of the office of Mayor Procedure
Discussion: This Memo is intended to discuss timing and procedures applicable where a
Mayor is elected to the State Legislature. Since the State Constitution prohibits the
holding of two elective offices, and the City of Brookings would need to fill the office of
Mayor in accordance with the City Charter, it is appropriate to plan for these
circumstances. It is notable that the procedure under the Brookings City Charter for the
filling of the Office of Council Member and Mayor are the same, so we have recent
experience with the procedure. State law provides that a legislator would commence
their term of office on the first Monday of January succeeding their election.
Thus, upon a successful Legislative election and prior to the first Monday of January,
it would be appropriate to complete the resignation of the Office of Mayor, and begin the
City’s procedure to fill the vacancy of the office of Mayor.
The Council by a majority vote of all its remaining members shall appoint a qualified
person to fill the vacancy until the person elected to serve the remainder of the unexpired
term takes office.
The election for Mayor would then be to fill the remaining unexpired term of the
Mayor, per Section 2.06 (d) of the Charter.
Since the office of Mayor would be vacated more than 60 days before the next regular
election, the term of the mandatory temporary appointment would run until the next
regular election is concluded and the successful Mayoral candidate takes office.
The election to fill the vacant position of Mayor would be for the remaining
unexpired portion of the term of the vacant office of Mayor.
Steven J. Britzman
Brookings City Attorney
521 Sixth Street, Suite 104 Telephone (605) 697-9058
Brookings, South Dakota 57006 Facsimile (605) 697-9060
_____________________________________________________________
– 2 – SEPTEMBER 13, 2016
Applicable Law:
Brookings City Charter Section 2.06(d):
Filling of Vacancies. Except as provided below, a vacancy in the office of Mayor
or of a City Council Member shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term at the
next regular City election. The Council by a majority vote of all its remaining members
shall appoint a qualified person to fill the vacancy until the person elected to serve the
remainder of the unexpired term takes office. However, if the vacancy occurs less than
sixty days prior to the next regular City election, then the person appointed to fill the
vacancy shall continue to serve and the vacancy shall be filled at the regular City election
immediately following the next regular City election. Notwithstanding the requirement in
Section 2.11, if at any time the membership of the Council is reduced to less than 6, the
remaining members shall, within sixty (60) days, fill the vacancies by appointment or call
for a special election to fill the vacancies.
South Dakota Constitution – Attorney General Opinion
Can the Executive Board of the Legislative Research Council appoint a legislator
to the State Investment Council?
IN RE QUESTION:
It is my opinion that the Executive Board of the Legislative Research Council is
constitutionally prohibited from appointing a State Legislator to the Investment Council.
The Executive Board of the Legislative Research Council is authorized under SDCL 4-5-
13 to appoint five of the seven voting members of the State Investment Council. In
addition the Executive Board has the power to appoint persons holding public office,
appointive or elective. The South Dakota Constitution, however, prohibits members of
the Legislature from holding more than one office. Article III, Section 12 of the South
Dakota Constitution provides:
No member of the Legislature shall, during the term for which he was
elected, be appointed or elected to any civil office in the state which
shall have been created, or the emoluments of which shall have been
increased during the term for which he was elected, nor shall any member
receive any civil appointment from the Governor, the Governor and
senate, or from the Legislature during the term for which he shall have
been elected, and all such appointments and all votes given for any such
members for any such office or appointment shall be void; nor shall any
member of the Legislature during the term for which he shall have been
elected, or within one year thereafter, be interested, directly or indirectly,
in any contract with the state or any county thereof, authorized by any law
passed during the term for which he shall have been elected.
– 3 – SEPTEMBER 13, 2016
The explicit language from this constitutional provision prohibits appointment of
a member of the Legislature to any state appointed office. The appointment powers of the
Executive Board of the Legislative Research Council to the State Investment Council fall
within this constitutional prohibition.
Respectfully submitted,
Roger A. Tellinghuisen
Attorney General
South Dakota Law re Commencement of Office:
3-1-2 Time of commencement of term of office.
3-1-2. Time of commencement of term of office. Except as
otherwise expressly provided, all state, district, and county officers shall
qualify and enter upon the duties of their office on the first Monday of
January succeeding their election or within twenty days thereafter.
City of Brookings
Staff Report
Brookings City & County
Government Center, 520
Third Street
Brookings, SD 57006
(605) 692-6281 phone
(605) 692-6907 fax
File #:ID 2016-0616,Version:1
Discussion on Residential Parking Permit Options for Neighborhoods Around Campus.
Summary:
Pursuant to previous City Council action, staff was charged with researching residential parking
permit options for neighborhoods where streets are adversely impacted by the parking of vehicles,
which is generally around the campus area. Staff has included research and history for this
discussion.
Background:
The City Council discussed this topic at their July 19, 2016 meeting and a motion was made by
Mayor Reed, seconded by Council Member Bacon, to have staff research and develop a plan to give
the ability for a neighborhood to establish a residential permit parking zone where the streets are
adversely impacted by the parking of vehicles during certain hours by nonresidents of the area. The
motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6 - Corbett, Niemeyer, Hansen, Reed, Kidwiler, and Bacon;
Absent: 1 - Wendell.
History of Ad-Hoc Parking Committee and Traffic Safety Committee
The City Council created an Ad-Hoc Parking Committee in 2010 and discussed their
recommendations in 2011. The attached memo is a summary of the committee recommendations
and City Council discussion. A map of parking counts performed in 2010 also attached.
Scope of Parking Study
Parking in campus areas can be a very challenging issue because there are often significant
numbers of vehicles arriving at the same time and occupying residential streets where there may be
conflicts with other uses. It is often a very personal issue that people have very strong emotions
about. For these reasons, it is important that effective parking policies be based on actual field
observations of problems and that there is public input from a wide variety of stakeholders.
City Parking Study Survey (2010)
§April 5th - 115 cars parked when school was not in session, but faculty/staff were present
§April 7th - 508 parked cars when school was in session
Roughly 20% of the cars parked in residential neighborhoods may belong to faculty/staff
Previous Public Input
An ad-hoc committee was appointed by the City council was established in 2010 to investigate
parking issues in residential neighborhoods.
Five options/recommendations
1.Remove parking from streets at night in older parts of town
2.Hire a part-time parking attendant
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3.Deny parking for large vehicles on city streets
4.Paint street markings for parallel parking on every street in the City
5.Investigate residential parking permit program if all other measures failed
Residential Permit Parking Programs Research
·If the concern is “a congestion issue” with few or no available on-street parking spaces in
residential neighborhoods near the University at peak times
o University students/faculty/staff may be parking on city streets because of aggressive
enforcement from the University.
o University and City/other entities collaborated to develop a more efficient and effective
coordinated parking program.
o Parking enforcement from the University and City need to be comparable so that one or
the other is not a magnet for illegal parking. Even cities with part-time enforcement
have entered into a cooperative agreement with universities where they perform
enforcement on high demand City streets near their campuses as well as their own
facilities since they already have an active enforcement infrastructure in place. In
return, a revenue sharing agreement would be set up to compensate the institutions for
the additional costs of increasing their zone of enforcement and to establish a mutual
understanding of the desired levels of enforcement.
o Enforcement should be continuous throughout the day and active rather than complaint
based. Those with multiple tickets should receive “enhanced enforcement.”
o Cities implemented “push” strategies to encourage universities parkers to park on
campus
o Curb painting for the following:
§Sight triangles
§Driveways
§Sidewalks/crosswalks
§Fire hydrants
§Bus stops
§Bicycle lanes
o Establish a zone parking system rather than permit parking
§Zone parking is a time system rather than a permit system
o Zone parking would allow vehicles to utilize space for a limited amount of time
§This may encourage employees and full-time students to move into parking lots,
but still allow part-time students and visitors to utilize on-street parking for a
single class or short visit
§There are monetary implications with this program (i.e. enforcement)
§Enforcement activities will be impacted, but the City/University may be able to
recuperate it through enforcement actions
·If the concern is “a residential parking priority issue” with few or no available on-street
parking spaces in residential neighborhoods near the University at peak times
o Establish a permit program
§This is effective at removing all outsider parking from the street
§May create complications for resident’s visitors/guests
§May have complications as to where residents can park (neighborhood
delineation)
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o Example:
§Many cities utilize zone parking in conjunction with residential permits. In
general, most issue very limited residential parking permits (1 per household that
exempts that vehicle from a time limit, but does not give exclusive right to street
parking)
§They have found doing this encouraged university employees and students to
park on campus while giving part-time students and visitors much better access.
§Cities have generally seen the effect that heavy users are parking on campus,
while short-term users are utilizing the time limit zone parking to accommodate
their needs.
o The other issue to consider is whether the parking permit is over-priced. Some
assessment of what the market will bear and what the true value of an on-campus
parking permit is worth might create sufficient demand for such permits - especially if off
-campus parking ticketing is increased.
Fiscal Impact:
Unknown at this time.
Recommendation:
Pending until further City Council direction and research is conducted.
Attachments:
Ad-Hoc Parking Committee History Memo
2010 Parking Counts
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Summary of 2010 Ad-Hoc Parking Committee and
2011 City Council Parking discussion
The Brookings City Council created the Ad-Hoc Parking Committee and the committee
held several meetings in 2010. The parking committee made the following
recommendations at the February 8, 2011 Brookings City Council meeting:
Remove parking from city streets at night in the older parts of town (4th Street to
8th Street and 12th Avenue to 16th Avenue) from November 15 to March 15 from
midnight to 5:00 AM.
Hire a parking attendant to give only parking tickets to vehicles illegally parking in
the congested areas of town.
Deny parking of boats, construction trailers, RVs, and large vehicles on city
streets.
Paint street markings for parallel parking areas on every street in the City,
beginning with the most congested areas
Instigate a parking permit system in Brookings. (Note: it was the intent of the
committee that this item would be investigated further only as a last resort if all
other effective measures proved unsuccessful).
The Brookings City Council discussed the recommendations and asked that the Traffic
Safety Committee study the following two recommendations:
Remove parking from city streets at night in the older parts of town (4th Street to
8th Street and 12th Avenue to 16th Avenue) from November 15 to March 15 from
midnight to 5:00 AM.
Deny parking of boats, construction trailers, RVs, and large vehicles on city
streets.
The Traffic Safety Committee discussed these topics at their February 24th and March
10th, 2011 meetings, with the following summary:
At the February 24th meeting, the committee discussed the request to remove parking
from city streets. Lanning indicated that input from City staff suggested that the area of
discussion should be from 4th Street to 11
th Street and 8th Avenue to 16th Avenue. The
committee decided to have the engineering department mail a notice to all property
owners in this area and they would hold a public hearing at their March 10th meeting.
The committee also discussed the recommendation to deny parking for boats,
construction trailers, RVs and large vehicles on city streets. After much discussion, a
motion was made to deny parking of these vehicles on city streets and all present
voted no and the motion failed.
At the March 10th meeting, the committee held a public hearing on the request to
remove parking from city streets from 4th Street to 11th Street and 8th Avenue to 16th
Avenue. Numerous citizens phoned in their comments, and several wrote emails or
letters, which are attached. Numerous citizens spoke both in favor and against this item
during the public hearing, and their comments are included in the following meeting
minutes. After much testimony, a motion was made to remove parking from city streets
2
between 4th Street and 11th Street and 8th Avenue and 16th Avenue from November 15
to March 15 from midnight to 5:00 PM. All present voted no and the motion failed.
The Brookings City Council discussed the Traffic Safety Committee recommendations
at their March 22, 2011 City Council Meeting. The following is an excerpt of the March
22, 2011 City Council minutes:
Brookings City Council
March 22, 2011
The Brookings City Council held a meeting on Tuesday, March 22, 2011 at 5:00 p.m., at City Hall with
the following members present: Mayor Tim Reed, Council Members John Kubal, Mike McClemans,
Tom Bezdichek, Mike Bartley, Jael Thorpe and Keith Corbett. City Manager Jeff Weldon, City Attorney
Steve Britzman and City Clerk Shari Thornes were also present.
Ad Hoc Parking Committee & Traffic Safety Committee Recommendations.
The Brookings City Council discussed the recommendations from the Ad Hoc Parking Committee at
their February 8, 2011 council meeting. The City Council asked the Traffic Safety Committee to study
the following two recommendations: Remove parking from city streets at night in the older parts of
town (4th Street to 8th Street and 12th Avenue to 16th Avenue) from November 15 to March 15 from
midnight to 5:00 a.m. and deny parking of boats, construction trailers, RVs, and large vehicles on city
streets.
The Traffic Safety Committee discussed these topics at their February 24th and March 10th meetings,
with the following summary:
At the February 24th meeting, the committee discussed the request to remove parking from city streets.
Lanning indicated that input from City staff suggested that the area of discussion should be from 4th
Street to 11th Street and 8th Avenue to 16th Avenue. The committee decided to have the engineering
department mail a notice to all property owners in this area and they would hold a public hearing at
their March 10th meeting. The committee also discussed the recommendation to deny parking for
boats, construction trailers, RVs and large vehicles on city streets. After much discussion, a motion was
made to deny parking of these vehicles on city streets and all present voted no and the motion failed.
At the March 10th meeting, the committee held a public hearing on the request to remove parking from
city streets from 4th Street to 11th Street and 8th Avenue to 16th Avenue. Numerous citizens phoned in
their comments, and several wrote emails or letters, which are attached. Numerous citizens spoke both
in favor and against this item during the public hearing, and their comments are included in the
following meeting minutes. After much testimony, a motion was made to remove parking from city
streets between 4th Street and 11th Street and 8th Avenue and 16th Avenue from November 15th to
March 15th from midnight to 5:00 p.m. All present voted no and the motion failed.
A motion was made by Kubal, seconded by McClemans, that we accept the removal of parking on city
streets at night from midnight to 5:00 a.m. in parts of town (4th Street to 8th Street and 12th Avenue to
16th Avenue) from a date to be determined by the City Manager in collaboration with the Street
Department to a date to be determined in the spring. Friendly amendment made by Reed that a
resolution be brought back to the council stating the following: “we accept the removal of parking from
3
city streets at night from 12:00 midnight to 5:00 a.m. in parts of town (4th Street to 8th Street and 12th
Avenue to 16th Avenue) from a date to be determined by the City Manager in collaboration with the
Street Department to a date to be determined in the spring.
AMENDMENT: A motion was made by Thorpe, seconded by Kubal, to remove any designated area
and leave that up to the City Manager and Street Superintendent. On the amendment, all present
voted yes, except Bezdichek; Amendment passed.
On the main motion as amended, Kubal and Reed voted yes; Bartley, Bezdichek, Corbett, McClemans
and Thorpe voted no; motion failed.
A motion was made by Thorpe, seconded by Kubal, to change the ordinance to deny the parking of
boats, RV’s and large vehicles, except construction trailers at job sites, on city streets. Thorpe and
Kubal voted yes, Bartley, Bezdichek, Corbett, McClemans and Reed voted no; motion failed.
City of Brookings
Staff Report
Brookings City & County
Government Center, 520
Third Street
Brookings, SD 57006
(605) 692-6281 phone
(605) 692-6907 fax
File #:ID 2016-0611,Version:1
Improving Police Recruitment and Retention: A Report to the Brookings City Council.
Summary:
Maintaining the police workforce level is continually one of the greatest challenges facing law
enforcement agencies today. The supply of, and demand for, qualified police officers is changing in a
time of increasing attrition, expanding law enforcement responsibilities, and recent downturn in
popularity of law enforcement as a career choice. High levels of training necessary and the
challenges of 24/7/365 staffing compounds the recruitment predicament. Many agencies are
experiencing decreasing resources although Brookings’ financial position is better than most. The
attached report hopes to point out those particular issues and provide some possible solutions.
The City of Brookings has attempted to keep up with staffing levels in the police department. From
2010- 2017 budget years, we have added ten personnel to the department; the only department to
see such increases in staffing. No other city department during that same time period has
experienced such increases. All others have remained constant, decreased, or increased by no
more than one person. These police increases have been in patrol, dispatch, investigations, school
resource officer, and administration.
As the attached information indicates, our salary structure is comparable, and our exit interviews
indicate there is virtually no dissatisfaction with our wages or benefits. As you know, wages are
arrived at through the collective bargaining process.
We could possibly be reducing our pool of applicants due to the timing and frequency of our
scheduled testing. By offering our tests more frequently, as competing agencies seem to have
recently moved towards, we may be able to attract candidates we might otherwise have missed.
Attachments:
Report
Staff Number Comparison
Recruitment Applicant Comparison
City of Brookings Printed on 9/14/2016Page 1 of 1
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Prepared by: Police Chief Jeff Miller
Date: September 13, 2016
Improving Police Recruitment and Retention
A Report to the Brookings City Council
Maintaining the police workforce level is continually one of the greatest challenges facing law
enforcement agencies today. The supply of and demand for qualified police officers is changing in a
time of increasing attrition, expanding law enforcement responsibilities, and decreasing resources.
These contribute to the difficulties that many agencies, including the Brookings Police Department, face
every day. This report hopes to point out those particular issues and provide some possible solutions.
To begin, the current environment for and attitude towards police in these times is probably at its
lowest. The recent events in Ferguson Missouri, Baltimore Maryland, and in Dallas Texas have added to
a negative perception of law enforcement that has not been seen for some time. The incidents in these
cities and others have created a very stark outlook for anyone considering entering the field of law
enforcement. So there already exists the stigma of a less than a rewarding career in law enforcement.
Local police agencies face a three‐fold challenge in recruitment and retention: attrition resulting from
budget constraints, greater skill requirements and shifting generational preferences to working in such a
demanding field.
First, officers might be lost through attrition. Attrition can result from several sources. Budget
constraints can sometimes not keep up with current levels of calls for service. As communities grow, as
in the case of Brookings, demand or need can’t keep up with the same current levels of officers needed
to respond to calls for service. Some characteristics of police work can become unappealing to some
officers, causing them to pursue other careers. Baby boomers who are considered to be a long lasting
career population are now retiring, leaving the work to a very different generation who may not share
the philosophy of longevity in a job and/or working an undesirable rotating schedule to include weekend
and holiday hours. The younger generation of workers are more likely to make career changes to the
work they like best. It is far more costly and time consuming to recruit an officer than it is to retain one.
Reducing retention problems can alleviate much of the need for recruiting.
Second, new officers are less likely to enter the field due to changing generational preferences.
Whether it’s the changing attitudes in our society towards law enforcement or the likelihood of a
younger generation to consider career changes, all impact the supply of good candidates. As well, the
standards placed on officer candidates have changed over the years. Agencies around the country are
finding it increasingly difficult to attract candidates who haven’t suffered from criminal records, drug
habits, and poor physical conditioning. Finding good candidates and keeping them through the selection
process is daunting and time‐consuming. On average, the selection process for patrol officers in
Brookings can take from three (3) to six (6) months or longer, based on the difficulty of having applicants
successfully pass either the physical agility test, polygraph test, or psychological test. Currently, we are
still trying to hire for a vacant patrol officer position dating back to a resignation in December 2015. For
example, the City of Brookings has provided patrol officer testing on four different occasions, since
January 25, 2016, to a total of 45 applicants, conducted prescreen interviews with 32 of those
applicants; held formal interviews with 12 of those applicants; and made conditional offers to two (2) of
those applicants; and the position, however, still remains vacant. The City of Brookings Police
Department has not had any patrol officer resignations from January 2016 through August 2016,
however, the Human Resources Department is still recruiting to fill the one vacant position from
December 2015 with another testing date set for September 29, 2016.
And finally, the expanding role of policing creates a greater demand for officers to fill that need. The
adoption of “community policing’ has broadened the duties of police agencies. It has increased the
number of functions police undertake. Brookings is no exception with the role it has played in
community policing. The Brookings Police Department has extended itself into the community which
creates a cooperative environment with police. That cooperation enables police agencies to be more
responsive in preventing and solving crime. Finally, as a result of technological advancement and
greater awareness, the scope of crime that the law enforcement community must address continues to
grow. And that growth in the scope of crime has taken its toll on the Brookings Police Department.
One indication of this challenge is the recent appropriate of $1 billion to the federal Office of
Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) to help stabilize law enforcement positions. The COPS
Office receives over 7,000 applications that compete for and request for more than $8 billion to support
nearly 40,000 sworn officer positions. The Brookings Police Department was awarded one officer
through the COPS Grant several years ago, but has not won a COPS Grant since. The COPS Grant is
applied for every year.
The example below illustrates the dilemma that most agencies face, including the Brookings Police
Department.
In this metaphor the size of the bucket represents the absolute need for police officers. The water level,
which will rise and fall over time with accession and attrition frequently does not fill the bucket. In this
example, a hole in the bucket (loss of officers) makes it very difficult to maintain the water level. This is
because the demand for officers exceeds the ability to meet it, due to resources available (budgets).
The difference between the need for police officers and the current level of officers represents the
unmet demand for them.
A common complaint in our department is work overload and time off. The Brookings Police
Department, as illustrated above, has experienced staffing shortages for many consecutive years. This
impacts officers normal time off as well as their ability to take vacation when they need it. Staffing
shortages are caused by a variety of reasons; length of time to replace officers that have left, military
deployments, and officers on sick or injury leave. This inability to accommodate time off and allow
officers the break they need can cause unnecessary stress, job burn‐out, which ultimately causes them
to leave the department.
In 2011, the national average for number of officers per thousand of population was 2.4. (FBI UCR
Report). The Brookings Police Department is currently authorized at 34 sworn officers. Using this
standard would place the Brookings Police Department at 55. Many critics of this standard argue that a
more accurate and reliable factor is the calls for service factor. By using that standard, the Brookings
Police Department experienced 24,415 calls for service. Dividing that by the number of actual officers
(28) who respond to those calls, calculates to an average of 871 calls per officer per year. Adding to that
the time they are on leave, at training, in court, or on military leave or deployment can cause that ratio
to go up dramatically. And depending on the type of call, it can detain an officer from a few minutes to
a few hours. Consequently, officers at the department are often running from call to call.
There is little that local police agencies like Brookings can do to limit the scope of our work and the
resulting demand for officers. There are some practices they we can adopt to improve recruitment and
retention and ultimately meet the demand for officers.
1. Planning and analysis (investigating trends), as well as conducting surveys and interviews with
officers about job satisfaction can help our department understand our prospects for attracting
and retaining our officers. The Brookings Police Department has started such surveys with
officers and other agencies to determine what attracts and keeps good officers. A recent survey
was also conducted with other agencies on recruitment and hiring practices.
2. Agencies such as our department can reduce turnover by offering realistic job previews and
requiring contracts with new employees. The Brookings Police Department will be making those
changes in providing a realistic review of the job to the prospective candidate. The department
already requires a contract that can financially impact a new hire if they decide to leave within
two (2) years.
3. The Police Department and the City of Brookings can attract and retain candidates by enhancing
compensation and benefit packages. If the City of Brookings is truly serious about recruitment
and retention, then consideration must also be given to rewarding those who choose to make
the department their lifelong career and commitment. Right now, the Brookings Police
Department competes with the best paid department in the state which is only fifty miles away.
4. The City of Brookings must seriously consider expanding the staffing for the department. As an
example, the City of Aberdeen employs 54 officers in their department. According to 2010
census, Aberdeen’s population sits at 26,000 as compared to Brookings’ population at 23,000
with 34 officers employed. Add to that a student population of 12,000, taking into
consideration the 8,000 who live off campus and the other 4,000 who don’t always stay on
campus, which overall, has the potential to significantly increase and impact our ability to
respond to calls to service. Therefore, a recommendation of adding five (5) more police officers
over the next three (3) to five (5) years seems to be a prudent strategic approach.
5. The department can increase retention through greater employee engagement and offering
alternative policing experiences. One such move by the department will be the re‐introduction
of a rotational officer in to the department’s CID (Criminal Investigation Division). A few years
ago, such a program was instituted and gave qualifying officers an opportunity to work in the
investigative field. That rotation also offered more educational opportunities for officers. Our
research has shown that today’s young officers yearn for additional training to grow in their
profession. Enhanced education for officers should continue to be enhanced, promoted and
supported by the city. At the same time, it provides a base for the department’s succession
planning for investigators and supervisors.
6. See Staffing Level Survey and Recruitment Survey attached for additional information.
Police Department Staffing Level SurveyBrookings Watertown Mitchell Spearfish Yankton Pierre Huron Aberdeen2016 2016 2016 2016 2016 2016 2016 2016Population22,943 22,057 15,539 10,500 14,45413,98413,000 27,333Chief of Police 1 1 1 (Chief of Public Safety) 1 1 1 1 1Asst Chief11 1 11 (Corporal) 0 0 0Investig Lieut. 1 0 1 2 (Corporals) 1 0 0 0Patrol Lieut. 3 3 (Captains) 0 1 1 2 (Captain) 4 (Captains) 2 (Captains)Invt. Sergeant 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 0Patrol Sergeant 3 4 4 2 4 3 4 7Patrol Officers 20 17 14 11 13 13 13 27Invest. Officers/Detectives 2 4 4 1 3 2 4 6Drug Task Force Officer00 0 0 3100Community Resource Offcr. 0 4 (Corp) 0 0 2 (K‐9) 0 0 0SRO 2 2 1 1 1 2 0 2Commun Comm./Supervisor 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 (Comm Supvr) 0Commun Oper 8 12 9 7 8 14 8 0Animal Control Officer 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 1Office Mgr 1 1 1 (Adm. Asst.) 1 (Adm. Asst.) 1 (Office Specialist) 1 (Adm. Asst.) 1 (Adm. Asst.) 1 (Records Spvr)Records Clerk 1 2 1 (Adm. Sec.) 0 1 (1 Adm. Clerk) 0 1 (Case Recorder)Evidence Technician 1 2 (Evid Custodians) 0 0 0 0 0 2 (Adm. Sec)01 (Detect Op Sec.) 0 0 0 0 0 1 (Prop Evid Mgr)01 (Adm. Asst.) 0 0 0 0 0 2 (Parking Attnt)01 (Records Mgr.) 0 0 0 0 0 1 (Data Sys Spec)NON‐INESTIG. SWORN 30 32 21 19 24 23 23 39INVESTIGATIONS SWORN 4 5 6 2 3 4 4 6PARKING ATTENDANTS00 0 0 0002DISPATCH 9 12 10 0 9 15 9 0ANIMAL CONTROL11 1 0 1101OFFICE 3 6 2 1 2 2 1 6OTHER ‐ MAINTENANCE 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0TOTAL 47 57 40 22 39 45 37 54Starting Patrol Officer wage $21.79 $20.01 $20.31 $21.40$19.82 $20.16 $19.93 $20.17Current Patrol Officer Openings 1 0 0 0 1 3 0 0
Police Department Recruitment SurveyBrookings Watertown Vermillion Madison Flandreau Brandon SDSU‐UPD Sioux Falls Rapid City2016 2016 2016 2016 2016 2016 2016 2016 2016Starting Patrol Officer wage $21.79 $20.01 Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown $23.53 $21.82Current Patrol Officer Openings 1 0 0 0 Unknown Unknown Unknown at least 1at least 1Approximate # of Applicants 20‐30 15‐20 5 to 620‐30 5 to 1080‐100 15‐20 125‐150 130Approximate # of Applicants Tested 13 to 15 Unknown 3 to 4Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown 50‐60 UnknownApproximate # of Applicants Interviewed 5 to 1010 Unknown 3 to 51 to 35 to 68 to 12 Unknown 3 to 7Polygraph yes yes yes yes no no yes yes yesPsych yes yes yes yes yes yes no yes yesPhysical Agility yes no Unknown no no no no no yesRecruitmentFacebook, Indeed.com, Facebook, local paper, job College and tech student Certified applicants, Advertising, web sites, City website, local Organization websites colleges periodicals, web siteslocal and area newspapers, fairs, LATI, SouthEast Tech grads, prior military tech students tech schools papers, area tech schools IACLEA/FOP, tech schools, in tri‐state tech schools, colleges,tri‐state colleges & techsocial media, CJ colleges area job fairs, Police One,schoolslocal and select other Facebook, othernewspapers
City of Brookings
Staff Report
Brookings City & County
Government Center, 520
Third Street
Brookings, SD 57006
(605) 692-6281 phone
(605) 692-6907 fax
File #:ID 2016-0581,Version:1
Community planning process for Indoor Recreational Facility.
Summary:
Pursuant to City Council action on July 26, 2016, the Council directed staff to outline a process by
which planning could begin for the Indoor Recreational Center following the defeat of the April, 2017
opt-out vote for the last effort of the Indoor Recreation Center.
Background:
In an effort to determine a community planning process by which to undertake a second attempt at
approving a recreation center, it might be helpful to revisit the process used the first time.
The City Council appointed a citizens’ committee who spent most of a year developing a proposal to
put before the voters. Their work lasted from May to October, 2015. The proposal was
comprehensive in nature and addressed the following areas:
a)Evaluate/determine community needs and match such needs with amenities to be included in
the facility.
b)Determine capital construction costs; evaluate financing options.
c)Develop estimates of operating revenues and expenditures.
d)Develop site and location criteria.
e)Evaluate the economic impact of such a facility.
The project was shepherded chiefly by the Citizens Task Force, but input was also provided by the
Park and Recreation Advisory Board, youth sport and athletic associations, and the City Council.
The outcome was a $23 million project financed by $5 million second penny funding and $18 million
in property tax opt-out revenues. The facility would be located on 20th Street South and Medary
Avenue South and would have required some modifications to the Fishback Soccer Park.
Community ‘open houses’ were held and social media was used to solicit answers to (a) and a public
open house was held just before the opt-out election. A citizens support group was developed to
build support for the public vote. The public vote was defeated on April 12, 2016.
Much public speculation has followed the defeat of the measure but some of the more pervasive
reasons opined were:
a)Property tax was not the appropriate way to finance the project.
b)The public process as too fast and rushed for the voters.
c)An indoor pool was not included (The pool was anticipated as a phase-in).
d)Public disagreement over the location before finally selecting the 20th Street/Medary Avenue
location.
In order for the City to make another attempt at the project, the following are suggested discussion
topics to consider:
City of Brookings Printed on 9/14/2016Page 1 of 2
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File #:ID 2016-0581,Version:1
a)A more strategic public education campaign sustained over a longer period of time.
b)A different revenue stream to finance the capital construction costs other than property taxes.
c)A scaled-back scope of project with more planning for phased-in additions.
d)More thorough research about the location and siting considerations.
A thorough vetting was undertaken at the Task Force level about various amenities to be included or
excluded in the project, so presumably that data will still be relevant and relatively unchanged with a
subsequent effort.
A suggested process for moving forward could be:
1)Council discussion at a study session about the project to collectively explore various aspects
with the benefit of two new council members who were not serving at the last time.
2)Council engagement discussion with the Park and Recreation Advisory Committee about the
project.
3)Initial public hearing at a Council meeting to take public input about the potential for a future
project.
4)Integration of the project in the Park Master Plan process for 2017.
5)Use the data collected to construct a facility Master Plan.
6)Develop a comprehensive public education program to engage the voters.
7)Subsequent steps would be determined during/following implementation of 1-6.
City of Brookings Printed on 9/14/2016Page 2 of 2
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City of Brookings
Staff Report
Brookings City & County
Government Center, 520
Third Street
Brookings, SD 57006
(605) 692-6281 phone
(605) 692-6907 fax
File #:ID 2016-0621,Version:1
City Council Ex-Officio Reports
Summary:
Pursuant to council direction, “City Council Member Ex-Officio Reports” will be a standing agenda
item at all Council Study Sessions. The Council Members that serve as Ex-Officio members on the
Brookings Health System Board of Trustees and Utility Board will provide verbal reports regarding
recent meetings they have attended.
Brookings Municipal Utility Board:
1.Council Member Niemeyer
2.Council Member Wendell
Brookings Health Systems Board of Trustees:
1.Council Member Kidwiler
2.Council Member Corbett
City of Brookings Printed on 9/14/2016Page 1 of 1
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