BrandonInfo.com

One of the agenda items the Brandon Planning & Zoning Commission will discuss at their meeting Thursday (7 p.m.) is possibly acting as the Board of Adjustment. What do you think of that?

Right now, the P&Z’s job is to hear and research requests for special exceptions, variances, conditional use permits and the like. Then the P&Z votes to recommend, to the City Council, a “do pass” or a “do not pass.” The Council then makes the decision on the request.

If the P&Z acted as the Board of Adjustment, they would make the final decision on requests.

According to City Administrator Dennis Olson, Southeast Council of Governments proposed that the city look into making this change. And according to P&Z’s agenda, Toby Brown from SECOG is going to be at the meeting Thursday. It will be interesting to hear what SECOG thinks would be the advantage to the city if it made this change.

What advantages can you think of? What disadvantages?

The meetings of the Brandon Planning & Zoning Commission are open to the public.

If the school bond passes in December, the Brandon Valley School District will build a new elementary school. Where do you think it should be built, and why?

The district already owns some land west of Brandon, near the east side of Sioux Falls. Should the school be located there, or should the district acquire new land?

Do you think South Dakota cities should be able to issue as many liquor licenses as they want, or do you think there should be a cap on the number of licenses a city can have?

State Sen. Ed Olson, R-Mitchell, says he is considering introducing legislation to remove the cap on liquor licenses that can be issued.
Right now, state law says a city can have three on-sale and three off-sale licenses for the first 1,000 population plus one more of each license for each 1,500 additional population or any part thereof. There are no limits for the number of malt beverage licenses a city can issue.
Right now, Brandon can, and does, issue seven on-sale (liquor for sale by the glass) licenses, plus one special license for a convention center, which the law allows. The city can offer up to seven off-sale (liquor for sale by the bottle) licenses but currently issues only three. So, theoretically, four more liquor stores could open up in town.
The eligibilities are updated each decade when the national census is taken. Since Brandon is a growing city, it will be able to offer more licenses after the 2010 census. City Administrator Dennis Olson estimates the 2010 population of Brandon will be about 8,230, which will allow one more on-sale and one more off-sale license. However, if the population of Brandon in 2010 is 8,501 or more, the city will get two of each license.

What do you think are the advantages of putting a cap on the number of licenses a city can issue? What are the disadvantages?

If the city gets more applications for licenses than it can offer, the City Council gets to choose who gets the licenses and who has to go without or settle for a malt beverage license.

What do you think of Kevin Kloster resigning from the Brandon City Council after such a short time in office? He attended only two meetings as a Council member.
He said it’s because his associate pastor is leaving. Do you think he should have tried to stay on the council while covering her duties, to see if he could have done both?

The city will start taking petitions for that council seat in February. Do you think the council should just leave the seat open at this point, or should the Council appoint someone to fill that Council seat for the short time that term has left?

Brandon Valley led Spearfish 35-0 at halftime in the first round of the playoffs and beat the Spartans 42-21. Looks like a second round is in the Lynx’ future.

What are your thoughts on the first round of playoffs? Did Brandon Valley’s home-field advantage contribute to their win? How do the squad’s chances look going into the second round?

My friends and I were noticing some twinkling lights out in people’s yards already. Might as well get them up before the weather gets too cold, one said. As long as you light up only the yellow or orange ones right now, you can claim they celebrate Halloween.

We got to talking and decided that if a person planned well, he could leave the lights up pretty much all year around and still be able to celebrate each holiday properly.

White lights can be out almost any time of year.

Yellow and orange are good for Halloween through Thanksgiving.

Then, through Christmas, all colors of lights are fair game.

January is back to white only, but in February, plug in those pink and red ones for Valentine’s Day. In March, switch on the green ones for St. Patrick’s Day. In April, maybe the white and yellow ones for Easter.

Then, from Memorial Day in may, through Flag day in June, through Independence Day in July, the red, white and blue lights are totally appropriate.

Ok, maybe in August, the yards are dark. But the sun shines pretty late into the day during August, so maybe we don’t need twinkly lights.

In September, start over again with the yellow and orange ones to celebrate fall.

Do you decorate your yard for any holidays? If so, where do you store the decorations during the off season?  

We just had our United Way rally here at the Argus Leader. Do you contribute to the United Way? If so, why? If not, why not?

Have you ever been the recipient of services the United Way sponsors?

There are some who say most of the items in the school district’s new plan are inevitable because of population growth. Some folks, however, question the necessity of an indoor activities center.

An activities center could bring income to the school. Could bigger gyms mean more ticket sales? I’d like to see some estimates of how much extra money sporting events might bring to the district if an activities center were built.

The rain is supposed to continue through Thursday. Maybe by Friday we will see the sun again.

Meanwhile, the wet and mud on Holly Boulevard has put the project a few days behind. What’s the first place you can’t wait to visit once the road is finished? Itching for an iced mocha without having to put on your rain slicker? Can’t wait for that half-hour massage you’ve been putting off? Or are you looking forward to the bigger parking lot that is in store for the post office?

What do you think of Brandon Valley School District’s plan to spend $23 million to build new and enhance existing facilities? Voters will decide Dec. 4 on whether to go forward with a plan to:

1. put an addition on the high school

2. build a new elementary school

3. build an indoor activity center

4. make improvements to Valley Springs Elementary

5. add to the commons and kitchen at the high school

6. add more parking at the high school; and

7. buy furnishings and equipment to fill the new spaces.

Which part(s) of the plan do you like, and why? Which part(s) of the plan do you not like, and why? Do you think it’s a good idea to hold the bond election in early December, right before the Christmas holiday?
To see the recommendation of the district’s Facilities Design/Bond Promotion Committee, and more information about the proposal, click on “Brandon Valley School” under “Related Links” in the right-hand column on the main page of www.brandoninfo.com.

The deadline for applying for the new Brandon Police Chief has been extended to Oct. 22.

City administrator Dennis Olson said 12 to 15 applications have come in so far.

What do you think about the city extending the deadline?

This item is part of the City Council’s consent agenda for their meeting Monday: “Conditional use application for sleeping rooms at 922 E. Redwood Boulevard.” That’s the address of Med-Star Ambulance.

In the Oct. 4 Planning & Zoning Commission minutes, I found this: “A Conditional Use Application was presented for 922 E. Redwood Boulevard. Joe, the director of the service was present for discussion. Land is zoned B-2. Establishing 24-7 operations, allowing sleeping quarters for employees. Sleeping quarters would be on the northeast of the building, on ground level. Garages for the ambulances are on the front of the building, sleeping quarters are separate by a wall between the garages. Dave (Swier, city building inspector) will stop by and inspect the arrangement. Commissioner (Jon) Jacobson moved Commissioner (Tim) Jorgenson seconded to approve the application with the condition that it passes Dave’s inspection. Commissioner (Linda) Weber abstained from the vote. A roll call vote showed (Chuck) Parsons, (Paul) Bosch, Jacobson and Jorgenson aye, Weber abstaining. Motion carried.” (Note: I inserted the parentheses in the quote. Commissioner Marv Peterson was absent from the meeting.)

I have these questions: