BrandonInfo.com

Anybody need a water tower? The city has an extra one that’s up for sale.

The city will open bids Thursday for the water tower that’s on the east side of town, near the golf course.

What’s a water tower worth, I wonder? What would someone do with it? What if nobody bids on it? What will the city do with it? Is it worth it to tear down just for the scrap metal?

The city is asking Brandon residents to voluntarily restrict their lawn watering this season. The city is asking people who live at even-numbered addresses to water only on even-numbered days, and likewise with odd-numbered addresses.

This policy is more liberal than the policy in Sioux Falls, where water restrictions will be enforced year-round.

At my house, we don’t water our lawn at all. Our reasoning is that the more lush the lawn is, the more work it creates. And we prefer leisure time over yard work. Well, that’s not entirely accurate. It seems like there is always a long list of household chores to do, and making a point of adding one more chore to the list, especially a self-perpetuating one, seems counterproductive.

Do you water your lawn? If so, will you follow the odd-even system?

Monday night, the city council went against a planning and zoning commission recommendation and granted a variance for a garage on property where there is not yet a house.

On several occasions in recent months, the council has gone against planning and zoning recommendations. We expect our elected officials, and our appointed ones as well, to do proper research before they make decisions that affect the future of our community. But when two city panels disagree with one another, how can citizens be confident the city is looking out for their best interests? Who is correct on these issues? The commission? Or the council?

We can’t just assume that the panel that gives the applicant what he wants is the right one. Certainly there are exceptions to every rule, and that’s why variances and conditional use permits exist. But city law has specific criteria for granting these exceptions. How can both panels follow the law and come up with opposite conclusions?

What are your thoughts?

The first quarter ambulance report is on the agenda of tonight’s City Council meeting. Are you interested in knowing what’s in it?

The council meets at 6 p.m. at the city council chambers, 308 S. Main Ave.