Editors Note: The three citizens running for two spots on the Brookings City Council answered questions from The Register. Their responses are as follows with only light edits for style and usage.
Voting locations for the April 9 elections will be:
1) Brookings Activity Center
320 5th Avenue
2) Bethel Baptist Church
714 17th Avenue South
3) Holy Life Tabernacle Church
241 Mustang Pass
Regardless of where they reside or previously voted, voters may choose to vote near their home, workplace, or anywhere they find convenient. All voters will be required to present a valid identification or complete a personal identification affidavit.
Vote Centers will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. on April 9.
Early voting will be available at the Brookings City & County Government Center, 520 Third Street until April 8, 2024.
Voters do not need to provide a reason in order to absentee vote.
1. What do you want our readers to know about you and your experience for City Council?
Nick Wendell: I was first elected to the Brookings City Council in 2016 and have served as the deputy mayor since 2021. In addition to my service on the council, I am an active member of the community. I helped found and was the first president of the young professionals network in Brookings and served on a number of committees as a member of the First United Methodist Church. I also serve on the Hobo Day Committee Alumni Advisory Council and as a national stakeholder with the American Cancer Society. Im a graduate of the Leadership South Dakota program and founded The Big Blue Birthday Box a non-profit program that delivers birthday celebrations in bright blue boxes to the doorstep of children in-need on their birthday.
As a member of the council, I have represented the city on the Brookings Municipal Utilities Board and the Brookings Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors. I have led collaborative efforts between the city and the Brookings School District, Brookings County, and South Dakota State University. I have been a champion for the development and implementation of the Bicycle Master Plan, the Parks and Recreation Master Plan, and the Stormwater Master Plan. I have also supported the introduction of the Development Review Team, which streamlines the process impacting commercial, industrial, and residential development throughout the city. I have been a leading voice on the council on a variety of issues, including; economic development, support for downtown Brookings, and public health.
Im a native of Gregory and came to Brookings to attend South Dakota State University almost 25 years ago. After working for more than a decade at SDSU, I became the first Executive Director of the South Dakota Board of Technical Education in 2017. In my role, I provide support and oversight to the states four technical colleges. I live in Brookings with my 16 year old daughter, Amelia, who is a sophomore at BHS.
Al Austreim: I have over 30 years of experience in small business. I have a proven track record of successfully working with homeowners, project managers etc to get projects done on time and within budget. I have been a resident of Brookings for over 28 years and raised both of children here.
Wayne Avery: I was honored to be appointed to the Brookings City Council in May 2021, and elected to serve a 2-year term in April 2022. I believe that I bring a commonsense approach when seeking solutions, making decisions, and interacting with staff. During my time on the council, I have made strong efforts to learn about the intricacies of city government by meeting with department heads and staff, so that I understand their needs, budgets and policies.
For the last three years, I have served as an ex-officio member of the Brookings Municipal Utilities Board, and previously served five years on the City Planning Commission. Those experiences help me delve into the areas of public infrastructure, public services and appropriate land use. Streets and snow removal, sewer, garbage and recycling, water and utilities are just some of the services that come to mind.
I came to Brookings as a student, graduated from SDSU with an Economics degree and started my career in banking. My wife, Shari, and I have both been involved in many community organizations, and enjoy attending events around Brookings.
2. What values inform your campaign most strongly?
Avery: I aspire to serve Brookings with integrity and honesty. I work hard to understand issues by listening with thoughtfulness, learning from stakeholders, asking questions and researching information, so that I can make the best decisions possible. I value the relationships that I have built throughout my work career, and through my volunteer service with Kiwanis, Advance Foundation, United Way and most recently, Feeding Brookings. My personal goal is to be a trusted and respected member of the council, to be a consensus builder and a resource.
Austreim: Honesty and integrity are two of my most valued assets. When you combine honesty and integrity with hard work a lot of good things happen. I have never been shy about hard work and am willing to use those strengths to work for the citizens of Brookings.
Wendell: During my almost eight years on the council, I have been committed to making the most well-informed, well-intentioned decisions that do the greatest amount of a good for the greatest number of people. That sort of summarizes the core values of my campaign I will work hard to understand issues and be thoughtful in my decision-making process. I believe communities need champions who have big visions for the future and an appreciation for the programs and services that impact the daily lives of citizens.
3. What issues would you put atop the citys agenda?
Wendell: Planning and development will continue to be a top priority in Brookings. We have to be strategic in our approach, as eventually well either run out of developable land or be forced to invest millions to sprawl into currently undevelopable locations. We have to be thoughtful in how we plan and develop new neighborhoods so that we can afford to maintain and service them over the next several decades. We also have an opportunity to reinvest in core neighborhoods that are already connected to infrastructure and organized in a grid system that makes providing public services (i.e. snow removal, garbage and recycling pick-up) more cost-effective. A third interchange off Interstate 29 has created a new commercial corridor along 20th Street South and it is important that we continue to be intentional in how we develop in that area. We also have to be thoughtful and strategic in how we develop Main Avenue South, 6th Street, and east of the interstate.
The city is also prioritizing workforce development by investing in the factors a potential worker considers when putting down roots in a community. Some of those factors include affordable housing and access to childcare. We have adjusted planning and zoning regulations (i.e. smaller lot sizes, smaller setbacks and side yard requirements) in an effort to streamline residential construction and bring down costs. We have also provided land and incentives to create workforce housing focused neighborhoods at 15th Street and 7th Avenue and the forthcoming Branch Creek Development near 20th Street South. Much of our work has been aimed at diversifying our housing stock and increasing density in neighborhoods adjacent to commercial districts. After surveying the community, we directed remaining American Rescue Plan Act dollars toward efforts designed to increase access to high-quality childcare. This work is ongoing and will require city leaders to collaborate with other public and private sector organizations.
Austreim: Public engagement. There are a lot of action items that get a 7-0 vote from the council without any public comment. It is hard for the community to stay informed and as elected officials, the task of communicating and informing the public should be a top priority.
Avery: The issues that ride to the top of citys agenda evolve over time. The business of the city is to provide infrastructure and public safety. Over the last three years of my time on the council, I have worked with my fellow council members to make significant strides forward in the areas of strategic planning, funding for mental health facilities, childcare and food security.
I support a new Public Safety Facility. Brookings has been diligently saving funds for a modern law enforcement building. Opportunities to enhance our Public Library and Brookings Activity Center, along with Downtown Brookings, are carefully and considerately being studied with public input and expert guidance. Maintaining and caring for our public facilities is a must.
Brookings is fortunate that people do want to move here to work and live. SDSU staff and students bring a vitality to our city. We have thriving businesses here that grew out of the City and University partnerships and collaborations. Finding opportunities for current students and graduates to stay and build their lives in Brookings is important to some of our workforce shortages.
The combination of citizens that have resided here all of their lives active young families, students and retired citizens bring a vitality to our diverse community. As a city councilor, I hope to support and promote activities that enhance our quality of life here in Brookings.
4. What skills and experience would enable you to be successful on council?
Avery: I have a strong background in economic development due to my 45-year career in banking. I retired as a senior business banker from Dacotah Bank in December, 2020. My job was to build relationships, obtain and analyze financial information, communicate with customers and management, and make decisions. I have worked where accuracy and attention to detail was the expectation.
I have been involved with business development, working with large developers on large scale projects as well as with small business owners. I am very familiar with how projects are funded, and have worked with and financed TIF Districts. Each business is unique, and taking the time to understand, while working with rules and regulations, has provided me the knowledge to aid local government and to collaborate with stakeholders.
Austreim: I am in the community on a daily basis working with many different people. I have always had the ability to communicate, collaborate and help work towards the best possible solutions.
Wendell: I have served three terms on the council and in that time we have navigated a variety of challenges. I am an effective communicator and collaborator. I work hard to understand issues and rely upon feedback from citizens, guidance from our staff, and best practices from peer communities. I have a good understanding of both our annual budget and the ten-year capital improvement plan, recognizing the drivers of revenue growth and how the decisions of the council impact the fiscal health of the community. I try to be level-headed, consider all perspectives, and be thoughtful about what I say and do as a councilor.
5. What do you think the role of the City Council is? Please be as specific as possible.
Wendell: I believe a chief responsibility of a city council is stewardship. Brookings is the best city in South Dakota, but it didnt get that way by accident. Generations of leaders in Brookings have had a big vision for this community and done hard work to fulfill it. My job as a member of the council today, and hopefully tomorrow, is to be a good steward of our community. To make decisions that enhance the quality of life in Brookings, ensure the fiscal health of the city, maintain our current assets, and prepare for future needs. During my time on the council, we have invested in the Hillcrest Aquatic Center, the Larson Ice Arena, and the Brookings Public Library. We have made improvements to 22nd Avenue, 20th Street South, and other streets throughout the city. We have implemented a ten-year capital improvement plan to forecast the costs of maintaining our existing infrastructure and plan for future priorities like a potential new public safety center and drainage projects.
Austreim: The City Councils role is to create policy to guide the community towards the future. We live in the land of opportunity and elected officials should provide guidance so that citizens can work toward the opportunities they desire. We do not want government regulations to be the road block in someones path to living their dream.
Avery: The role of the city council is to makes decisions and to serve as a link between city staff and the citizens of Brookings. Those decisions guide city staff to provide and enhance quality of life issues that have a direct impact on the citizens of Brookings.
An effective city council member needs to have a basic knowledge of the Brookings community, while understanding the rules and regulations that govern the city council. The council has new sets of issues before them bi-weekly, so being a problem solver and being able to effectively communicate ideas and achieve consensus is extremely important. Successfully interacting with citizens, staff and fellow councilors allows the council as a governing body to thoroughly vet the important issues that come before the council.
6. What is your top priority should you win a term on the City Council? Why are you running for this office?
Avery: Our city is growing and we are constantly looking at ideas and possibilities for renewal of existing neighborhoods, creating new developments and cooperating with Habitat for Humanity, ICAP and developers. Other council members and I have undertaken a number of significant initiatives during my three years on the council. Workforce housing projects like the one on 15th Street South and 7th Avenue are being completed, while Branch Creek on 20th Street South is just starting. The city has provided funding for the Ivy Center expansion and they will break ground soon. The interchange at I-29 and 20th Street South provides new opportunities for growth in our southern sector. Ongoing projects such as these, that enhance the quality of life for so many, are the reason that I am running for re-election.
As a current city council member, I bring a financial background and a commonsense approach to my decisions. I have a unique work experience that easily lends itself to this position on the council. The community of Brookings has been my home for most of my adult life, going to college here, working and retiring here. Volunteering and serving as a Brookings city councilor is my way to give back to a community that has given me so much.
Austreim: My top priority is community engagement. Through my education and work experience, I can bring an outlook and perspective that is not currently represented on the council. Being able to look at things through a different lens can only benefit the people we are trying to serve.
Wendell: I am running for an additional term on the council to continue our momentum. We do an effective job of investing in infrastructure and supporting quality of life initiatives. I want to continue ensuring we maintain the balance between those two priorities. The community does face challenges related to workforce housing, access to quality childcare, and support for mental health resources. Were making progress, but the work is ongoing. I am excited about the launch of the Downtown Master Plan, which will help cast a vision for the future of the core of our community. Another term on the council will give me an opportunity to lead the implementation of the exciting recommendations that will come from that plan. There is also tremendous potential in our core residential districts. Now is the time to reinvest in our existing neighborhoods and use the new Hillcrest and Medary Elementary Schools as tentpoles.
Brookings is fortunate to have a diverse economy were home to the states largest public university and the second most manufacturing sector workers in South Dakota. Were a hub for agriculture, tourism, financial services, and research and discovery. We have enjoyed generations of philanthropic support from a successful community of entrepreneurs and business leaders. In order to ensure our future is as bright as our past, we have to aggressively support economic development efforts. Those efforts include the retention of more Brookings High School and South Dakota State University graduates, support for existing businesses of all sizes, and the nurturing of new businesses in emerging sectors.
In each of these areas, the council has an action role to play. The council can also serve as a convener, bringing the right leaders and organizations together to address key issues. In an additional term on the council, I hope to use my experience to help set the agenda for the future of our community and my collaborative skills to do good work through effective partnerships.
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