BROOKINGS — Recent maintenance work on 214th Street between Aurora and Brookings has helped alleviate some of the road’s pothole problems, but it’s also led to a resurgence of motorists with lead feet.
That’s what the Brookings County Commission learned at its May 5 meeting when Highway Superintendent Brian Gustad informed them of patching efforts involving cold mix and gravel on the blotter-surfaced roadway.
“We’re trying to make it the best we can, but (Sheriff Marty Stanwick) and I talked (and) I think the only thing we did out there was speed up traffic again,” he said. “I know Marty and I have been talking about doing some additional signing out there as far as getting some additional speed limit signs put up.”
Stanwick observed that, while speeding complaints coming into his office regarding 214th Street have declined, posters on social media sites are still noting their concerns.
The official speed limit on that stretch of road is 45 mph.
“We’re trying to patrol that as much as we can,” Stanwick said. “We’ve not had any issues with overweight trucks, at least while we’ve been out there, or any complaints.”
He said public education strategies could include adding more signage on both sides of the Bennett Barn.
“That place will start to get busy, too, with graduation stuff,” Stanwick said. “At least we can maybe slow some of that speed down if we have a couple more signs.”
Gustad touched on some other road-related topics as well, including:
• Chip sealing wrapped up south of Sinai on May 4, and work will begin on County Road 1 — 458th Avenue — north of U.S. Highway 14 for about 1 mile. Hauling pea rock for that project is underway, Gustad added.
• Rumble strips at the intersection of 204th Street and 471st Avenue north of Brookings — where a Brookings woman died in a two-vehicle crash in October — and leading up to County Road 7’s intersection with U.S. Highway 14 between Brookings and Volga are coming in the weeks ahead.
• Crews will turn their attention to some culvert projects once planting season wraps up.
“I know we’ve had pretty good conditions for the farmers, and it’s also been good conditions for the Highway Department to get out there and get some work done,” Gustad said.
Scams, drainage woes and slowing down
In other tidbits from the meeting, commissioners:
• Learned from Stanwick that some scams are popping up, including one purporting the use of toll booths on South Dakota roads and another regarding unpaid traffic tickets.
“Scams seem to be going around right now, different ones,” he said. “We try to put as much as we can on Facebook as people call in and report that.”
Stanwick also shined a light on what he called “garbage in a ditch season.”
“I want my guys to be watching the township roads,” he said. “It seems like every spring certain areas get” hit hard, including Medary Township and north of Brookings. “We’ll be putting some stuff on Facebook not to throw your couches in the ditch — we go through that every year.”
• Learned from County Development Director Bob Hill that rural fire chiefs in the county are leaning toward favoring lifting the ongoing burn ban, so the issue might be addressed at the next commission meeting.
“We’ll keep an eye on the weather between now and then and go from there,” Hill said.
• Regarding the years-long Medary Township drainage issue involving the Big Sioux River and a dike in disrepair, Hill said it appeared that a draft environmental assessment had been finished.
After some discussion, commissioners set a June 8 meeting in the commission chambers at 6 p.m. — barring unforeseen complications — where they’ll be acting as the Brookings County Drainage Board to address the latest developments and take public comments.
• From Deputy Finance Officer Jennifer Beller, learned that the county collected $27,246,493 in taxes in April. For the year, the county is at 52% of its total taxes now that first-half taxes — which were due by the end of April — have been collected.
On a voice vote later in the meeting, commissioners appointed Beller as the county’s interim finance officer, replacing the now-retired Lori Schultz.
• Approved, on a 5-0 vote, a new 45-mph speed limit for a stretch of County Road 25 north of White.
Matt Lagerstrom, the mayor of White, spoke to the issue, saying it was brought to his attention by residents living near the Six Mile Creek Golf Course.
“What we’re asking for with this speed limit is to create a zone of awareness,” he said. “I believe that the start of it will be at the top of the hill just north of the golf course. It’ll proceed downhill to the bottom of the hill where we have a 35-mph speed limit going into town.”
He added that there are “lots of people going back-and-forth in that area, particularly this time of year as we get the golf season up and running. Having people slow down a little bit, especially as they’re coming over the crest of that hill, creates a good safety-awareness zone.”
The effective date for the new speed limit is June 4.
• Gave the green light on a 5-0 vote to on-off sale malt beverage and South Dakota farm wine licenses to Aurora-based Bella Casa Wedding & Event Venue.
“I’m excited about this venture,” owner Teresa Holloman said, adding that the business will cater to weddings, anniversary parties and private events consisting of anywhere from two to 100 people. “It’s just going to be an elegant event place, is what we’re going for.”
The license will go into effect on July 1.
• On multiple voice votes, agreed to approve retail (on-off sale) malt beverage and South Dakota farm wine licenses for six of seven businesses in the county, all of which had no alcohol violations.
The one business whose petition wasn’t immediately granted was Friendly’s Fuel Stop in Elkton. Commissioners made approval contingent upon the business paying its taxes.
• Learned from Commission Department Director Stacy Steffensen that a letter from the county has been drafted regarding the county’s desire for an ex-officio position on the board of the Brookings Public Library.
— Contact Mondell Keck at [email protected].
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