City Council Agendas, Packets and Minutes
Regular MeetingVermillion, SD · August 13, 2025
Minutes
Approved Minutes
Council Special Session
August 13, 2025
Wednesday 4:00 p.m.
The special session of the City Council, City of Vermillion, South Dakota
was held on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. at City Hall in the
Council Chamber.
1. Roll Call
Present: Thaler, Leber, Price, Holland, Jennewein, Hellwege, Cheeseman,
Murra, Mayor Cole
2. Pledge of Allegiance
3. Adoption of Agenda
260-24
Council Member Price moved approval of the agenda. Council Member Thaler
seconded the motion. Motion carried 9 to 0. Mayor Cole declared the
motion adopted.
4. Visitors to be Heard - None
5. Executive Session per SDCL 1-25-2
Council Member Leber moved to go into executive session at 4:02 p.m. for
personnel matters per 1-25-2(1). Council Member Murra seconded the motion.
Motion carried 9 to 0. Mayor Cole declared the council into executive
session.
Mayor Cole declared the council out of executive session at 5:04 p.m.
6.Budget Workshop – 2026 Proposed
John Prescott, City Manager, provided an overview of the budget noting
that the budget presented should serve as the starting point for the
process of developing the 2026 budget. John reported that, for the
property tax revenues, the State regulated inflationary increase at 2.9%
plus growth, so property tax revenue increased over $237,011. John stated
that the proposed budget supports a wage adjustment of 3%. John noted
that proposed budget included a 5% health insurance increase with the
actual premiums at an increase of 3.2% which was just provided prior to
budget session. John stated that no rate increases were projected for
electric or water and a 20% increase for wastewater utilities for 2026.
John stated that in October we will receive notice of any electric
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purchase of power rates which they are looking to increase, and
wastewater rates are reviewed in April of each year. John noted that
storm water fees would increase 3% for the community in 2026. John
reviewed the major items that were revised in the 2025 budget since it
was adopted about a year ago. John stated that he has included a memo on
the funding proposed for the outside agencies noting that their funding
is in the general fund and BBB sales tax fund. John noted that there was
no new outside agency funding applications received and requested Council
consideration of the funding. John noted that the general fund will be
using reserves to balance the 2026 budget. John noted the need to retain
a healthy general fund reserve and that we will monitor the use of the
reserve over the next few years.
The Council started the review of the 2026 proposed budget, as well as
revisions to the 2025 budget, by reviewing the following sections of the
budget with the City Manager and Finance Officer: Policy Administration:
General Government, Finance Office, Engineering, Planning & Zoning, Code
Enforcement, Community Services; Public Safety & Security: Police
Administration and Investigation, Police Patrol, Fire and Rescue,
EMS/Ambulance, Emergency Management; Maintenance & Transportation:
Municipal Service Center, Mechanics Garage, Street Maintenance, Snow
Removal, Sweeping & Mowing, Carpentry, City Hall Maintenance, Old Library
Maintenance, Old Landfill Maintenance, Airport; Human Development and
Leisure: Public Library, Parks, Prentis Plunge Swimming Pool, Recreation,
National Guard Armory, Mosquito Control, Surplus Transfers; Utility
Funds: Electric Fund Revenue, Purchase of Power, Electric Distribution,
Water Fund Revenues, Water Treatment, Water Distribution, Wastewater Fund
Revenues, Wastewater Collection, Wastewater Treatment, Joint Powers
Landfill, Joint Powers Recycling, Curbside Recycling; Enterprise Funds:
Liquor Store, The Bluffs Project, The Bluffs Maintenance; Special Funds:
Bed, Board, & Booze Tax Fund (BBB), 2nd Penny, Library Fund, Stormwater
Collection System, Parks Capital Improvement Fund, Clay Area Emergency
Services, Business Improvement District No. 1; Debt Service Funds:
Special Assessments, TIF District No. 5, TIF District No. 6, TIF District
No. 7, TIF District No. 8, TIF District No. 9, City Hall Debt, Prentis
Park Debt; Internal Service Fund: Unemployment, Copy/Fax/Postage,
Custodial, Technology Replacement, Equipment Replacement Fund
6. Adjourn
261-24
Council Member Murra moved to adjourn the Council special session at 9:22
p.m. Council Member Holland seconded the motion. Motion carried 9 to 0.
Mayor Cole declared the motion adopted.
Dated at Vermillion, South Dakota this 13th day of August 2025.
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THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY
OF VERMILLION, SOUTH DAKOTA
BY____________________________
Jonathan D. Cole, Mayor
ATTEST:
BY___________________________________
Katie E Redden, Finance Officer
Published once at the approximate cost of ___________.
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Agenda
City of Vermillion Council Agenda
4:00 p.m. Special Meeting
Wednesday, August 13, 2025
2nd Floor – City Council Chambers
25 Center St.
Vermillion, SD 57069
1. Roll Call
2. Pledge of Allegiance
3. Adoption of the Agenda
4. Visitors to be Heard
5. Executive Session per SDCL 1-25-2
6. Budget Workshop – 2026 Proposed
a. Introduction and Overview
b. Policy & Administration
1. General Government
2. Finance Office
3. Engineering
4. Planning & Zoning
5. Code Enforcement
6. Community Services
c. Public Safety & Security
1. Police Administration and Investigation
2. Police Patrol
3. Fire and Rescue
4. EMS/Ambulance
5. Emergency Management
d. Maintenance & Transportation
1. Municipal Service Center
2. Mechanics Garage
3. Street Maintenance
4. Snow Removal
5. Sweeping & Mowing
6. Carpentry
7. City Hall Maintenance
8. Old Library Maintenance
9. Old Landfill Maintenance
10. Airport
e. Human Development and Leisure
1. Public Library
2. Parks
3. Prentis Plunge Swimming Pool
4. Recreation
5. National Guard Armory
6. Mosquito Control
7. Surplus Transfers
f. Utility Funds
1. Electric Fund Revenue
2. Purchase of Power
3. Electric Distribution
4. Water Fund Revenues
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5. Water Treatment
6. Water Distribution
7. Wastewater Fund Revenues
8. Wastewater Collection
9. Wastewater Treatment
10. Joint Powers Landfill
11. Joint Powers Recycling
12. Curbside Recycling
g. Enterprise Funds
1. Liquor Store
2. The Bluffs Project
3. The Bluffs Maintenance
h. Special Funds
1. Bed, Board, & Booze Tax Fund (BBB)
2. 2nd Penny
3. Library Fund
4. Stormwater Collection System
5. Parks Capital Improvement Fund
6. Clay Area Emergency Services
7. Business Improvement District No. 1
i. Debt Service Funds
1. Special Assessments, TIF District No. 5, TIF District No. 6, TIF District No. 7, TIF District No. 8, TIF
District No. 9, City Hall Debt, Prentis Park Debt
j. Internal Service Fund
1. Unemployment
2. Copy/Fax/Postage
3. Custodial
4. Technology Replacement
k. Equipment Replacement Fund
l. Outside Agency Requests
m. Wrap-up of Budget Items
7. Adjourn
Access the City Council Agenda on the web – www.vermillion.us
Addressing the Council: Persons addressing the Council shall be recognized. Please raise your hand to be recognized, go to the
podium and state your name and address.
a. Visitors to Be Heard: Members of the public may speak now on any topic NOT on the agenda. Remarks are limited to 5 minutes
and no decision will be made at this time.
b. Agenda Items: Public testimony will be taken at the beginning of each agenda item, after the subject has been announced by the
mayor and explained by staff. Any citizen who wishes may speak one time for 5 minutes on each agenda item. Public testimony will
then be closed and the topic will be given to the governing body for possible action. At this point, only City Council members and
staff may discuss the current agenda item unless a Council member moves to allow another person to speak and there is unanimous
consent from the Council. Questions from Council members, however, may be directed to staff or a member of the public through the
presiding officer at any time.
Meeting Assistance: If you require assistance, alternative formats and/or accessible locations consistent with the Americans with
Disabilities Act, please contact the City Manager’s Office at 677-7050 at least 3 working days prior to the meeting.
Council Meetings: City Council regular meetings are held the first and third Monday of each month at 6:00 p.m. If a meeting falls on
a City holiday, the meeting will be scheduled for the following Tuesday.
Live Broadcasts of Council Meetings On Cable Channel: Regular City Council 6:00 p.m. meetings are broadcast live on Cable
Channel 3. Special City Council Meetings are not televised but open for attendance.
Our future as a community depends on recognizing our past.
The City of Vermillion exists on the ancestral lands of the Oceti Sakowin and Omaha indigenous people.
We honor and appreciate those who have the longest relationship with this place.
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