Water concerns force shut down

Bulk water has been shut off in Keystone. That is according to public works supervisor Jerry Przybylski, who explained at the July 15 Keystone Town Board meeting concerns about having enough water for businesses and residents. 

“There’s wells all around here that are drying up,” Przybylski said, adding that he wanted to “focus on Keystone first.” Przybylski added that if the KBarS expansion was complete, “we would be struggling.” 

Przybylski said the town has power to make a resolution to restrict water for lawn watering if needed, but the town has no plans to do so. Przybylski has asked KBarS to slow down outside watering or use their well because the city pumps there are too small “so they run 24/7.”  

Przybylski said the town would be “hurting” if one of the wells went down.

Budget hearings will be held Aug. 12, Aug. 19 and Aug. 26, if need be, at 6 p.m.

The Keystone Park Board is still looking for a replacement for its president, who will resign effective September. It will not host bingo this year. 

Trustee Matt Fullilove  expressed his gratitude for town employees, saying, “I’m very proud of all of you guys.” 

Trustees also expressed thanks to the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office for its presence July 3 with town board president Casey McNulty remarking coverage was great.

Deb Dargatz from the Keystone Area Historical Society said the group has $27,679 in its bank account and had 1,293 visitors to the Keystone Museum in June.

“The signs we have put up are working,” said Dargatz about the increased traffic. 

Dargatz is excited about the new “Little House on the Prairie” show on Netflix  as a means to create more interest in the museum. Dagartz referred to a recent episode. 

“Almost the whole episode was about ma’s shepherdess, which the museum has,” Dargatz said adding, that the series “might generate a whole crop of new people” interested in the “Little House’ stories.   

Tourism director Emma Groninger said town employees are hosting a Sturgis Motorcycle Rally Biker Breakfast Aug. 8 from 7:30-10:30 a.m. Proceeds will go toward a wireless smoke alarm system for the town’s historical school house. The breakfast is being sponsored by Interstate Engineering.  

The Independence Day  decorating contest has over 600 votes and remains open for voting until July 31. 

The next Keystone town board meeting is Aug. 5 at 6 p.m.