Finances doing OK

Financial reports shared at the most recent Keystone Town Board meeting indicate the town’s sales tax was up six percent from average on the first and second penny collected.

The BBB (bed, board and booze fund) has had a “complete turnaround” and is down one only percent for the year thus far.

“This is a huge achievement for businesses in town,” said finance officer Cassandra Ott. “Things definitely turned around this fall. Things that looked dire are turning out to look not so dire. We’re not used to a season lasting this long.”

The town is on budget in every department so far.

Trustee Kwinn Neff asked for an explanation of the town’s policy regarding town board members attending other town organization’s meetings.

“I would like to ask the board what our policy is on attending independent board meetings,” he said. “We had gone through designating duties last time.  I’ve heard there are a couple of board members attending museum meetings and I’m just curious why?”

Sandi McLain responded to Neff’s questions by offering, “I’m one of those people. I never even bring up the city because I am a member of the Keystone Area Historical Society (KAHS).”

Town attorney Mitch Johnson’s stance was that without a quorum the practice of attending was not an issue.

Neff asked McLain, “It has nothing to do with Holy Terror Days?”

McLain responded, “No, we didn’t even bring that up.”

Her position is that her attendance “relates to her business.”

The Keystone Area Historical Society had two resignations, according to Jon Veltman. Treasurer Gloria Groth and secretary Bonnie Zebroski have resigned their positions. Veltman will step down as president of the board and take over as vice president.  Jeanie Kirkpatrick will become the board’s president.

There was no one from the chamber present at the time trustee Casey McNulty aired concerns about the chamber “getting back to the same predicament they were in about a year ago.”

He cited issues of member attendance and elections. The town board took no action on this matter.

The public works department has been working on repurposing donated Christmas lights and picnic benches. Repairs to booster stations and blower maintenance at the sewer plant has also been taking place. The town’s Bobcat needs repairs, which may impact the spreading of sand after early season snowstorms.  

The town board voted to purchase a Gin’s Gym banner that will feature the Keystone town seal on a black background. The purchase requires a $500 commitment over a three-year period.

The Keystone Senior Center continues to hand out a lot of food brought in from Feeding South Dakota. There is uncertainty as to whether weekly bingo will take place this winter with talks of moving it to the community center gym for distancing purposes.

The library is having a One Book discussion on Nov. 5 at 6 p.m. There are copies of the book available at the library.

The chamber report shows visitor numbers are now going down for the season. A discussion on reimbursing the chamber for digital maps for the July 3 fireworks event posted online by Evergreen Media resulted in no action. The charge of $905.25 was considered too expensive by the town to warrant reimbursement.

The board requested an itemized invoice before considering paying half of the bill.

The board approved to have public works build a float for entry into the Hill City Christmas Parade on Nov. 27.

A $25 vendor fee for the Victorian Christmas event being held Nov. 21 was approved.

A request by citizen Cal Loock for walking tour  brochures to be paid for out of the promotional fund was moved to the next town meeting agenda.

The second reading of the town’s new cemetery ordinance took place with no discussion.

A South Dakota Department of Transportation temporary easement for a Hwy. 40 project was approved. The town also approved a Floodway Study Agreement with AE2S. This will involve the collection of new LIDAR data and a resurvey of bridges to comply with Federal Emergency Management Agency standards.

A request by Baker Timber Products to use Cemetery Road for timber hauling was approved.

The next Keystone Town Board meeting takes place Nov 4.