New public restrooms take shape in Keystone

Discussion about the Town of Keystone’s future public bathrooms took place at the Aug. 6 Keystone Town Board meeting. The idea is to combine both a visitor center and restroom facility into one. The South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT) will remove the current public restroom on Swanzey Street as part of a 2026 bridge project in town. 

Town engineer Zach Grapentine said the town is looking at a 18 x 44 footprint for the new public restrooms building.

Town board president Casey McNulty made it clear he did not want to combine a visitor center and restroom unless “this board is willing to agree to that.” 

McNulty explained the existing visitor center would be “leveled, and it would all go into one facility.”

Trustee David Cofoid said, “I think it would be nice to do,” if the town could combine it. 

McNulty believed the new building could house a visitor center and a tourism director office in addition to the current number of bathroom stalls. 

“I don’t wanna pursue and have the engineering costs and the architectural costs and then all of a sudden come to a meeting with a design and you guys say ‘Nope, don’t wanna go that route,’” said McNulty. 

Grapentine said the current footprint can be lengthened and not widened due to flood concerns. Currently the footprint is 18 x 12 feet. The new bathrooms will be Americans with Disabilities Act compliant. 

Citizen Laura Pankratz suggested the board consider a movable bathroom. 

“I think there may be another option” versus “investing all that money into a building.” 

McNulty said the city needs a year-round option. 

Discussion also centered on applying for a grant, with citizen Sandi McLain offering to write for a destination grant. McNulty wanted input from the public on “what you’d like to see happen.”

The board agreed to proceed with the design of combining the public restrooms and the visitor center. 

Grapentine is working on the alignment for the upsized sewer line project, in terms of whether it should run on the north or south of the highway. This is done by “figuring out the underground material on either side to determine what the best course of action will be,” Grapentine said.

A bore hit bedrock at about 10 feet while an auger could not go deeper than seven feet. Grapentine said the line needs to be eight-to- 12-feet deep. They will continue to do more bores. 

Trustees did not approve a $3,500 survey task order for the Roy Street Bridge project. 

“It just seems every time we turn around it’s more money, more money, more money,” said trustee David Cofoid. 

The bridge contract and the AE2S contract did not include it. 

“It seems to me it should have been in the scope,” said Cofoid, who first verified that every time a bridge gets put in, this type of survey needs to be completed. 

Citizen Lisa Cole requested a town ordinance requiring a background check for people running for trustee positions in town. 

“Our city officials have to be background checked. Our board should be background checked as well,” she said.

Attorney Mitch Johnson said that would be a violation of state law. 

“The only requirement to be elected is that you’re a resident of this community,” he said.

I wanna make sure that person is background checked,” Cole said. 

Johnson said all that is required is to meet the law requirements.

Cole asked, “So that state law has to be changed?”

Johnson suggested talking to the state legislature, who he said “might have an opinion” since they, too, are being elected.

Trustee Will Parks agreed, saying, “You’re asking that the legislature propose background checks on themselves.”

Cole said she did not like that someone whose background is questionable is making decisions for her. 

“It’s the idea that their morals and their background needs to be for the whole city,” said Cole.

Johnson wondered who would even monitor such a thing. 

“Who decides?” Johnson said. 

The Mount Rushmore half marathon is having its runner’s expo at the Baymont Inn Sept. 12.

Tourism director Laura Schluckebier called the move to the location fantastic. The event will have over 800 runners and was requesting overflow parking to accommodate the size. 

“The Baymont has 60 spots reserved for the event,” said Schluckebier, who was looking for additional parking on Swanzey Street. 

McNulty said it was “gonna be tough” to allocate that many spots on Swanzey Street and suggested the expo organizers use what he referred to as the “burn pile parking area.” McNulty suggested having a discussion with Presidential Hospitality and the city combined. 

A shuttle for the marathon event was suggested.

The matter was tabled by trustees. 

Schluckebier also wanted business participation to draw runners into town. She suggested some sort of community organization fundraiser, like a spaghetti feed. Schluckebier got quotes from two local vendors for city vinyl pole banners. Schluckebier suggested a sidewalk sale Sept. 20-21 as a chance to draw people to the community and for businesses to “ move out end of season merchandise.” 

Website statistics for July had 8,600 users and 10,000 sessions and there was a higher click through rate.  Impressions from June were down significantly but Schluckebier was not concerned.

Pankratz questioned, as she had at prior meetings, on what the town plans are in terms of limiting people in the town for next year’s July Fourth Mount Rushmore  fireworks. She also suggested a monthly committee for the celebration next year. Pankratz also wanted to know the Pennington County Sheriff costs for the Sturgis 2025 rally. The contract is not broken down but four extra deputies were on patrol daily. 

“It just seems there’s not as many here as other years,” Pankratz said.

The Keystone Museum had new windows installed. The state parking lot has made $29,823.74 this season. The town is waiting on a remaining quote for its community center soffit repair. McNulty reported that McLain is looking at grants for having the museum painted. One is a state grant that is due in October.  The town has received two quotes for the project. McNulty suggested using the Haunting lease donation to the museum.

Trustee Nikki Ball said citizens can find  ordinances, permit applications, minutes,and meeting packets on the town website  keystonesd.govoffice3.com.

The next Keystone town meeting takes place Aug. 20 at 6 p.m. with a budget hearing to follow.