Pool drains targeted by tweaking of ordinance

Keystone Town Board trustees are shifting gears on an ordinance requiring maintenance personnel be present when pools in town are drained. During the second reading of the proposed ordinance at the March 6 Keystone Town Board meeting it became clear the ordinance would present logistical requirements that could be potentially burdensome to public works staff.

There were questions as to how long staff would monitor the draining of pools, leading to concern that once staff wasn’t present there would be no way to ensure that pool water would not end up back in the town sewer plant. The chlorinated pool water that enters the town sewer system destroys the sewer plant bugs. This year the cost to replace those bugs was between $6,000 and $10,000, according to public sorks supervisor Jerry Przybylski.

Trustee Lynette Tyon was skeptical with the way the ordinance was written saying, “they’re gonna find a way, so if you don’t do it the proper way you’re gonna be fined.” 

She wanted to see the ordinance include the cementing of drains, to make sure there was no way around the intent of the proposed law. Trustee David Cofoid was concerned that some business owners might not let city staff inside. Trustee Sandi McLain said she had heard complaints from two business owners that this was an “overreach” of government. There was also discussion about whether the ordinance should include hot tubs as well.

Trustees directed attorney Mitch Johnson to add a subparagraph to the proposed ordinance that will require the capping of pool drains so water cannot enter the sewer system. The full ordinance, if passed, will require maintenance personnel be present while pools are drained and that any drains that currently go into the town sewer lines be capped.

Przybylski says his staff has been “turning on a lot of water so town is opening up.” 

Meanwhile the Bed Booze and Boarding tax is up 7.9 percent over last year while the first and second penny tax are also up 5.6 percent.

Trustees approved spending $3,500 out of the town promotional fund to purchase bronze flag holders for the cemetery. Trustees were moved by a presentation from Glen Talley, who said his sister, Linda, is working on a Daughters of the American Revolution project to get solid bronze military flag holders for each veteran’s grave in the Keystone Cemetery.

“I’ve got a vested interest in the town,” Talley began, explaining his long standing ties to the town and how he has been placing these flag holders in the surrounding town cemeteries at his own expense.

“Time is of the essence on our end,”  Talley said for his sister’s project.

Talley was not coming before the board to ask for a donation, but rather for the permission to ask for donations for the project, saying he was not certain if town ordinances required him to do so. But Cofoid, after inquiring how much money remained in the town promotional fund, made a motion for the donation that was unanimously approved. 

Trustees gave their informal approval of the layout design for the new “Experience Keystone SD” website. 

“I think it looks really nice,” Tyon said of the layout provided. 

The town officially owns its Visitor Information Center, after it was gifted from the Keystone Chamber of Commerce. Town board president Casey McNulty wants to repair the center’s air conditioning and put in a new floor. McNulty also asked the board for approval to get bids for renovations to the Keystone Community Center which include new interior lighting, flooring and outside painting.

Trustees passed a resolution increasing the bulk water rate of the town to 5¢ per gallon.

McLain informed the board about a call from Kwinn Neff regarding House Concurrent Resolution (HCR) 6010. The HCR would encourage “the executive board of the Legislative Research Council to establish an interim legislative committee on preserving and protecting the Black Hills of South Dakota.”

McLain said, “What they’re trying to do is say we here in the Black Hills don’t have a right for economic development. We have to watch this stuff really closely.”

She also encouraged citizens to continue to attend meetings to speak out about property taxes.

The ballot order for the April 8 election will be Nikki Ball, Matt Fullilove, and Lynette Tyon. There are two open seats on the town board.

There will be a candidate forum March 26 at 6 p.m. at the Keystone Community Center.

The next Keystone Town Board meeting is March 19 at 6 p.m.