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2026-06-09 - City Council

Summary

Built from the official approved minutes (no agenda or video on file). Meeting adjourned at 6:25 PM.

  • Present: Brown, Merkouris, Spellerberg, Thomason, Barranco (by telecom), Basye and Mayor TenHaken. Absent: Sigette and Soehl. Invocation by Karen Schwebach of the Direct Line Prayer Center.
  • Basye asked that Contract 26-30-50 (Item 6, Sub-Item 1) be pulled from the consent agenda. The rest of the consent agenda was approved 6-0 (Basye, Spellerberg). It included the minutes of the June 3 informational and regular meetings, a notice of contracts under $100K and change orders over $100K through May 31, two requests to consume (not sell) alcohol at the Mary Jo Wegner Arboretum (June 12) and the Old Courthouse Museum (August 29), a malt beverage renewal for Tienda Mi Chapina, one-day liquor licenses for T Slat Inc. at the Levitt at the Falls (June 11 to 13) and Bob Young Field (June 14), and seven property tax abatements.
  • Contract 26-30-50, Amendment No. 1 to the AIA agreement for Frank Olson Park Community Recreation Center and Park Improvements (aquatic facilities improvements), approved 6-0 (Basye, Spellerberg).
  • Regular agenda approved 6-0 (Spellerberg, Brown).
  • Ordinance 46-26 approving an offer to purchase real estate from the City adopted on second reading, 6-0 (Brown, Merkouris).
  • Resolution 67-26 giving consent to six citizen board appointments adopted 6-0 (Brown, Basye).
  • Resolution 68-26 declaring the results of the June 2 municipal election adopted 6-0 (Brown, Spellerberg): runoffs set for June 23 for Mayor and three Council seats; Rich Merkouris elected outright to At-Large seat B; Charter Amendments A to E all approved.
  • General public input: protecting democracy, positive reasons for living in Sioux Falls, City property tax rates, and a poem. The Mayor noted that his family was in the audience.

Municipal Runoff Election Results

  • Item 23, Resolution 68-26 (sponsors Soehl and Brown). The Council met as the Canvassing Board. Moved by Brown, seconded by Spellerberg; 6-0.
  • Mayor (four-year term): Christine Erickson 14,407; Jamie Smith 10,960; Greg Jamison 7,082; Joe Batcheller 5,663; David Zokaites 623. No majority, so Erickson and Smith advanced.
  • At-Large A: James Oppenheimer 13,701; Vince Danh 8,988; Juliann Perrigo 6,451. Oppenheimer and Danh advanced.
  • At-Large B: Rich Merkouris 16,738; Samantha Scarlata 10,961. Merkouris declared elected.
  • Southeast District: Sara Pankonin 3,576; Michael A. Crane 3,235; Brady L. Kerkman 1,854. Pankonin and Crane advanced.
  • Central District: Zak Okuwe 2,222; Zach DeBoer 1,725; Robert D. Trzynka 962; Matthew McKinley 650; Tommy Kunz 261. Okuwe and DeBoer advanced.
  • Runoff election set for Tuesday, June 23, 2026. The resolution takes effect on publication.

City Charter Amendments

  • The same resolution declared all five charter amendments approved: A 30,063 yes to 4,274 no; B 25,799 to 7,828; C 19,344 to 14,684; D 19,092 to 14,976; E 31,322 to 3,245. The minutes do not describe the subject of each amendment.

Citizen Board Appointments

  • Item 22, Resolution 67-26 (sponsor: Mayor). Moved by Brown, seconded by Basye; 6-0.
  • Experience Sioux Falls Business Improvement District Board: Jennifer Seifert-Brenna (July 2026 to August 2027, filling the unexpired term of Paul Hegg), Tracy Kolb (July 2026 to August 2027, filling the unexpired term of Jan Gruenwaldt), and Tom Morris and Nancy Savage (July 2026 to June 2029).
  • Human Relations Commission: Sarah Meagher, June 2026 to May 2031.
  • Parks and Recreation Board: Teresa Cauwels reappointed, July 2026 to July 2031.

Frank Olson Aquatics Center Funding

  • Item 6, Sub-Item 1, Contract 26-30-50: Amendment No. 1 to the AIA architect agreement for the Frank Olson Park Community Recreation Center and Park Improvements. Pulled from consent at Basye's request; Basye moved and Spellerberg seconded; 6-0. The minutes record no discussion and no dollar amount.

City Property Purchase Offer

  • Item 21, Ordinance 46-26 approving an offer to purchase real estate from the City (sponsor: Mayor). Brown moved, Merkouris seconded; 6-0. The minutes do not identify the property or the buyer.

Other business

  • Abatements concurred with Minnehaha County Commission recommendations: parcel 91497 (2023, $346.65; 2025, $2,620.92), parcel 91407 (2024, $1,990.21) and parcel 89262 (2025, $1,747.03, Assessment Freeze for the Elderly and Disabled). Lincoln County Commission recommendations: parcel 281.67.01.023A for 2023 ($2,526.62), 2024 ($2,291.85) and 2025 ($2,672.98). All but the freeze were disabled veteran exemptions under SDCL 10-4-40 and 10-4-41.
  • Minutes signed by Tamara Jorgensen, Assistant City Clerk; resolutions attested by Jermery J. Washington, City Clerk.

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