2026-09-15 - City Council Informational Meeting

Summary

Built from the official approved minutes (no agenda or video on file). Meeting adjourned at 5:37 PM.

All eight Council Members present, including Pankonin.
Basye reported on the Urbanized Development Commission meeting of September 10 (members Basye, Okuwe, Pankonin, Spellerberg); Sigette, as chair, reported on the Operations Committee meeting of September 14. No Councilor remarks.
Tim Konda gave the August 2026 financial presentation (about 15 minutes plus questions).
Police Chief Jon Thum gave a public safety update with January to August 2026 statistics and ALPR history.
Ten citizens spoke against the use of flock cameras.

Konda covered unemployment, inflation, building permits, South Dakota personal income, sales tax collections and growth, entertainment tax collections and growth, general fund year-to-date revenues and expenditures, the Refinancing Bond and the Frank Olson Aquatics Center Bond; the presentation is attached to the agenda. Related budget actions: 2027 City Budget, Frank Olson Aquatics Center Funding.

Chief Thum covered calls for service, homicide, assault, robbery, burglary, larceny, vandalism, fraud, stolen vehicles, citations, DUI and real time information center statistics, plus the history of SFPD's ALPR (Automated License Plate Readers), stolen vehicle counts before and after ALPR, and how to overcome future ALPR concerns. Council questions were answered by Thum.
Public input: ten citizens opposed the cameras, citing safety, data storage, wrongful arrests and possible political involvement. No Council action.