On the agenda: Aberdeen minutes — data center (Sep 28)

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MINUTES

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ABERDEEN CITY COUNCIL MEETING

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City Council Chambers, 123 South Lincoln Street, Municipal Building, Aberdeen, South

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Dakota, September 28, 2026, at 5:30 p.m., regular meeting of the City Council.

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CALL TO ORDER

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MEETING ROLL CALL

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Present at roll call were City Council Members Rob Ronayne, Erin Fouberg via

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teleconference, Charlotte Liebelt, Rich Ward, Talmage Ekanger, Chad Nilson, David Novstrup,

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and Deputy Mayor Alan Johnson. Mayor Travis Schaunaman was absent.

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City Staff present were Dave McNeil, Ron Wager, Leif Redinger, Ken Hubbart, Joel Weig,

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Tanner Jondahl, Amber Schwab, Jeromy Thorstenson, and Jordan McQuillen.

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PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

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Deputy Mayor Johnson led the Pledge of Allegiance.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Motion by Nilson, second by Ekanger, to approve the agenda. Voice vote to approve, all

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present voting aye, motion carried.

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MINUTES

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Motion by Ekanger, second by Liebelt, to approve the minutes of the September 21, 2026,

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City Council Meeting, as circulated. Voice vote to approve, all present voting aye, motion carried.

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OPEN FORUM

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Clark Thares, Melanie Bobbie, Natasha Wells, Jamie Shaw, and Tim Hannigan appeared

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before council to address data centers and housing concerns.

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CONSENT CALENDAR

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Motion by Ronayne, second by Ekanger, to approve the following items on the consent
calendar:
SOIL TECHNOLOGIES, INC., PROPOSED REVIEW OF ENGINEERED FILL – City
Maintenance Shop – receive and place on file

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APPROVAL AND AUTHORIZATION OF THE CITY MANAGER TO SIGN THE

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SOUTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES

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STATE WATER PLAN APPLICATION for Lead-Based Service Line Replacement

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REPORTS AND MINUTES FROM CITY BOARDS – Receive and place on file: 1.

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Aberdeen Airport Board Meeting on August 6, 2026, 2. KO Lee Library Board Meeting on August

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4, 2026, 3. Planning Commission Board Meeting July 21, 2026, and 4. Zoning Adjustment Board

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Meeting on August 13, 2026

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APPROVAL AND AUTHORIZATION OF THE CITY MANAGER TO SIGN THE

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STATE WATER PLAN APPLICATION for the WRF Phase 2 Improvements Project and

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Administrative Building replacement

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SET PUBLIC HEARING ON OCTOBER 19, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. for a Special One-Day

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Alcohol License for the Aberdeen Area Chamber of Commerce, Business After Hours at Avera

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St. Lukes Hospital, 305 South State Street, on October 21, 2026

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2025 AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND 2025 AUDITED PASSENGER
FACILITY CHARGE REPORT – Receive and place on file
Voice vote to approve, with Council Member Ward abstaining from item 5C (3), and

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Nilson abstaining to item 5D, all present voting aye, motion carried.

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OLD BUSINESS

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SECOND READING AND FINAL ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE 26-09-02, A

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PETITION TO REZONE FROM I-2 TO R-3, PROPERTY AT 24 STATE STREET N,

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LEGALLY DESCRIBED AS LOTS 23&24, BLOCK 54, HAGERTY & LLOYDS ADDITION

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TO ABERDEEN, IN THE NE¼ OF SECTION 13-TOWNSHIP 123 NORTH-RANGE 64 WEST

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OF THE 5TH PM, BROWN COUNTY, SOUTH DAKOTA

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Community Development Director Hubbart presented the ordinance. Motion by Ward,

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second by Ekanger, to approve the second reading and final adoption of Ordinance 26-09-02, a

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petition to rezone from I-2 to R-3, Property at 24 State Street N, legally described as Lots 23&24,

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Block 54, Hagerty & Lloyds Addition to Aberdeen, in the NE¼ of Section 13-Township 123

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North-Range 64 West of the 5th PM, Brown County, South Dakota. Roll call vote to approve, all

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present voting aye, motion carried.

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SECOND READING AND FINAL ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE 26-09-03, AN

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ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 60-159 AND 60-160 OF ABERDEEN CITY CODE

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CONCERNING OFF-STREET PARKING REGULATIONS AND OFF-STREET LOADING

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AND UNLOADING SPACE

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Community Development Director Hubbart presented the ordinance. Motion by Novstrup,

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second by Ekanger, to approve the second reading and final adoption of Ordinance 26-09-03, an

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ordinance amending Section 60-159 and 60-160 of Aberdeen City Code concerning off-street

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parking regulations and off-street loading and unloading space. Roll call vote to approve, all

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present voting aye, motion carried.

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NEW BUSINESS

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40/8 PRESENTATION BY RON KROGMAN

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Mr. Krogman presented the 2026 40/8 National City of the Year award to the City of

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Aberdeen.

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PUBLIC HEARING AND APPROVAL OF A SPECIAL ONE-DAY ON-SALE BEER

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LICENSE FOR UNITY FOR LIFE INC. DBA STELLA MARIS, AT SACRED HEART

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PARISH, 502 2ND AVE SE FOR THE SACRED HEART BAZAR ON OCTOBER 4, 2026

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Deputy Mayor Johnson opened the public for the alcohol license. Motion by Nilson, second

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by Liebelt, to approve the Special One-Day On-Sale Beer License for Unity for Life Inc. dba Stella

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Maris, at Sacred Heart Parish, 502 2nd Ave SE for the Sacred Heart Bazar on October 4, 2026.

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Roll call vote to approve, all present voting aye, motion carried.

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APPROVAL OF FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE 26-09-04 SUPPLEMENTING

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THE 2026 BUDGET FOR VARIOUS PARKS, RECREATION AND FORESTRY

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DEPARTMENT ACTIVITIES

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Finance Officer McQuillen presented the ordinance. Motion by Liebelt, second by Ward,

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to approve the first reading of Ordinance 26-09-04 supplementing the 2026 budget for various

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Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department activities. Roll call vote to approve, all present voting

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aye, motion carried.

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APPROVAL OF PAY REQUEST #2 FOR LIME SLAKER REPLACEMENT IN THE
AMOUNT $39,127.50 TO NORTHERN PLAINS CONTRACTING OF WOLVERTON, MN

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City Engineer Redinger presented the pay request. Motion by Ward, second by Novstrup,

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to approve Pay Request #2 for Lime Slaker Replacement in the amount $39,127.50 to Northern

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Plains Contracting of Wolverton, MN. Roll call vote to approve, all present voting aye, motion

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carried.

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APPROVAL OF PAY REQUEST #12 FOR WT-2025-1 (WATER TOWER AND

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TRANSMISSION LINE) IN THE AMOUNT OF $238,592.50 TO LANDMARK STRUCTURES

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INC. OF FORT WORTH, TX FOR SCHEDULE B

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City Engineer Redinger presented the pay request. Motion by Ronayne, second by Ward,

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to approve Pay Request #12 for WT-2025-1 (Water Tower and Transmission Line) in the amount

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of $238,592.50 to Landmark Structures Inc. of Fort Worth, TX for Schedule B. Roll call vote to

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approve, all present voting aye, motion carried.

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APPROVAL OF PAYMENT TO WOODS FULLER IN THE AMOUNT OF $68,360.00

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FOR LEGAL SERVICES RELATED TO THE WINS WATER SUPPLY AGREEMENT

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BETWEEN THE CITY OF ABERDEEN WEB WATER AND BDM RURAL WATER

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City Manager McNeil presented the pay request. Motion by Ronayne, second by Ward, to

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approve Payment to Woods Fuller in the Amount of $68,360.00 For Legal Services Related to the

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WINS Water Supply Agreement Between the City of Aberdeen WEB Water and BDM Rural

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Water. Roll call vote to approve, all present voting aye, motion carried.

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DISCUSSION

REGARDING

WORKING

DRAFTS

CENTER

City Attorney Wager discussed and presented the data center ordinance and extension of
the moratorium.

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REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF CLAIMS AND PAYROLL

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DATA

ORDINANCES AND TIMELINE FOR ADOPTION

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Motion by Liebelt, second by Ward, to approve payment of the bills listed for September
28, 2026.

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Bills having been audited by the Finance Officer and fully itemized and authorize the

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Mayor or City Manager to sign, and the Finance Officer to countersign, all warrants for payment

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of the following approved bills: Utility 591.40: Manhart Haar Properties LLC 59.26, Gys Roux

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70.68, Corey Vosika 59.34, Erdmann Properties 126.43, Prairie Craft Homes 39.38, Plaza Rentals

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LLP 184.21, and BSW LLC 52.10, United Parcel Service 1,000.00, Elavon Merchant Services

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500.00, Paymentech LLC 8,000.00, Dacotah Bank 150.00, Wellmark 310,000.00, Optilegra Inc.

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25.84, Delta Dental of SD 207.68, Northern Electric 10,000.00, Northwestern Energy 180,000.00,

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A-1 Sanitation & Recycling, LLC 27,261.22, Aberdeen Lawn Care 70.00, Active Data Systems,

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Inc. 9,532.95, Agtegra Cooperative 6,277.61, Amazon Capital Services 512.02, Auto Value -

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Aberdeen 655.95, AutoZone 134.34, Banner Associates, Inc. 78,057.38, Bill Feiock 54.00,

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Brandon Udell 60.00, Brown County Landfill 39.36, Century Business Products 50.00, Climate

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Control 199.95, Cody Dvorak 60.00, Cole Papers, Inc. 539.71, Crawford Trucks & Equipment

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671.56, Crescent Electric Supply 1,038.04, Dakota Fluid Power, Inc. 1,203.06, Dakota Oil 56.52,

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Dakota Supply Group 126.60, Dependable Sanitation 229.00, Devin Rice 60.00, Devin Schnaidt

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54.00, DuBois Chemicals, Inc. 11,290.40, Endress+Hauser 2,214.73, Farm Power MFG, Inc.

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71.31, Foxster OpCo, LLC 1,128.22, Gary's Engine & Repair 276.45, Grainger 133.26, Guardian

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Life Insurance Co. 1,357.92, Hach Co. 10,257.06, Jared Donat 120.00, JB's Sandblasting 493.68,

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Jorge Morales 61.50, Judith Shunkwiler 100.00, Kennedy Kosters 54.00, Kyle Brandner 60.00,

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L&T Lawn Care, LLC 150.00, Landmark Structures I, LP 238,592.50, Lien Transportation Co.

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59,229.00, Lou's Gloves, Inc. 495.00, Mac's, Inc. 30.10, Marco Technologies, LLC 323.17,

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McMaster-Carr Supply Co. 328.22, Menards, Inc. 1,421.99, Midstates Group 1,036.00, Nathan

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Dahlberg 60.00, NCL of Wisconsin 853.31, Northern Plains Contracting 39,127.50, PKG

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Contracting, Inc. 2,561,414.94, Plains Commerce Bank 16,976.72, Pomp's Tire Service 915.20,

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Quality Welding, Inc. 37.00, RDO Equipment Co. 382.99, Risk Program Administrators, LLC

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38,272.00, Runnings Supply, Inc. #14 813.64, Sanitation Products, Inc. 65.49, S.D. Dept. of Ag.

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& Nat. Res. 100.00, S.D. Municipal League 450.00, Sewer Duck, Inc. 325.00, Share Corp.

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1,840.22, Sioux Valley Environmental, Inc. 22,971.00, Totally Tubular MFG 1,755.62, Travis

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Weiszhaar 60.00, USA Blue Book 317.32, Vestis Group, Inc. 505.27, WageWorks, Inc. 375.00,

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Woods Fuller Shultz & Smith, P.C. 68,360.00, Workplace by Direct 600.00.

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Roll call vote to approve with Council Member Nilson abstaining to Banner Associates,

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Inc., PKG Contracting, Inc., Fouberg abstaining to Dacotah Bank, Ronayne abstaining to Plains

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Commerce Bank, all present voting aye, motion carried.

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CITY MANAGER’S REPORT

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City Manager McNeil discussed the City's hosting of the Municipal League Conference,

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employee milestone recognition, and a recap of the Gypsy Day Parade. Additional discussion

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regarding housing and development opportunities was provided by Economic Development

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Manager Schwab and Community Development Director Hubbart.

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ADJOURNMENT

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There being no further business, motion by Novstrup, second by Nilson, to adjourn the

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meeting. Voice vote to adjourn, all present voting aye, motion carried. The meeting adjourned at

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6:35 p.m.

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Prepared by Steven Thithavong for the Finance Office. /s/Jordan McQuillen, Finance Officer