MITCHELL, S.D. — Mitchell Mayor Jordan Hanson is clarifying which capital projects are and are not included in the city’s proposed 2027 budget.
Hanson said the city begins the budget process by presenting the City Council with a balanced budget. He shared a list of capital items that were not included in the initial balanced proposal.
The list includes more than $11 million in potential projects and equipment purchases.
Among the largest items are $3.46 million for Corn Palace HVAC improvements, $1.4 million for LED lighting on eight softball fields at the Sports Complex, $1.14 million to replace four tennis courts and $500,000 each for a City Hall freight elevator, cemetery expansion and improvements to the water treatment building.
Other items include $495,000 for LED lights on sports fields A, B and C, $395,000 for additional LED lighting, $240,000 for roadway lighting at Hitchcock Park and $325,000 for bleacher replacements at the Corn Palace.
Hanson said the projects highlighted on the list were among those discussed publicly but were not part of the first draft of the balanced budget.
He said the City Council can choose to add some of the projects back into the budget, but the council will make the final decisions.
Hanson also said not all proposed spending would be supported by property tax dollars. Some projects would be paid through revenues generated by city departments.
He cited the golf course, water, sewer and sanitation departments as examples of enterprise funds, saying those departments are intended to use their own revenues to cover their expenses.
Hanson described the budget process as a system of checks and balances, with the mayor making recommendations and the City Council having the final authority over the budget.