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Brandon continues to build rapport with S.D. legislators
By By Jill Meier
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EmailFebruary 02. 2010 6:00AM
While South Dakota’s temperatures hovered in the below zero range last Wednesday, the reception the delegation of Brandon Valley Area Chamber of Commerce members received in Pierre was actually quite warm.
For the fourth consecutive year, just over 30 chamber members ventured to the Capitol city for Brandon Day at the Legislature. During their time in there, the Brandon delegation filled the bellies of state legislators and capitol staff with Tony’s Catering mouth-watering grilled pork loin and famed cheesy hashbrown potatoes.
Tony Bosch and Chad Padgett of Tony’s Catering went to work in the early hours of the day preparing the food for Wednesday’s meal at the Capitol. Padgett said Bosch was stationed at the grill by 3 a.m., cooking up pork loins to feed a crowd of 275.
“We can feed 350,” Padgett admitted, “because when you get this far out, we don’t want to run out of food.”
During their chamber’s 2009 visit to the Pierre, Padgett said the BVACC served 360.
But feeding state lawmakers wasn’t the group’s only purpose for the Pierre trip.
“We’re keeping our rapport with the legislature and it’s always good to show our faces and thank them for their services,” said BVACC Executive Director Kim Cerwick, who took part in her first Brandon Day at the Legislature. “And we reminded them that Brandon is a growing and viable community.”
Cerwick encourages others who have not taken part in Brandon Day at the Legislature, to consider going next year.
“It was a great time and I would recommend any Brandon resident to come along,” she said.
Wednesday’s trip to Pierre was Jon Salberg’s first trip with the Brandon Chamber. Salberg, a funeral director with George Boom Funeral Home, said he was interested in seeing what goes on in Pierre and what South Dakota legislators have to say in a year when funding is tight and department cuts are mandatory.
“You know, there’s an old saying that says there are two things in life you should never see made: sausage and legislation,” Salberg joked.
He and the BVACC entourage easily survived the latter on Wednesday.
City staffer Jimmie Fjerestad also ventured to Pierre with the Chamber group for the first time this year. He said the day proved to be an interesting experience.
“It’s just interesting to see how laws are made,” said Fjerestad, “and I could have sat and listened to the PUC (Public Utility Commission) Commissioners for an hour. I thought they were interesting.”
The Brandon group had the opportunity to meet with Darin Bergquist, secretary of transportation, and PUC Commissioners Gary Hanson, Steve Kolbeck and Dusty Johnson.
During their time with Bergquist, the Brandon delegation shared their concerns regarding the pending relocation of the Sioux Falls railroad switching yard. The proposed plan would move the switching yard to the east side of Sioux Falls near Timberline Avenue, along Rice Street. While the BVACC supports the proposed option of improving Benson Road so that it can intersect with SD 100, they are requesting that an overpass be built for safety reasons and to avoid traffic conflicts for commuters to and from Brandon to Sioux Falls.
But the project likely won’t be happening any time in the near future, Bergquist said.
“South Dakota 100 is very muddy right now,” he said. “A lot of it will depend on what new federal funding looks like, and we’ll be fortunate to even have that answer on federal funding by this time next year.”
Meeting with Bergquist was one of the most beneficial things the BVACC group accomplished on Wednesday.
“We discussed the road with the secretary of transportation, and he was very grateful that we gave him the map and shared our concerns,” she said.
Bergquist said that the number of large-scale road and bridge projects are going to be significantly less than in past years.
“Right now we’re doing so few big projects because we’re stretched so thin,” Bergquist said. “We’ll be doing more resurfacing projects.”
The cost to reconstruct a single mile of two-lane road has gone up from $1 million to $1.25 million.
“Revenues are down and the cost of doing road construction is up,” Bergquist said.
Over the past four years, Bergquist said highway revenues are down $10 million, while construction costs have increased 30 percent during that same time period.
After meeting with Bergquist and the PUC Commissioners, the group was recognized with a round of applause by both the House and Senate members. A group photo on the steps of the Capitol rotunda completed their time at the Capitol.
As the Brandon delegation prepared to leave the Capitol, City Administrator Bryan Read was pleased that he attended.
“It’s a good day,” he said. “A little bus ride and lots of Tony’s Catering.”
For the fourth consecutive year, just over 30 chamber members ventured to the Capitol city for Brandon Day at the Legislature. During their time in there, the Brandon delegation filled the bellies of state legislators and capitol staff with Tony’s Catering mouth-watering grilled pork loin and famed cheesy hashbrown potatoes.
Tony Bosch and Chad Padgett of Tony’s Catering went to work in the early hours of the day preparing the food for Wednesday’s meal at the Capitol. Padgett said Bosch was stationed at the grill by 3 a.m., cooking up pork loins to feed a crowd of 275.
“We can feed 350,” Padgett admitted, “because when you get this far out, we don’t want to run out of food.”
During their chamber’s 2009 visit to the Pierre, Padgett said the BVACC served 360.
But feeding state lawmakers wasn’t the group’s only purpose for the Pierre trip.
“We’re keeping our rapport with the legislature and it’s always good to show our faces and thank them for their services,” said BVACC Executive Director Kim Cerwick, who took part in her first Brandon Day at the Legislature. “And we reminded them that Brandon is a growing and viable community.”
Cerwick encourages others who have not taken part in Brandon Day at the Legislature, to consider going next year.
“It was a great time and I would recommend any Brandon resident to come along,” she said.
Wednesday’s trip to Pierre was Jon Salberg’s first trip with the Brandon Chamber. Salberg, a funeral director with George Boom Funeral Home, said he was interested in seeing what goes on in Pierre and what South Dakota legislators have to say in a year when funding is tight and department cuts are mandatory.
“You know, there’s an old saying that says there are two things in life you should never see made: sausage and legislation,” Salberg joked.
He and the BVACC entourage easily survived the latter on Wednesday.
City staffer Jimmie Fjerestad also ventured to Pierre with the Chamber group for the first time this year. He said the day proved to be an interesting experience.
“It’s just interesting to see how laws are made,” said Fjerestad, “and I could have sat and listened to the PUC (Public Utility Commission) Commissioners for an hour. I thought they were interesting.”
The Brandon group had the opportunity to meet with Darin Bergquist, secretary of transportation, and PUC Commissioners Gary Hanson, Steve Kolbeck and Dusty Johnson.
During their time with Bergquist, the Brandon delegation shared their concerns regarding the pending relocation of the Sioux Falls railroad switching yard. The proposed plan would move the switching yard to the east side of Sioux Falls near Timberline Avenue, along Rice Street. While the BVACC supports the proposed option of improving Benson Road so that it can intersect with SD 100, they are requesting that an overpass be built for safety reasons and to avoid traffic conflicts for commuters to and from Brandon to Sioux Falls.
But the project likely won’t be happening any time in the near future, Bergquist said.
“South Dakota 100 is very muddy right now,” he said. “A lot of it will depend on what new federal funding looks like, and we’ll be fortunate to even have that answer on federal funding by this time next year.”
Meeting with Bergquist was one of the most beneficial things the BVACC group accomplished on Wednesday.
“We discussed the road with the secretary of transportation, and he was very grateful that we gave him the map and shared our concerns,” she said.
Bergquist said that the number of large-scale road and bridge projects are going to be significantly less than in past years.
“Right now we’re doing so few big projects because we’re stretched so thin,” Bergquist said. “We’ll be doing more resurfacing projects.”
The cost to reconstruct a single mile of two-lane road has gone up from $1 million to $1.25 million.
“Revenues are down and the cost of doing road construction is up,” Bergquist said.
Over the past four years, Bergquist said highway revenues are down $10 million, while construction costs have increased 30 percent during that same time period.
After meeting with Bergquist and the PUC Commissioners, the group was recognized with a round of applause by both the House and Senate members. A group photo on the steps of the Capitol rotunda completed their time at the Capitol.
As the Brandon delegation prepared to leave the Capitol, City Administrator Bryan Read was pleased that he attended.
“It’s a good day,” he said. “A little bus ride and lots of Tony’s Catering.”
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The Brandon delegation who ventured to Pierre for the fourth annual Brandon Day at the Legislature, had their picture taken on the steps of the Capitol Rotunda. Representing Brandon in Pierre on Jan. 27 were, from left, row one: Kim Cerwick, Mindy Hansen, Barb Fish, Kimberly Kremlacek, Tiffany Paclik; row two: Marilyn Bruning, Harry Buck, John Larson, Dave Pappone and Carol Roemen; row three: Bob Bruning, Elissa Stauffacher, Dave Kull and Don Limmer; row four: Laura Kuehl, Dawn Rogier, Beth Wooten, McKenzie Schelhaas, Steve Tripp; row five: Kevin Thelen, Rogert Brooks, Scott Lavoy, Paul Van De Berg; row six: Bryan Read, John Small, Trevor Guthmiller and Jon Salberg; row seven: Dennis Olson, Jimmie Fjerestad, Lee Schelling and Paul Lundberg. Photo by Jill Meier |  |
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