Harrisburg says NO to state prison wastewater deal • South Dakota Searchlight

HARRISBURG – The Harrisburg City Council on Tuesday night rejected an agreement that would allow the state to connect the proposed men's prison to the city's wastewater treatment plant, but a state official said the decision would not prevent the state from moving forward with construction.

The vote came after months of opposition from some locals to the proposed prison site near town and culminated in a tense council meeting. The meeting was attended by over 100 people, many of them members of the local opposition group Neighbors Opposing Prison Expansion (NOPE).

Some residents described the proposed deal as if the state was trying to “dangle a carrot” in front of the city.

“Have you looked into this thoroughly? Have you really dug into it? Because I guarantee you there is fine print,” said Sam Eiesland, a NOPE member whose property is near the proposed prison site.

Government agencies are being bombarded with questions about the costs of a new men's prison

Ryan Brunnera senior policy adviser to Gov. Kristi Noem, attended the council meeting. He said the state is considering two wastewater options: connecting to the municipal system or building residential lagoons.

“That’s it,” said Brunner. “Those are the options.”

Tobin Morris, vice president of Colliers Securities, has been working with the city and state and was invited to provide a neutral perspective.

Morris told the council he stands to benefit from the deal. He said the state will pay the city $7.1 million up front, which could be used to pay off debt for municipal water projects, ultimately reducing residents' water bills by 20 to 30 percent. In addition, state payments for sewer services would bring the city about $500,000 annually.

Some residents said the long-term costs of the prison outweigh the benefits.

“We always think about economic development, we always think about taxes, but we also have to think about quality of life,” said Lincoln County Commissioner James Jibben. “If you lose quality of life, you never get it back.”

Some residents expressed concern that turning the area into a “prison town” would hamper future development and that inmates and their families would remain in the area.

The state Department of Corrections announced last fall that it had selected a piece of state-owned farmland about 6 miles south of Harrisburg for the construction of a men's prison. The announcement surprised neighboring landowners.

Lawmakers have allocated $569 million for the project in recent years while awaiting a final cost estimate. The 1,500-bed facility would largely replace Sioux Falls' 1881 prison.

NOPE members filed suit last November challenging the state's ability to bypass local zoning regulations. A judge heard arguments in January but has not yet issued a decision.