Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - The Watertown City Council on Monday conducted first readings for two ordinance updates—Ordinance 26‑19 and Ordinance 26‑20—each aligning city regulations with the 2024 International Building Code (IBC) and 2024 International Fire Code (IFC). Both updates are part of a broader effort to keep local standards current with state law and Insurance Services Office (ISO) requirements.

Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - The City Council on Monday unanimously approved a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Sheridan Township, updating and replacing a road‑maintenance agreement that has been in place for more than three decades. The revised document modernizes responsibilities for roads near the city’s southeastern edge, particularly those serving the Watertown Regional Landfill.

Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - The Watertown City Council on Monday unanimously approved a haul road agreement between the City of Watertown and J&J Land Sales LLC, formalizing traffic routes, maintenance responsibilities, and enforcement procedures tied to the company’s newly approved mining operation on the city’s southeast side.

Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - The City Council opened its July 6 meeting with a heartfelt and honorable moment, as longtime public servant and fireworks coordinator Randy Tupper delivered a full recap of Watertown’s 250th Independence Day celebration — and then received one of the city’s highest honors.

Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - The Watertown City Council on Monday will consider authorizing City Manager Alan Stager to sign a Haul Road Agreement with J&J Land Sales LLC, establishing designated truck routes and safety requirements for a newly approved mining operation on the city’s southeast side.

Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - The Watertown City Council will take up a consent‑agenda item Monday night that would formally write off $133,672.62 in long‑outstanding sanitary sewer assessments and cost recoveries.

Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - The Watertown City Council will meet Monday night, July 8, with a consent agenda that includes authorization for the Police Department to apply for and receive an Airport Security Reimbursement Grant.

Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - As the summer season brings taller grass and an influx of property maintenance complaints, City Manager Alan Stager and representatives from the police department discussed and highlighted the city’s abatement processes for dealing with overgrown weeds and junk, while also issuing a strong plea for community cooperation and neighborly goodwill.

Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - The seemingly simple concept of a walkable community has proven to be an engineering and political minefield for the Watertown City Council. During Monday’s work session, the council dove into the complexities of retrofitting sidewalks into established neighborhoods, debating inconsistent development policies and the controversial “Waiver of Right to Protest” that has left many property owners frustrated.

Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - The Watertown City Council convened tonight for an extensive work session to address a long-standing and complex financial hurdle: the collection of “cost recoveries” for sanitary sewer infrastructure, some of which have been sitting on the books since the 1970s.

Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - The Watertown City Council voted unanimously on Monday night, June 15, 2026, to approve the purchase of a 2.91-acre parcel of surplus land from the South Dakota Department of Transportation (SD DOT). The transaction, valued at $12,200.00, aims to preserve a critical corridor for the city’s long-term infrastructure plan: the proposed North Bypass.

Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - In a deeply deliberative session on June 15, 2026, the Watertown City Council narrowly approved the annexation and zoning of two large tracts of land on the city’s expanding northeast edge.

Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - The City of Watertown has announced that municipal offices and several public facilities will be closed on Friday, June 19, in observance of the Juneteenth federal holiday.

Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - A pending annexation of nearly 100 acres into the City of Watertown has brought a dispute between a local gravel pit operator and Codington County officials to a boiling point. J&J Land Sales, LLC is seeking city annexation to continue its mining operations, a move that township and county officials fear could wipe away a trail of recent zoning and right-of-way violations.

Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - The Watertown City Council on Monday night will consider approving Change Order No. 1‑Final for the 2026 10th Ave NW Water Main Project, increasing the contract by $8,629 for a new total of $95,229.

Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - At a special meeting on June 8, 2026, the Watertown City Council unanimously approved an extension of a right-of-way permit, allowing continued street closures for the delayed AirStay hotel project at the site of the former City Hall.

Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - A standard municipal boundary request turned into a debate over regulatory jurisdiction, transparency, and truck traffic on Monday evening. The Watertown City Council reviewed the first reading of twin ordinances, No. 26-13 and No. 26-17, aimed at annexing and establishing A-1 Agricultural zoning for approximately 95.71 acres of contiguous land situated directly on the city’s perimeter.

Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - A regulatory debate over residential swimming pool fences resurfaced in the Watertown City Council chambers on Monday night. They reviewed the first reading of Ordinance No. 26-14, a sweeping zoning text amendment to Chapter 21.79 designed to modernize local pool barriers by acknowledging advancements in safety cover technology.

Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - A nearly full Watertown City Council chamber became the backdrop for a robust discussion on Monday evening, as local government officials, passionate small business owners, and frustrated citizens conflicted over the ongoing construction delays plaguing the “AirStay” hotel redevelopment project.

Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - Homeowners attempting to repair aging exterior decks or expand residential garages will bypass costly variance procedures after the City Council approved the second reading of Ordinance No. 26-12. The zoning text amendment modifies Chapter 21.10, clarifying standard residential configurations while rectifying an historical oversight affecting hundreds of properties developed before 2005.