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Watertown City Council Approves Updated Sheridan Township Road Maintenance Agreement Near Landfill

Map of Watertown showing roads, a winding blue river, red boundary notes, north arrow, and Northeast Radio SD logo.

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.


The agenda document notes that the MOU “clarifies responsibility for the care and upkeep of the roadway, right of way, and associated bike paths including bridges, drainage structures, culverts, roadway and bike path surfacing,” and will be updated every two years to reflect annexations and changing jurisdictional boundaries.


A Major Update to a 1990 Agreement

City Engineer Justin Petersen told the council the city has spent the past year working with all Codington County townships to standardize road‑maintenance MOUs. Sheridan Township already had an agreement dating back to 1990, amended in 1994, but Petersen said the new version makes several important changes.

“This MOU modifies that agreement in a couple ways,” Petersen said. “In the original agreement the city maintains six and a half miles of road… This modifies it and the city is only responsible for the blading and grading of the two miles on 29th Street from the South Bypass down to what I call the landfill road.”

The city’s responsibility excludes the culvert crossing the Big Sioux River, which remains under township maintenance.


Sheridan Township will continue mowing, plowing, and maintaining all other roads in the area, including culverts and washouts. Petersen said the change reflects the heavy use of 29th Street by commercial haulers accessing the landfill.

Expanded Ditch‑Cleanup Area

The new MOU also expands the city’s ditch‑cleanup obligations.

“There’s a two‑mile radius from the landfill… city staff will pick up ditches as needed,” Petersen explained.

The previous agreement only required litter pickup directly in front of the landfill. The agenda document confirms the city must collect litter twice annually along 175th Street between Highway 81 and 459th Street, and at other locations within two miles of the landfill when notified by the township.


Other Provisions Remain in Place

Several long‑standing components of the 1990/1994 agreement remain unchanged:

·         USGS stream‑gaging station access and maintenance permissions

·         Landfill disposal privileges for Sheridan Township residents and farm units as of October 1, 1994

·         City maintenance of the paved portion of 175th Street between Highway 81 and the landfill entrance


The agenda document reiterates that any roadway modifications required due to future annexations—such as traffic signals at major intersections—remain the financial responsibility of the city or the applicable developer.


Unanimous Approval

Mayor Ried Holien asked for a motion to approve the MOU. Councilman Mohrmann moved, Councilman Peters seconded, and the council voted unanimously in favor.


The updated MOU is now in effect following signatures from Sheridan Township Chairman David Little, City Manager Alan Stager, Township Clerk Jessica Little, and City Chief Financial Officer Kristen Bobzien.

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