Watertown City Council approves land purchase for new Street Department headquarters, with a contingency  (Audio)

February 22, 2022
Mike Tanner

WATERTOWN, S.D.–Watertown has found land for a new Street Department building–assuming an environmental study on the property comes back okay.

The city council voted unanimously Tuesday night to buy 27 acres where the former South Dakota Livestock Barn on State Highway 20 was located.

The barn burned down in an August 2015 fire, and the property has been vacant since then.

The agreement calls for the purchase of the 27 acre site for $1.2 million.

Appearing at the meeting was Street Superintendent Rob Beynon. He was asked by Councilman Glen Vilhauer how the property might look, aesthetically speaking, with his headquarters there……

That property is located right on a curve on Highway 20 as you head out of town. Beynon was asked about what traffic speeds might be in that area, with big equipment like snow plows coming in and out of the entrance to the property…

The council has budgeted $7.5 million for the project, including land acquisition costs.

The current Street Department building is on Arrow Avenue near the High School. Beynon says it’s an unsafe location that is small, and does not provide heated space for snow plows and other snow removal equipment in the winter months.