Flandreau Sports Associations dream facility gains city approval

The Flandreau City Council has approved a conditional use permit for a proposed indoor athletic facility, marking a significant step forward for the local Sports Associations vision.
During its regularly scheduled meeting this past week, the council approved Ordinance 631, which allows the facility to be built within an area typically zoned as residential (R2). This change paves the way for the creation of a facility that, organizers say, would provide year-round baseball training opportunities for local youth, similar to those found in larger communities.
The idea for the facility began nearly a year ago with discussions led by the Baseball Association, which has aimed to create more access to training programs for local youth who often have to travel out of town to train with better-equipped teams. Since then, the project has expanded, with plans to include areas for other sports to train, a fitness center, and outdoor training fields.
Now, the association has been renamed the Flandeau Sports Association.
With approval from the city, organizers continue to operate under a tight timeline to secure the remainder of the nearly $750,000 needed for the property and the remainder of the project, with an incredible amount of work being donated in-kind. Organizers believe they will have a final plan to present, including platting details, to the city and broader Moody County Community in the near future.
In other city business, utility improvement efforts are again underway, after rainy weather caused significant setbacks. Shane Waterman, an IMEG engineer, updated the council on the ongoing installation of new main valves, which will help manage water flow throughout the city. As the project progresses, residents may experience temporary water service disruptions, but they will be notified in advance.
The next public meeting to discuss the utility improvement project will be held on Wednesday, July 30th at noon at the City Office.
Also at the meeting, Flandreau was officially declared a Purple Heart City, a distinction awarded to communities that honor the sacrifices of military veterans. Randy Tollefson and Bridget Flannery, both South Dakota National Guard veterans, were on hand to receive the proclamation. Four signs will be installed around the city to mark the honor. Moody County also recently approved a countywide designation as a Purple Heart County.
Wes Hall was appointed as the new City Ambulance Director ahead of the city taking over long-held county ambulance operations.
And the citys Employee Appreciation Event will take place on July 29th from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the Aquatic Center, during which the pool will be closed to the public. The plan, while supported by the council to show appreciation for city staff, also brought a larger conversation about how often the pool should be closed for private events, if at all. More on that story elsewhere in this weeks Moody County Enterprise.