County seeks engineers and grant help for $600,000 Agri-Business Access grant to support proposed 4 million-bushel grain site

Representatives for Southeast Farmers Elevator Cooperative described plans for a new 4 million-bushel storage facility in the county and told the Commission they had committed to supporting some infrastructure costs. Highway Superintendent Rod Polley told the Board the key transportation question is whether upgrades must be heavier-duty concrete or whether an engineered asphalt solution is acceptable for the heavy truck traffic and the nearby rail crossing. He told the board he will ask SECOG and Ulteig Engineering to provide site borings and estimates.

The Board also voted to move forward with a SD DOT Agri-Business Access Grant application and to authorize the Highway Superintendent to work with SECOG and the engineers on the application. Polley told the Board the grant is limited — “The grant is a maximum of $600,000” — and the Board and the developer discussed how local road improvements, potential turning lanes onto Highway 50, and railroad crossing adjustments could be financed through a mix of grant funding, developer contributions, or TIF arrangements.

Why this matters: A large agricultural facility will produce sustained heavy truck traffic on local roads and requires careful design and cost-sharing to avoid long-term damage to county infrastructure. The grant application process and engineering studies are the necessary next steps to decide which improvements the county can require of the developer and which can be funded through grants.