Ward 1 council candidates offer different outlooks on Mitchell's trajectory, identifying goals

May 24—EDITOR'S NOTE — This is the first of three sets of City Council candidate profiles that will be published in the Mitchell Republic prior to the city election.

MITCHELL — The Ward 1 Mitchell City Council race features a trio of candidates who have vastly different outlooks on the direction Mitchell is headed.

Ward 1 Incumbent Dan Sabers is being challenged by Sarah Deakins and Jesse Stroud. Sabers has held the seat for six years and is seeking another three-year term to represent the southwest portion of the city. The race will be decided on June 4. The candidates are profiled below in alphabetical order.

The trajectory Mitchell is on has Sarah Deakins concerned, and she's hoping to get an opportunity to put the city on a better path as a new member of the Mitchell City Council.

From rising water rates to a lack of affordable housing options amid rising national inflation, Deakins said the council is "out of touch" with the "real issues" facing many residents.

"We're facing a lot of challenges. We've got to figure out a better solution water-wise, and I know we have to get more water to grow. But people are hurting with the water rate increases. I'm hearing people on fixed incomes say they are tapped out with property taxes and water rate increases," Deakins said. "We're not being equally represented to get a look at what is happening in our community. There is so much more happening here that we're not talking about."

The Mitchell native is a candidate advocating for growth in the form of housing and economically. Deakins works as an official with the state Department of Social Services, and she said it's helped her be in tune with the day-to-day struggles many families and residents are facing on top of national inflation. She said the lack of affordable childcare options in Mitchell is another major issue facing the city that Deakins believes isn't being addressed by leaders.

As some community organizations like Mitchell Area Housing Incorporated (MAHI) have been aiming to address Mitchell's housing needs over the past few years, a $250,000 home has been a common price tag of the homes some leaders say the community lacks. Deakins said a $250,000 home is still well above an affordable price range for many Mitchell residents.

"We need to grow. And housing is definitely the biggest challenge for us right now. Today, I saw we had 63 homes on the market and 90% of them were in the $300,000 to $500,000 range," Deakins said. "We need new ideas and out-of-the-box thinking.

When Deakins was volunteering to work at the Shrine Circus in April, it provided her a clear look at the condition of the Corn Palace. And she described it as "embarrassing." The condition of the worn down soft seats was the biggest issue Deakins identified in the Corn Palace. (City staff said recently they are putting on new seat covers this summer.)

"We've been talking about the Corn Palace for years, and why can't something as simple as seat replacement be done already?" Deakins questioned. "I've always operated on a first things first, and fixing the seats applies to that. The Corn Palace is definitely our No. 1 attraction."

While Deakins recognizes some of downtown's positive momentum, she said there is room for improvement. And she has some ideas she hopes could improve the corridor.

"I have an idea of having a vacant building and letting a small business startup move in for free for a brief period of time and see what happens. It would be a way to get a business established and then look at a long term agreement," she said. "We also have to focus on both ends of Main Street and not forget about the south side of Main Street."

Dan Sabers believes Mitchell has a lot of positive momentum.

The Ward 1 incumbent pointed to new restaurants and developments unfolding in downtown Mitchell, an improved Recreation Center and years of strong sales tax growth as indicators showing the city is progressing in the right direction.

"I've noticed people talking about the negative, but we are starting to see growth and big sales tax increases. Sales tax doesn't lie," Sabers said. "In 2021, our sales tax was up 11%. In 2022, it was up 12% and 2023 we were up 4%. We're third in the state for Class A cities as far as sales tax gains, which is huge."

While Sabers is optimistic about the future, he knows there are some challenges facing the community. Tacking those challenges are key goals for Sabers, who is eyeing a third term on the council.

"We have some huge projects we need to get done. Whichever way the vote goes on the lake, something needs to be done. We have the secondary water source we need to get implemented, which is huge because we are tapping out of our water," Sabers said, noting a successful implementation of the $78 million secondary water source is the key to future growth.

Sabers is an advocate of supporting efforts to bring more affordable housing options, of which he said Mitchell is in short supply.

Improving a worn-down Corn Palace, reducing spending and making more progress in the Firesteel watershed to enhance Lake Mitchell are among the main goals Sabers outlined. Of note, Sabers was the Corn Palace director for nine months in 2015.

"We should have been sticking some money into the Corn Palace this year. We have the ripped seats and HVAC units need to be addressed sooner than later. We have to figure out if we want to spend the money on remodeling some of it or renovating the entire facility," Sabers said of the Corn Palace. "I'm in favor of remodeling if we can afford it or get some sponsors."

Sabers was among the council members who voted against the lake dredging loan application. The factors that deterred him from voting in favor of the loan application came down to the city financing an estimated $25 million project and making more progress in the neighboring watershed.

Despite going against the loan application, Sabers said "cleaning up the water" in an algae-plagued Lake Mitchell needs to remain a priority.

"I'm not against fixing the lake. Who doesn't want to see a healthy lake with clean water? Continuing to focus on cleaning up the water coming into the lake has to be a priority if we want to get a better lake," Sabers said.

A new perspective and new ideas that benefit the entire community is what Jesse Stroud hopes to bring to the Mitchell City Council.

The Mitchell native is less than pleased with the direction the city is headed and sees plenty of room for improvement. He said focusing on the citizens and not special interest groups, along with providing more activities are the best places to start for creating a better, inclusive community.

"Statistically, we know Mitchell is stagnant. We need way more activities and things for families to do. We really need housing options that are actually affordable for families and people, not $250,000 to $300,000 homes like a local housing organization says are affordable. I'm talking the $150,000 price," Stroud said. "I do believe we have inclusive issues. Future 2040 identified basic steps to be bilingual to be inclusive. But we have identified it to ignore it."

Stroud has worked in the radio industry, technology sectors and marketing roles. While he has yet to serve in an elected position, the 41-year-old said his diverse business background and humble beginnings have prepared him for a seat on the council.

If elected, Stroud said his main goals would be to utilize the city's facilities, including the Corn Palace, to their fullest potential, and bring more activities.

"We don't have enough things to keep the dollars people do earn in Mitchell because we're sending them to other communities due to not having enough activities to keep them here," Stroud said. "We can change the trajectory of Mitchell by utilizing the facilities we have in a bigger way. We've invested time and money into the Corn Palace Plaza, and we only utilize two days a month during the summer."

During the candidate forum, Stroud painted Mitchell as a "divisive community" with leaders who can't get on the same page. He said there needs to be more cohesion among city leaders with all of the citizens in mind.

The proposed dredging project doesn't have Stroud's support. He said it's a costly project that won't remove all of the phosphorus-laden sediment on the lake bottom and doesn't address the runoff flowing into the lake from Firesteel Creek.

A key step the city should take to enhance the Corn Palace, Stroud said, is re-examine the city's agreement with the Chamber of Commerce which allows the organization to operate the seasonal gift shop inside the Corn Palace. The Chamber of Commerce rents the Corn Palace floor for the summer gift shop.

"The city is being taken advantage of. As a business person, it's obvious how predatory the contract between the city and chamber is. It is such a bad contract," Stroud said of the city's agreement with the chamber, which was approved by the council this year in a 7-1 vote.