Sioux Falls City Council discuss $53 million plan for the city

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - Tuesday’s Sioux Falls City Council Meeting had councilors take a closer look at a proposed 53-million-dollar investment for the city.

The plan is called Sioux Falls for All and will be using money from the American Rescue Plan and the city’s general fund, to help several aspects of the Sioux Falls community. The plan would be part of the budget for the next few years, with plans to incorporate in the 2023 and 2024 budgets.

“This is a road map, a strategic plan for designating these one-time funds that are available to make some transformative long-term investments for the benefit of our community and certainly our residents,” Shawn Pritchett, Sioux Falls Director of Finance said.

The plan would allocate nearly $31 million in infrastructure and public spaces, more than $7 million towards supporting families and neighborhoods, 4 million in jobs and economic development, and 11 million to what it calls “government response.”

The funds for government response would go to the new public safety training facility, a community health worker initiative, and other new facilities.

“Sioux Falls for All is more than just a mantra or a brand, it is really a way of doing business as a community and I think this plan showcases the capacity of the council and administration to work collectively as well as identify priorities but work with our private and nonprofit sectors as well,” Pritchett said.

Councilors that spoke on the proposed plan highlighted the collaborative effort from the mayor, his administration, the council, and other third-party entities to make it happen.

“I’ve never in my 7 years experienced a collaboration like this, really there’s a flavor of every single one of us here, often time we say some of them may not be as high on my priority list as some of the other ones, but I know they are to some of my colleagues or the administration,” Sioux Falls City Councilor Christine Erickson said.

Councilors approved the first reading of the proposed ordinance; the next reading will be held on Tuesday the 17th.

More information about the plan can be found here.

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