Readings determine noise from Marmen within acceptable range

Noise levels in the Marmen Energy neighborhood are within an acceptable range, said Brandon city administrator Bryan Read at the Nov. 6 city council meeting. 

Residents Todd Dathe and Cory Hanson approached the council last month with concerns about the noise coming from the wind tower manufacturing facility, particularly at night. The city of Brandon doesn’t have a noise ordinance, Read said, but decibel readings taken outside Marmen were compared to the numbers in Sioux Falls’ ordinance and fell within an acceptable range. Readings ranged from 46.3 to 78.6 decibels, Read reported. The Sioux Falls ordinance has a limit of 75 decibels in industrial developments.

Read also said Marmen is also working with its shipping carriers to avoid blocking adjacent throughways, another concern Dathe and Hanson brought before the council in October.

Brandon Golf Course director Zane Swenson approached the city council last week about making a modest increase to golf course rates, which hadn’t been raised in several years. The Brandon City Council passed a motion to raise rates 3 percent with the exception of youth, family and couples passes, which will be lowered to be more competitive with area course rates. Family and couple’s passes will be combined into one.

Swenson said rates have not been raised in three years, despite an uptick in expenses. The 3 percent, Alderman Jon McInerny pointed out, would generate an additional $10,000 per year.

The council also looked at pay and benefits for city employees in similar-sized towns within a 100-mile radius of Brandon and approved a motion to increase the pay of police officers who are also certified to train recruits by $1 per hour during field training. 

The council will meet at 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 20, at council chambers.