Keystone takes step to nix deer feeding

The Keystone Town Board met an hour earlier Feb. 15 to discuss two important issues facing the town.

The first centered on a discussion on an ordinance to prohibit feeding wildlife and waterfowl. Trustee  Matt Fullilove did most of the talking on behalf of the board, saying the “spirit” of the issue of feeding the deer in town has “become a safety issue.”

“Something had to be done,” he said.

The proposed ordinance is identical to Rapid City’s. 

According to Pennington County Sheriff’s Office deputy Chris Plawman Keystone has as many as 30-40 deer in town and that feeding deer attracts mountain lions.

“A local resident we all know just shot a mountain lion right here in town,” he said. He estimates there are four mountain lions in town. 

“You can tell exactly where the deer are being fed,” Plawman said. “They expect food to be out there.” 

Lynette Gohsman, who grew up in Keystone, said when she was younger “it was a rare occurance to see a deer in town.”

Resident Steve Dalton, who admits he used to feed deer, said one of the problems with feeding  the deer population is that they become “quite benign.” 

“These things are like Bambis, they follow me,” he said. 

Dalton said he has had two deer hit by cars in front of his yard recently.

The only opposition to the proposed ordinance came from Robin Scott, who wanted the term “feral cats” removed citing that they are not wild animals.

“That’s a whole other issue,” Scott said, recomending the town  figure out what other towns do about the feral cat population.

The first reading of the ordinance  passed with the exclusion of feral cats as wild animals. The second reading  takes place March 1.

Once enacted into law the penalty for feeding deer in town will be $500. 

The board also discussed where new public restrooms in town could be located. The current bathrooms will be removed as part of the Hwy. 40/16A road and bridge project. Concern over whether they can be replaced in their current location due to Federal Emergency Management Agency and floodway regulations is prompting the board to consider alternatives. The South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT), which is in charge of the road and bridge project, has offered to pay the town for the rebuilding of the bathrooms. However, the town has limited options as to where those restrooms can be relocated to.

The discussion centered on keeping the restrooms in their current location or purchasing the vacant lot adjacent to the post office or BaRLees to build a combination Keystone Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center and public restroom facility. The latter ideas could potentially cost the city upwards of $1 million in land acquisition alone. 

“As of right now they’re gonna put them back where they were just move them over a little bit,” said Jerry Przybylski, who said the current restrooms are not built to code for handicapped access. Concern over the safety of  people walking directly off the boardwalk from the Front Porch and into Swanzey Street traffic was also discussed.  The lot next to the post office was cited as a possible location due to its electricity and access to parking but trustee Casey McNulty stressed “it’s all in the dollar amount.”

Trustee Sandi McLain said the owner of BaRLees wants to sell, which prompted discussion into imagining a combination visitor information center and restroom facility, with most agreeing it would be nice.

Przybylski, the town’s public works director who was speaking as a citizen, opposed the idea.

“You’re taking away business that generates revenue and replacing it with something that generates nothing,” he said.

Gohsman offered that the town could put office space above as a means to generate income.

“I think it would be something we could jump on,” said Keystone chamber director Robin Pladson. She suggested locating the park board in the new facility and for the town to consider all the “additional things” the other visitor information centers in the area have to attract people to their towns. She saw it as an opportunity  to “push the Keystone  stuff” by having a space that size.

Pladson said the site would be excellent due to the additional meeting space and current town hall limitations of  WiFi.

No action was taken on the matter but the officials will contact the SDDOT to see if it would help purchase  new property for restroom relocation. Officials will also contact the owner of BaRLees and the adjacent lot next door to see the cost of each parcel.