By Carleen Wild
Moody County Enterprise
Colman voters have cleared the way for property proposed for a new Colman-Egan athletic complex to become part of the city and be rezoned for the project.
Official results from the July 28 election show voters approved Resolution 468, referring the annexation to a public vote, by a margin of 166-50. Ordinance 469, addressing the property’s rezoning, passed 164-53.
A decisive 77% of voters supported annexation, while nearly 76% supported rezoning.
The local election was held alongside South Dakota’s Republican gubernatorial primary runoff between Toby Doeden and Larry Rhoden, helping draw more voters than local poll workers and city officials had anticipated. Moody County reported a 38.1% turnout in the runoff, with Rhoden receiving 544 votes and Doeden 263, according to unofficial results.
The Colman results were officially canvassed July 30.
The Colman-Egan School District purchased the land east of the school earlier this year as the proposed site of a new football and track and field complex. Because a row of homes sits between the school and the property, some neighboring residents petitioned to bring the City Council’s annexation and rezoning decisions to a public vote.
Opponents raised concerns about traffic, parking, noise, lights, trash and the property’s proximity to a neighboring slough and potential flooding.
Neighbor Mary Gengler said she is not opposed to Colman-Egan building a new athletic complex. She and several of her neighbors, however, still maintain their backyards are not the right place for it.
“I don’t know how to say this correctly, but to see it like we do,” Gengler said. “We don’t want to be sandwiched on a school campus. And if it doesn’t affect you directly, like it affects this row of houses, I think it’s hard to understand. We’ve been to every school board meeting since last November, and it seems like most everything we’ve said falls on deaf ears.”
Supporters point to opportunities the complex, likely to be built on the east edge of town and just a short walk from the school, could provide students and the broader community, including a track for student athletes and local residents.
Superintendent Scott Hemmer has said the location could also improve parking around the school and existing football field.
Had either measure failed, the property would have remained under Moody County jurisdiction, where the district could have continued pursuing the project.
With both measures approved, the property can now be brought into Colman and developed under city zoning. Annexation will also make it easier for the district to connect the site to city utilities.
The district is still working through preliminary design plans. No final layout or construction timeline has been announced.