By Kacie Svoboda
Keystone trustee Kwinn Neff attended a legislative meeting in Pierre about Senate Bill 135 and gave testimony to the Senate State Affairs Committee, supporting the bill on the behalf of Keystone. If this bill is made into law, it would allow Keystone to collect an extra penny of sales tax to help fund special projects after a vote by the public. The board would also have to specify the use of the tax and its end date.
According to Neff, this could raise $150,000 over the course of the summer season — based on last year’s sales tax. Neff plans to return to Pierre on Thursday, Feb. 19, to testify before the House Taxation Committee.
The second and final reading of Sign Permit section 150.11 of chapter 150 was unanimously approved. According to this amended ordinance, separate permits for specific commercial signage are required prior to any commercial sign to be erected, constructed, enlarged, altered, moved or converted on or off premises. This permit must be filed with the Town of Keystone finance office and approved by the board. This revised ordinance excluded the need for a permit for removing, demolishing, improving, repairing or maintaining signage or its moveable parts.
Another change required that all seasonal businesses remove any “lightweight advertising material” at the end of the season. In addition, commercial identification signs were defined and it was decided that a banner cannot be used as the primary advertisement for a business. It should be used only temporarily to promote special deals, sales or events and removed after such promotion ends or the end of the season. Banners that remain after 48 hours of the end of the promotion or season will accrue a $5 per day fine.
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