Pennington County explains kiosk process

Aldermen discussed an auto registration renewal kiosk in Hill City at the Dec. 22 Hill City Common Council (HCCC) meeting.

Pennington County commissioner Ron Rossknecht  and Pennington County treasurer Annette Brandt spoke to aldermen about the cost and process.

As of March 2025, a kiosk would cost a one-time fee of $90,000 along with a $1,500 per-month maintenance fee and an additional $18,000 annually when an extension renewal or contract renewal goes into effect. The state pays for the kiosks located in Rapid City and Minnehaha counties. 

Brandt said she is “totally envious” of the five or six Minnehaha has, which are primarily located in gas stations. 

“They seem to be doing quite well,” she said. 

The state prefers machines to be in 24-7 locations. 

Currently, Brandt said, “A majority of our population comes to us face-to- face.” 

Those that use the kiosk use the one on Kansas City Street the most. Kiosks can be used to do an address change, renew a drivers  license or vehicle registration, report a vehicle sale or print a seller’s permit. Kiosks spit out registration cards and stickers. 

Brandt said a kiosk in Hill City “would be a draw for people” because anyone with a South Dakota license can use it. She gave a story of the success Wall has with them, as being a destination along with grabbing a donut in town. 

Brandt said through Dec. 21 self-service kiosks in Rapid City were used 898 times by people with Hill City zip codes, and 301 by people with a Keystone zip code. 

Brandt said, “Maybe getting out into the community” to educate how to use it would encourage more usage. 

“The state is driving placement of these based on usage,” said Brandt, adding if usage was up perhaps there would be more state incentive to place one in Hill City. Brandt said there is a kiosk budgeted for in 2027 that will go somewhere in the state.

“Someone’s gonna get one,” Brandt said.

Questions came up including whether there is a need for a kiosk as the online platform becomes more user-friendly and people become educated about how to use in person services more efficiently. While Alderman Ethan Walker called the online experience “horrible,” Brandt noted there is a growing online trend versus face-to-face. In fiscal year 2025, 171,523 registrations were renewed via kiosk, nearly a 30 percent increase over the previous year. 

Aldermen approved a parks board request for a $6,000 expenditure for a proposal from South Dakota State University (SDSU) School of Design to create a community vision plan this summer. This covers the scope of work and lodging for undergraduate students 

City administrator Nate Anderson said the plan  would be a visual that could be used to help bring various groups together for a “green belt” stretching from Ranger Field to Memorial Park. He said the plan would include drone footage and community feedback, but the list of actual scope of work is “certainly adjustable.” 

Walker, who voted against the expenditure, said, “Some of this seems like another report.” 

The town has a master plan for Memorial Park and the Hill City Trails Project, Black Hills Trail, has its own master plan. As the town looks in the future to  perhaps move the location of the Mickelson trailhead, council president Lori Miner said knowing the impact of trail use would be “money well spent,” referencing the ongoing parking issues at Tracy Park. 

One of Anderson’s goals is to use the plan to persuade the Federal Emergency Management Agency to purchase homes in the floodway, if the seller were willing. Anderson was not sure if SDSU had done similar projects for other towns, but resident Vic Alexander said SDSU had done one for Hill City. 

Alderman Dennis Siebert said the senior director is leaving, and the seniors are trying to decide what to do.

Walker brought up July 4 city-owned bunting saying the sentiment from the chamber of commerce is that those needed to be upgraded or replaced.

This has not been budgeted for. No action was taken.

Feedback from the recent windstorm was that the city could have used the Hill City Center, said Anderson, who added, he honestly didn’t “have a good answer” as to why it wasn’t used. He said the county disaster plan uses the school as a site, but with a generator, the Hill City Center could be used as well. Anderson did not think the school was open for everyone during this storm. Some families did go to the city maintenance shop to get water. Public Works supervisor Justin Asher said “we lucked out” about lack of damage to city property due to the storm. The sewer plant was without power for several days, but Anderson said it could go up to 20 days without power if needed. 

City engineer AE2S is no longer recommending an elevated storage tank for the water project in town, which means the city will need booster pumps. 

Alderman approved a hearing date for a zoning change to 237 Elm St. This was part of the agenda’s consent calendar. Council members discussed looking at that property in conjunction with the property next to it, as well as creating a central business district that includes the Hill City Center and the Boys and Girls Club. This would require a public hearing. 

“It would make enforcement a lot easier,” Anderson said if the whole strip was central business. No action was taken. 

The next HCCC meeting is Jan. 12 at 5:30 p.m.