Letter to the Editor - Jorgensen: Ross Kotewa is the people’s choice
My family loves living in Brandon. We love living next door to green spaces and the small-town feel. We love living in a community that we believe is the best in the state of South Dakota. We love our neighbors. I can attest first hand on the number of people I have met who have actively sought out housing here just to get their kids into Brandon (Valley) Schools. I am genuinely confused by many of the Brandon city council decisions – Ironwood road, the cell tower, and the data center to name a few. None of these things add value to Brandon but actually detract from it.
The data center being built 0.5 miles away from Brandon homes has been the most shocking and disappointing to say the least.
The Brandon City Council may say they have “no jurisdiction” over the data center. However, they sent city staff to the Sioux Falls City Council meeting on Jan. 6, 2026 to publicly announce that the Brandon City Council is “Neutral” on the data center.
I am NOT neutral, most of my friends and neighbors are not neutral. Quite the opposite. I support people who are willing to fight for Brandon. Anyone on the city council who is neutral is not representing Brandon or its citizens. Are you representing the residents of Brandon or the data center?
We have zero information about noise, water, power, the effect on property values or anything else related to the hyperscale data center being built in our backyard.
Sioux Falls continues to bully Brandon by putting things like a hyperscale data center and now a 340 foot telecommunications tower in our backyard. Sioux Falls residents would be up in arms over a data center and telecommunications tower so close to their homes. Which by the way is exactly why they are putting them next to ours. Shutting us out of decisions that will impact our residents the most.
Brandon needs a city council who represents the interests of the people living here. A city council with the will to stand up to Sioux Falls and county decisions. A council who is pro-active with protecting our community with moves like annexing the land behind the Bluffs so that Brandon does have jurisdiction.
(Ross) Kotewa and his family have stood up for Brandon. They have showed up at our door to talk to us personally and to hear what we had to say. They have taken their time and energy to work to keep the community they love a place we all want to be. They collected petition signatures to get the proposed 5G cell tower near our schools on the ballot. Kotewa attended the Six Mile Road corridor meeting and spoke with residents who were concerned about the data center. Kotewa has been attending city council meetings and has been speaking up for residents – on topics ranging from the location of new city hall to the telecommunications tower.
Kotewa’s actions are consistent with his words, and he is not afraid to stand up and speak up for Brandon.
The only choice we have to represent the citizens of Ward 1 on the City Council is Kotewa. Kotewa does not have any personal or professional conflicts of interest – he does not represent the data center, his personal construction business, or Sioux Valley Energy.
We need to start electing city council members who truly represent the people with no other personal, political or professional interest.
Keep Brandon beautiful.
Let’s start with Ross Kotewa in Ward 1. A man of the People.
Veronica Jorgensen
Brandon
