BROOKINGS (10-12-26) — Brookings Radio, in conjunction with the Brookings Beacon, continues election 2026 coverage. This week, we’re profiling the candidates for Brookings City Council.
Al Austreim is a local business owner. He said he’s opposed to the city’s recent purchase of a downtown grain elevator… “I think that that site never should’ve been purchased by the city. Government does not belong in real estate transactions. I’m not afraid to say it and I’ll say it right now that Target and Aldi being in Brookings is great; I feel that they would’ve been here earlier if the city hadn’t been involved in the marketplace.”
He’s also concerned about city plans to convert Dacotah Bank Center to a hybrid event and recreational facility… “Brookings is still an ag-related, rural community. SDSU is an ag-related university. So I think not having a plan for how we’re going to deal with 4-H and rodeos — I mean you look at the stats they showed up on the screen the other night showed the events that had the biggest crossover between Dacotah Bank Center and hotel stays. The number one event was rodeo, so I think it’s a little short sighted to be pushing that out.”
He also said he’d be in favor of greater diversity of opinions in appointments to volunteer city boards… “Every committee, every group should have a very diverse set of experiences and opinions. Like I said before, if you have a conversation with somebody you don’t agree with, you’re going to have a much better conversation. If everybody in your group is all the same, believes the same things, well then you’re just kind of sitting there listening to yourself talk.”
Two, three-year city council seats are up for grabs.
The complete interview with Al Austreim is posted at https://www.brookingsradio.com/news/interview-brookings-city-council-candidate-al-austreim/. Coverage on Austreim and the other city council candidates will also be featured in an upcoming issue of the Brookings Beacon.
The election is November 3.
— Brookings Radio News
