March 1, 2022
The Miner County Board of Commissioners met in regular session on March 1, 2022 in the Miner County Courthouse Commission room. Members present: Alex Protsch, Tom Reisch Kathy Faber, Kari Jo Carlson and Joe Bechen. Absent: none. The flag pledge was recited. Motion by Faber, seconded by Reisch and carried to approve the agenda. Commissioners Bechen and Carlson reported on the meeting attended to discuss 911 services with Sanborn County. Those in attendance at that meeting included Sanborn Co Sheriff Tom Fridley and Commissioner Jeff Ebersdorfer, Director of 911 & Dispatch Services Cora Schwader, Sheriff Rob Eggert, Auditor Connor, Bechen, and Carlson. Services offered, expenses incurred and history of revenues were reviewed. Sanborn officials will be taking the information back to present to their commission to request additional funding for the 911 services provided by Miner County.
The minutes of the February 15th meeting were approved. Director of Equalization Tami Severson and Treasurer Jessica Charles joined the meeting.
No persons appeared for Public Comment.
It was moved by Bechen seconded by Carlson and carried to approve the following claims for payment: Road & Bridge $36,831.80, Wellmark $51,389.67, Delta Dental $1,451.85, Kansas City Life $632.11, Retirement $6,377.73, OASI $8,867.21, Commissioners $4,519.75, Auditor $7,901.50, Treasurer $7,188.75, States Attorney $5,708.75, Govt Building $2,427.00, Director of Equalization $7,395.00, Register of Deeds $6,811.71,
Vet Service $911.00, Tax Deed Property HHCC $700.00 (includes Tami Severson at $700/mo), Sheriff $11,553.94, Contract Law $4,346.41, Welfare $667.20, Co Nurse $1,426.50, Ambulance $8,437.03, WIC $97.00, Extension $1,426.50, Weed $1,307.50, Dispatch $11,898.85, Emergency Mgt $2,428.50 FEB PAYROLL; Jessica Charles $14.00, Amie Kidd $14.00, Ron Krempges $14.00, Darcy Laible $14.00, Tami Severson $14.00 PAYROLL TRAVEL; National Sheriff’s Assn $71.00 DUES; Northwestern Energy $2,587.06 GAS SERVICE; Lincoln Co Auditor $173.25 MENTAL ILLNESS HEARING EXPENSE; Jay Egge Automatic Service $2,198.99, SD Property Management $350.00, Two Way Solutions $1,770.18, Ultra $125.00 REPAIRS; Lyle Signs $670.58 ROAD MATERIALS; Kristian Ellendorf $900.00 STATE’S ATTY OFFICE EXPENSE ALLOWANCE; Equipment Blades Inc. $276.42, John Deere Financial $177.40, Kimball Midwest $209.56, Miner Co Pioneer $51.25, Tim Reisch $200.00, Tami Severson $20.00, SD Federal Property Agency $41.00, Kent Terwilliger $21.19 SUPPLIES; Colleen Arens $30.00, AT&T $89.22, Susan Connor $30.00, Tami Severson $30.00 TELEPHONE; Patricia Hartsel $1,962.20 TRANSCRIPTS; Crossroads Hotel $459.95, Kent Terwilliger $87.88, Wyatt Walter $67.88 TRAVEL.
Tami Severson presented a quote from Thompson Electric for repairs at the Howard Hotel & Convention Center. At this time the commissioners will not be approving the quote for the repairs.
The following correspondence was acknowledged: SD Public Utilities Commission-meeting dates for the proposed Carbon Dioxide Pipeline; SD Dept. of Education-Oldham-Ramona-Rutland Consolidation Plan.
Wilbur-Ellis Air submitted an updated request for a permit to land aircraft on Miner County highways. They have submitted their certificate of insurance, listing Miner County as a certificate holder. Carlson moved to approve the request, seconded by Faber. Motion carried.
No update on the Miner Co. health insurance reimbursement was presented. This will be discussed at a future meeting.
Treasurer Jessica Charles presented a list of properties that are eligible for tax deed. Commissioners gave direction to Charles on how to proceed with each property.
With the lack of applications received for the part-time position within the Director of Equalization office, Auditor Connor presented a request to hire a full-time employee to be shared between the Director of Equalization and auditor offices. Treasurer Charles stated that she would also like another individual within her office. Commissioners considered this request but instructed Severson to readvertise the position within her office for 728 hours annually (two 7-hour days/week).
Highway Superintendent Krempges reported Miner County’s application with the SD Volkswagen Truck Replacement Program for 2023 has been approved. It was moved by Faber, seconded by Reisch and carried to authorize Chairman Protsch to sign the required paperwork. Culvert liners will be installed east of Canova within the next few weeks. His department will start working on inventorying all county culverts storing the information electronically.
State’s Attorney Ellendorf joined the meeting to present a bill of sale for the existing bridge lying on the section line access roadway running North and South, commonly known as 425th Avenue, bordered by 243rd Street on the South; and bordered on the West by the Southeast Quarter (SE ¼) of Section Thirty (30), Township One Hundred Five (105) North, Range Fifty-seven (57), Rock Creek Township, Miner County, South Dakota, and bordered on the East by the Southwest Quarter (SW ¼) of Section Twenty-nine (29), Township One Hundred Five (105) North, Range Fifty-seven (57), Rock Creek Township, Miner County, South Dakota. Rock Creek Township will receive this bridge upon Chairman Protsch signing the bill of sale. It was moved by Bechen, seconded by Carlson and carried unanimously to
authorize Chairman Protsch to sign the bill of sale. This sale shall be recorded in the office of the Miner County Register of Deeds.
Ellendorf gave an update on the Howard Hotel and Convention Center. She reported the Judy Shaw Foundation is working on a purchase agreement with an interested party for the purchase of the hotel. Commissioners instructed Ellendorf to draft a resolution for reconveyance of the property that shall be considered by the commission at their March 15th meeting.
An application for abatement of property taxes was received from the Miner County Historical Society for the following properties: Lot 18 Block 2 Howard City OP and Lots 13, 14 & 15 Block 2 Howard City OP. This application has been reviewed and approved by the Howard City council at their February meeting. It was moved by Reisch, seconded by Faber and carried unanimously to abate the taxes ($1,515.05) associated with Lot 18 Block 2, Howard City OP and Lots 13, 14 & 15 Block 2 Howard City OP for the period of time the property was in possession of Miner County Historical Society.
It was moved by Carlson and seconded by Faber to adopt the following resolution.
RESOLUTION 22-10
WHEREAS, insufficient appropriation was made in the 2022 budget for the following department to discharge just obligation of said appropriation; and
WHEREAS, SDCL 7-21-32.2 provides that transfers may be made by resolution of the board from the contingency appropriation established pursuant to SDCL 7-21-6.1 to other appropriations;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the appropriation be transferred from contingency to Abused/Neglect Child Defense $3300.
Voting aye: Bechen, Reisch, Carlson, Faber and Protsch. Voting nay: none. Resolution approved this 1st day of March 2022.
Alex Protsch, Chairman
Miner County Board of Commissioners
Attest: Susan Connor, Miner County Auditor
It was moved by Faber, seconded by Bechen and carried to authorize Chairman Protsch to sign the contract for GIS services with the City of Howard.
Having no further business, the meeting adjourned until March 15th. Dated this 1st day of March, 2022.
Alex Protsch, Chairman
Miner County Board of Commissioners
Attest: Susan Connor, Miner County Auditor