December 17, 2019
The Miner County Board of Commissioners met in regular session December 17, 2019 in the Miner County Courthouse. Members present: Roger Wentland, Garrett Gassman, Voni Durant and Alex Protsch. Absent: Tom Reisch. Chairman Wentland called the meeting to order. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. Motion by Durant, seconded by Protsch and carried to approve the agenda as amended. The minutes of the November 17th meeting were approved. No person appeared for Public Comment. Gassman declared a conflict of interest concerning the correspondence received from Megan Gassman.
The following correspondence was received: Canova Cowhands 4-H Club thank you note; Miner County Moisture Report; SD DENR-Nutrient Management Plan for New Fashion Pork; Megan Gassman-email concerning individual disaster assistance through FEMA.
The auditor was authorized to pay the following claims: Alliance $150.00, Century Link $109.23, Santel $55.12, Triotel $170.04 911 CHARGES; Sanford Medical Center $2,325.00 AUTOPSY; SD Dept. of Health Lab $40.00 BLOOD ALCOHOL; ICAP $654.33 COMMUNITY ACTION PAYMENT; Jencks Law PC $570.00 COURT APPT ATTY FEES; Central Electric Coop $56.51 ELECTRICITY; Butler Machinery $1,169.99 EQUIPMENT; Cardmember Services $186.74, HFCA $13,329.64, Sturdevant’s $31.07, Wingen’s Garage $2,454.90 FUEL; County Employee $2,000.00 INSURANCE REIMBURSEMENT; Axon Enterprise $2,996.00 INVESTIGATION EXPENSE; FedEx $13.76, Miner Co Treasurer $210.60, Rapid City Police Dept $18.74, Stamp Fulfillment Services $665.55 POSTAGE; State of SD Treasurer $12.23 PUBLIC DEFENDER OVERPAYMENT; Madison Daily Leader $28.71 PUBLISHING; Aramark $254.08 RENT; Ace Towing $416.25, Al’s Service $125.39, Colleen Arens $360.00, C&R Supply $90.00, Sid Gulbranson $200.00, HFCA $13.00, Klinkhammer Plumbing $84.18, North Central $2,847.69, Office Peeps $426.16, S&S Contracting $381.43 REPAIRS; Brock White Co $146.70, Dawson Construction $1,888.08, Michael Johnson Construction $647.79, Rolling Prairie Grain $2,148.00, Spencer Quarries $1,287.24 ROAD MATERIALS; Relx Inc. $149.00 SUBSCRIPTIONS; All States Ag Parts $77.00, Avera Home Medical Equipment $52.00, Boyer Trucks $178.34, Dawson Construction $27.78, Emergency Medical Products $587.50, Equipment Blades Inc. $19,296.00, Gall’s $31.52, HFCA $19.98, Krug Products $128.85, Mac’s $190.84, Matheson Tri Gas $129.22, Mid-American Research $47.22, Miner Co Treasurer $47.31, Office Peeps $755.98, PharmChem $85.65, Rusty’s $90.41, Sturdevant’s $520.95, Thomson Reuters $208.86, Tom’s Hardware $119.03, Two Way Solutions $13.99, US Postal Service $76.00, Vander Haag’s $150.00 SUPPLIES; Alliance $951.01, Verizon $77.38 TELEPHONE; Cardmember Services $92.50, Tami Severson $71.40 TRAVEL.
Emergency Management Director Kent Terwilliger joined the meeting to address the email received from Megan Gassman. Terwilliger explained the county did adopt a resolution declaring a disaster- “The MINER COUNTY commissioners respectfully request that all assistance that may be available from State and Federal agencies be provided to all local Governments to include Miner County and businesses and general population as we work to overcome this disaster.” For FEMA to offer assistance to individuals, a threshold of structural damage must be reached. Terwilliger reported that Miner County individual damage did not reach that threshold. So therefore, FEMA did not include Miner County for individual participation.
Miranda Bender of The Insurance Store joined the meeting to discuss the renewal for employee health insurance. Several county employees joined the meeting. Employees asked if there were more Wellmark plans from which to choose. Commissioners asked Miranda to bring back to the meeting more Wellmark options.
Coroner Alex Nurnberg did not attend the meeting to discuss appointing a deputy coroner.
Director of Equalization Tami Severson presented the following plats for consideration. It was moved by Gassman and seconded by Durant that the following two resolutions be approved.
RESOLUTION 19-30
BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of County Commissioners of Miner County, South Dakota, that the plat of LOTS 1, 2 AND 3 OF BOOMGAARDEN BROTHERS’ FIRST ADDITION IN THE SE ¼ OF SECTION 9, T 107N, R 57 W OF THE 5TH P.M., MINER COUNTY, SOUTH DAKOTA, which has been submitted for examination pursuant to law, is hereby approved and the County Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to endorse on such plat a copy of this Resolution and certify the same.
Voting aye: Durant, Gassman, Protsch, and Wentland. Resolution approved this 17th day of December 2019.
Roger Wentland, Chairman
Miner County Board of Commissioners
Attest: Susan Connor, Miner County Auditor
RESOLUTION 19-31
BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of County Commissioners of Miner County, South Dakota, that the plat of LOTS A, B, C AND D OF BOOMGAARDEN’S FIRST ADDITION IN THE NORTH ½ OF SECTION 29, T 108 N, R 57 W OF THE 5TH P.M., MINER COUNTY, SOUTH DAKOTA, which has been submitted for examination pursuant to law, is hereby approved and the County Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to endorse on such plat a copy of this Resolution and certify the same.
Voting aye: Durant, Gassman, Protsch, and Wentland. Resolution approved this 17th day of December 2019.
Roger Wentland, Chairman
Miner County Board of Commissioners
Attest: Susan Connor, Miner County Auditor
Auditor Connor informed the commission that Brad Preheim Executive Director of Vermillion Basin Water Development District asked that the board be informed that legislation will be proposed to form an expanded Vermillion Basin Water District. Those counties that will be in the expanded district are all in favor of the change. The east half of Miner County would be placed in the newly formed district and would be removed from the East Dakota WDD should the legislation pass.
It was moved by Durant, seconded by Protsch and carried to approve the 2020 Victim Witness Coordinator Agreement from Beadle County.
It was moved by Gassman, seconded by Durant and carried to approve the 2020 Minnehaha Co. Juvenile Detention & Lutheran Social Services Agreement.
Ron Krempges, Miner County Highway Superintendent joined the meeting to review highway matters. He reported on the exchange of work with Kingsbury County. Kingsbury County will reimburse Miner County for work done in 2019. He also covered additional repairs to the Mack truck (it has been repaired many times), process for selling the CAT motor grader, pickup replacement in 2020, surplus sale in 2020, and two small trailer purchases to be used for signs and asphalt router.
It was moved by Gassman, seconded by Durant to purchase off state bid a Ford F350 in 2020 for $37,469.00.
Krempges requested the following level increases. It was moved Gassman, seconded by Protsch and carried to make the following adjustments in pay effective 1-1-20: Logan Calmus Level 6 to Level 7, Eric Smith Level 3 to Level 4, Adam Mentele Level 2 to Level 3, and Amie Kidd Level 4 to Level 5.
Sheriff Rob Eggert made a request for an increase in salary for deputy Mike Clary. The board denied Eggert’s request as an increase had been given in January 2019 and another increase granted in June for 2020.
Miranda Bender rejoined the meeting with additional health plans for consideration. It was moved by Protsch, seconded by Durant and unanimously carried to offer qualifying employees health insurance through Wellmark. It was moved by Gassman, seconded by Protsch to set the health plan choices as follows: Complete Blue 3500, myBlue HDHP and Enhanced Blue 3500 basing the employer’s contribution on the Complete Blue 3500.
Miner County Treasurer Pat Carmon made a request for a level increase for Deputy Treasurer Jessica Charles. It was moved by Gassman, seconded by Durant and carried unanimously to approve the following Jessica Charles from Level 3 to Level 4 effective January 1, 2020.
Custodian Colleen Arens requested use of the floor scrubber and wet vac to use at the Howard Legion hall. The board granted her request.
It was moved by Durant, and seconded by Gassman and carried to approve the 2020 Memo of Understanding with SDSU for the 4-H Youth Advisor.
The board reviewed pictures of the newly constructed Hutcheson County Courthouse. The contractor for that project was Puetz Construction out of Mitchell, SD. Blackburn Basement provided an estimate for work to elevate the water issues in the basement of the courthouse. After discussion on the issues with the courthouse the board instructed the auditor to contact Puetz Construction to attend a future meeting to discuss options for a new building. And to contact Johnson Controls to request their services to get cost estimates for repairs to the existing courthouse building. The board needs estimates to determine in what direction to proceed.
Having no further business, the meeting adjourned until December 30th. Dated this 17th day of December, 2019.
Roger Wentland, Chairman
Miner County Board of Commissioners
Attest: Susan Connor, Miner County Auditor