April 2, 2024
The Miner County Board of Commissioners met in regular session April 2, 2024, in the Miner County Courthouse Commission room. Members present: Alex Protsch, Tom Reisch, Joe Bechen, and Mike Clary. Members absent: Kathy Faber. Also present for portions of the meeting were Tami Severson, Jessica Charles and Jill Calmus.
Chairman Protsch called the meeting to order. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. It was moved by Bechen, seconded by Reisch, and carried to approve the agenda. The minutes of the March 19th meeting were approved. No reports of meetings attended.
It was moved by Reisch, seconded by Bechen and carried to authorize the auditor to pay the following claims: Road & Bridge $44,521.70, MERP Fund $52,834.49, Reliance Standard $1,835.60, Retirement $7,123.50, OASI $10,504.31, Commissioners $4,655.25, Auditor $7,576.50, Treasurer $7,717.50, States Attorney $6.056.50, Govt Building $4,392.10, Director of Equalization $9,706.34 Register of Deeds $8,192.14, Vet Service $592.25, Sheriff $12,700.38, Contract Law $6,323.58, Welfare $653.43, Ambulance $9,297.05, Weed $1,386.50, Dispatch $17,064.90, Emergency Mgt $2,575.00 MAR PAYROLL; Rebecca Mommaerts $28.00, Jessica Charles $14.00, Karla Neises $14.00 PAYROLL TRAVEL.
Triotel $171.53 911 CHARGES; SD SOS $30.00 FILING FEE; Northwestern Energy $1,041.83 GAS SERVICE; Emergency Safety Education $135.00 IN-SERVICE EDUCATION; Miner Insurance $120.00 INSURANCE; SD DOT $1,819.94 CONTRACTED MAINTENANCE; Miner Co Treasurer $161.63, Stamp Fulfillment $2,465.60 POSTAGE; Avera $343.00 PREEMPLOYMENT PHYSICAL; Miner County Pioneer $912.59 PUBLISHING; Dust-Tex $175.20 RENT; Sturdevant’s $27.97, Ultra Bright Lightz $656.82 REPAIRS; Michael Todd & Co $1,485.21 ROAD MATERIALS; Kristian Ellendorf $900.00 STATES ATTY OFFICE EXPENSE; Dust-Tex $489.16, Equipment Blades $1,952.82, Kimball Midwest $101.30, Mcleod’s $149.90, Tim Reisch $433.33, Tami Severson $20.00, Kent Terwilliger $40.83 SUPPLIES; Alliance $877.11, Erin Feldhaus $30.00, Lori Kiehl $30.00, Becki Mommaerts $30.00, Tami Severson $30.00, Molly Steeneck $30.00, Verizon $97.30, Danielle Werkmeister $30.00 TELEPHONE; Arrowhead Resort $108.92, Ron Krempges $28.00, Dan Page $16.83, Wyatt Walter $15.30 TRAVEL; City of Howard $2,786.48 UTILITIES.
No one appeared for public comment.
The annual meeting with the Director of Equalization was held as required by SDCL 10-3-14. Reisch made a motion to go into executive session pursuant to SDCL 1-25-2 (1) at 9:17am, seconded by Bechen and carried. The board came out of executive session at 9:38am.
Highway Superintendent Ron Krempges joined the meeting for highway matters. Spring weight limits will be pulled this week. Krempges gave an update on the Rural Access Infrastructure Fund. Miner County will receive their final allocation of the funding this year, and the money must be spent by 2029. At the request of Krempges, Bechen made a motion, seconded by Clary and passed unanimously, to declare the Monroe 1-way snowplow, model MPFA39-52-12-ISCT, surplus and offer it to Kingbury County at the purchase price of $500.
Krempges will post a notice to farmers regarding highway grade and ditch violations on Facebook and in the paper this coming week. Amanda Austerman will be filling in for Amie Kidd during her absence, starting Monday. Krempges will get quotes for repainting the outside walls of the shop to put in a future budget.
Commissioners acknowledged receipt of the following correspondence: WIC Contract termination from State of SD. The State of SD would like to continue to utilize office space for WIC purposes; Commissioners granted this request, at the discretion of Community Health Nurse Kayla Miller.
The bid opening for the 2024 mowing and trimming of the Miner County 4-H Grounds was held as advertised. The following bids received reflect a per occurrence basis: Neises Mowing Service $328; K and K Mowing $485. Motion by Bechen, seconded by Clary to accept the bid and enter a contract with Neises Mowing Service for 4-H Grounds mowing and trimming for $328 per occurrence. Voting aye: Clary, Bechen, Reisch and Protsch. Voting nay: none. Motion carried.
Reisch made a motion to lift the burn ban, effective 4/2/24, seconded by Clary and passed. Commissioners requested the burn ban be left on the agenda for the rest of the year. Red flag automatic burn ban was discussed. Protsch will talk with States Attorney Ellendorf on the possibility of revising the burn ban ordinance.
The leave request from Gibi Page was discussed; it will be addressed later in the meeting.
4-H/Youth Advisor Jill Calmus gave a report on upcoming events, which will be posted on the SDSU Extension Miner County 4-H Facebook page, as well as in the email newsletters. Construction of the barn has begun at the 4-H Grounds; details for the pens are being worked out. The Extension/4-H Office Assistant position was offered to and accepted by Cheryl Moore; she will begin employment on Tuesday, April 9th.
Roger Laible joined the meeting representing Clearwater Township. Others in attendance were Kody Dawson, David Callies, Amie Kidd, Ron Krempges, Jessica Charles, and Tami Severson. Haul Route and Road Repair agreements were signed in 2013, and Clearwater Township contends that Shannon Colony is not abiding by their portion of the agreements. Because of this, they will be sending a bill to Shannon Colony for the materials and labor that resulted from the roads not being maintained, as agreed upon. Clearwater Township wanted the county to be aware of the situation.
Roger Laible also brought up concerns regarding new FEMA requirements, which require townships to acquire new UEI numbers and inventory everything with GIS. The township inquired if there was any way the county could pick up some of the FEMA workload, as the work must be completed to be eligible for FEMA funding. Clearwater Township has all the big structures inventoried, but now FEMA wants every small structure inventoried too on their Crisis Track website. Krempges stated that the county is not done inventorying all their structures either, and pointed out that townships should already be inventorying their small structures on an annual basis; the only change for the FEMA requirement is inputting them into the Crisis Track system. Commissioners stated they have not heard from any other townships regarding the new requirements, and the townships need to go through the work if they want to receive the funding.
Gibi Page joined the meeting for more discussion on her leave request; Commissioners asked that the decision be tabled until the April 9th meeting.
The meeting adjourned to April 9th. Dated this 2nd day of April, 2024.
Alex Protsch, Chairman
Miner County Board of Commissioners
Attest: Rebecca Mommaerts, Miner County Auditor