August 5, 2024
The Miner County Board of Commissioners met in regular session on August 5, 2024, in the Miner County Courthouse Commission room. Members present: Alex Protsch, Tom Reisch, Joe Bechen, Kathy Faber and Mike Clary. Members absent: none.
Chairman Protsch called the meeting to order. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. It was moved by Bechen, seconded by Faber, and carried to approve the agenda, as amended. The minutes from the July 16th meeting were approved. No one appeared for public comment.
Motion by Reisch, seconded by Clary and carried to authorize the Auditor’s Office to pay the following claims: Road & Bridge $66,069.71, MERP Fund $54,707.52, Reliance Standard $1,822.80, Retirement $8,495.60, OASI $11,842.61, Commissioners $4,655.25, Auditor $7,576.50, Treasurer $7,717.50, States Attorney $6,056.50, Govt Building $3,366.40, Director of Equalization $8,412.83, Register of Deeds $7,452.79, Vet Service $592.25, Sheriff $13,111.63, Contract Law $5,475.68, Welfare $531.60, Ambulance $11,222.98, Extension $1,113.42, Weed $1,386.50, Dispatch $14,163.12, Emergency Mgt $2,575.00 JULY PAYROLL. Tami Severson $14.00, Barb Esser $14.00 PAYROLL TRAVEL.
Josh Esser $180.00, Mike Clary $30.00 EVOC DRIVERS; Alliance $150.00 911 CHARGES; AT&T $2,937.00, Sturdevant’s $529.99 EQUIPMENT; HFCA $10,222.43, Sturdevant’s $14.79 FUEL; Northwestern $34.12 GAS; County Employee $84.92 INSURANCE REIMBURSEMENT; Mark Neises $984.00 MOWING; Madison Community Hospital $101.00, Madison Family Dental $770.00 PRISONER CARE; Jean Morrison $120.00, SDEMA $25.00 PROFESSIONAL SERVICE; Miner County Pioneer $176.63 PUBLISHING; Dust-Tex $175.20, Microfilm Imaging Systems $385.00 RENT; Al’s Service $964.82, Howard Auto Clinic $1,001.15, Office Peeps $224.83, TwoTrees $1,729.95, Winker Trenching $700.00 REPAIRS; HFCA $75.00 ROAD MATERIALS; Kristian Ellendorf $900.00 STATE’S ATTY OFFICE EXPENSE; Relx, Inc. $149.00 SUBSCRIPTION; C&R Supply $24.30, Dust-Tex $244.58, Fleetpride $118.57, Kimball Midwest $114.07, McLeod’s $240.85, Miner Co Treasurer $175.65, Office Peeps $438.32, Tim Reisch $433.33, Tami Severson $20.00, Shane’s Hardware $59.45, Sturdevant’s $167.29, TwoTrees $169.45 SUPPLIES; Alliance $891.65, AT&T $365.48, Jessica Charles $30.00, Erin Feldhaus $30.00, Lori Kiehl $30.00, Becki Mommaerts $30.00, Tami Severson $30.00, Molly Steeneck $30.00, Verizon $98.05, Danielle Werkmeister $30.00 TELEPHONE; Brian Baldwin $135.00 TRAINING; HFCA $48.97, Emergency Management Assn $150.00 TRAVEL; City of Howard $2,856.61, Xcel Energy $9.39 UTILITIES
The Auditor’s Account with the County Treasurer showed a July 31, 2024 balance of $6,496,124.72 in all state, county, civil, school and trust accounts.
Correspondence Received: July 2024 Moisture Report and Highway Update Report.
An insurance adjuster was at the courthouse last Wednesday to assess the damage to the west door at the north entrance; his assessment has not yet been received. The quoted repair cost from Puetz, including the addition of a surface mounted hold open arm to the east door, is $3,141.84; a $2,500 deductible will be taken off the insurance payment.
Custodian Lori Kiehl received a quote from Brian Zimmer for the rubber sealing of the Courthouse sidewalk for $7/ft, or $1,350 for all 192 feet. Zimmer stated this quote was on the high end, so the cost could be less, but would not be more. Commissioners approved Kiehl contracting Zimmer to complete this work.
Severson reported that taxes have been paid and she would recommend approval of the John Laible plat. It was moved by Bechen and seconded by Faber and motion carried to pass the following resolution:
Resolution 24-22
Be it resolved that the plat shown hereon and described as LOT 1 OF LAIBLE’S 2ND ADDITION IN THE NORTHWEST QUARTER (NW1/4) OF SECTION EIGHT (8), TOWNSHIP ONE HUNDRED SIX (106) NORTH, RANGE FIFTY-FIVE (55) WEST OF THE 5TH P.M. IN MINER COUNTY, SOUTH DAKOTA, be approved and accepted by the Board of County Commissioners at its meeting of August 5, 2024 and the county Auditor is hereby instructed to endorse on such plat a copy of this resolution and to certify the same.
Voting aye: Protsch, Reisch, Bechen, and Clary. Voting nay: None.
Dated this 5th day of August, 2024.
Alex Protsch, Chairman
Miner County Commissioners
Attest: Rebecca Mommaerts, Miner County Auditor
Severson reported that taxes have been paid and she would recommend approval of the Verna Hauge Living Trust plat. Motion by Faber, second by Clary and carried to pass the following resolution:
Resolution 24-23
Be it resolved by the Board of County Commissioners of Miner County, South Dakota, that the plat of LOT 1 OF HAUGE ADDITION IN THE SE ¼ OF SECTION 30, T 108 N, R 55 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: Protsch, Reisch, Bechen, and Clary. Voting nay: None.
Dated this 5th day of August, 2024.
Alex Protsch, Chairman
Miner County Commissioners
Attest: Rebecca Mommaerts, Miner County Auditor
A request was received from the Department of Revenue for Miner County to submit a copy of GIS parcel data for inclusion in the statewide database. Severson stated this information has been provided in the past, free of charge, to the state. Commissioners instructed Severson to hold off on sending the data.
Motion by Reisch, seconded by Faber and carried to authorize Chairman Protsch to sign the resolution to continue support for the First District Association of Local Governments during fiscal year 2025 (October 1, 2024-September 30, 2025).
It was moved by Faber, seconded by Bechen and carried to authorize the auditor to make an automatic supplement in the amount of $29,488.21 to the Emergency Management fund for Homeland Security grant funds received.
It was moved by Faber, seconded by Reisch, and carried to make an operating transfer, as provided for in the 2024 budget, in the amount of $15,000 from General Fund to Emergency Management Fund.
Clary made a motion, seconded by Faber and carried to move $418 from assigned unemployment funds to unassigned funds, in conjunction with the reemployment assistance payment made to the Department of Labor.
Bechen reported on his attendance at the Vermillion Basin Water Development District meeting in Centerville, SD on July 17.
Ambulance Manager Cora Schwader presented ambulance updates to the board. Jackie Stuhr has been added on as a driver for the ambulance. Volunteer ambulance has historically been paid quarterly, but due to the decreased number of volunteers and by request of those volunteers, Schwader made the request to begin paying these volunteers monthly. Commissioners approved this change; Schwader will work with the Auditor’s office on updating ambulance payroll procedures. Schwader has requested an estimate from Steve Litterick for necessary repairs to the ambulance barn, but she has not received this yet. Ambulance services have new administrative rules, effective July 1. Personnel is now licensed through the Board of Medical and Osteopathic Examiners, though the actual ambulance service is still licensed through the Department of Health. Ambulance personnel will work on completing the necessary steps to remain in compliance. The ambulance vehicle purchase budgeted for 2025 was discussed.
Further discussion of the 2025 provisional budget took place. To remain compliant with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Commissioners requested Auditor Mommaerts to adjust Tami Severson’s salary for 2025 to $58,656 and adjust the Director of Equalization salary budget accordingly. The Sheriff’s office will have to manage schedules to avoid overtime for the deputy officers; Commissioners requested Sheriff Eggert attend the next meeting to discuss this. Auditor Mommaerts will make the adjustments and send the provisional budget for publication.
The meeting adjourned to August 20th. Dated this 5th day of August, 2024.
Alex Protsch, Chairman
Miner County Board of Commissioners
Attest: Rebecca Mommaerts, Miner County Auditor