December 30, 2024
The Miner County Board of Commissioners met in special session December 30, 2024 in the Miner County Courthouse. Members present: Alex Protsch, Joe Bechen, Kathy Faber and Mike Clary. Absent: None. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. Chairman Protsch called the meeting to order. It was moved by Faber, seconded by Bechen and carried to approve the agenda. The minutes of the December 17th meeting were approved as presented. Faber reported on her attendance at the weed board meeting on the 17th; the annual meeting will be on March 12, 2025. Present for portions of the meeting: Kari Jo Carlson, Tami Severson, Jessica Charles, Gibi Page, Cheryl Moore, Jill Calmus, and Lori Kiehl.
It was moved by Bechen, seconded by Clary and carried to approve the following claims for payment: Road & Bridge $58,793.13, MERP Fund $56,964.17, Reliance Standard $1,291.30, Delta Dental $500.64, Retirement $7,962.16, OASI $11,632.33, Commissioners $4,655.25, Auditor $7,645.22, Treasurer $7,750.75, States Attorney $6,558.58, Govt Building $3,366.40, Director of Equalization $9,280.69, Register of Deeds $7,541.07, Vet Service $739.13, Sheriff $12,197.75, Contract Law $4,196.25, Welfare $509.45, Ambulance $11,848.48(includes Justin Brandsma at 20.27/hr), Extension $1,232.62, Weed $1,386.50, Dispatch $17,257.99 (includes Julie Lightbourn at 20.29/hr), Emergency Mgt $2,575.00 DECEMBER PAYROLL. Barb Esser $14.00 PAYROLL TRAVEL. SD Department Legislative Audit $8,766.50 AUDIT; SD DOT $7,915.69 CONTRACTED MAINTENANCE; Amazon $1,399.00, Bound Tree Medical $549.65, Two Trees $1,030.00 EQUIPMENT; Josh Esser $30.00 EVOC DRIVER; Elan Financial $41.19, HFCA $10,794.28, Sturdevant’s $81.95 FUEL; Northwestern Energy $1,104.21 GAS; Dust-Tex $175.20, Microfilm Imaging $470.00 RENT; Butler Machinery $693.37, HFCA $95.87, Office Peeps $81.91, Two Way Solutions $595.00 REPAIRS; Achievement Center $760.00, True North Steel $62.70, White Cap $15,093.42 ROAD MATERIALS; Amazon $1,388.06, Bound Tree Medical $99.99, Butler Machinery $772.80, DMC Wear Parts $13,202.52, Dust-Tex $244.58, Elan Financial $452.92, Fleetpride $312.86, Istate Truck Center $295.84, John Deere Financial $418.06, Mcleod’s Printing $1,220.12, Office Peeps $1,374.43, Rhomar Industries $626.18, Runnings $5.29, Rusty’s $22.48, Shane’s Hardware $82.80, Sturdevant’s $1,273.73, CNH Industrial $161.30, Trail Kind Industries $154.30, Two Way Solutions $93.93, White Cap $2,887.92, Brittany Yanish $214.02 SUPPLIES; AT&T $373.62 TELEPHONE; Joe Bechen $50.25, Elan Financial $344.85, Kathy Faber $56.28 TRAVEL.
Commissioners acknowledged receipt of the following correspondence: Veterans’ Service officer November 2024 report.
The Inclement Weather Policy was tabled until January 7th.
Highway Superintendent Krempges met with the board on highway matters. Krempges was able to get Butler Cat to raise the trade-in value of the motor grader to $90,000. The trade-in process will likely take place in early summer. Krempges did note that the machine would have to be kept in the same repair as it was during the inspection. Faber made a motion, seconded by Clary and carried to authorize Krempges to sign the agreement for the motor grader trade-in with Butler Cat for $90,000. The bridge on the west side of Carthage has not gotten the DOT authorization yet so the bid opening will have to be moved back. Krempges now plans on January 30th for the bid opening to be awarded on the February 4th meeting, if possible. Krempges also noted the AGC conference in Deadwood will be the week of the 16th, so the date change may be advantageous anyway.
It was moved by Bechen, seconded by Faber and carried to enter into the 2025 inmate housing agreement with the Charles Mix County Jail.
It was moved by Clary, seconded by Bechen and carried to enter into the 2025 Beadle County JDC Agreement.
It was moved by Bechen and seconded by Faber and carried unanimously to revert the capital outlay designations of 2024 Chip Seal $95,000, 2024 Bridge Replacement $120,000, and 2025 Truck Tractor $100,000 (a total of $315,000) back to General Fund Balance Unassigned.
It was moved by Faber and seconded by Clary and carried to adopt the following resolution:
RESOLUTION 24-31
WHEREAS SDCL 7-21-51 allows the board of commissioners to authorize the accumulation of funds for a period longer than one year for capital outlay purposes;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Miner County Board of Commissioners set forth funds from the General Fund for capital outlay accumulation as follows: Move the Motor Grader from 2024 to 2025 and increase the amount by $70,000 (from $390,000 to $460,000), Chip Seal 2026 $250,000. Voting aye: Protsch, Bechen, Faber & Clary. Voting nay: none. Resolution adopted this 30th day of December 2024.
Alex Protsch, Chairman
Miner County Board of Commissioners
Attest: Rebecca Mommaerts, Miner County Auditor
It was moved by Faber, seconded by Bechen and carried to authorize the auditor to make an automatic supplement in the amount of $2,356.28 to the Sheriff budget for Highway Safety grant funds received over and above the budgeted revenue for the year.
It was moved by Clary, seconded by Faber and carried to authorize the auditor to make an automatic supplement in the amount of $8,969.74 to the Emergency Management budget for Homeland Security grant funds received over and above the budgeted revenue for the year.
It was moved by Faber and seconded by Bechen to approve the following resolution:
RESOLUTION 24-32
WHEREAS insufficient appropriation was made in the 2024 budget for the following departments 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 the following departments: General Government Building $10,194; Sheriff $2,909; Welfare $525.00.
Voting aye: Protsch, Bechen, Faber and Clary. Voting nay: none. Resolution approved this 30th day of December 2024.
Alex Protsch, Chairman
Miner County Board of Commissioners
Attest: Rebecca Mommaerts, Miner County Auditor
It was moved by Faber, seconded by Clary and carried to authorize the auditor to make an operating transfer, as provided for in the 2024 budget, in the amount of $942,000 from General Fund to the Road & Bridge Fund $900,000; 911 Fund $40,000; and Emergency Management Fund $2,000.
The Medical Expense Reimbursement Plan (MERP) cash balance at the end of 2024, the first year the plan was in effect, is $19,469.23. However, this savings amount is skewed by the fact that the server for Three Rivers has been down since 11/22/24, so no reimbursements have been made to employees since that time, as well as by the fact that the county has only paid administrative services for 3 months of the year, as those were the only invoices received. Auditor Mommaerts was unsure if a large bill from Three Rivers would be coming in 2025, as communication has not been great with Three Rivers.
The Miner County Board of Commissioners took a moment to honor the life and service of Tom Reisch, who tragically passed away during his term as County Commissioner; many employees in attendance for this recognition. To honor Reisch’s almost 10 years of service on the board, the Miner County and Courthouse employees and elected officials, as well as the SD Association of County Commissioners, have donated money to purchase a tree to be planted on the courthouse grounds in his memory. Auditor Mommaerts requested to use county funds to purchase a plaque or memorial rock to be placed near the tree, in lieu of plaque that is usually given at the conclusion of a person’s service to the county; Commissioners were all in favor of this.
It was moved by Bechen, seconded by Faber and carried to enter into executive session pursuant to SDCL 1-25-2 (1) at 10:16am to discuss the DOE/Planning & Zoning salary for 2025. Commissioners came out of executive session at 10:34am. Commissioners instructed Mommaerts to leave Tami Severson’s DOE salary at $58,656 for 2025, the same amount that the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) increase would have been, due to the added responsibility of Planning & Zoning duties in that office.
Faber made a motion, seconded by Bechen, and carried to go into executive session pursuant to SDCL 1-25-2 (1) at 10:37am to discuss the appointment of a County Commissioner for the now vacant seat. Commissioners came out of executive session 10:44am. Motion by Bechen to appoint Alex Protsch of Howard to serve as Miner County Commissioner beginning January 2025 until December 31st, 2026, seconded by Faber. The position will be up for election in 2026 for a four-year term beginning January 1st of 2027. Voting aye: Bechen, Faber and Clary. Voting nay: None. Protsch abstained from voting. Motion carried.
Having no further business, the meeting adjourned until January 7, 2025. Dated this 30th day of December, 2024.
Alex Protsch, Chairman
Miner County Board of Commissioners
Attest: Rebecca Mommaerts, Miner County Auditor