December 3, 2024

            The Miner County Board of Commissioners met in regular session on December 3, 2024, in the Miner County Courthouse Commission room.  Members present: Alex Protsch, Tom Reisch, Joe Bechen and Mike Clary.   Members absent:  Kathy Faber. 

Chairman Protsch called the meeting to order.   The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.  It was moved by Clary seconded by Bechen and carried to approve the agenda.  The minutes from the November 19th meeting were approved.   No report of meetings attended.

Motion by Reisch, seconded by Clary and carried to authorize the Auditor’s Office to pay the following claims: Road & Bridge $48,224.08, MERP Fund $53,100.68, Reliance Standard $1,820.00, Retirement $7,705.28, OASI $11,452.69, Commissioners $4,655.25, Auditor $7,901.50, Treasurer $8,150.75, States Attorney $7,206.50 (Includes Greg Protsch at $4,253.00 and Kristian Ellendorf at $1,803.50), Govt Building $4,283.00, Director of Equalization $9,220.18, Register of Deeds $9,720.07, Vet Service $717.25, Sheriff $13,997.75, Contract Law $4,221.25, Welfare $631.28, Ambulance $11,442.67, Extension $1,686.25, Weed $1,539.60, Dispatch $19,173.63, Emergency Mgt $2,672.50, Coroner $75.00, Election $62.69 (includes Maria Feldhaus at $19.29/hr) NOVEMBER PAYROLL. Rebecca Mommaerts $14.00, Tami Severson $28.00, Jessica Charles $14.00, Amie Kidd $14.00, Ron Krempges $14.00, Karla Neises $14.00 PAYROLL TRAVEL.

Santel $30.00, Triotel $169.53 911 CHARGES; SD DOT $55,003.83 CONTRACTED MAINTENANCE; Josh Esser $60.00 EVOC DRIVER; HFCA $53.14 FUEL; Northwestern Energy $197.48 GAS; Amazon $1,035.25, Two Way Solutions $616.01 HOMELAND SECURITY GRANT; Brian Baldwin $135.00 IN SERVICE EDUCATION; SDML Workers Comp $31,328.00 INSURANCE; County Employee $210.55 INSURANCE REIMBURSEMENT; Amazon $259.95, Sturdevant’s $151.99, Transource $4,636.34, TwoTrees $1,740.75 REPAIRS; Lyle Signs $223.60, TrueNorth Steel $2,376.00 ROAD MATERIALS; Kristian Ellendorf $900.00 STATE’S ATTY OFFICE EXPENSE; Relx, Inc. $149.00 SUBSCRIPTION; Amazon $330.98, Dakota Fluid Power $295.51, Dust-Tex $244.58, Fox Promo $111.02, HFCA $6,909.99, Lori Kiehl $98.34, Tim Reisch $433.33, Tami Severson $20.00, Transource $8,613.82, TwoTrees $199.45 SUPPLIES; Alliance $968.17, AT&T $432.51, 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 $98.13, Danielle Werkmeister $30.00 TELEPHONE; Joe Bechen $16.75, Ron Krempges $28.00, Ramkota Pierre $116.00 TRAVEL; City of Howard $2,522.54 UTILITIES.

The auditor’s account with the county treasurer showed a November 30, 2024 balance of $6,520,220.73 in all state, county, civil, school and trust accounts.   In addition, due to an error of omission on the November 8, 2024 minutes, the auditor’s account with the county treasurer showed an October 31, 2024 balance of $8,251,712.43.

Planning & Zoning Administrator Tami Severson met with the Commissioners on the request from the State of SD for GIS files for Crisis Track.  The State of South Dakota is unable to sign the agreement not to share information due to SDCL 3-21-13.  Commissioners asked Severson to see if the company working with the state on the project, Juvare, would be willing to sign the agreement.  If so, Commissioners consented to Severson releasing the information free of charge.  Commissioners asked Severson to report back to them on this matter.

The possible blocking of the FLSA salary threshold increase will be tabled until the next meeting.

There was a request by Mike Emery of Risty Benefits to offer Colonial Life Insurance policies as payroll deductions.  After discussion, Commissioners decided to decline the request, as no employees have requested this.

Highway Superintendent Krempges reported on highway matters.  The 404 permit was received for the Carthage bridge.  The bidding will be done locally.  Krempges is still working with Kingsbury County on the cost comparison.  The salt/sand mixture is ready for when the roads get icy.  On Thursday, Krempges and Highway Clerk Amie Kidd will be going with Emergency Manager Kent Terwilliger down to the Crisis Track training in Sioux Falls.  Employee evaluations are not done yet, but Krempges will have them done by the next meeting.  Other highway items discussed were equipment repairs, hauling gravel, blading, cleaning up windrows, shop work, and tree-trimming to aid with mowing.  Krempges also reported the highway department salvaged what they could from the bridge project five miles north of Howard. 

Mommaerts reported on compensatory time balances for county employees, as comp time is a liability to be paid out if not used by the end of each calendar year. 

Motion by Bechen, second by Clary and carried to authorize Chairman Protsch to sign the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Inmate Housing Contract for 2025.

Motion by Reisch, second by Bechen and carried to authorize Chairman Protsch to sign the Agreement for Detention Services between Minnehaha County, Lutheran Social Services South Dakota and Miner County.

Motion by Reisch, second by Bechen and carried to go into executive session at 10:00am pursuant to SDCL 1-25-2 (4).  The board came out of executive session at 10:17am.   

Ambulance Billing Manager Gibi Page explained to the board that she had been using an ambulance billing system purchased by her sister-in-law, who had added Miner County in under her own company.  Since it will no longer be family managing the program access, she has requested to have Miner County come off her program.  Because of this, Miner County would need to pay for its own program to continue processing claims digitally.  Page received a quote from Harrison Software and Services, LLC to provide the necessary program for $995/year.  Justin Brandsma will be able to access the program on his own computer.  Miner County has about 100 runs or less in a calendar year, but the speed of processing claims online is a huge benefit to the county.  Commissioners approved the purchase of this program at $995.00/year. 

The meeting adjourned to December 17th.  Dated this 3rd day of December, 2024. 

                                                                                    Alex Protsch, Chairman

                                                                                    Miner County Commissioners

Attest:  Rebecca Mommaerts, Miner County Auditor