July 2, 2024
The Miner County Board of Commissioners met in regular session on July 2, 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 Faber, seconded by Reisch, and carried to approve the agenda. The minutes from the June 18th and June 26th meetings were approved. No one appeared for public comment.
Auditor’s Account with the County Treasurer showed a $6,671,512.48 balance as of June 30th, 2024 in all state, county, civil, school and trust accounts.
Motion by Clary, seconded by Faber and carried to authorize the Auditor’s Office to pay the following claims: Road & Bridge $47,176.96, MERP Fund $54,707.52, Reliance Standard $1,814.80, Retirement $7,218.28, OASI $10,362.02, Commissioners $4,655.25, Auditor $7,605.44, Treasurer $7,717.50, States Attorney $6,056.50, Govt Building $3,550.50, Director of Equalization $9,192.41, Register of Deeds $7,626.59, Vet Service $592.25, Sheriff $12,398.80, Coroner $150.00, Contract Law $5,020.50, Welfare $531.60, Ambulance $9,058.77, Extension $1,417.77, Weed $1,386.50, Dispatch $15,246.74, Emergency Mgt $2,575.00 JUNE PAYROLL.
Triotel $167.53 911 CHARGES; Lammers, Kleibacker, Dawson & Miller $1,212.83 COURT APPT ATTY; SD Dept Health Lab Service $190.00 DRUG TESTING; Motorola Solutions $15,118.98 EQUIPMENT; Northwestern Energy $50.28 GAS; Domestic Violence Network $650.00, Safe Place of Eastern SD $650.00 GRANTS; Miner Insurance Agency $348.00 INSURANCE; Co Employee $606.45 INSURANCE REIMBURSEMENT; Mark Neises $656.00 MOWING; Annie Aamot $200.00 PROFESSIONAL SERVICE; Miner County Pioneer $367.51 PUBLISHING; Barry Callies $1,434.12 RENT; Dust-Tex $244.58, Two Trees $1,729.95 REPAIRS; Commercial Asphalt Co. $36,961.40 ROAD MATERIALS; Relx Inc. $149.00 SUBSCRIPTION; Corner Pantry $89.17, Homestead Building $22.22, Tim Reisch $64.73, Thomson Reuters $1,270.28, Two Trees $169.45 SUPPLIES; Alliance Communications $974.84, AT&T $326.90, Verizon $97.25 TELEPHONE; Emergency Safety Education $135.00 TRAINING; SDAAO $500.00, SD Assn County Commissioners $600.00 TRAVEL.
Correspondence Received: East Dakota Water Development District May 16 minutes.
The 2025 Diversion Program was tabled until the July 16 meeting.
Motion by Bechen, seconded by Clary and carried to adopt the following resolution:
Resolution 24-18
WHEREAS, Miner County SD in June 2024 endured severe weather;
WHEREAS, this severe storm caused major flooding which many of the roads in Miner County have been flooded and many of them washed out and impassable, and
WHEREAS, Miner County has committed all available resources and taken all possible actions within the jurisdictional boundaries to combat and to alleviate the emergency/disaster that the severe weather has caused, and local resources are not adequate to cope with the situation;
WHEREAS, Miner County recognizes the negative impact on the residents of Miner County and have taken all possible actions within the jurisdictional boundaries to alleviate the emergency;
NOW BE IT RESOLVED THAT Miner County Commissioners do hereby declare a disaster for the population of the area impacted. 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.
BE IT ALSO RESOLVED THAT the Miner County Commissioners do hereby declare a flood disaster and respectfully request the Governor of the State of South Dakota to declare a disaster area and to request a Presidential Declaration of Disaster to ensure that the maximum amount of assistance is made available to local governments, businesses and residents affected.
Voting aye: Protsch, Reisch, Bechen, Faber and Clary. Voting nay: None.
Resolution approved this 2nd day of July, 2024.
Alex Protsch, Chairman
Miner County Board of Commissioners
Attest: Rebecca Mommaerts, Miner County Auditor
Krempges sent a highway update to Auditor Mommaerts which she read to the board. Twenty-eight locations throughout the county had gravel washed off the road, but there were no culvert or bridge issues. The damaged areas were recorded for FEMA, with $29,205.98 in damages. All locations should be graveled on Tuesday, if the weather is cooperative.
Krempges sent in for reimbursement of the last Volkswagen Program Truck; the county will be getting $46,233.95 back. The new pick-up is here; Krempges is waiting on license plates before taking it out. Patching is done, and chip sealing will start next week in Kingsbury County. Mowing should be done on the oil roads this week; then they will begin on the gravel roads.
Custodian Lori Kiehl reported on courthouse repair issues. The north door is damaged beyond repair, which is likely weather-related. Kiehl is getting an estimate from Interstate glass for the frame (reusing glass and hardware would save on the expense). Russ Becker from Puetz took weatherstripping off so the door would latch so dispatch is able to lock it as a temporary fix. With the heavy rainfall, the east walls had soaked cinder blocks and had puddles on the floors of jail and boiler room. Becker felt there was little to avoid this with the heavy rainfall and older building. Lori recommended getting sensors for the sump pump holes that are hooked up to Wi-Fi, which the board agreed to. Kiehl is also working on getting an estimate to reseal the cement around the building; the cost should be $7/foot or less. There was still issues with Rooftop Unit 4 (RT4) that Kiehl has been working with Trane and DDC to resolve.
Director of Equalization Tami Severson met with the board to discuss the expense for Pictometry with the next scheduled flyover with EagleView Technologies. They gave the option of spreading payments out over three years at no added cost to make budgeting easier. Due to the added value to her office and potential use by the cities, Severson requested getting 3-inch imaging for Howard, Canova and Carthage cities. Commissioners agreed to spreading out the payments over 3 years and upgrading to the 3-inch imaging for Howard, Canova, and Carthage.
Severson recommended approval of the Virginia Moschell Trust plat. Motion by Reisch, second by Clary and carried to pass the following resolution:
Resolution 24-19
Be it resolved by the Board of County Commissioners of Miner County, South Dakota, that the plat of LOT A OF MOSCHELL ADDITION IN THE SE ¼ OF SECTION 1, T 106 N, R 58 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, Faber and Clary. Voting nay: None.
Dated this 2nd day of July, 2024.
Alex Protsch, Chairman
Miner County Commissioners
Attest: Rebecca Mommaerts, Miner County Auditor
Auditor Mommaerts presented the Commissioners with departmental budget requests received so far. She told Commissioners she was working on getting the rest of the provisional 2025 budget ready for their review and to watch for emails with new information. Sheriff Rob Eggert met with the board on his budget requests for 2025. Due to having funds available in his 2024 budget for equipment, the Commissioners requested he purchase the laptops and router system in 2024 to lower his 2025 budget request.
The meeting adjourned to July 16th. Dated this 2nd day of July, 2024.
Alex Protsch, Chairman
Miner County Board of Commissioners
Attest: Rebecca Mommaerts, Miner County Auditor