November 8, 2024
The Miner County Board of Commissioners met in regular session on November 8, 2024, in the Miner County Courthouse Commission room. Members present: Tom Reisch, Joe Bechen, Kathy Faber and Mike Clary. Members absent: Alex Protsch.
Vice-Chair Reisch, acting as Chair, 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 October 15th meeting were approved. No report of meetings attended.
Motion by Clary, seconded by Bechen and carried to authorize the Auditor’s Office to pay the following claims: Road & Bridge $44,635.92, MERP Fund $53,100.68, Reliance Standard $1,820.00, Retirement $7,195.59, OASI $10,276.30, Commissioners $4,655.25, Auditor $7,576.50, Treasurer $7,750.75, States Attorney $6,056.50, Govt Building $3,366.40, Director of Equalization $8,947.26, Register of Deeds $7,303.82, Vet Service $592.25, Sheriff $12,197.75, Contract Law $4,196.25, Welfare $703.26, Ambulance $10,548.91, Extension $1,019.57, Weed $1,486.50, Dispatch $16,689.35, Emergency Mgt $2,575.00 OCTOBER PAYROLL.
Clearwater Country Cousins $1,041.94, Henden Future Farmers $968.78 4-H AWARDS; SDSU Extension $10,500 4-H PMT TO STATE; Alliance $150.00, Santel $30.00, Triotel $169.53 911 CHARGES; ICAP $1,592.18 COMMUNITY ACTION PAYMENT; SD DOT $949.68 CONTRACTED MAINTENANCE; Redwood Toxicology $232.00 DRUG TESTING; Poll Workers $6,995.00 ELECTION SALARIES; Elan Financial $128.86, HFCA $1,579.98, Wingen’s Garage $2,464.16 FUEL; Northwestern Energy $41.41 GAS; Motorola Solutions $7,318.48 HOMELAND SECURITY GRANT; Brian Baldwin $135.00 IN-SERVICE EDUCATION; Cowbell Insurance $6,508.00, Miner Insurance $79.00, Continental Western Group $72,935.00 INSURANCE; Co Employee $2000.00, Co Employee $444.36, Co Employee $587.35 INSURANCE REIMBURSEMENT; Poll Workers $406.71 MILEAGE; Elan Financial $451.75, Miner Co Treasurer $141.70 POSTAGE; Geotek Engineering $440.00 PROFESSIONAL SERVICE; Miner County Pioneer $1,978.91 PUBLISHING; Dust-Tex $262.80, Microfilm Imaging $375.00, Canova Village $50.00, City of Carthage $50.00, Fedora Fire Department $90.00 RENT; Cummins $816.34, ES&S $1,389.07, Homestead Building Supply $5.59, HFCA $340.96, James Valley Landscape $131.04, John Deere $718.09, Office Peeps $233.88, Sturdevant’s $39.99, Two Trees $1,959.35, Two Way Solutions $399.00, Wingen’s Garage $50.00 REPAIRS; Ron Ecklein $40,500.00, Knife River $579.60, Rechnagel Construction $78,000.00 ROAD MATERIALS; Kristian Ellendorf $900.00 STATE’S ATTY OFFICE EXPENSE; Relx, Inc. $149.00 SUBSCRIPTION; Amazon $520.15, Butler Machinery $4.64, Diesel Machinery $393.43, Dust-Tex $366.87, Fleetpride $106.89, HFCA $7,050.00, Istate Truck Center $222.48, Jack’s Uniforms $146.94, John Deere $1,149.80, Kimball Midwest $596.33, Lake County International $17.70, Light and Siren $1,729.00, Mid-American Research $811.20, Miner County Treasurer $225.87, Becki Mommaerts $9.56, Northern Truck Equipment $2,395.53, Office Peeps $280.65, Tim Reisch $433.33, Runnings $14.99, Rusty’s $490.09, SDSU Dept Animal Sciences $90.00, Tami Severson $20.00, Shane’s Hardware $234.10, Sturdevant’s $66.46, Trail King Industries $1,997.61, Two Trees $1,829.45, Wingen’s Garage $1,658.00, Elan Financial $359.27, Quill $209.99 SUPPLIES; Alliance Communications $957.83, AT&T $461.00, 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; SDVSOA $50.00, Elan Financial $316.10, Arrowhead Resort $571.60, HFCA $26.70, Katie Leary $498.08, SDSU-SDLTAP $150.00, Sheraton $238.00, SD Sheriffs Assoc $135.00 TRAVEL; City of Howard $2,989.91, Xcel $10.24 UTILITIES.
Correspondence received: October Sheriff Report, Proposed Dairy Modifications, Revised Plans and Specifications Review for the Shannon Hutterian Brethren, Inc. from DANR.
Highway Superintendent Krempges reported on highway matters. City of Carthage bridge just needs a little more gravel for completion. Fencing needs to be done on the Randy Lager section. Gravel is being put on bridge north of Howard; there will be more fencing there to do, as well as erosion control and signage. It should be open next week. Randy Feldhaus has the quarter ground on the northeast corner; the county will be receiving a bill for rerouting drainage tile. The bridge on the county road west of Carthage is still waiting on a 404 permit. They think they are able to work around the water and fiber lines, but the power line will likely have to be moved. Krempges also reported on equipment repairs and operability.
The end of October was the deadline for the RAIF applications; Miner County received three. Adams Twp is pushing their 2024 project into 2025, which increased $2,372.22 over their 2024 estimate, for a total of $36,448. Belleview Township has two projects, projected at $35,000 and $25,800, and Canova Township is replacing a couple of culverts for $53,000 total. Motion by Faber, second by Bechen to approve the three applications from Adams, Belleview, and Canova Townships for projects out of the RAIF fund for 2025; motion carried unanimously.
Krempges reported that Miner County has sent our expenses to Kingsbury County and are awaiting Kingsbury County’s expenses to settle up for the year. Other highway matters reported on included blading, back-sloping, hauling gravel, and work within the shop.
The Board of Commissioners, as the Miner County Canvassing Board, conducted the official canvass of the results of the general election held on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. There were no changes to the results. The Certificate of the Canvass was signed and transmitted to the Secretary of State’s office.
The Board and Auditor then performed the random selection of the precinct(s) to be included in the Post-Election Audit (PEA) of the general election results by drawing paper slips from a box. Precinct 6 was selected, with a total of 226 ballots. The Supreme Court Justice Retention race for Justice Scott P. Myren was selected as the statewide race to be audited. The second race chosen to be audited was Constitutional Amendment F. The Post-Election Audit for Miner County will take place in the Miner County Courtroom on November 18, 2024 at 2:15pm. Auditor Mommaerts invited the Commissioners to attend.
Motion by Bechen, seconded by Clary and carried to approve the renewal applications for package (off-sale) liquor and retail (on-sale) liquor for Hunter’s Den in Epiphany and retail (on-sale) liquor for Suncatcher Acres Inc. in Fedora.
Director of Equalization Tami Severson presented a request from the SD Department of Public Safety to have the county’s property tax information loaded into Crisis Track to more quickly and efficiently provide data to FEMA for disaster assistance dollars. Severson reported that some counties have denied this request but recommended the Commissioners wait to make a decision until November 19th, when Emergency Manager Kent Terwilliger will be available to explain the Crisis Track program more in-depth.
Jill Calmus presented the 2025 Addendum to the Memorandum of Understanding between SDSU and Miner County of South Dakota. Calmus stated the changes were to title and salary; she will now be known as the 4-H Educator, and the county cost share amount for 2025 will be $43,220. Calmus invited the Commissioners to the 4-H Youth recognition event on Monday, November 18th at 6pm. Calmus also informed the board that Cloverbuds has started, and enrollment has increased to 48 this year, compared to 27 last year. Motion by Faber, second by Clary and carried to authorize Vice-Chair Tom Reisch to sign the 2025 MOU Addendum between SDSU and Miner County for the 4-H Educator position.
Commissioners accepted the resignation of Karla Neises, Register of Deeds, who dedicated over 40 years of service to Miner County.
Auditor Mommaerts reported that the state offices will have Monday through Wednesday off the week of Christmas; Commissioners chose to leave the holiday leave as it is stated in the personnel policy for Miner County employees (half-day on Christmas Eve and all day Christmas Day).
Sonja Nordbye and Dan Johnson from Risty Benefits presented renewal information for health, vision, dental and life insurance to Miner County. Many county employees were in attendance for this portion of the meeting. Current Wellmark plans offered are the CompleteBlue 5000 and HDHP Silver, which saw an overall average of an 8.76% increase. After reviewing other health plan options with input from employees, the Commissioners elected to retain coverage through Wellmark. Vision and life insurance will remain through Reliance Standard. The possibility of offering two different dental plans was discussed; a survey will be sent out to employees to assess if there will be enough enrolled in each plan for this to be a possibility.
It was moved by Clary, seconded by Faber and carried to authorize the auditor to make an automatic supplement in the amount of $31,243.00 to the Emergency Management budget for Homeland Security grant funds received.
It was moved Faber, seconded by Clary and carried to authorize an operating transfer, as provided for in the 2024 budget, in the amount of $5,000 from General Fund to Dispatch Fund.
Motion by Bechen, second by Faber and carried to go into executive session pursuant to SDCL 1-25-2 (1). The board came out of executive session at 11:44am. Faber made a motion, seconded by Bechen and carried to appoint Gibi Page as Register of Deeds at the same salary level as the Auditor and Treasurer for 2025, after the retirement of Karla Neises. Motion passed. Commissioners authorized Page to begin the process of hiring a deputy. Bechen made a motion, seconded by Faber and carried to assign ambulance billing duties to Justin Brandsma starting in January 2025 at 4 hours per week.
The meeting adjourned to November 19th. Dated this 8th day of November, 2024.
Tom Reisch, Vice-Chair
Miner County Commissioners
Attest: Rebecca Mommaerts, Miner County Auditor