By Dave Baumeister, County Correspondent
SIOUX FALLS – With the 2022 election over, the Minnehaha County Commission moved back to more routine business at this week’s meeting.
The General Election on Tuesday, Nov. 8, saw two new commissioners being elected, and the re-election of a current commissioner.
Gerald Beninga easily won re-election, topping the list of candidates with 35,581 votes, but challengers Joe Kippley and Jen Bleyenberg came in a close second and third to fill the three open seats on the commission.
Kippley garnered 34,509 ballots, and Bleyenberg picked up 34,448 tallies.
Current commissioners Cindy Heiberger and Jeff Barth chose not to run for re-election, leaving two seats open.
As a sitting commissioner, Beninga was in attendance, and both Kippley and Bleyenberg were also present, so they were all recognized at the meeting.
Both Kippley and Bleyenberg said they were excited and looking forward to getting started with their work on the commission.
Both newly elected commissioners will be sworn into office on Jan. 3, 2023.
Beyond that, meeting business was light and was highlighted with three annual presentations from local groups.
First, Holly Rader with the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce reported on their agri-business “pillar.”
She explained that the Chamber was divided into four pillars where people come together to advance business, and the oldest of the four was the agri-business pillar.
Rader emphasized that the 70th annual Sioux Empire Livestock Show was coming up soon, and would be held at the Expo Building on the fairgrounds Jan. 24 to 29, 2023.
She said 10,000 people were expected to attend over the six days, and she pointed out the event would feature shows of purebred cattle, as well as market beef, hogs, sheep and goats.
Commissioner Dean Karsky emphasized that attendance at the event was free, and he suggested that both ag people and “city slickers” would enjoy the event.
“It’s a great place to meet (ag) people and expose all kids to (agriculture),” he said.
Following that, commissioners heard the 2022 report from the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society, which listed a 15% increase in the general call volume.
In 2022, there were 249 of those calls, along with 86 calls on strays, 36 bites, and 207 animals impounded.
They also reported an increase in the number of contracts they had signed with other cities and municipalities. Those contracts amounted to 36 so far for 2023.
The third presentation came from Southeastern Behavioral Health, and that reoport centered around their services for area children.
Kristi Lueth of Southeastern’s Children and Counseling Services discussed a grant they had received which is enabling them to extend their programs for early learning screening, intervention, parent education, etc.
During the commission’s regular business, they approved a resolution to extend the Minnehaha County ambulance licenses through December of 2023.
The next meeting will be at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 22, in the third-floor meeting room of the Minnehaha County Administration Building at 6th and Minnesota in Sioux Falls.
