By Dave Baumeister, County Correspondent
SIOUX FALLS – With more preliminary budget work being done, the county reduced the amount they planned to take from a $6.5 million opt-out from $1.9 million to $1.75 million for the 2020 budget.
Kim Adamson, the county budget and finance director, presented the most recent figures during the Tuesday, Sept. 2, Minnehaha County Commission meeting.
She went over those numbers in preparation for the budget’s final adoption on Sept. 24.
Overall, the budget would be just over $92 million, and the county would have to have the revenue to balance that, which is why the original $1.9 million was needed.
However, in tweaking the figures, the county auditor’s office found some extra money, which means they will need less of the opt out money.
Commission chair Jean Bender requested that Adamson reduce the opt-out amount in the final budget figures that will be presented on Sept. 10 and voted on Sept. 24.
In July, it was already looking like they might not have to use the full $1.9 million, but at that time, commissioners wanted to wait for the final numbers before looking at any changes.
In other business, commissioners approved an on-off sale malt beverage and South Dakota farm wine license for the Mighty Corson Art Players.
This will allow the sale of beer and South Dakota produced wines during productions at the Corson theatre.
And once again, the commission received an update on the property southeast of Baltic declared a nuisance two weeks earlier.
David Heinhold explained that letters were sent to the land owner after the nuisance ordinance was approved, which detailed actions that would be taken.
Planning and zoning director Scott Anderson informed the county board that people from his office intended to go to the site on Thursday, Sept. 4, to survey what needed to be done, and that the owner most likely still had until the Sept. 10 meeting to stop any action.
Commissioner Jeff Barth said that he had received citizen reports that the property in question wasn’t that bad. At first glance, there are two other properties immediately to the south that seem to fit the “nuisance” category much more.
But “we act on the basis of complaints,” Barth said, and the complaint was only against the property that was previously declared a nuisance.
The Minnehaha County Commission usually has its regular meetings each Tuesday at 9 a.m. on the second floor of the county administration building at 6th and Minnesota in Sioux Falls, but there will not be a meeting on Sept. 17.
The meetings are open to the all, and public comment is always encouraged.
