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Editorial: My hot take on the ballot measures

Carrie Moritz
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Editorial: My hot take on the ballot measures

an editorial by G. Moritz

            I don’t share my opinions on political matters much, but with the number of ballot measures out there this year and how they affect the daily lives of South Dakotans I figured I’d make a few comments. You can take my advice or leave it, because so far, this is still a free country.

            Let’s go down the list, shall we.

            Amendment E: Changing the gender-based language in the state constitution all referring to the governor as a he. Well, it hasn’t stopped our first female governor from holding the office. Nobody has made an issue of the language. Should we change it, maybe. Do we need to, maybe not? This one I don’t have any strong opinions on.

            Amendment F: You want honesty, here it is. This amendment is hot garbage. The voters have overwhelmingly passed expansion of Medicaid in South Dakota. This is just another attempt by the powers that be to make it harder for the poorest and most disenfranchised citizens of South Dakota to get benefits that will make their lives better. They’ve tried it before, but South Dakotans know better. Vote no on this.

            Amendment G: I refer you all to the comedy routines of the late George Carlin for my views on this issue. The horror stories I have heard in SD, of happily married women unable to get the healthcare they need because of SD’s blanket abortion ban is horrifying.

You can have whatever religious beliefs you want, but forcing others to live by your beliefs is the definition of theocratical tyranny and in my opinion an act of evil.

            I find the “No on G, It’s Too Extreme” ad campaign extremely disingenuous. What’s extreme about it, is that it will establish the old Roe V. Wade protections in the SD Constitution, and that’s too extreme for some people.

            I don’t see any legislation that regulates a man’s body in any way. Are women citizens with full rights under the law, or aren’t they? And no exception in the case of rape or incest! It’s absolutely vile.

            Even with modern medicine, any woman who gets pregnant has the potential to die carrying or giving birth to that child. So, with that risk already on the line, our laws as they stand have made things worse. Worse for people who don’t want to be pregnant, and worse for people who are trying to get pregnant but who are unfortunate enough to have a miscarriage. The law, as it is, has quite literally made things worse for everyone.

These decisions must be left between a woman, her family and her doctor, not by police, judges, lawyers and most especially not our state legislature.

            Amendment H: Open primaries! I’ve had a lot of great conversations about this measure, from proponents and opponents alike. In an ideal world, I would be all for this. It has a fairness and an egalitarian spirit to it. But in practice, I’m not convinced it will actually work, so I will not be supporting it.

            IM 28: So here we have the direct result of broken promises to the people of SD. They said they wanted to repeal taxes on groceries. “They” being our Governor and/or various legislators, and whoever else, but they actually didn’t do it. People are mad about that and rightly so. But the language of this bill really doesn’t fit our legal structure, and could result in all sorts of problems and unintended consequences. Sure, I’d vote for this, but then I’d have to trust the legislature to actually fix it post-election and I don’t, so I won’t.

            IM 29: Well the voters passed recreational Mary Jane, then the supreme court threw it out. I’m just glad medical MJ is legal, because there are a number of people in SD, a lot of them our veterans and senior citizens living better now that get a medicine that actually helps them and is legal. Don’t much care otherwise.

            Referred Law 21: Yeah vote no on this! If you support SD farmers, landowners and their rights, vote no on this. Also, if you don’t want your friends and neighbors to potentially die from an inevitable carbon dioxide pipeline leak, vote no on this. If you support land conservation, and keeping SD air, water and soil as unpolluted as possible, vote no on this.

            With as many stories as we’ve run about this issue, you should pretty much know where I stand on this, and that’s with the people who are my friends, neighbors and subscribers. I try to stay as objective as I can on every issue, but you gotta call a spade a spade. The people who oppose these pipelines have facts on their side. The carbon pipeline folks have a lot of cash and have pulled out dirty trick after dirty trick to ram this through. For me, as a South Dakotan, that means it’s my job to do everything I can to stop them.

            In conclusion: As a journalist and a small-town newspaper owner, and the son, grandson and double great grandson of same, I’m extremely cynical about politics in general. Whenever any political person says he or she has a plan for you, I’m always skeptical and always ask, ‘What are you getting out of it?’

            That should be the first thing you ask. In most cases, they don’t care about you, your family or your well-being. They just want your vote and do precious little to actually earn it. So, if they didn’t earn your vote, don’t give it to them. If you can’t bring yourself to vote for someone, then… don’t! Better to  leave it blank or refrain from voting for the wrong person or idea than to vote badly just because a pundit or clever ad told you so. Think for yourself, and don’t let anyone tell you that they have the solution, because usually, they don’t. But that’s just my hot take, which you are free to ignore.

            What makes me happy, for better or worse, it’ll all be over next week, at least for a while. I can say something that we all agree on, I’m tired of all this pollical poppycock being spewed at me on my phone, my email and my feeds.

            If I were to venture an opinion, the election reform we need is the kind that limits campaigns in the amount of time and money they’re allowed to use. But heaven forbid we not allow megacorporations, billionaires and special interest groups to have pride of place at our tables of discourse. Then it wouldn’t be the best democracy money could buy.

Letter to the Editor: RL 21

Carrie Moritz
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            Frustration. That best describes my feeling about the vote on RL 21 (formerly known as Senate bill 201).

            There are many TV ads telling us about all the great things RL 21 will do for South Dakota. They play them over and over again, and seem to promise everything to South Dakota and the farmers. They even have farmers in the ads. Those ads cost a lot of money.

            On the other side of the issue are many small yellow signs and painted round hay bales throughout the country side that have been placed by the farmers themselves that say vote no. The yellow signs are $5 apiece and the round bale messages take a can of spray paint. Farmers cannot compete with large corporations when it comes to money.

            Farmers are relying heavily on word of mouth to convince voters to vote no. But now the deceptive ads have confused many people on how to vote. I get calls and texts daily. They know what they want to vote, but does yes mean no, or does no mean yes? And they really do care.

             Frustration. This is a very complicated law and difficult to understand. Just know that if you want to vote with the common South Dakota farmer, please vote no. If you don’t know, vote no! Just take a ride through the country side.

-Kay Burkhart, Valley Springs

Letters to the Editor: Work requirements

Carrie Moritz
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Letters to the Editor: Work requirements

To the Editor,

     I am concerned that ordinary well-meaning people might mistake Amendment F for something about helping people get work. Sorry it does not.

     Rather, the sole purpose of the Medicaid work requirement idea is to kick people off Medicaid.

    If it were about work, it would include some help or encouragement toward employment. But it has no help: no job, no job training, no childcare, nothing.

     Evidence shows Medicaid work requirements do not expand employment, mainly because almost all involved are already working or not available for employment due to various circumstances, such as caregiving or health issues. The additional bureaucratic red tape causes even those who are working or should be exempt to fall through the cracks and lose healthcare coverage. Amendment F is counting on that.

    The Legislature refused Medicaid expansion for ten years. We voters passed it two years ago, because we want people to have healthcare! Many South Dakotans follow Jesus, the Great Healer, who said, about the man who took the stranger to get some healthcare, "Go and do likewise."

    I believe South Dakota voters who understand what Amendment F does and doesn't do will vote No on F to defend the healthcare of the poor. Love your neighbors. Please vote NO on F.

   Cathy Brechtelsbauer, Sioux Falls

Burial sites bring history to life across South Dakota

Carrie Moritz
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Burial sites bring history to life across South Dakota

            DE SMET, S.D. – Hundreds of thousands of tourists every year frequent sites tied to South Dakota's pioneer and Wild West history, and cemeteries are among the historic sites that bring the past to life for those visitors.

            Jim Hagen, South Dakota secretary of Tourism, said history lovers are one of the department's main audiences. A popular site is the Ingalls Homestead in De Smet, the setting for much of the "Little House on the Prairie" book series by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

"To take that pioneer history and to be able to share that in a marketing aspect to visitors to say, 'Did you know that you can come and walk in Laura's footsteps and experience this at the Ingalls Homestead? Or go into the city of De Smet and go through Ma and Pa's house, and go through the museum, and see where they lived, and see where they're buried?' I mean, that's huge."

Little cemetery on the prairie

man and woman standing by large headstone in cemetery
Community actors share local history with visitors on July 20, 2024, in De Smet, S.D. A reader's theater-style tour of the De Smet Cemetery began during the 50th annual Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant. (Photo: Jackie Hendry/ South Dakota Public Broadcasting)

            This summer marked 53 years of the annual Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant in De Smet. Local actors play out scenes from the "Little House on the Prairie" series on an outdoor stage for visitors from across the country.

            Ann Lesch, Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant board member and operations manager for the Ingalls Homestead, said this year's pageant has a new script, the first of three to be performed over the next few summers.

            In addition to updating the pageant itself, the De Smet community has developed other programs during pageant weekends.

            Tours of the De Smet Cemetery – where Charles and Caroline Ingalls, three of their daughters, and the infant son of Laura and Almanzo Wilder are buried – began as part of the 50th anniversary celebration of the pageant. Community actors read summaries of the lives of some of the residents.

            The cemetery tours have resonated with visitors, Lesch said.

"It allows us to highlight the Ingalls family. We always choose one or two of the Ingalls family members," she said. "But it also allows us to highlight some of the other community members that either were featured in the books, but just a little bit, or were not featured in the books because of the way Laura wrote the books, where she condensed characters together."

            One such De Smet resident is Aubrey Sherwood, whose father founded the local newspaper.

            Sherwood took over the newspaper in 1929 and was an early advocate for preserving the history presented in the Ingalls Wilder stories. He also was an early tour guide, offering drives around the community to visitors who arrived at his newsroom wanting to know more about De Smet.

            "So we always include Aubrey on our cemetery tours as well so that we can honor what he did for our community to help preserve our history," Lesch said.

Celebrity death sells in Deadwood

            Across the state in the Black Hills, Deadwood is home to one of the West's most famous cemeteries, thanks to a few VIPs buried there.

            Kevin Kuchenbecker, who works in Deadwood's city planning, zoning and historic preservation office, said Mount Moriah Cemetery was founded in 1876, two years after the town, though the original was on lower, flatter ground.

"They needed that for development and moved some of the bodies up here," he said, "including one of the most famous in Deadwood's history, if not the Wild West, Wild Bill Hickok. He's buried in this cemetery right beside Calamity Jane, who died in 1903. And we have Preacher Smith and Seth Bullock and a variety of other legends here."

Mount Moriah Cemetery has been closed to new burials for 75 years. A $2 admission fee supports ongoing upkeep of the grounds.

"It's just beautiful, sacred ground. But it is a tourist attraction. We get about 100,000 to 120,000 visitors a year that come up and pay homage to our Old West legends," said Kuchenbecker.

            "People are drawn to those historic graves of celebrities, and Wild Bill Hickok is and was a celebrity."

How to watch 'South Dakota Focus'

            The next episode of "South Dakota Focus" airs on Thursday, Oct. 31, at 8 p.m. Central time / 7 p.m. Mountain time. It can be viewed on SDPB-TV1, Facebook, YouTube and SD.net.

            The episode includes:

●          How De Smet keeps visitors engaged with the enduring legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder

●          The relationship between historic preservation and the gaming industry in Deadwood

●          A Deadwood tour guide invites visitors to learn the gruesome history of the mining town, and shares a few ghost stories along the way.

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            Editor’s note: This story is part of a series that Jackie Hendry, host and producer of South Dakota Public Broadcasting's "South Dakota Focus," will write to preview the upcoming show on South Dakota News Watch, an independent, nonprofit news organization. Read more in-depth stories at sdnewswatch.org and sign up for an email every few days to get stories as soon as they're published. Contact us at .

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The Duck Stamp Champs of Wallace

Carrie Moritz
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The Duck Stamp Champs of Wallace
John Andrews column header

By John Andrews,

South Dakota Magazine

When I first met Adam Grimm earlier this summer, he was a two-time winner of the Federal Duck Stamp Contest. Since then, he’s made it three, winning the 2024 contest with an amazing acrylic painting of spectacled eiders.

                  He’s among only a handful of artists in the world to claim at least three federal duck stamp victories. But even more incredible is that his daughter Madison is a three-time winner of the junior duck stamp contest.

a man and a young woman standing next to display box
Adam Grimm and his daughter Madison, pictured in their shared art studio across the street from their home in Wallace, are multiple-time winners of the Federal Duck Stamp Contest and Junior Duck Stamp Contest.

                  I visited the Grimms at their studio in Wallace, a town of 91 people in Codington County. It’s about as far removed as you can get from Adam’s hometown of Elyria, Ohio, a western suburb of Cleveland. Ducks are much fewer and farther between there, but he still developed a love for waterfowl and hunting. He combined those passions with his talent for art and discovered the Federal Duck Stamp Contest, which dates back to 1934 and the passage of the Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act, which required hunters to purchase a $1 stamp before hunting waterfowl in order to help preserve the nation’s rapidly dwindling wetlands.

                  Artists were invited to design the stamp until 1949 when a contest opened to the public. The program raises about $40 million annually to conserve waterfowl habitat and, since its inception, has raised more than $1.2 billion to purchase more than 6 million acres of wetlands.

                  Grimm won his first duck stamp contest in 1999 with a painting of a mottled duck that came together rather unconventionally. Remember, there aren’t many ducks in northern Ohio, so a friend sent him a mottled duck that he had shot. “I would thaw the bird out the night before because I wanted that early morning lighting,” Grimm said. “First thing in the morning I would run outside with this dead duck and hold it up and stretch the wings out. Then I would run back in and try to capture the colors I had just seen.

“I wonder how many of my parents’ neighbors were watching this crazy kid with a dead duck,” he laughed. “You do what you have to do in life, and there was no other way to do what I was planning on doing.”

Reference material became easier to find after Grimm, his wife, and daughter Madison moved to South Dakota in 2006. Not long after settling in their new home, they began to notice Madison’s interest in art. She wanted to do a painting like her father, so they entered her depiction of a canvasback into the Junior Duck Stamp Contest. At age 6, she became the youngest to ever win, and, like her father, has followed that with two more winning paintings.

                  You can read our full story on the Grimm family’s artistic success in the July/August 2024 issue of South Dakota Magazine, but suffice it say, we left their studio certain there must be something in the water around Wallace.

John Andrews is the editor of South Dakota Magazine, a bi-monthly publication that explores the people and places of our great state. For more information, visit www.southdakotamagazine.com.

Legislative committee punts on app store regulation, endorses age verification for adult websites

Carrie Moritz
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Legislative committee punts on app store regulation, endorses age verification for adult websites

By John Hult,

SD Searchlight

            A South Dakota summer legislative study committee has endorsed a bill that would require users to prove their age with identification documents to access online pornography.

            The Study Committee on Artificial Intelligence and Regulation of Internet Access by Minors made the decision at its final meeting on Wednesday in Pierre.

            It also scrapped plans for bills that would aim to protect children from the harms of social media and other addictive apps.

The porn restriction bill was endorsed after months of meetings. The committee heard testimony at previous meetings from tech company representatives and advocates about both pornography and potential regulations for the other activities kids engage with on their phones. 

            The age verification bill closely mirrors a Texas age verification law that awaits a hearing and decision on its legality from the U.S. Supreme Court. The adult entertainment industry argues that age verification violates the free speech of users by forcing them to disclose personal information to access content.

Committee members passed two amendments to a prior draft of the age verification bill. One of them clarifies which websites would be required to ask adults for their driver’s licenses, credit card numbers, military IDs or other identifying information to prove they’re older than 18. Again mirroring the Texas law, the amended bill would apply to sites where a third or more of the content is “material harmful to minors.” That material is defined throughout the bill with passages like “predominantly appeals to the prurient, shameful, or morbid interest.” The bill defines “prurient” as “a shameful or morbid interest in nudity, sex, or excretion.”

            Rep. Bethany Soye, R-Sioux Falls, opposed that particular change, saying it’s too restrictive and that lawmakers should spend some time working on the exact language to define covered websites. She voted against the amendment, but ultimately voted to advance the full bill to be introduced with the committee’s imprimatur when the Legislature convenes in January. 

            The amendment’s supporters — every committee member but Soye and Sen. Jim Mehlhaff, R-Pierre — agreed that passing Texas language would make South Dakota’s version less likely to see court challenges.

            The other amendment removed a section on deceptive trade practices, which would have opened adult websites up to enforcement actions from the state’s Consumer Protection Division.

            Instead of that, the bill would level criminal penalties against websites that fail to age-gate their adult content.

            Previously, the committee had tentatively advanced app store and device-based age verification proposals for further discussion. No state in the nation has tried that approach, which is endorsed by Facebook’s parent company Meta. One of the bills would have required app stores and apps to offer more parental controls, including controls on apps a child would download. The device-based version would have restricted content available on phones or tablets designated as belonging to or primarily used by minors.

            South Dakota lobbyist Doug Abraham testified against that idea Wednesday on behalf of the App Association, a trade group funded in part by Apple. Abraham pointed out that current parental controls offer most of the same tools the bills would expect app developers to use.

            Abraham said the bill would upend those tools in favor of new ones that would be needed to comply with the letter of the law. He also suggested that the bills could run afoul of the First Amendment by restricting access to protected speech by adults.

            “Everyone using a smartphone is going to have to use their personally identifying information,” Abraham said.

            Lawmakers voted against endorsing the app- and device-based verification bills in part over fears of potential legal action. Sen. David Wheeler, R-Huron, said he doesn’t believe it’s wise for the state to be the first to pass a bill that’s almost certain to draw a legal challenge.

“To be the tip of the spear on this one probably goes too far,” Wheeler said.

            Representatives from Attorney General Marty Jackley’s office told lawmakers they would be comfortable defending such a law, but they did not tell the committee whether or not to endorse the ideas.

            The committee’s recommendations or rejections would not stop individual lawmakers from proposing their own tech regulations during the 2025 legislative session.

South Dakota Searchlight is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. South Dakota Searchlight maintains editorial independence.

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Judge dismisses lawsuit from neighbors opposed to men’s prison site

Carrie Moritz
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Judge dismisses lawsuit from neighbors opposed to men’s prison site

State law trumps county ordinances, Lincoln County judge rules

By: John Hult,

SD Searchlight

            A Lincoln County judge has dismissed a lawsuit that claimed state officials need a county permit to build a men’s prison.

            Judge Jennifer Mammenga sided with the state Wednesday, based on arguments presented in a January hearing. A group of neighbors to the Department of Corrections’ selected site for a 1,500-bed prison complex filed the lawsuit a year ago.

            The neighbors argued that the state should not be allowed to bypass the county’s rules for conditional use permits, under which entities seek approval from county commissioners to build things that fall outside county zoning rules.

            Mammenga agreed with the state, which argued, among other things, that the state is not subject to the rules of local governments. Lawmakers have passed bills that fund the prison’s construction and grant authority to the DOC to spend the money and select a site, and the judge ruled that state law trumps county ordinances.

            “A county by its very nature is a legislative creation, and therefore seemingly lacks the authority to preempt state law,” Mammenga wrote.

            Had the group been successful, DOC officials would have been forced to seek such a permit in public hearings, at which members of the public would be allowed to voice their support or opposition ahead of a vote by county commissioners to approve or deny a permit.

Opponents respond

            The neighbors who sued are part of a nonprofit group called Neighbors Opposed to Prison Expansion, or NOPE, formed to push back against the state’s plans to build on the rural site 15 miles south of Sioux Falls.

            The proposed location of a men’s prison in Lincoln County.

            The land is owned by the state and was leased to farmers, with proceeds helping to fund education. The DOC obtained the property about a year ago through an $8 million funds transfer. That money was transferred from the DOC into a state trust fund whose proceeds will continue to flow to K-12 schools.

            A Wednesday press release from NOPE said the group is disappointed with the outcome but will respect Mammenga’s decision. The release also pledged a continued fight with the state over its prison site selection.

            “We are currently evaluating the next steps and anticipate that our efforts will shift to Pierre,” the release says. “There, we will work with the Legislature to address the hasty and rushed nature of the current plans, and will continue to engage with stakeholders to address concerns surrounding the proposed location.”

            The group has talked through many of its concerns in public forums. It’s also had representatives on hand for discussions of the prison project in Pierre, and for discussions in the city of Harrisburg on the possibility of the state hooking into that city’s water and sewer infrastructure to service the prison site.

Concerns raised at forums

            Harrisburg would have gotten $7.1 million as a one-time payment for agreeing to service the prison, and would have collected around $500,000 a year in fees from the state.

            The Harrisburg City Council ultimately rebuffed the state, but the city of Lennox has since approached the state to discuss a potential connection to that town’s water and sewer infrastructure.

            The NOPE group held a public forum on the issue just outside of Lennox late last month. The Lennox City Council has yet to make a decision. The matter is up for city council discussion again on Oct. 28.

            “We’re not endorsing anything at this point,” Lennox City Council Member Chad Swier said during the Sept. 26 forum. “We’re just here gathering information. We’re going to do what is best for Lennox.”

            As with previous forums, the speakers’ tables left places for Gov. Kristi Noem and DOC Secretary Kellie Wasko, both of whom were invited but did not attend the forums.

            Speakers at the Sept. 26 forum questioned the feasibility of infrastructure upgrades and road paving that would accompany a men’s prison, suggesting that the area could see more flooding problems from the addition of impervious surfaces in an area hit hard by last spring’s heavy rains.

            Others spoke about potential safety risks to families in the event of an escape, increased traffic flow, and the potential for strain on emergency medical services in a location removed from medical facilities in Sioux Falls.

Lawmaker: ‘not a done deal’

            Rep. Kevin Jensen, R-Canton, was one of two lawmakers on hand for the forum. Jensen said the new prison would be a strain on the area’s rural water system, and argued that the DOC could expand the Jameson Annex, a newer facility on the current penitentiary grounds, to suit the DOC’s space needs. The proposed men’s prison is intended to replace much of the existing Sioux Falls penitentiary, which dates to 1881.

            “This is a whole lot bigger than just the location, folks,” Jensen told the crowd. “I will stand here and tell you that it is my wholehearted belief that we do not need a new prison. What we need is a little more space, and we can do that.”

            When asked if the mood in the Legislature has shifted on the issue – lawmakers voted overwhelmingly in favor of funding the men’s prison – Jensen said more of his fellow elected officials are asking questions about the wisdom of the project.

            Some members of the budget-setting Appropriations Committee have pushed Wasko during meetings this year about her assertions that a Jameson Annex expansion wouldn’t give the DOC enough space, as well as on the project’s price tag. Lawmakers have allocated $569 million for the men’s prison, which does not yet have a locked-in cost estimate.

            “I would say right now, this is not a done deal,” Jensen said.

            Rep. Karla Lems, R-Canton, said she’s hearing more questions from lawmakers on the prison project, and that the answers coming from the DOC haven’t done enough to address their concerns.

            “We better make sure that we got the right location, the right building, and that this is really what is going to be right for South Dakota before we say yes,” Lems said.

            EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been updated with a clarification to accurately reflect the nature of talks between the state and the city of Lennox.

South Dakota Searchlight is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. South Dakota Searchlight maintains editorial independence.

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$500K contribution helps abortion-rights group narrow fundraising gap

Carrie Moritz
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$500K contribution helps abortion-rights group narrow fundraising gap

Anti-abortion side has raised and spent more in ballot question campaign

By: Makenzie Huber,

 SD Searchlight

            Anti-abortion groups have out-fundraised and outspent abortion-rights advocates in the campaign for South Dakota’s Nov. 5 abortion ballot measure, even with a last-minute infusion to the abortion-rights side from a national group.

            Three major anti-abortion ballot question committees raised a combined $1.7 million since May, while the main abortion-rights committee raised about $840,000, according to campaign finance reports filed this week with the Secretary of State’s Office.

            On the abortion-rights side, the figure includes $500,000 contributed Tuesday by Think Big America, an issue-advocacy nonprofit launched last year by Democratic Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker with a focus on supporting abortion rights. The nonprofit also contributed $40,000 on Monday.

            The organization is a 501(c)(4), which are nonprofits sometimes described as “dark money” groups because they’re allowed to engage in political campaigns and don’t have to publicly disclose their donors. When Pritzker formed the organization last year, he told Politico that he was the sole funder, and the media outlet said his team “declined to say if it would make subsequent donors public.”

            The anti-abortion committees had spent $1.2 million on advertising as of the time of their reports, while proponents had spent $195,683, although the proponents’ main report was filed before a supplemental report revealing the $500,000 contribution.

            “$1 million is a lot of money for a ballot issue campaign in South Dakota,” said Michael Card, associate professor emeritus of political science at the University of South Dakota.

            There are no limits on contributions to ballot question committees in South Dakota.

Abortion is currently banned in the state, with one exception for abortions necessary to save the life of the mother. Amendment G would legalize abortion while allowing for restrictions in the second trimester of pregnancy and a ban in the third trimester, with mandatory exceptions to protect the life or health of the pregnant woman.

            David Wiltse, South Dakota State political science professor, said he isn’t surprised by the fundraising and spending disparity.

            Abortion measures have passed in each state they’ve been put to a public vote since Roe v. Wade was overturned, and voters have rejected every measure that would have restricted access. Wiltse said the lack of proponent fundraising is a “sign of confidence” they don’t have to “convert” many voters.

            “The ‘No’ side needs to spend more since they are working against the national trend here,” Wiltse said in an emailed statement. “While I wouldn’t say the backers of this amendment have a lock on this, they certainly have the prevailing winds in their favor.”

            According to a recent South Dakota News Watch and Chiesman Center for Democracy poll of 500 registered South Dakota voters, 49.8% said they support the abortion measure. About 46.8% of respondents said they opposed the measure, with the remainder undecided.

            South Dakota is one of ten states with an abortion question on the ballot this election.

Catholic groups play large role

            No G for SD, a month-old ballot question committee formed to oppose the amendment, raised more than $1 million, including $340,000 from Catholic organizations and officials.

            The Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal organization, contributed $200,000. The Catholic Chancery Office in Sioux Falls donated $140,000. The chancery funds come largely from parishioner donations, and the bishop consults with church organizations, which include parishioners, before making such donations.

            The bishop of the Diocese of Sioux Falls, Donald DeGrood, donated $2,500 of his own funds.

            Chris Motz, chief of staff and general counsel for the Diocese of Sioux Falls, said the diocese “felt a duty to educate and inform” about the dangers of the amendment.

            “We’d count unborn children and women with difficult pregnancies among those to whom we have a duty of care and compassion,” Motz said. “Our contributions are meant to give them a voice.”

            The Catholic Church has long opposed abortion, and is one of the largest entities bankrolling campaigns against abortion rights in states where it’s on the ballot.

            In Kansas’ 2022 election, the Catholic Church donated nearly $3.7 million toward efforts opposed to the ballot question; and in Ohio in 2023, Catholic bishops gave $1.7 million to a political action committee to fight a similar ballot measure. No abortion-rights ballot measure has lost since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the federal constitutional right to an abortion in 2022. South Dakota’s measure is one of 10 on the ballot Nov. 5.

Opponent spending

            Another notable donor to No G for SD is Tammie Broin, vice chairwoman and co-founder of Sioux Falls-based biofuels producer POET, who contributed $100,000.

            Donations largely went toward advertising, which included billboard advertisements, and television and radio commercials across South Dakota — such as a $26,750 commercial campaign on KELO and $43,645 for commercials on Dakota News Now’s KDLT and KSFY stations, according to Federal Communications Commission reports.

            Two other anti-abortion ballot question committees are Life Defense Fund, which reported raising $587,743, and Celebrate Life Committee, which reported raising $25,000.

            Life Defense Fund is chaired by state Rep. Jon Hansen, R-Dell Rapids, who shared the group’s campaign finance report with South Dakota Searchlight (the Secretary of State’s Office had not posted the report to its website as of Thursday afternoon). The Life Defense Fund is also challenging Amendment G in a lawsuit that’s not scheduled for trial until after the election.

            Some notable donations to the ballot question committee include:

•          $50,000 from Colleen and Glenn Ridder, a family physician and medical director of Sioux Falls-based pregnancy help center, the Alpha Center.

•          $50,000 from Greg Schweiss, president of the Western South Dakota Catholic Foundation.

•          $50,000 from the Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls, and thousands more donated from Catholic churches and organizations throughout the state.

•          More than $45,000 in combined donations from South Dakota Right to Life — not including donations from local chapters, such as Sioux Falls Right to Life’s $10,000 donation.

•          $25,000 from Prestige Auto Sales in Spearfish.

            Bishop DeGrood also donated $2,500 of his own funds to the ballot question committee.

            Celebrate Life Committee, chaired by Daktronics Inc. founder Al Kurtenbach, received a $5,000 donation from him and another $20,000 from Frank Kurtenbach, his brother and former vice president of the company. The committee spent almost all of its money on billboard advertisements.

            Card said the spending by anti-abortion committees is only a piece of the campaign across the state: Parishioners may hear opposition campaigning at church or read it in church bulletins.

            “My wife and I attend Catholic church in Vermillion, where there is a message in the bulletin at each service, along with a mention in every sermon or homily to vote no,” Card said.

Proponent funding

            Card said proponents hadn’t achieved the same level of messaging.

            “Proponents of Amendment G don’t have that bully pulpit and may not have the resources to give for their side. And if they do, it’s apparent they’re not giving it,” Card said.

            His comments came before notice of the $500,000 Think Big America contribution appeared on the South Dakota Secretary of State’s website.

            The American Civil Liberties Union of South Dakota and Planned Parenthood North Central States, both part of national organizations that support reproductive rights, do not support the ballot measure and have not donated money to the campaign. A spokesperson for Planned Parenthood told South Dakota Searchlight last year that the organization isn’t supporting the measure because “we don’t believe it will adequately reinstate the right to abortion in South Dakota.”

            Dakotans for Health, the committee that circulated petitions to put Amendment G on the ballot, spent most of its $298,392 — the amount it had raised prior to the Think Big America infusion — on advertising. Dakotans for Health is also campaigning for the passage of Initiated Measure 28, which the group intends as a removal of state sales taxes on groceries.

            Dakotans for Health Chair Rick Weiland said the organization still feels “really good about our chances” on the abortion-rights measure despite being outspent.

            “When push comes to shove, people are going to opt for freedom in their decisions, not this radical abortion ban governing their decisions for the last two years,” Weiland said.

            Besides the contributions from Think Big America, the committee’s largest contributions included:

•          $100,000 from Michelle Locher, a Florida resident who also donated $1 million to a political action committee supporting Florida’s proposed constitutional amendment on abortion rights.

•          $10,000 from Jim Conyngham, of Austin, Texas.

•          $10,000 from Barb Christianson, a Rapid City resident.

•          $5,000 from Tom Daschle, a Democrat who formerly represented South Dakota in the U.S. Senate.

            EDITOR’S NOTE: This story was updated on Oct. 25, 2024, with information from supplemental campaign finance reports posted to the Secretary of State’s website after the story’s initial publication.

South Dakota Searchlight is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. South Dakota Searchlight maintains editorial independence.

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Public Notices published October 31, 2024

Carrie Moritz
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Public Notices published October 31, 2024

NOTICE OF GENERAL ELECTION

INSTRUCTIONS TO THE VOTERS

Sample Ballots for the Nov. 5, 2024 General Election

Minutes of the Minnehaha County Commissioners for Oct. 22, 2024

NOTICE OF GENERAL ELECTION

            A General Election will be held on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, in all the voting precincts in Minnehaha County.

            The election polls will be open from seven a.m. to seven p.m. central time on the day of the election.

            The polling place in each precinct of this county is as follows:

Precinct               Location

01-04   Active Generations (Main Campus)

01-05   Active Generations (Main Campus)

01-06   Sunnycrest United Methodist Church

01-09   Peace Lutheran Church

01-10   LifeChange Church (formerly Sioux Falls First)

01-17   LifeChange Church (formerly Sioux Falls First)

01-19   De Dios Es El Poder Ministerio de Restauracion

02-01   De Dios Es El Poder Ministerio de Restauracion

02-02   Southern Hills United Methodist Church

02-03   Morningside Community Center

02-06   Westminster Presbyterian Church

02-08   Embrace Church

02-09   Embrace Church

02-14   Gloria Dei Lutheran Church

02-17   Gloria Dei Lutheran Church

02-18   Eastside Baptist Church

03-01   First Presbyterian Church

03-05   SD Military Heritage Alliance Inc

03-09   Saint Michael’s Catholic Church

03-10   Good News Church

03-11   Church at the Gate

03-12   Career & Technical Education Academy

03-13   Kuehn Community Center

03-14   George McGovern Middle School

03-15   Connection Church

03-16   Memorial Middle School

03-17   Memorial Middle School

03-18   George McGovern Middle School

03-19   Prairie West Library

03-20   McCrossan Visitor Center

04-02   Emmanuel Baptist Church

04-03   East Side Lutheran Church (Barn)

04-04   Wesley United Methodist Church

04-05   The Word of Life Pentecostal Church

04-06   Faith Lutheran Church

04-07   Kenny Anderson Community Center

04-08   Saint Lambert’s Catholic Church

04-09   Grace Lutheran Church

04-10   Active Generations (East Campus)

04-11   Wild Flower Presbyterian Church

04-12   Hilltop United Methodist Church

04-13   Grace Lutheran Church

04-15   Lord of Life Lutheran Church

04-16   The Word of Life Pentecostal Church

04-17   Ben Reifel Middle School

04-18   Ben Reifel Middle School

04-19   Kenny Anderson Community Center

05-01   First Lutheran Church

05-02   First Lutheran Church

05-03   Zion Lutheran Church

05-04   DakotAbilities

05-06   Hope Lutheran Church

05-07   All Souls Church

05-08   Instructional Planning Center

05-09   Our Savior’s Lutheran Church

05-10   First Presbyterian Church

05-12   Instructional Planning Center

05-15   Sioux Falls Main Library

05-16   Sioux Falls Main Library

05-18   Faith Family Church

05-19   Saint Mark’s Lutheran Church

05-20   Oyate Community Center

05-21   Trinity Baptist Church

05-22   SD Military Heritage Alliance Inc

05-23   Sioux Falls Main Library

VP-01  Valley Springs American Legion Club

VP-02  Split Rock Fire Station

VP-03  Brandon Municipal Golf Course

VP-04  Mapleton Township Hall

VP-05  Brandon City Hall-Council Chambers

VP-06  Risen Hope Baptist Church

VP-07  Hartford Senior Center (next to City Hall)

VP-08  Humboldt Community Center

VP-09  Baltic Elementary Gymnasium

VP-10  American Legion-Garretson

VP-11  Lutheran Church of Dell Rapids

VP-13  Taopi Community Hall

VP-15  Brandon Fire Station

VP-16  Crooks Community Center

VP-17  Wall Lake Township Hall

VP-21  Lutheran Church of Dell Rapids

            Any voter who needs assistance, pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, may contact the county auditor at 605-367-4220 before the election for information on polling place accessibility for people with disabilities.

 -Leah Anderson, County Auditor

Minnehaha County

            Published  twice at the total approximate cost of $99.05 and can be viewed for free at www.sdpublicnotices.com.

10-24-24-2tc

INSTRUCTIONS TO THE VOTERS

VOTING RIGHTS

            Any voter who can't mark a ballot because the voter has a physical disability or can't read, may ask any person he or she chooses to help the voter vote.

            Any voter may ask for instruction in the proper procedure for voting.

Any voter at the polling place prior to 7:00 p.m. is allowed to cast a ballot.

            If your voting rights have been violated, you may call the person in charge of the election at 605-367-4220, the Secretary of State at 888-703-5328, or your state's attorney.

            Any person who is convicted of a felony on or after July 1, 2012, loses the right to vote. However, any such person may register to vote following the completion of the person's felony sentence.

            Any person who is convicted of a felony on or before June 30, 2012, and who receives a sentence of imprisonment to the adult penitentiary system, including a suspended execution of sentence, loses the right to vote. Any such person so sentenced may register to vote following completion of the person's sentence. Further information is available at www.sdsos.gov.

ELECTION CRIMES

            Anyone who makes a false statement when voting, tries to vote knowing he or she is not a qualified voter, or tries to vote more than once has committed an election crime.

(Note to publishers: This amount should include the cost for the instructions and the facsimile)

            Published  twice at the total approximate cost of $1,014.75 and can be viewed for free at www.sdpublicnotices.com.

10-24-24-2tc

Sample Ballots for the Nov. 5, 2024 General Election

Sample BallotDownload

Minutes of the Minnehaha County Commissioners for Oct. 22, 2024

            THE MINNEHAHA COUNTY COMMISSION CONVENED AT 9:00 AM on October 22, 2024, pursuant to adjournment on October 15, 2024. COMMISSIONERS PRESENT WERE: Bender, Beninga, Bleyenberg, Karsky, and Kippley. Also present were Kym Christiansen, Commission Recorder, and Eric Bogue, Chief Civil Deputy State's Attorney.

            Chair Karsky called the meeting to order.

            MOTION by Bleyenberg, seconded by Kippley, to Approve the Agenda. 5 ayes

CONSENT AGENDA

            MOTION by Kippley, seconded by Beninga, to Approve the Consent Agenda. By roll call vote: 5 ayes. Public comment was received from Chet Ellsworth. The consent agenda includes the following items:

            Commission Meeting Minutes for October 15, 2024

            Bills to be Paid $3,667,750.05

            3200 RUSSELL LLC Motels $1230, A&B BUSINESS SOLUT Lease-Rental Agreement $713.36, A&B BUSINESS SOLUT Maintenance Contracts $480.57, A&B BUSINESS SOLUT Office Supplies $133.1, A&B BUSINESS SOLUT Printing/Forms $92.27, A-1 PUMPING & EXCAVA Automotive/Small Equipment $370, ACCREDITATION AUDIT Maintenance Contracts $150, AIRWAY SERVICE INC Automotive/Small Equipment $1981.33, AIRWAY SERVICE INC Gas Oil & Diesel $342.11, AIRWAY SERVICE INC HIDTA Grant $61.24, ALCOHOL MONITORING S Electronic Monitoring $1142.4, ALCOHOL MONITORING S Program Supplies $3437, ALLISON LEE Misc Revenue $150, AMBER LOUNSBERY Program Activities $175, AMERICAN INK LLC Uniform Allowance $157.1, ANDERSON, JENNIFER Bd Evaluations (Minnehaha) $1649.98, APLUS TOWING LLC Professional Services $255, APPEARA Program Activities $105.22, ARCHITECTURE INC Architect, Engineers, and PMgt $46663, AUTOMATIC BUILDING C Maintenance Contracts $601, AUTOMATIC BUILDING C Outside Repair $234.69, AVERA MCKENNAN Hospitals $35000, AVERA MCKENNAN Other Medical Services $3742.33, AVERA MCKENNAN Professional Services $18.23, BILLION EMPIRE MOTOR Automotive/Small Equipment $78.67, BLACKSTRAP INC Road Material Inventory $44431.61, BOB BARKER COMPANY I Inmate Supplies $14261.24, BONANDER, RICHARD L Chemicals $41.32, BOSMAN, JOSEPH Business Travel $74, BOSMAN, JOSEPH Uniform Allowance $154.25, BRANDON VALLEY JOURN Publishing Fees $649.89, BRAUN, MASON Investigators Expenses $221.39, BROOKS TOWNHOMES PTR Welfare Rent $875, BUILDERS SUPPLY COMP Building Repairs & Maintenance $83.25, BUILDERS SUPPLY COMP Jail Repairs & Maintenance $165, BUTLER MACHINERY COM Truck Repairs & Maintenance $352.56, CAMBREE HUSS Misc Revenue $150, CAROLYN JOHNSON Program Activities $217.65, CEGELSKE, ZAC Business Travel $280, CENTURY BUSINESS PRO Lease Principal $719.04, CENTURY BUSINESS PRO Maintenance Contracts $849.39, CENTURYLINK Data Communications $2025.46, CHILDRENS HOME SOCIE Miscellaneous Expense $9593.8, CINTAS CORPORATION Janitorial Chemical Supplies $178.01, CINTAS CORPORATION Uniform Allowance $46.15, CIVIL DESIGN INC Architects & Engineers $24785, CODY SCHROEDER Extradition & Evidence $74, CODY SCHROEDER Taxable Meal Allowances $18, COM-TEC Safety & Rescue Equipment $399.46, COMPASS CENTER Miscellaneous Expense $4796.9, COMPUTER FORENSIC RE Professional Services $150, CONSTELLATION Natural Gas $10260.7, CONTROL INSTALLATION Outside Repair $323.89, COREMR LC Maintenance Contracts $652.5, CUMMINS INC Jail Repairs & Maintenance $2220.58, CYNTOM PROPERTIES AN Welfare Rent $700, DACOTAH PAPER CO Janitorial Chemical Supplies $52.8, DAKOTA FLUID POWER I Bldg/Yard Repair & Maintenance $108.7, DAKOTA FLUID POWER I Parts Inventory $510.95, DAKOTA RIGGERS & TOO Truck Repairs & Maintenance $201.66, DAKOTA SUPPLY GROUP Building Repairs & Maintenance $30.71, DAKOTA SUPPLY GROUP Jail Repairs & Maintenance $908, DEAN SCHAEFER COURT Court Reporters $618, DEANS DISTRIBUTING Gas Oil & Diesel $301.65, DENNIS SUPPLY CO SF Jail Repairs & Maintenance $971.53, DIAMOND MOWERS INC Parts Inventory $291.44, DIAMOND MOWERS INC Truck Repairs & Maintenance $1852.41, DIESEL MACHINERY INC Trucks/Tractors/Trailers $65635, DUST TEX SERVICE INC Janitorial Chemical Supplies $42.9, EICH LAW OFFICE LLC Attorney Fees $1184.5, ELITE LIMOUSINE LLC Program Activities $420, ENGQUIST, MOLLY J Program Activities $217.65, ERIN M JOHNSON PLLC Bd Exp Fees (Minnehaha) $8958.5, ERIN M JOHNSON PLLC Crisis Intervention Program $195.5, ETTERMAN ENTERPRISES Small Tools & Shop Supplies $43.94, FAMILY VISITATION CE Miscellaneous Expense $9593.8, FASTENAL COMPANY Sign Supply Inventory $239.41, FASTENAL COMPANY Small Tools & Shop Supplies $723.69, FIRST DAKOTA NATIONA Lease Interest $279.96, FIRST DAKOTA NATIONA Lease Principal $3673.46, FOX, DANIEL Bd Exp Fees (Yankton) $334.94, G & R CONTROLS INC Heat, Vent & AC Repairs $252.11, GANNETT MEDIA CORP Publishing Fees $1460.96, GARRETSON GAZETTE Publishing Fees $747.97, GEOTEK ENGINEERING & Architect, Engineers, and PMgt $5461, GIRTON ADAMS Road Maint & Material $30, GOLDEN WEST Telephone $75.95, GRAINGER Building Repairs & Maintenance $54.98, GRAINGER Grounds & Parking Repair $761.99, GRAINGER Jail Repairs & Maintenance $31.35, GRAINGER Small Tools & Shop Supplies $165.18, GRANT COUNTY Transportation $254.4, GRIESE LAW FIRM Attorney Fees $1055.5, GUARDIAN Other Supplies $298, H2OSE IT CAR WASH Truck Repairs & Maintenance $295.8, HENRY CARLSON CONSTR Construction Costs $2554222, HIGH POINT NETWORKS Subscriptions $5136, HOPF, MELISSA Business Travel $145.92, INNOVATIVE OFFICE SO Janitorial Chemical Supplies $390.99, INNOVATIVE OFFICE SO JDC Custodial Supplies $1027.3, INTERSTATE COMMERCIA Jail Repairs & Maintenance $1232.02, INTERSTATE OFFICE PR Kitchen/Cleaning Supplies $218.06, INTERSTATE OFFICE PR Office Supplies $509.07, INTOXIMETERS, INC. Testing Supplies $244.75, J & N TACTICAL Other Supplies $265, JACKS UNIFORMS AND E Uniform Allowance $667.69, JCL SOLUTIONS Inmate Supplies $1697.5, JCL SOLUTIONS Kitchen/Cleaning Supplies $2937.14, JD PROPERTY SOLUTION Welfare Rent $1452.86, JL PROPERTY MANAGEME Welfare Rent $750, JONES, DAWN County Cemetery $80, JSA CONSULT ENGINEER Architects & Engineers $17831, KASSANDRA DEHAAI Business Travel $200, KATTERHAGEN, MARK Bd Exp Fees (Yankton) $45, KB SPRINKLERS Bldg/Yard Repair & Maintenance $95, KOLETZKY LAW OFFICE Attorney Fees $221.5, KONE INC Contract Services $8820, KONE INC Maintenance Contracts $1135.14, KRINGEN, MAGGIE JANE Professional Services $1200, KRUSE LAW OFFICE Attorney Fees $3118, KURITA AMERICA HOLDI Heat, Vent & AC Repairs $1773.75, LAKEPORT OPERATING L Welfare Rent $894.25, LANGUAGELINE SOLUTIO Interpreters $568.79, LANGUAGELINE SOLUTIO Telephone $308.56, LARSON, VALERIE Bd Exp Fees (Yankton) $51, LEWIS & CLARK BEHAVI Bd Evaluations (Yankton) $1917, LEWNO LAW OFFICE Bd Exp Fees (Yankton) $336.75, LICKIDESPLIT CAR CLE Automotive/Small Equipment $250, LISA BARLOW KUTTER Program Activities $100, LLOYD COMPANIES INC Communication Equipment $259402.47, LOVING, PHILIP Bd Evaluations (Minnehaha) $1567.52, LUTHER, JEFF Medical Director $2750, MAC'S HARDWARE Grounds & Parking Repair $64.8, MAC'S HARDWARE Small Tools & Shop Supplies $13.99, MADDEN MEDIA Advertising $2100, MAYER, MICHAEL P Uniform Allowance $199.95, MCGOVERN, MIKE Uniform Allowance $31, MEDSTAR PARAMEDIC IN Transportation $1440, MENARD INC Chemicals $173.67, MENARD INC Program Activities $279.4, MENARD INC Road Material Inventory $878.45, MIDCONTINENT COMMUNI Data Communications $389.5, MIDCONTINENT COMMUNI Subscriptions $638.92, MIDCONTINENT COMMUNI Telephone $128.39, MIDLAND INC Jail Repairs & Maintenance $25.33, MIDWAY SERVICE INC Gas Oil & Diesel $20916.9, MIKE KUTTER Program Activities $100, MITCHELL REPAIR INFO Professional Services $4816.57, MYRL & ROYS PAVING I Bldg/Yard Repair & Maintenance $7077.96, NAPA AUTO PARTS Automotive/Small Equipment $12.34, NAPA AUTO PARTS Parts Inventory $514.46, NAPA AUTO PARTS Small Tools & Shop Supplies $29.95, NATALIE SURKALOVIC Business Travel $32.1, NELSON, ADAM D. Program Activities $112, NEW CENTURY PRESS Publishing Fees $458.08, NORTH CAROLINA DEPT Contract Services $627, NOVAK Lease-Rental Agreement $70, NOVAK Office Supplies $100.9, NOVAK Tea-Ellis Range $90, NOVAK Trash Removal $1032.53, NYBERGS ACE HARDWARE Jail Repairs & Maintenance $26.98, NYBERGS ACE HARDWARE Other Supplies $51.71, NYBERGS ACE HARDWARE Program Activities $32.27, NYBERGS ACE HARDWARE Small Tools & Shop Supplies $18.04, OLIVIER MILES HOLTZ Attorney Fees $1824.55, OLSON LAW FIRM PLLC Attorney Fees $1195.2, OLSON OIL CO. Miscellaneous Expense $71.1, OMAHA HARDWOOD LUMBE Program Activities $1712.02, OWENS, THOMAS DARREL Professional Services $1575, PALLUCK, ETHAN Taxable Meal Allowances $14, PANTHER GRAPHICS LLC Publishing Fees $981, PAYTON, ARISTARCHUS Business Travel $315.06, PCS MOBILE Professional Services $1028.4, PCS MOBILE Safety & Rescue Equipment $1793.9, PENNINGTON COUNTY Extradition & Evidence $4269.58, PERFORMANCE PAINT & Automotive/Small Equipment $3356.25, PHOENIX SUPPLY LLC Child Care Items $127.95, PHOENIX SUPPLY LLC Child Care Uniforms $316.98, PRIDE NEON, INC Automotive/Small Equipment $855, QUALIFIED PRESORT SE Postage $505.35, R&L SUPPLY LTD Coliseum $189.92, R&L SUPPLY LTD Jail Repairs & Maintenance $228.54, R&L SUPPLY LTD Plumbing & Welding $136.75, RAMKOTA HOTEL Business Travel $760.6, RDO CONSTRUCTION EQU Heavy Equip Repairs & Maint $3222.99, RDO CONSTRUCTION EQU Parts Inventory $-510.48, RENTOKIL NORTH AMERI Contract Services $622.43, RESOLUTE LAW FIRM IN Attorney Fees $691.25, RJ CONLEY HOTEL GROU Education & Training $107, ROEMEN'S AUTOMOTIVE Other Supplies $8.99, ROTOROOTER Jail Repairs & Maintenance $455, RUNNING SUPPLY INC Construction Safety $167.88, RUNNING SUPPLY INC JDC Maintenance $14.16, SAFETY GLASSES USA I Uniform Allowance $88.44, SALEM, KARLA R Bd Evaluations (Minnehaha) $1540, SANFORD Lab Costs $569, SANFORD Other Medical Services $9303.02, SANFORD CLINIC Contract Services $29367.28, SANFORD CLINIC Insurance-Other Costs $1293, SANFORD CLINIC Lab Costs $1078, SANFORD CLINIC Professional Services $539, SANFORD CLINIC Recruitment $1803, SCHAEFER, WILLIAM M Bd Exp Fees (Yankton) $6, SCHAUNAMAN, KURT Uniform Allowance $49.97, SD ASSOC OF COUNTY O Due To Other Governments $4114, SD HUMAN SERVICES CE Record Requests $9, SDN COMMUNICATIONS Data Communications $540, SDN COMMUNICATIONS Telephone $1900.8, SEVERTSON, ALLEN Chemicals $41.32, SIOUX EMPIRE FAIR AS Miscellaneous Expense $12500, SIOUX FALLS AREA HUM Miscellaneous Expense $5441.42, SIOUX FALLS AUTO TRI Automotive/Small Equipment $245, SIOUX FALLS CITY Gas Oil & Diesel $217.84, SIOUX FALLS CITY Professional Services $135.68, SIOUX FALLS CITY Water - Sewer $3799.13, SIOUX FALLS CITY Welfare Utilities $142.61, SIOUX VALLEY ENERGY Electricity $422.65, SOLHEIM, VIRGINIA Chemicals $42.34, SOUTHEASTERN BEHAVIO Crisis Intervention Program $4200.46, SOUTHEASTERN BEHAVIO Miscellaneous Expense $49921.25, SOUTHEASTERN BEHAVIO Professional Services $2712.5, SOUTHERN POLICE INST Education & Training $375, SPRINGBROOK LLOYD PR Welfare Rent $700, STAN HOUSTON EQUIPME Jail Repairs & Maintenance $1442, STATE OF SOUTH DAKOT Amts Held-Daily Scram $3883, STATE OF SOUTH DAKOT Amts Held-Remote Breath $898, STATE OF SOUTH DAKOT Archive/Preservation Supplies $1492.5, STATE OF SOUTH DAKOT Miscellaneous Expense $30, STATE OF SOUTH DAKOT Outside Repair $6.3, STATE OF SOUTH DAKOT Printing/Forms $269.5, STATE OF SOUTH DAKOT Sign Supply Inventory $624.95, STATE OF SOUTH DAKOT Telephone $32.9, STOCKWELL ENGINEERS Parking $919, STREICHERS INC Uniform Allowance $1180.98, SUMMIT FOOD SERVICE Board Of Prisoners-Meals $61501.22, SUMMIT FOOD SERVICE Child Care Food $1685.17, SUMMIT FOOD SERVICE Inmate Supplies $437.29, SUMMIT FOOD SERVICE School Lunch Program $3921.35, SUNSET LAW ENFORCEME Ammunition $1853.6, SURAJ CHHETRI Taxable Meal Allowances $18, SURE TEST Professional Services $978.6, SYVERSON TILE & STON Jail Repairs & Maintenance $34442.52, TAD FIEGEN Sign Deposits $50, TAYAH LONG FOX Misc Revenue $150, TEGRA GROUP INC Architect, Engineers, and PMgt $13221.81, TIRES TIRES TIRES IN Gas Oil & Diesel $48.31, TRANSOURCE TRUCK & E Truck Repairs & Maintenance $312.41, TRI-STATE NURSING Professional Services $11660, TRUENORTH STEEL INC Pipe & Culvert Inventory $45309.6, TSCHETTER & ADAMS LA Attorney Fees $7859.12, TYLER TECHNOLOGIES I Contract Services $2272.01, TYLER TECHNOLOGIES I Maintenance Contracts $38088.63, TZADIK SIOUX FALLS I Welfare Rent $853, UKG KRONOS SYSTEMS Data Processing Equipment $14651.07, ULINE Kitchen/Cleaning Supplies $462.66, ULINE Other Supplies $227.96, US FOODS INC Professional Services $673.35, US HOTEL ACS VENTURE Business Travel $571.6, VER BEEK, KELSEY Attorney Fees $3745.55, VIK, DARRELL Program Activities $900, VITAL RECORDS Archive/Preservation Supplies $619.95, VOGEL MOTORS LLC Automotive/Small Equipment $38, VOGEL MOTORS LLC Gas Oil & Diesel $106, WASTE MANAGEMENT OF Trash Removal $4389.38, WINNER POLICE DEPART Extradition & Evidence $143.67, XCEL ENERGY Electricity $2658.49, XCEL ENERGY Road Maint & Material $17.17, XCEL ENERGY INC Welfare Utilities $199.48, YANKTON COUNTY Board of Prisoners-Housing $340, YANKTON COUNTY Return Of Service $200, ZABEL STEEL Truck Repairs & Maintenance $134.72.

            The following reports were received and placed on file in the Auditor's Office:

COSSAP Grant Closeout Report

Minnehaha County Abandoned Cemeteries Board Minutes for September 2024

Routine Personnel Actions

New Hires

            1. Chandale Johnson, Senior Property Technician for Equalization, at $22.95/hour (12/1) effective 10/21/2024.

            2. Terri Prins, Legal Office Assistant for the State's Attorney's Office, at $22.95/hour (10/3) effective 10/28/2024.

Promotions

            1. James Gigante, variable hour Protective Services to variable hour Civil Process Server for the Sheriff's Office at $22.00/hour effective 10/12/2024.

Step Increases

            1. Dequan Harvin, Corporal for the Jail, at $30.88/hour (17/2) effective 9/30/2024.

            2. Corey DeGroot, Corporal for the Jail, at $33.25/hour (17/4) effective 10/1/2024.

            3. Michael Larson, Sergeant for the Jail, at $40.51/hour (20/6) effective 10/1/2024.

            4. Jordan Campbell, Correctional Officer for the Jail, at $26.64/hour (14/2) effective 10/10/2024.

            5. Loranda Mousel, Senior Deputy Public Defender for the Public Defender's Office, at $3,852.80/biweekly (22/5) effective 10/17/2024.

6.  Jennifer Voelker, Senior Tax & License Technician for the Treasurer's Office, at $26.64/hour (12/5) effective 10/2/2024.

PUBLIC NUISANCE HEARINGS

            Kevin Hoekman, Planner, was present for the continued public hearing to declare the property legally described as the N1/2 of SE1/4 (Ex R-1 & Ex Country Villa Estates & Ex Nelson's Addn & Ex TR 1 Albers Addn) in Section 26-T101N-R51W a Public Nuisance and Enact SDCL 21-10-6. The general location of the site is approximately four miles west of Sioux Falls and is located directly north of the Country Villa Estates subdivision along 485th Ave. On August 20, 2024, Minnehaha County Planning staff presented this property to the County Commission for consideration of a public nuisance. During the hearing, the property owner stated that nuisance items were removed. The County Commission deferred action on this item to the October 22 meeting to provide time for the items to be removed and for staff to re-inspect the property. On October 15, 2024, the Planning Staff reinspected the property and found that the nuisance times have been removed and all that is remaining on the property is one farm pickup. The farm pickup may be at the site in conjunction with the fall harvest. The Planning Department finds that there is no longer a public nuisance on the property and recommends no further action at this time.

            Chair Karsky asked for proponents and opponents to speak on the topic. There were no proponents or opponents in attendance to speak on the topic.

            MOTION by Kippley, seconded by Bender, to Concur with the Planning Department Recommendation of not Declaring the Property Legally Described as N1/2 of SE1/4 (Ex R-1 & Ex Country Villa Estates & Ex Nelson’s Addn & Ex TR 1 Albers Addn) in Section 26 T101N-R51W a Public Nuisance. By roll call vote: 5 ayes.

            Kevin Hoekman, Planner, was present for the scheduled hearing on a complaint on the property legally described as Tract 2 Peterson's Addition in the NE 1/4 & NE1/4 SE1/4 of Section 26-T103N-R49W, a Public Nuisance and Enact SDCL 21-10-6. The general location of the site is approximately 5 miles southeast of Baltic. In the winter of this year, planning staff received a complaint about inoperable vehicles and other junk on the property. Staff visited the property and found the condition of the property as described. The property owners received violation letters notifying them of the violation. The property owner has taken some action, such as removing trailers and a few vehicles, but many items defined as abandoned property remain on site. The property owner informed staff that he has been moving his stuff to another state, and he hopes to follow by moving himself when complete. During a recent site visit, staff found that the property further improved, but some work is still necessary to remove the public nuisance.

            Chair Karsky asked for proponents and opponents to speak about the public nuisance complaint. Robert and Kimberly Redetzke, property owner, spoke against declaring the property a public nuisance and there was no one in attendance to speak in favor of declaring the property a public nuisance.

            MOTION by Kippley, seconded by Bender, to Continue the Public Hearing to Consider Declaring the Property Legally Described as Tract 2 Peterson's Addition in the NE1/4 & NE1/4 SE1/4 of Section 26-T103N-R49W a Public Nuisance until December 3, 2024, Commission Meeting. By roll call vote: 5 ayes.

            Kevin Hoekman, Planner, was present for the scheduled hearing on a complaint on the property described as Lot 1 Tract 3 (Ex H-1) Inbergs Tracts in the E 1/2 SE 1/4 of Section 7-T101N-R48W, Public Nuisance and Enact SDCL 21-10-6. The general location of the site is approximately 1/4 mile north of the intersection of E Madison Street and Six Mile Road. In the spring of this year, planning staff received a complaint about inoperable vehicles and other junk on the property. One specific concern was the camper located in the right-of-way of E Elston Place. Staff visited the property and found the condition of the property as described. The property owners received violation letters notifying them of the violation. The property owner has taken no noticeable action except updating the license plate tags on the camper placed in the ditch. There is no indication that the camper is operable and should not be parked in the right-of-way.  The neighborhood has kept in contact with planning staff throughout the process and the properties along E Elson Place were notified of this hearing at the request of one of the residents.

            Chair Karsky asked for the proponents and opponents to speak on the topic. The following proponents spoke in favor of declaring the property a public nuisance: Bruce Hansen, Jill Kesler, and Mike DeBoer while there were no opponents in attendance to speak on the topic.

            MOTION by Bender, seconded by Beninga, to Declare the Property Legally Described as Public Nuisance Violation on the property legally described as Lot 1 Tract 3 (Ex H-1) Inbergs Tracts in the E ½ SE ¼ of Section 7 T101N-R48W a Public Nuisance and Enact SDCL 21-10-6. By roll call vote: 5 ayes.

PRESENTATIONS

            Nicki Dvorak, Glory House President, and Stacey Kutil, Development and Fundraising Specialist, gave a presentation regarding the Glory House that included information regarding the various services that are provided by the Glory House, number of beds that are available to clients, and length of stay per client. The future plans for the Glory House were also highlighted.

            Brooke Hendrickx, Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce Agribusiness Manager, gave a presentation regarding the agribusiness pillar for the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce. The Pillars of the Chamber are a voluntary association of members who desire to work together as a group for the purpose of more effectively promoting a special industry, business, profession, or activity. The agribusiness pillar advances and promotes the Sioux Empire as an agricultural center through actions that provide a higher visibility of the industry. The presentation highlighted the annual events that are undertaken by the pillar. Those events include National Farmer's Day at the Boar, Sioux Empire Livestock Show, and Ag Appreciation Day Luncheon. The Great Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce Agribusiness Pillar activities serve as an opportunity for further agricultural education and communication between the urban and agricultural communities.

EQUIPMENT PURCHASE

            Upon the request of Steve Groen, Highway Superintendent, MOTION by Beninga, seconded by Bleyenberg, to Authorize the Highway Department to Purchase two truck builds and dump bodies for new plow trucks through the Sourcewell Procurement Contract #080818-HPI in the Amount of $424,804.00. 5 ayes.

HEALTH AND DENTAL

INSURANCE PREMIUMS

            Carey Deaver, Human Resources Director, presented information regarding the 2025 health and dental insurance premiums. The adjustments for the next year premiums consider several factors including current year's claim costs, expected claims, administrative fee increases, stop loss insurance premiums, plan participant numbers, plan design, and health fund reserve goals. Dental Insurance claims have been lower than anticipated in 2024 and costs are trending to be less than 1% higher than in 2023. Human Resource Director Deaver is not recommending a dental insurance premium increase for 2025 since current premiums and enrollment levels should generate enough revenue for the projected 2025 costs. There were several factors related to the setting of the 2025 health insurance premiums which would result in health insurance premium increase that is not recommended for 2025. MOTION by Bender, seconded by Kippley, to Approve 2025 Health and Dental Insurance Premiums. By roll call vote: 5 ayes.

RETENTION BONSUS PROGRAM

            Carey Deaver, Human Resources Director, presented a request to approve the extension of retention bonuses for select Law Enforcement related positions. On January 25, 2022, the Commission approved a retention bonus program for Correctional Systems Operators, Correctional Officers, Deputy Sheriffs, and Juvenile Correctional Officers in recognition of the difficulty in recruiting and retaining employees in these positions. The retention bonus is $1,000 lump-sum payment given to eligible full-time eligible employees with good performance at 9,18, 27, and 36 months of service, with a total amount which can be earned by an employee is $4,000/ Eligibility for retention bonuses was initially limited to individuals hired before December 1, 2022, and the program was extended two times and is currently in effect for individuals hired through the end of 2024. A discussion was held regarding indefinite extension of the program during the 2025 budget hearings and the idea was supported. There are several factors for the proposal to indefinitely extend, including the turnover rate for Correctional Officers being reduced by 50%; employee inquiries about retention bonuses reflect that the bonuses are important to the eligible employees; while there has been a reduction in turnover, it remains higher than in years prior to 2022, reflecting a continued need to focus on turnover reduction. A final consideration is that the cost of offering retention bonuses is likely to be offset by reduced turnover. The cost of the program in 2023 was $118,415 and the anticipated cost for 2024 is slightly above $125,000. The American Rescue Plan Act has provided the funding for the retention bonuses since they were implemented and will continue to do so through 2024, but starting in 2025, the retention bonuses are budgeted to be expended from the General Fund. MOTION by Bleyenberg, seconded by Beninga, to Approve the Extension of the Retention Bonus Program. By roll call vote: 5 ayes.

SAFETY MANUAL UPDATES

            Carey Deaver, Human Resources Director, provided a briefing on proposed updates to the safety manual. The first proposed change would be to update the existing section on disruptive customer behavior. There are four proposed new sections to address threat response procedures, tuberculosis testing, a hepatitis B vaccination program, and temperature related illness prevention.

ARPA BRIEFING

            Susan Beaman, Finance and Budget Officer, presented a briefing regarding the 2024 3rd Quarter American Rescue Plan Expenditures. The Auditor's Office plans to report to the US Treasury regarding last quarter's expenditures of $2,923,005.95. The expenditure breakdown as follows: Jail Staffing for the COVID Isolation Unit had an expenditure of $186,090.75; Retention Bonus had an expenditure of $39,830.50; Burials had an expenditure of $67,500.00; Motels had an expenditure of $15,186.92; Jail Booking Registered Nurse had an expenditure of $115,437.63; Jail Mental Health Counselor had an expenditure of $15,269.25; New Positions had an expenditure of $445,587.25; State's Attorney Case Management Software had an expenditure of $52,225.00; Just FOIA software had an expenditure of $7,078.71; Welfare Rent had an expenditure of $157,347.83; Welfare Utilities had an expenditure of $18,533.58; Mortgage Assistance had an expenditure of $2,409.78; Emergency Response Infrastructure Improvements had an expenditure of $414,374.74; Juvenile Detention Center-Psychiatric Services had an expenditure of $3,493.00; Triage of Mental Illness Holds had an expenditure of $45,000.00; Salary Increase to Improve Worker had an expenditure of $459,376.00; Human Service Staffing had an expenditure of $378,265.81; and Tasers had an expenditure of $499,999.20. The total ARPA expenditures through September 30, 2024, were $34,207,305.90

INTERFUND TRANSFERS

            Upon the request of Susan Beaman, Finance & Budget Officer, MOTION by Bleyenberg, seconded by Bender, to Authorize a Transfer of $432,632 from the ARPA Fund to the General Fund; a Transfer of $25,721 from the ARPA Fund to the Highway Fund; and a Transfer of $1,023 from the ARPA Fund to the 24/7 Sobriety Fund. By roll call vote: 5 ayes.

BUDGET SUPPLEMENT BRIEFING

            Susan Beaman, Finance & Budget Officer, provided a briefing on the expected and potential budget supplements. The General Fund expenditures are trending slightly under budget year-to-date. There are a few departments that are trending higher than the budget which may require a year-end supplement, and they are the Courts budget; the County Insurance budget; and the Humane Society budget.  The briefing also highlighted the E-911 fund, which is a monthly payment from the State of South Dakota for E-911 surcharge fees. With the increase of the 911 per line surcharge from $1 to $2 as of July 1st, the monthly 911 surcharge payment from the State has increased as well. The E-911 fund is a pass-through fund. The net impact on the County is $0. The briefing highlighted the Emergency Management Fund. Earlier this year, the Commission authorized the execution of leases for the Fusion Center rental space and the Person Family land for a communication tower. Accounting standards require Minnehaha County to record a Capital Outlay expenditure and Other Financing Sources-Lease Proceeds revenue for the net present value of the lease term, including expected lease renewals. The value of the capital outlay supplement for the total of these two leases is $163,345.18. The payment of the lease will continue to be made in accordance with the lease agreements. This potential supplement is necessary to comply with the GASB 87 lease accounting standard. Finally, the briefing highlighted the domestic abuse fund due to the increase of marriage and divorce fees that are higher, which will impact the allocation to the Compass Center, Family Visitation Center, and Children's Home Society.

JUVENILE JUSTICE CENTER CHANGE ORDER

            Tom Greco, Commission Administrative Officer, presented a request for authorization to sign change order 1 for the Juvenile Justice Center Project Construction Contract. The proposed Change Order reduces the construction contingency from $4,605,157 to $2,302,579. The contingency change is the result of favorable bids received during Henry Carlson Construction's procurement for sub-contracted goods and services. Due to the reduction in contingency, the Construction Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) is correspondingly reduced by $2,302,579, which changes the GMP from $42,590,000 to $40,287,421. MOTION by Bender, seconded by Beninga, to Authorize the Commission Administrative Officer to Sign Change Order 1, Reducing Construction Contingency by $2,302,579, to the Juvenile Justice Center Project Construction Contract. By roll call vote: 5 ayes.

GRANT APPLICATION

AUTHORIZATION

            Meredith Jarchow, Assistant Commission Administrative Officer, presented a request for authorization for the submission of an application for the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program. The U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program is a $550 million grant program funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and is designed to assist states, local governments, and tribal governments in implementing strategies to reduce energy use and improve energy efficiency. The EECBG Program is allocated $76,450 to Minnehaha County, which can be utilized as a traditional grant or an Equipment Rebate Voucher. If awarded, the funds would be utilized in the form of an Equipment Rebate Voucher to retrofit lighting within County Facilities to LED lights. The equipment would be purchased with current County funds. Once installed and proper documentation is sent to the EECBG Program, an Equipment Rebate Voucher will be issued to replace the funds expended on the equipment. MOTION by Kippley, seconded by Bleyenberg, to Authorize the Submission of an Application for the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program. By roll call vote: 5 ayes.

OPPORTUNITY FOR

PUBLIC COMMENT

            Jean Childs, Sioux Falls, SD, spoke about having voter registration being obtained by only those living at non-resident addresses.

            Cindy Meyer, Harford, SD, spoke about the work done by the County Auditor and various election concerns.

            Chet Ellsworth, Rapid City, SD, spoke of concerns about having non-residence voters participate in the election.

            Gary Meyer, Hartford, SD, spoke about election concerns, especially out of state voters and concerns raised during the September 10 and October 15 meetings.

            Lean Anderson, County Auditor, provided an update on the absentee voting period and a general election update.

            Scott Anderson, Planning Director, provided an update on the update to the County Comprehensive Plan

            Arnold Wolf, Minnehaha County, spoke about concerns with the road construction.

COMMISSIONER LIAISON REPORTS

            Commissioner Bleyenberg reported on the kickoff meeting for the series of training for community case managers.

            Commissioner Karsky reported on a recent meeting of the Sioux Metro Growth Alliance Membership Board.

NON-ACTION COMMISSION

DISCUSSION

            Commissioner Karsky and Commissioner Bleyenberg thanked the Auditor's Office staff for the hard work that goes into the Election.

            MOTION by Bender, seconded by Bleyenberg, to enter into Executive Session pursuant to SDCL 1-25-2 (1), (3), (4), and (6) at 10:40 a.m. 5 ayes.

            Chair Karsky declared the executive session concluded at 11:38 a.m.

            MOTION by Kippley, seconded by Bender, to adjourn at 11:39 a.m. 5 ayes.

            The Commission adjourned until 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 12th, 2024.

APPROVED BY THE COMMISSION:

Dean Karsky

Chair

ATTEST:

Kym Christiansen

Commission Recorder

            Published  at the total approximate cost of $325.89 and can be viewed for free at www.sdpublicnotices.com.

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News for 10-31-24

Carrie Moritz
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