By Dave Baumeister, County Correspondent
SIOUX FALLS – New times – that were really “old times” –came at this week’s Minnehaha County Commission meeting and went without anyone saying anything.
Last week, the commission adopted a new procedures manual for their meetings that moved public comment closer to the end of the meeting.
And while many people objected to that, there was really very little change to how commission meetings operate.
Earlier this year, before the commission adopted the current consent agenda format, public comment was allocated to the time between routine (paying bills, abatements, county reports, etc.) and regular business.
This typically put public comment between 9:20 and 9:30 a.m.
When that changed, “routine” items were taken care of by a single vote, and public comment times moved up to around 9:05 a.m.
With the new schedule this week, the time for open public comment would have been at exactly 9:33 a.m., if anyone had spoken, and despite the recent furor, time for citizen input was right back to where it had been historically at commission meetings.
However, at future meetings that time could move somewhat, depending on the length of the agenda.
While most business this week was limited, there were several comments on the Minnehaha County 4-H program, especially as it related to crime, the city of Sioux Falls, and a new/remodeled Juvenile Detention Center.
In his briefing on the program, Youth Program Adviser Nathan Skadsen told commissioners that enrollment in Minnehaha County 4-H programs represented 10% of the total 4-H enrollment in South Dakota.
Commissioners Jeff Barth and Cindy Heiberger were both quick to follow up on those comments.
“I think it would do well for the city of Sioux Falls to support 4-H,” Barth said.
Skadsen explained that 4-H was designed to use federal, state and county money for the development of their programs.
However, it is doubtful that money coming in from other sources would be turned away.
“You are right on my page,” Heiberger told Barth. “It seems the city should support an already proven program that is out there.
“When looking for positive places for our youth to be, why not use what we have?”
In the past, Heiberger has said one of her passions is seeing improvements in juvenile justice programs make a difference in the lives of young people.
At the end of the meeting, Barth said he thought it would be a good idea for the commission to write a letter to the city of Sioux Falls encouraging their support of county 4-H programs.
The next meeting will be at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 18, on the third floor of the Minnehaha County Administration Building at 6th and Minnesota in Sioux Falls.
