By Dave Baumeister, County Correspondent
SIOUX FALLS – This week, the Minnehaha County Commission unanimously voted to deny a property tax abatement of $1,031.96 on land belonging to Scott Siemonsma.
According to the material from Equalization Director Chris Lilla, in 2019, Siemonsma purchased 24 acres of land he had previously been renting for ag use.
However, since the parcel was zoned as non-ag land, the property taxes on it were significantly higher.
Apparently, when Siemonsma purchased it, he never made the application to have the zoning designation changed, so his 2019 taxes, payable in 2020, remained at the non-ag value.
As he was billed and paid the higher rate, he was hoping by seeking the abatement to have a portion of his taxes returned.
However, Lilla recommended the abatement be denied, and commissioners concurred.
Lilla explained that a notice was sent to Siemonsma last March which showed the newly purchased land was being taxed at the non-ag rate.
Commissioner Cindy Heiberger also suggested that a realtor should have pointed out that an application was needed to change any zoning, if a realtor was involved in the sale.
Lilla added that going forward wouldn’t be a problem for Siemonsma, as he has now filled out the proper application to have the zoning and taxes changed for payment in 2021.
During the discussion of this matter, several commissioners spoke to the importance of always checking assessment statements when they arrive.
Heiberger also explained that while the county collects all property taxes, most of Siemonsma's taxes were already paid out to his school district.
Lilla said that the new format for tax notices (first sent out in 2020) does make it easier for people to read and understand, but they don’t help if they go unread.
If notices are ignored, they can’t help anyone, he said.
But commissioners were more forgiving to woman who petitioned for the compromise of a $10,359 lien.
According to papers she filed, the lien was mainly incurred by her ex-husband after they divorced in 1994.
In her petition, she was hoping to have her name removed from the lien upon payment of $493 that was incurred by her spouse during their marriage.
The remaining $9,866 would stay in the name of the ex-husband.
While commissioners voted 4-1 to remove the petitioner’s name upon payment of the $493, it was shown that the ex-husband had died in April 2017, thus rendering the remainder of the lien uncollectable.
Commissioner Gerald Beninga cast the lone vote against the motion.
From the discussion prior to their vote, some commissioners said they might have been willing to forego the $493 payment, but the petitioner had not included more complete financial records of her own.
Minnesota winds
During public comment, Austin Carlson of rural Garretson told commissioners of a wind turbine proposal being planned in Minnesota, near the South Dakota border.
Although he didn’t talk about his feelings toward wind power, Carlson wanted to make people aware, and was hoping commissioners and others would get involved in making public comments about the project.
He said that the deadline to comment is Jan. 26. Comments can be submitted at https://mn.gov/eera/web/project/13893.
Planning and Zoning Director Scott Anderson explained that when zoning changes are planned, as a courtesy, Minnehaha County sends out notices to anyone living nearby, even if they are in another state; however, that is not the case with Minnesota.
That state’s zoning regulations do not consider South Dakota.
But Carlson said they do take public comments from South Dakotans affected.
$950k could buy a lot of gravel!
Commissioners also voted to finalize terms for the Monday, Feb. 8, auction of the county’s old gravel pit near Ellis.
As reported earlier, the auction will take place at 11 a.m. that day at the Old Courthouse Museum in Sioux Falls.
What the county finalized at their meeting is that the opening bid needs to be at least $950,000, a 10% payment has to accompany the winning bid the day of the auction, the winning bidder needs to have pre-approval for the purchase from a bank, and the transaction would have to be closed within 60 days.
It was also explained that people could arrange through the commission office to take their own boring sample of the pit.
Commission Assistant Craig Dewey is the contact person for that at 367-4206.
The next commission meeting will be at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 26, in the meeting room on the second floor of the county’s administration building at 6th and Minnesota in Sioux Falls.
