County Commission - Regular Meeting

Happy St. Patrick's Day. It's 8:30. We'll call the uh Tuesday, March 17th, Brookings County Commission meeting to order with the if everyone would stand for the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the for it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. All right. Number three on the agenda is approval of the agenda. Do I have a motion to approve? So moved. Second.

Motion and a second. Any changes, requests, comments? Hearing none. All in favor signify by saying I. I.

Oppose. Say. Motion carried. Number four, invitation for a citizen to schedule time on the commission agenda for an item not listed. There is a five-minute time limit per person. Anyone wanting to speak during this agenda item must sign in prior to the start of the meeting. No commission action will be taken during this agenda item. Any request to action may be scheduled for a future meeting date and we don't have anybody signed in. Um, number five, consent agenda items, which includes the minutes, travel and education requests, personal action notices, cellular reimbursements in human services report. Do I have a motion to approve? Motion to approve. Do I have a second?

Second. Motion second. Any comments? Call the role, please. Banner. I. Post. Hi. Miller. Hi. Jensen. Hi. Hustler. Hi. Motion carries. Number six, routine business approval of claims. Do I have a motion to approve? Move to approve. Second. Motion in a second. Any comments? Hearing none. Call the role, please. Post. I. Miller. Hi. Jensen. Hi. Vanderwal. Hi. Hustler. Hi. Motion carries.

Letter B. Department head reports. We will start with 4. Sonia. Good morning. Morning. Morning.

Well, I provided a report ahead of time, so I'll allow you to, you know, ask any questions you might have, but a couple things I wanted to just mention um that maybe are not a part of this. Um, I did include I guess but didn't really highlight the fact that you've heard me speak about our online curriculum called operation occupation and addresses um job and career exploration while having a gamified approach of a digital escape room. Anyway, 4 at a national level is transitioning um or adopting a framework called beyond ready. It's quite a checklist and the beyond ready checklist is helping to incorporate things into existing programs that make them beyond ready preparing youth to be beyond ready once they've completed their years in 4 graduated high school and and looking to those next steps of life. They identified and asked uh South Dakota State 4 if those of us involved with operation occupation would submit a proposal to present. They identified that as a beyond ready program within our land grant university. So those of us involved did submit a um request for presentation proposal were selected and gave our presentation virtually to the uh hosted by national association of 4 youth development professionals PYD professional youth positive youth development academy. It's uh there's been three opportunities for these presentations plus a three-day uh conference, if you will, in early

February. We gave our presentation on February 18th. Uh we had 30 minutes to showcase what it was that our our program is about and are pleased with with the fact that we have already been implementing this beyond ready idea. Uh it starts with does programming create sparks? Does it uh promote belonging? And you're you work through this checklist looking to check a box. Doesn't have to be every single box within each of those segments, but pleased to have a a program that already falls within that beyond ready as do others that are highlighted in this report like the flavorful and chicks in the classroom. So, uh, we were pleased to be on that national stage representing South Dakota and South Dakota 4. There was about 300 in our Zoom room that day. So, taking in live and and feedback with questions. The materials were recorded and available for later viewing, too. So those that might not have had an opportunity that day could certainly go back and and review that presentation. Um today our the registration opened at 7:00 a.m. for state shoot and that takes place the end of April but people are anxious to get registered. So I'm sure that this morning was a flurry of activity within the platform but match two closed uh yesterday scores were due. Match two ended on the 15th. Our events on Sunday were cancelled with the weather, with road closures, etc. So, those kids that participate in Sunday lines didn't have an opportunity to shoot on Sunday for their match. They did have the chance the week before, and there is one more

match available for youth in our shooting sport program. Hard to believe it's the middle of March. It seems like shooting sports just got started. Uh tomorrow a tomorrow evening at six o'clock there's a 4 town hall meeting. Um you're welcome to participate if you'd like. You can find the registration link through the 4 green tea that's posted to our Facebook page. The green tea being our 4 newsletter. The town hall is being hosted by the caf's dean Dean Cassidy and he is presenting and rolling out to the public his vision for 4. I would imagine there'll be some other information shared as well plus ample time for question and answer. Registration is required because it's a webinar system or webinar webinar format. So register using the link and information will be emailed immediately. But if you're interested in that and hearing what Dean Cassidy has to say concerning 4 in South Dakota, um where he sees it going perhaps um we're getting some of that information just a couple hours before. So, I I don't have a lot of detail to like lure or entice you into viewing, but know that it's open to the public and you're welcome to attend if you'd like. Are there any questions for me?

Any questions? I think so. Okay. Well, thank you. Thank you, Sheriff Got the grip. There you go. Good morning. Morning. Morning.

Morning. Got uh the jail administrator, Andrew Ericson, with me this morning. I'm going to be quick because I want him to uh uh go over some stuff with you real quick. Um just a quick overview of the detention center. 52 inmates at the present time. 23 of those 52 are Brookings County inmates. The rest are from other counties, three from Dual County, one from Moody, and uh we have 25 US Marshall Service uh inmates. Uh the 247 uh program seems to still be have uh 78 total, which is I still look at that as good. um 35 income twice a day, six remote, seven scram, 11 UAS. Um then over just quickly over the uh the weekend with the storm, I was stranded in Iowa, but uh Bob had his emergency management uh office open and we between him, me and Sergeant Langstrat kept an eye on the weather. Actually, again, it's it happened on the weekend, so there was a lot. And uh the other thing is is that there was a lot of proactive stuff out there. You know, the interstate closing and we didn't have anybody stranded out there. So, we had minimum uh issues. Also, this morning, I gave you guys my organizational chart that should be up to date. Um, so if you have any questions, other than that, we're going to have some um, uh, later later in the commission, we'll have some approvals for correction officers. I'm going to have Andrew just kind of give you an overview of what's been going on when uh, the turnover with corrections. So, yeah. So, just wanted to address turnover with you guys. I know that's been a concern. Um the national average when you're looking at it is well above 60% uh across the nation. Right now in the past year we're at about 40%.

When you look at that though uh three of our guys have been promoted to the road. Uh one has moved out to the outdoor adventure center. Uh and then two are also promoted up into the front office to help Marty with that stuff out there. Um, with that obviously most of those people that have moved on have been corporals or full-time employees and so then we've promoted part-time employees. So with each promotion obviously becomes a new opening. So the turnover when you're looking at the request to fill vacancies probably looks a lot worse than what it actually is. Um, if you count just those promotions or if you take those promotions out, our turnover is really only at 26% for this last year. So, I think we're doing exceptionally well as far as retention of employees and uh you know, we want employees to be able to move up too. Corrections is oftentimes a stepping stone for people to move into road deputy spots. So, having three go to the road is really good for them. Glad they're able to further their careers. So,

okay. Any questions for Andrew? So when curious when people leave, are they transferring to other departments? Uh it just kind of depends. Sometimes that is the case. Uh like our most recent two. Uh the one him and his uh girlfriend moved down to Arkansas to be closer to her family. They work for Tyson Chicken. They all moved down there and work for them. Um and then another gal uh she actually went back into the industry she was in prior to corrections. Okay.

Kind of had a higher paying job that had daytime hours just fall in her lap that was going to work better for her and her family. Um other times, yeah, they are taking SDSU is taking a few of our guys. You know that there's always that kind of potential for people to go to other departments.

We had one that went to the highway patrol, one actually is the sheriff in Turner County at the present time. So, they do go to other law enforcement. So, it's kind of a stepping stone, you know. I got to rely on 18, 19, 20, 21 year olds, probably Gen Z's if you want to. And uh they're noted for not staying around long. I don't know if I can blame it all on that, but we had that training, right, Stacy? And so now we can understand why they they move on, I guess. Huh. So, but sheriff, the at one time we talked about a contract that they would sign be prior going to the academy. Are we still moving forward with that or? Yes. Uh this last time though, we didn't get them signed. Uh so they've sworn in blood that they're going to stay. We cut our No, we uh normally the last the last three that went I did not get that signed. I didn't I didn't have that signed before we did. So it's a one-year contract. I still think probably the next negotiations they probably should think about a two-year or that. But we didn't uh uh but I visited with them. I probably still can, you know, probably have them sign it. But uh I don't think it, like I said, we had a good chat. So I don't see these three going anywhere anytime soon. But things change. I I get that. So

what what do you estimate is an onboarding cost to bring in somebody new for training?

Yeah. Oh boy. Uh, you know, probably, you know, you're looking on the deputy side, you know, depends on when they go to the academy, but you got 13 weeks of field training or 16 weeks of field training uh with another deputy and then you got 13 weeks, you know, so you're, you know, before they get to training with his salary and stuff, you could have $60,000 into a deputy before they go to the school. Yeah. Um on the on the correctional side you have we give them what 40 hours of training. We try to give them 40 hours of training. We give them we actually we do 12 weeks of field training um with a where they have another senior correctional officer or corporal following them around helping them out teaching them the ropes. So 12 weeks in on that.

So you got that salary. You know we get some that come and then they decide they don't that's not for them. So yeah, we're out that training, you know, during that time. Then we got to look for a replacement. So anything else? I think we're good.

I think it's an ongoing thing. It's just not unique for Brookings County. It's it's pretty much nationwide on retention and turnover. You know, what do we do to try to keep our employees? you know, uh I think Brookings County is pretty competitive with salary and benefit package and stuff. So, I mean, it's it's uh probably a ever go ongoing thing to how to retain our employees. So, anything else that Okay. All right. Thank you, sir. information. Thank you, gentlemen. Thanks, sir. Thanks, Andrew. Lori,

Bob, county finance.

Good morning.

I gave you a staff report if you have any questions on that. I guess the big thing is the uh healthc care coalition meeting coming up in Oacoma. That's that's we'll I'll give you a report on what that encompasses when I get back, but that has a lot to do with our pandemic planning coordinating committee and our points of dispensing. And um the other thing was the weather. It's interesting people. Um, we didn't get a lot of complaints this time because things were closing down because, well, some people said, "Well, you only got 4 in of snow." Yeah, but that snow didn't stay here. When I walked outside, the snow was heading heading to the to the west. So, it uh you couldn't you couldn't anyone walking outside knew there was a blizzard condition. And um you're chances are people in this listening to this will never see another blizzard like 1969 68 and 69. But the conditions have changed and and what you saw I think worked good. The interstates being closed in in in cycles. We did not close the county roads this time. We had deputies on the on the street. They closed them coming from the north down. They they closed Hamlin and Dual County. I came in the office for a couple hours just in case. The recommendation was to close the county road, Brookings County roads, but uh the conditions were bad. The biggest problem was the wind blowing and u one thing people living in the county of course we got 804 square miles. If you got a shelter belt, snow is going to build up there and but that's that's nothing new. What we saw in this blizzard was nothing new except the

weather service started putting out the warnings two days in advance so everyone knew what was going on and um I think it worked good. We work as a good team between the sheriff highway department and my department. Any questions? Any questions? I'll be back later on a plat and we'll have a discussion on that one. Thank you. Thank you Bob. So, Weeden Pest, Tim Huber, do you want to step up and introduce yourself? We have our weed, new weeden pest supervisor. Sorry to put you on the spot. Oh, good.

Morning, Tim Huber. Um, three days into the job. Uh, third week, I guess. I'm working eight hour days. Hours are generally Tuesdays, 7 to 3:30 up until, uh, spring, first part of May. And then it will be up to 29 and a half hours a week. Just kind of been going through some paperwork, trying to get on board with some safety training, working on my applicator's license, and uh other than that, just looking forward to getting outside. So, very good. We're glad to have you. Anybody have anything for Tim? Welcome. Welcome. Welcome.

Officially, this is my first year of retirement. I retired a year ago, March 17th, from the Brookings City Landfill. So, first year off. So, thanks. Well, we're happy to have you. Thanks, Tim.

All right, moving on. Uh, finance officer's report. Uh, be it noted items, auditor's account of transfers, payroll, and additive totals, registered deeds, statements, and fees collected. Action to approve first quarter FY 2026 transfers per budget appropriations. Letter A from general fund 101-49114294 to Highway Road and Bridge Fund 2013 371000000 in the amount of 9 and28,298.75 and from general fund 101-4-911 94 4290 to emergency management fund 226-4-371 000000 in the amount of $32,66025. We don't need bolts for those. Correct.

Yes, we do need action. And I want to just note too on on letter B, it should be 226-3-371. That's a typo. Okay. All right. So from letter A from general fund in the amount of you can you can do them together as all right so I would make take a motion to approve second motion and second any comments call the roll please Miller I Jensen I Vanderwal hi Post Hustler hi motion carries

all right number seven we do not have a scheduled agenda item uh number eight regular business action to approve Approve resolution 26-09 a plot of tract one in Skullum edition in the southwest quarter in the southeast quarter of section 28 township 110 north range 49 west of the fifth principal meridian Brookings County South Dakota. Do I have a motion to approve? So moved. Second. Motion is second. Comments.

Yes. This uh is is the item Slokum property is as she used to be the register of deeds for Brookings County. And um this property on the actual plat has some interesting language that talks about um requiring a conditional use permit to build on this property. And the reason for that is this is in the wellhead area of Brookings County. the we got several wellheads in Brookings County. What what a wellhead is, it's where the city wells are. Bulgar's got one. There's one up by Bruce uh for rural rural waters. Got one up by Bruce and of course Brookings has two different wellhead protection areas in the in the around the city of Brookings. And there is one on the road going to to this property here. So that falls into and the reason for that is uh we we don't want our wells contaminated. That's the drinking water for the city of Brookings. In this particular case, each wellhead is attached to a different community, but uh and that that puts an additional requirement so we know what's being constructed and and we can control things like septic systems and stuff like that. We we do not want to contaminate those those wellheads. So that that's why that language is on this particular plan.

Okay. Anybody have any questions? And we did hear this at the March meeting planning and zoning meeting and it was passed unanimously and sent to this board with the recommendation that you approve it. Is there is there still an irrigation wellhead on this property or is that just off of this plat? I'm sorry, but I do not know the answer to that. But um the the well the irrigation wells are all controlled by the water management board out of pier and we have no no control over that particular one. It really depends upon when it was permitted. Kind of looks like the irrigation's gone.

Yep. Chances are, and once it become part of the wellhead, I'm sure the city of Brookings because that's what contaminated other wellheads historically was things like irrigation, irrigation pipes. So, chances are the community went to the water management board and probably probably had it removed, but I I don't know for sure.

All right. Any other questions, comments? Hearing none. Call the role, please. Jensen, I. Vanderwal, hi. Post. Hi. Miller. Hi. Hustler. Hi. Motion carries. Thank you. Letter B. Action to approve resolution 2610. A resolution setting weight limit enforcements on Brookings County Highways and amending resolution 26-5. Do I have a motion to approve? So move. Second. Motion in a second. comments.

This resolution amends the previous uh weight limit enforcement resolution to change County Road 16A or 214th Street from the 7 ton per axle to 5 tons per axle. That is the only change. Everything else remains at 7 ton. Any other comments? Say hearing none. Call the role, please. Vanderwall. Hi. Post. Hi. Miller. Hi. Jensen. Hi. Hustler. I. Motion carries.

Letter C. Action to approve abatement 26-4 an abatement application made by Sranus theosidopoulos for parcel 40175-0000200-014-00 in the amount of 11 $1,19523. Do I have a motion to approve? So moved. Second. Motion a second. comments hearing none. All in favor signify by saying I. I. I.

All oppose say nay. Motion carries. Letter D. Action to approve agreement 26-22. First amendment to the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Joint Powers Agreement. Do I have a motion to approve? So moved. Second.

Motion a second. comments. I brought with me uh Sergeant Tom Festerry who's in charge of uh investigations for the sheriff's office. and and u how this came about is this that we're starting to see more and more uh types of crimes on the internet towards towards children and so forth. Um so I thought it was an opport good opportunity to jump on board with the Brookings City Police and DCI Division of Criminal Investigation um to work these cases. We're starting to see some out in the county. Tom Chester and then DJ Riker, who is uh my other investigator. They'll be the ones that'll be working these uh types of crimes when we get a referral that something's going on uh in Brookings County. Um there's no cost to this at there's u the state's going to provide us with some equipment. Uh they're hoping down the down the uh down the u uh road that uh uh we'll get some grants for some other type types of equipment, computer um computers and so forth. Um the biggest thing is probably going to be software and and maintenance and that thing. And I've discussed a little bit with um with uh um Commissioner Hustler about about this program too. He's familiar with the DCI agents that's running this too. So if you have any questions, I know Tom, you got one. Um, I better let you say something.

Um, I know we're seeing an uptick with uh uh cell phones and what uh people are doing with cell phones with uh stuff on the internet um Snapchat, stuff like that. I just better equip us um as to a essentially learning um what needs to be done. Um there is an uptick with uh these types of crimes since 2020. um a large spike um and it would better equip us um in the investigations division to present a case to the state's attorney's office, know what we're doing um and being able to uh handle things ourselves um with the help of DCI um and just be able to take on case loads uh such as that there won't be as it's not like we're going to be getting a tip a week um from what we're told we'll have a few tips a year um that come in um they're and right you know right when this the ball kind of got rolling we got a tip on Friday about uh somebody in our county so um it just be better for us to handle things and work uh jointly right with DCI to uh better equip us um with this type of task force. Hey, Detective Chester, do you recall the facts in that Nathan Nelson case that involved the use of a cell phone and internet social media?

Yes. Do you want to just tell the commissioners just kind of like what that case looked like and how something like electronic social media investigations work and

Yeah, I think that might be a good example to show how this actually plays out in real life. Um yeah uh people are targeting um younger children over um social media apps such as Snapchat just randomly adding them um and that will lead to uh conversations of hey let's hang out and then it um leads to an encounter um bad encounters with uh kids in our community um and uh just from Snapchat. So, um, and that's not the only, uh, profile that, uh, they're they're using. They're using other apps. And, uh, I would say that I'm, uh, that old, but, um, I'm kind of out of the game at 33 years old. So, um, and it just be better to equip, uh, law enforcement with figuring out how, uh, these predators are um, you know, targeting our children in our community. Part of this will be training. Both detectives will be uh have some training through DCI. Also, um I'll allow them to go into the next county, Kingsbury County or Dual County if they have an issue there to to assist DCI u and uh help with the city police in in town, too. It's it's good opportunity to work with uh other agencies in partnership with those. So, um I sent the contract to Dan. That's a pretty normal contract for DCI, the state. So that's uh that's kind of in a nutshell. We're just starting to see more of this more of this uh and we need to get not ahead of try to get ahead of it, but it's hard to get ahead of it. It's usually uh uh sometimes it's too late by the time we get going, but at least we

can get some uh education and be able to respond and investigate properly. So, probably unless any other questions I just like to say anything we can do to combat these crimes against children, I'm I'm in favor of it. So, absolutely. Thank you. Yeah. Y thank you very much guys. Do we have any other comments? Hearing none. Call the role please. Post. Miller. Hi. Jensen. Hi. Vanderwal. Hi. Hustler. Hi. Motion carries.

Letter E. Action to approve agreement 26-23. An election agreement for Brookings County between Brookings County and the city of Brookings. Do I have a motion to approve? So move. Second motion to second comments,

Lori, do we have any I know we've seen some of these before. What's kind of the difference with has there been any changes with this? Um the main difference with this was that um the city wanted more of a detailed billing when we send out a billing versus just this is your flat amount due. So some of that language was changed. Okay. Any other comments, questions? Hearing none. Call the role, please. Thank you. Miller. Hi. Jensen. Hi. Vanderwal. Hi. Post. Hi. Hustler. Hi. Motion carries.

Letter F. Action to approve and authorize jail administrator Andrew Ericson to sign agreement 26-24 an inmate SMS texting messaging location services agreement between Brookings County Jail and Reliance Systems Incorporated. Do I have a motion to approve? So moved. Second.

Motion a second. Comments? Uh, just wanted to make sure you guys knew too, it's not actually just the text messaging, it's the audio calling as well. Uh, this contract would put us in compliance with the new FCC rules, which governs how much we can charge for the telephone calls. Uh, long and short of that is the FCC greatly lowered the amount that we're able to collect off of phone calls. However, they don't um regulate text messages. So for us to be able to keep making the same consistent revenue that we've been making, Reliance is going to give us an average of or an amount of 58.92 per inmate uh based on an average of our inmate population over the course of a month. Uh this will keep our revenue the same or close to the same as what it was before, if not more, because sometimes inmates don't spend any money with the with the tablets. So, they don't make any calls, make any text messages. Uh, but otherwise, our our commission on that was going to go down about 2/3 from what we were making before. Uh, so Reliance has just kind of found a way to backdoor that, per se, and make sure that we're still making the same amount of money and not losing losing a bunch without raising rates for inmates or anything like that and staying compliant with the FCC.

Any questions for Andrew? And this kind of goes alongside with the new mail system and everything else. Kind of coincides a little bit with the changes you guys making over there.

Yeah. So, Reliance provides a lot of stuff to us at no charge, including that mail system. Um, all the tablets and everything that we get, the charging banks, everything is installed, brought in for free. Um, Reliance just makes the makes the money back off of their commissions. Um, so they've they've really been great. their software has provided um AI, different things to monitor inmate messages and stuff uh which I know has helped the state's attorney's office sometimes, you know, inmates admit to things on on text messages and phone calls and now we don't have to spend as much time doing that because AI just finds it for us and it's they're they've been a great company. So,

all right, any other questions? Thank you very much. Hearing none. Call the role, please. Jensen, hi. Vanderwal, hi. Post. Hi. Miller. Hi. Hustler. Hi. Motion carries. Letter G. Action to approve agreement 26-25, a real estate relationship disclosure agreement between Brookings County and Ryan Kroman with Ryan Kroman and Comp with Kroman and Company Real Estate. Do I have a motion to approve? Second. Motion a second. Any comments?

Do you want me to comment? Um, so this agreement uh with Ryan Kroman um is with asking for his assistance getting his assistance with um a letter of intent to lease property just to the south of this building um property owned by Craig Kger. Uh and so that's what this is for. The address of that is 524 Front Street. Any other comments hearing? None. Call the role, please. Vanderwal. Hi. Post. Hi. Miller. Hi. Jensen. Hi. Hustler.

Hi. Motion carries. All right. Letter H. Action to approve agreement 26-26, a letter of intent to lease between Brookings County and Craig and Kathleen KGER. Do I have a motion to approve? So move. Second. Motion a second. comments.

Again, this is that letter of intent to lease that space. Um, a three-year term for um 200 per month. We're going to be um we were asked to take care of snow removal and lawn care over on that space for for use of the uh space described in that. Um this also gives us that first right of refusal to purchase that property if and when it comes up for sale. Any other comments? Hearing none. Call the role, please. Post. I. Miller. Hi. Jensen. Hi. Vanderwal. Hi. Hustler. Hi. Motion carries.

Letter I. Action to approve agreement 26-27, the acknowledgement and acceptance memo regarding the Vulga Samra Avenue reconstruction phase 1 spring work completion. Do I motion to approve? Move to approve. Second. Motion a second. Comments. This memo um describes what's left kind of those punch list items that are left from uh the first couple of phases on the Samra Avenue project. Um when that work needs to start here this spring and and then also when that needs to be finished by Bose as well.

Any other comments or questions? Hearing none. Call the role, please. Miller, hi. Jensen, hi. Vanderwal, hi. Post. Hi. Hustler. Hi. Motion carries. Letter J. Action to approve agreement 26-28 and amendment to owner engineered agreement amendment number one between Brookings County and Banner Associates. Do I have a motion to approve? Motion to approve. Second.

Motion is second. Comments. This increases Banner's engineering contract for the Samra Avenue project. Um, of course, we know that that that project has gone past. It was supposed to be done in 2025. The third phase will be done between July 6th and September 4th of this coming uh construction season. However, this this additional amount, we should be able to make that up in penalties for delays on the Bose contract. Any other comments hearing? None. Call the role, please. Jensen, I. Vanderwal, hi. Post. Hi. Miller.

Hi. Hustler. Hi. Motion carries. Letter K. Action to approve the low bid of $179,173.75 and notice of of award to the Road Guy Construction Company for the 2026 Brookings County Chip Seal project. Do I have a motion to approve? Motion to approve. Second. Motion to second. Comments.

So, two things here. The low bid and then the notice of award for the road guy construction. They did submit the low bid for the chip seal project that will take place this summer. Um that bid was about 41,000 less than the estimated cost. So that's good. Um and then we have another agreement with them coming up. All right. Any other comments? Call the role, please. Vanderwal. I. Post. Miller. Hi. Jensen. Hi. Hustler. Hi. Motion carries.

Letter L. Action to approve agreement 26-29, an agreement between Brookings County and the Road Guy Construction Company of Yankton, South Dakota for the 2026 Brookings County Chips Seal project. Do I have a motion to approve? So moved. Second. Motion and a second. Comments. And this is the agreement with the Rogai Construction Company to do that chip seal project. Any other comments? Hearing none. Call the RO, please. Post. I. Miller. Hi Jensen. Hi Vanderwal. Hi Hustler. Hi. Motion carries.

Letter M. Action to approve low bid of 914,579.81 to Dunik, Inc. of Watertown, South Dakota for 2026 Brookings County surfacing project. Do I have a motion to approve? Second. Motion a second. Comments. And again, this was another bid that was recently opened for the um the surfacing project. Dunick was the low bid. And again, this was about $254,000 under the engineers estimate. Um which again is a good thing for us. All right. Any other comments? Hearing none. Call the role, please. Miller, hi. Jensen, hi. Vanderwal. Hi.

Post. Hi. Hustler. Hi. Motion carries. Letter N. Action to approve request to fill vacancy for office manager in the highway department. Do I have a motion to approve? So second. Motion a second. Any comments? Just due to a resignation. Any other comments? Hearing none. All in favor signify by saying I. I. I. Oppose say nay. Motion carries. Letter O. Action to approve request to fill vacancy for two full-time male corrections officers in the detention center. Do I have a motion to approve? So moved. Second. Motion a second. Comments

and again due to one due to a promotion, one due to a termination. Any other comments? Hearing none. All in favor signify by saying I. I. I. Oppose say nay. Motion carries. Letter P. Action to approve request to fail vacancy for a full-time female corrections officer in the detention center. Do I have a motion to approve? Motion to approve. Second. Motion in a second. Any comments? This one was due to a resignation. Any other comments? Hearing none. All in favor signify by saying I. I. I.

Oppose say nay. Motion carries. Letter Q. Action to declare the following items surplus as surplus property to be disposed of. NVR security camera system and DVR security camera system. Do I have a motion to approve? So move. Second. Motion to second. Any comments? We recently did a security upgrade here at the government center. So these are the items that need to be surplused and disposed of. Will will these be sold as or will be destroyed and disposed of? Okay. Any other comments hearing? None. All those in favor signify by saying I.

I. Post. Say n. Motion carries. Letter R. Action to approve the Brookings the Brookings County Brookings, South Dakota bylaws, rules of procedure, and policies, and the Brookings County Code of Conduct. Do I have a motion to approve? Move to approve. Second.

Motion a second. Comments. I know I've talked about these a couple different times now in the past. Um, basically spell out the general rules and procedures for the county commission and the bylaws. And then that bylaws document does refer to the code of conduct to be approved alongside of this. If approved, I will be working with HR to get um all the proper signatures on all of these and that code of conduct specifically handed out to everyone who needs to sign off on that. Basically, this is things that we were always doing, just getting them down and writing. And

yes, a lot of it just is a lot of it refers to state statute. Um, like I said, it's just sort of procedures, a lot of procedural stuff that we're already doing. It just sort of spells that out. Um, and then it's a place to for all of the different policies that the the commission approves. It's one place where you can look at that those policies as an addendum to these bylaws. So as policies come up and are approved, they'll be added to this document as well. Any additional comments? Hearing none. All those in favor signify by saying I.

I. Post say nay. Motion carries. Number nine, commission department director report.

Okay. So, we did have um Eric Paulie is the communications uh commun community relations manager with Excel Energy. Um he provided some written answers to some of the questions that were raised at the last meeting during that uh public comment portion. That document is included with my report. Um you can read some of his answers there. Um, Banner submitted uh their March 2026 engineering report. It's a a report that they started doing here just recently. It gives updates on the projects that they're working with us on and that again it too is included with my report. um legislative audit uh provided notice that they have hired a firm to conduct the 2025 audit of the housing and redevelopment commission. That's one of our boards. Um that information has been shared with them um with RAM who does the provides that service or kind of the management service for us for that. Um, we did receive a notice from DOT that we were not approved for the bag or the bridge improvement grant uh for structure 06881230. Um, we did get I think I had mentioned this maybe a couple of weeks ago, but the flyer is included here for the Brookings County annual feed put on by the Brookings Fire Department. March 31st starts at 5:30 over at the East Fire Hall um right there off 6th Street and 20th Avenue. The Sou Valley Commission uh Commissioners Association meeting is coming up Wednesday, April 8th. I think I've got everybody RSVPd for that. That's over in Dismmet. um at the next meeting I think we can talk about um

um talk about transportation and whatnot but um just so you have the agenda it looks like we'll have the meeting and then looks like there's a tour of a dairy and that is um just I think at the Carthage exit off of Highway 14 and south a little ways so a little bit west of Dismaton and south so a tour of that following the meeting. Um Heidi Gullixson with United Way provided me with this this flyer, the week of the young child community celebration, April 14th. That's a Tuesday from 4:00 to 7:00. I know um Mayor Opneer will be doing a proclamation at 4:30. Um the museum is free during that time. So um that information again is included with my packet. And then at the towns and townships meeting the this handout was provided. I know this is a little ways out into June, but if you're interested in this to get this on your calendar, the good, the bad, and invasive plant field day, it is out this year at re near rehe. So, um out there on your way between between Miller and just west of Miller a little ways, I guess. Um, also with my report, the veteran service officer report, three uh, DAV rides. Um, the most reliable driver has now retired from doing that. The office had approximately 15 applicants um, for drivers for the DAV van from their Brookings Register new news article. Um, they haven't heard anything. And I said the report says DAV. It's actually the VA that approves those. I want to make that clear. It's not the DAV, but the VA. They have heard back now, I think, on one or two of them. So, slowly but surely, but I think they had like 15

applicants. So, it's just taking it takes time and I think that's kind of the been the frustrating part with this whole process. So, um hopefully things will start moving forward if they're starting to hear back now on some of those um outreach that they did veterans after hours at the VFW. They do that um monthly for those veterans who can't necessarily get to the office during the day. They do have some hours um at the VFW once a month um in the evenings. And then they did have um the office had a table out at United Way Stronger Together event recently too. Um Matt Pillar, our veteran service officer, attended the Legion Washington Conference. I won't read all of that, but he gave a pretty good synopsis on what uh he all participated in and what who he got to visit with and and what he got to hear while he was out in Washington DC recently. And then the payment spreadsheet is also attached to my report. Other than that, we have some of these upcoming dates. Uh, this Friday is the Brookings Moody County Lincoln Day dinner 5:00 at Club 71. Talked about the fire feed. April 2nd, it's a Thursday, the retirement party for finance officer Lorie Schultz from 3:00 to 5:00 right here in the commission chambers. We'll do a pro a little short program at about four o'clock that day. And then right after that is um the Taste of Brookings Chamber event. I know I've heard from a few of you that plan to attend. Dave, do you plan to attend that event?

Which one? The Taste of Brookings celebration on April 2nd. I will not be.

No. No. Doug, do you plan to go? No. Okay. Um then the next day is Friday. Good Friday. offices will close at noon that day. Um the pipeline now training kind of overlaps now with our Sou Valley Commissioners Association meeting both on April 8th. Um a few other things there that you can see. Um one thing to note, budget hearings June 23rd. Make sure that's on your calendar. That's all day and we'll be next door here in the community room. And then August 20th conservation district tour. A couple other things that have come across uh my desk since the agenda went out. I don't have a time yet, but the ribbon cutting for Sventum, formerly 3M, will be on Thursday, April 2nd. There's a lot going on that day, so I'll get some times on that and see when that is. Uh the Dashel dialogues, that's taking place up at SDSU at First Bank and Trust Arena on Tuesday, April 7th at 6:30. There is a small fee for that. If you're interested in that, let me know. Um, Tuesday, May 5th from 8 to noon is the Brookings Economic Summit out at Dakota Bank Center. That's put on by um now the Regional Growth Alliance. Did I get it?

Brookings Regional Growth.

Brookings Regional Growth Alliance. It's going to take me a minute to learn that. Um, but that event is um there as well. I think that requires some registration, too. So, if you're interested in that, it's a little ways out yet. So, I'll have that on the on upcoming um agendas. And then just one other item to note uh with the HVAC project that is going on. If you feel the building shaking, it's because they're jackhammering some concrete out of the basement yesterday and today. Hopefully, that's just about done. But tomorrow, 6th Avenue, uh, so 6th Avenue between 3rd Street and our alley over here will be closed tomorrow. They're going to have a crane in and going to be moving some equipment in. So, just so everyone knows that that road, 6th Avenue here to the east of our building between Third Street in the alley, will be closed tomorrow. That's all I have unless you have questions for me.

Any questions, Stacy? Just one question. But April 14th, we have a potential meeting um equalization meeting. Yes. Okay. April Yeah, that's another kind of in that in between Tuesday. We'll have equalization boards on Tuesday, April 14th. 8:30 then. Yep. That'll be 8:30.

Any other questions, comments? All right. Thank you. Uh, number 10, State Attorney's Office report.

Yeah, just building off that discussion we had earlier regarding the uh, internet crimes against children. Um, I would just send a public reminder to all the parents who have children that use those social media apps. Most of the cases that we prosecute involving these types of crimes originate from these type of perpetrators at random targeting those children using social media apps. Um, and a lot of it happens because there isn't parental supervision that's happening in terms of the parents knowing who the children are talking to on those social media apps. Uh, there's solicitation that occurs, there's manipulation, there's grooming. all of the indicators um that a parent would be aware of if they knew who their child was communicating with and what their child was saying on these social media apps. And so the same uh sort of warning that I had given to parents in the newspaper article that was run in the uh the story about an individual that we had just recently sent to prison for these types of crimes. I'll give again. um just really try to monitor um supervise your child when they're using these uh social media apps. You know, these apps are wide open to the big internet out there and there's a lot of evil characters um here in South Dakota and across the country that target uh your child uh to try to solicit um these types of crimes. And so my advice to the parent is either get rid of the app or get parental controls on the app um or really really supervise your child. So

all right, thank you. Commission Commissioner reports. We'll start with Commissioner Vanderwal.

All right. Thank you. On Tuesday, March 3rd, 1:00, I attended the Vulga Township uh annual meeting. And later that afternoon, I attended the bid opening for the highway stuff, which we just approved. And then on Thursday, March 5th, I attended the zoning meeting in this very room. on Thursday the 12th, I met with uh two of the other department heads with along with another commissioner for a couple meetings. And then uh yesterday on the 16th, I attended the quarterly meeting with between Brooking City, SDGSU, and Brooking School Board. Uh good meeting. And I just wanted to note I do plan on attending that meeting tomorrow afternoon at 6 o'clock at the Dakota Bank Center. That's my report. Thank you, Commissioner Post.

Thank you. On this on uh Tuesday the 3, we had an extension board meeting at noon. And I guess I'd like to publicly say here for the benefit of this group, but we'll need to be looking at uh ordinance for selecting length of terms on the extension board. at the request of the extension board. They had single year terms continuously and uh through a change in state law this year uh we'll be able to extend their terms and stagger them, but we'll need to look at putting something into place for that going forward from here to get them so they don't have to reapply every year for that position. So, and then on the 12th we had a railroad meeting. So, that's my report.

Thank you, Commissioner Miller. On the 3rd, I attended a uh IAP meeting. Then on the 11th, I went and attended the Bell Brands open house, which was fascinating with their new doubling of the plant. 3 million baby bells a day coming out of there. That's a lot of cheese. That's a lot of cheese. Yeah. And then on the 12th, the railroad meeting. All right, Commissioner Jensen.

Yeah. On the 3rd at 1:00, I attended the Roar Township meeting and later on at I believe it was 1:00 did a bid openings here for the Seal Coat and our overlay projects. Uh on the 7th, I went over to Elton. We were invited over to the Elkton regional ambulance training. Um it was very well attended. I counted between 35 and 40 participants in that training. I did have a chance to talk with uh the representative from the ambulance board that uh made requests to the commission and clarified a few items on their request to the commission and uh enjoyed a good dinner afterwards. Um it was a very well attended meeting and it was uh I actually got to do some refresher course there. I got a little early so I got to listen to a refresher on CPR and stuff. So on the 10th um helped with uh met with the highway department and uh a landowner and we went over an easement for a bridge on county road 25 upcoming bridge replacement project for the county. Uh on 11th I also attended the Bell Brands groundbreaking. Um very well attended. Uh it was uh the tent was set up was very crowded. Uh I did go back to um they had a small lunch in there and I did have a chance to talk to a representative from uh Thoon's office. he kind of looked for one of us county commissioners there and uh he talked about our funding requests on our grant applications that we had submitted and uh he knew uh he had he had actually drove the road that morning and he knew quite a bit about our applications and uh he would be getting in contact with Banners and possibly our highway superintendent and the commission on future grants uh applications on uh yesterday attended the strategic

planning along with commissioner Vanderwal uh like I said city STSU utility school district uh we had an update from uh representatives Reed and Degrroot which was very good on on the governor's tax tax uh u proposals and what was passed and also we had a had an interesting uh update from u um Brookings utility supervisor uh on the significance of the 765 transmission line coming down from Bigstone uh and also um possible 345 watt or whatever um kilowatt for uh actually uh providing electricity to Aurora and Brookings. So it was a interesting meeting uh a lot of good information there. That concludes my report.

All right. Yeah. On the fourth, uh attended the final legislative update put on by the the chamber and the growth alliance. Um figuring out what was going on out in Pier on the 12th. Uh we had a PPC pod meeting out at the Brookings Outdoor Adventure Center. Um and then that later that afternoon had a Brookings Regional Growth Alliance board meeting. Uh if you have seen in the papers and on social media, we can officially announce that uh we have hired CEO uh for the regional growth alliance. Her name is Lorie Frederick. Uh she comes to us uh she's currently the senior economic development director with Elevate Rapid City. uh but has uh over 20 years experience in um in economic development leadership uh and uh tourism uh ranging back from business owner to working with lead deadwood uh in their chamber commerce and of course now uh uh in her just previous role as uh economic development director with Elevate Rapid. We're excited to have her come in um continue the work that economic development has had uh in the past year uh with expanding economic development throughout the county, not just in Brookings, but uh expanding it through the county to help our smaller smaller communities and that and uh she will probably once she gets her foot on the ground, she will be at the Taste of Brookings. Uh she starts on the 26th in town. So uh we'll get a chance to meet her at Taste of Brookings and we'll formally I'll formally give her an invite to come and introduce herself to the county commission when she gets her everything settled. And that is my report.

One I got a just got an update that the crane is actually going to be here this afternoon starting to uh remove the existing water cooler tower from our HVAC system. So, not tomorrow, this afternoon. So, 6th Avenue will be closed earlier than I originally originally said. All right. So, uh number 12, executive session and coordinance with SDCL1-25-2 parenthesis 1 for personnel. Do I have a motion to enter? Second. A second. Any uh all in favor signify by saying I. I post say n. We are an exec.