County Commissioner & Board of Adjustment - Regular Meeting

This conference will now be recorded. Okay. Would you all like to join me in a prayer, please? Dear heavenly father, we thank you for the opportunity to be here today sitting as a board of commissioners to represent our the people in our community fairly and justly. Please be with us today as we do the county's business of it. Amen. Join me for the pledge. We're a little early.

I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. We'll call this meeting to order of the Lawrence County Commission on April 28th. Uh, first up would be approving the agenda. Move to approve. Second. All those in favor say I. I. Okay. The agenda is approved as presented. Do we have any conflicts today? No. No. We all take a look at the minutes from the previous meeting. I'm sure you made some notes on. No. No notes apparently. Second.

And moved by Yuing, second by Flatan to approve the minutes from the previous meeting. All those in favor say I. Any oppose? N motion passes. What about the bills? Did Bill take a look at the bills? Have any questions? My question is your answer. Pay the bill. Second move. Second by Tisdale to approve the bills as presented. All those in favor say I. Any oppose? Nay. Bills will get paid. Uh personnel requests.

Just two requests. One is for Sarah Festian. She is a new hireer of the sheriff's office as a dispatcher. One grade one was paid 2480. She full-time permanent employee effective on 428. And then the state's attorney has a new hire of Kristen Heightman. She is a county employee 2, grade 1, base pay 2464. She is a full-time permanent employee. Also a cell phone premium of $50 per month effective 429 of 26 personal requests.

Second and moved by Tisdale, second by flag to approve the both personnel requests. All those in favor say I. I. Any oppos? Nay. Okay, that motion passes. Uh travel requests up next. Okay, I have one travel request. It's for Carmen Simons and Mike Mihan to travel to the South Dakota for SDAO conference in Sou Falls from June 2nd through the 5th. And they are also requesting a meal the travel on the main move for approval.

Second move by Yuing and seconded by Homer to approve the travel request for Mr. Mayan and Miss Simons. Any questions? All those in favor say I. Any oppose? Nay. That motion passes. Travel away. Okay. Next up is a road district incorporation. This here is just the order declaring the Ramrock Canyon Road District Incorporated and subject to vote. The election will be held on June 19th. I just need a motion to authorize the chairman to sign the order. So, it's an order for the election is

Yes. Yeah. To set the election date. And this road is uh by White North. No, but it's out by um Charles out in Oh, it's up there. Was on the road. Yeah. Okay. Oh, I remember now. Yeah. It's a terrible road. It's steep. It's way up there. Yeah. Did you move? Make a move. Second. Okay. been moved by Tesdale and seconded by Euing to approve uh the vote for Rimrock Canyon Road District. All those in favor say I. Any oppose? Nay. Okay. Thank you.

We have a uh raffle request also. Mr. Chairman, by letter dated April 20th of this year, Spiritish Area Chamber of Commerce has submitted a raffle request. This is an annual request. Details are set forth in the letter. If you're looking for a motion not to object, please. I move to not object to the raffle. Second and moved by Flanigan, seconded by CRM to not object to the Spiritfish Chamber of Commerce raffle. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Okay. We will not object. Then I'm sorry I skipped over the weed department purchase.

Okay. Um, chairman, this here is a request um to authorize Dave Hec, invasive species manager, to purchase two pickups from the state bid. Um, one is a Dodge Ram 3500 one ton 4x4 long box. It's coming off of contract number 17968 and also a Chevy Silverado halfton 4x4 short box. And it's coming off of contract 17963. I just need a motion to authorize. Motion to approve. Second. It's been moved by Yuing, second by Comr to approve the purchase of the two vehicles which I believe were in the budget. They were budgeted items.

Any questions? All those in favor say I. I. Any oppose? Nay. Okay. That is approved. Thank you. I got everything up, didn't I? Sheriff Phoenix. No handles. Good morning.

Good morning. Everything is going very well at the sheriff's office. Uh we currently sit at about 33% of our budget year and uh our revenue stream has brought in about 60 66% of our goal. So, we currently sit at $684, uh, $47410 approximately, and I think we're going to have some I think about a month ago, I told you I was going to throttle things back a little bit, give the staff a break. We're starting to pick it up again. Um, so I think we're we're sitting very well. We're going to do well in the in the next coming months. And other than that, Mr. Chairman, I just have some early quick thoughts that I'd like to share. There's a lot of there's a lot that goes into all of our departments uh in managing them, not the least of which the sheriff's office. And uh I find myself uh in need uh quite frequently, sometimes many times a day to have quick legal discussions on one matter or another. And at this time, I don't know that I quite do this enough. Um, but I'd like to bring to your attention, uh, Bruce, I was thinking about it, uh, yesterday as we were working through some legal issues and yet again this morning. And, uh, Bruce and I probably talk I I wouldn't even know how to guess. Many times a day. Um, sometimes it just almost seems like certainly I'm going to annoy him by this point,

but I will tell you that uh, he never fails to answer the call. Uh, always calls me back, but I'll fail. It doesn't matter if it's, you know, 10 o'clock at night. Bruce is always there. So, uh, he does a tremendous job for the county and I really appreciate it. Trying to steal him from us. Uh, I will echo off of Sheriff Teen's comments. It's he always has my six. Yep. He's a great resource. One question before you go, Sheriff. uh the cooperative law enforcement agreement with the Forest Service. Uh they had offered up some money and but you weren't sure that that was going to work just staffing wise. That's correct.

Um and and you were at the meeting as as I was. the the the specific thing that I asked for was uh not necessarily that we would get it this year, but I needed enough time to be able to visit with the board of commissioners to see what they wanted to do with it, which meant any offering that they would make would be in in 2027. Um we haven't gone through a budget cycle. I have not I've tried uh I've reached out to a few people. I have not been able to find uh either a retired police officer or somebody who is credentialed to work part-time just for the summer in particular. Uh probably one of the more insurmountable problems to to reconcile presently is there's there's no guarantee that next year uh that money is going to come again. So when we when we go year to year, there's some stability for somebody to really plan on their employment and that's proving to be a little difficult. So I've got some thoughts I can share at budget time. I don't know that right now is the right time,

but it's not going to work for 26. That's it's not going to work for 26. Yep. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. All right. All right, it's 8:08. We have a public hearing at 8:25. Who's John? He's right there. Anything? Is that enough time for you? 15 minutes or so or uh maybe. Okay, let's see. Appreciate your cooperation and jumping in and get cut off.

Yeah, that'll be all right. All right. Got a couple of of permits here, some requests. Uh DRM is requesting permission to occupy the rightway. I did ask I reached out to them. Uh since this agenda was put together, I I I asked them on the on the permit. If you notice, there's a spot there for the temporary if temporary give the estimated date of uh of removal or completion. And I I even talked to them yesterday. I still have not received that how long they're going to have this thing closed down, this lane closed. So, I would rather to continue this to a later meeting until they are able to answer that question. Okay. I'd like to plan. Yep.

We don't need a motion to continue, do we? We do.

Okay. Motion to do so. Okay. Then moved by Yuing, seconded by Flanigan to continue the uh right away permit. We had the number up. So all those in favor say I. Any oppos? Nay. Okay. We'll continue that till we get more information. Correct. Thank you. I'd also have the permit here. Uh Peterson Excavation. Uh this is for a this is over a Valley Drive community. uh the credit park that they want to put city water to that. They need to go underneath the West 14 road. I did request and I did receive uh again after I put this agenda together the uh the city's concurrence on this and they did supply what the city has uh the permit to hook up to the water line. I did reach out to Kyle Matthysse and asked if there was going to be annexation in this area and he indicated there wouldn't be. Um but I did notice in this agreement that there is a uh the voluntary annexation and the and waiver for remnants remnants uh to consider the owner to intercede the water services owner hereby agrees to support at the annexation of the owner's property into the corporate limits of the city of Spiritish. So, I I don't know if they are intending if this is just boilerplate part of the agreement or if they do actually intend to uh to annex Kyle Matthysse not. Um I I have no issues with this waterline and I I would I would go forward with allowing that. um but with maybe the possibility of including the language that we've done in the past. Um and I kind of took the liberty to remember to write that up a little bit. You know that uh incorporating by reference Lawrence County resolution 201914 here in the further posting that the city of Spearfish has recently annexed additional land in the city including

area adjacent to West Highway 14 to be serviced by the utility permit that is subject to this motion. to the extent the county has any remaining authority if any to do so then they authorize the chairman to sign the utility permit for Peterson excavation there by not objecting to the installation of the utility crossing west 14. I'll make the motion with that language. I'll say has been moved by Flanigan and seconded by Tisdale to incorporate the language. That's the motion with the language just presented. Um I can send it to you in the word. Do we want to be concerned about a bond on that? That would be the other question.

I think we had the $70,000. I I did not include because of city being if it's a city project, you know, we have historically not requested bonds from other government entities. So, uh they did supply the estimated cost for the utility within the rightway at $70,000, but I'd leave that up to you guys. I I don't I don't necessarily need to bond with the city or anybody else on this project. Okay. Do you have another question? Commissioner. Okay. Uh no further questions. All those in favor of issuing the permit say I. Any oppose? Nay. Okay. We do that permit.

And the last permit I have, this is uh but electric Adam Zoro is requesting permission to install power line across the home state road near the Croy Bench intersection. Uh this is to install a service line to the uh to the Larsson property there with the new gravel. So

it would be the minimum depth of 4 ft. Our minimum depth in our ourdinance is 3 ft but standard for a voltage of this size would be four feet. So I'm confident that they would do that. So I have no issues and I would recommend approval of this or this utility motion to follow superintendent's recommendation to allow the permit for electric.

Second has been moved by Ying, second by to allow to approve the permit for beat electric for boring under the under the ground road. Uh any questions? All those in favor say I. Any oppose? Nay. Okay, that permit is also approved. And since the last meeting, we signed some Forest Service agreements on the Tinton Road. I was not here for that. I did sign my portion of them and I believe you guys signed, but we do have another burden agreement portion of this. So, I did ask them yesterday if there are any other agreements to be signed. They didn't think there was, but they didn't really say there wasn't either. So, um I think Bruce has it. It was sent to him, but this would be the verd. This allows us to do the work in that area and gives us the jurisdiction for that area. Val did reference the fert, but I didn't have it at the last meeting. So, in fact, they have it. There's a copy online. What is there? And and this uh this would be in furtherance of of of the tent road project. Um Mr. Sherman, if I could have maybe sign it now and I can give it to Val.

So, this is one that we've already approved. Yes. This this is this will facilitate the Tinton Road project. This is the the basis for you to have jurisdiction over the road to maintain it. But we don't need a motion to authorize the chairman to sign second. And you've looked over the agreement and we're okay with it, John. The ferment. Yeah. Yeah. This is what we've already paid for for the uh the centerline surveying and everything. This is what we it was a couple of years ago we paid Bros Engineering to do all this work. So this is the document that that supports that work. Okay. And I think we got a motion I missed and in a couple of seconds. Okay.

One, two, three. So good chance of passing that. Is that working? I think so. All right. Go ahead. I would have note that Neal is here and Patrick Champa is here as well. Any questions for them? District ranger. All right, we have a motion to approve the further agreement and allow the authorize the commission chair to sign. All those in favor say I. Any oppose? Nay.

Okay. One more step towards completion. We'll see how many more steps they might come up. It's good to have that done.

Then do we need approval for this grant award cover sheet also that was in our package or is that from I have also submitted our 26 gravel plan and it also it references this tent road project. You can see the the five roads that we plan on on graveling this year and that is the Merides Road, the Wiseman Road, 196 Street, Lookout Mountain Road and Pacama Road. Those are uh those are the roads that we because we reduced the the budget this year, the gravel budget. I think, you know, we did we did reduce slightly the miles of road we give, but you will notice that the miles are similar to what we always do, but uh some of these roads are not getting a, you know, the full amount of gravel because they don't really need it. Um, you know, some of these roads are only going to be getting a 2 in lift to gravel. But, uh, again, we will monitor how much money we're using or how much funds are going into these and and when we've reached the limit of the our budget, we will uh we will cut back on what we're grabbing. So, the tent road is an addition to that and of course we our our agreement is to get reimbursed for those costs. Um there could be the possibility we have to do a supplement to pay for the tent and road until that until that uh payment comes from the board service. Hopefully that doesn't take five years to get

when you anticipate starting

John they're in the room smiling. Our uh our intent is to start as soon as possible, we're ready to start on that project. So, we're also got to wait a little bit on weather, too. We don't want to tear a lot of stuff up and have have weather, but we, you know, we generally start our traveling projects, you know, towards the end of April into early May. Uh we are planning on starting on the Meridestor. So, we have or excuse me, uh the wise road we already have started on that project. And I will add that that is uh one year in advance of that project. We actually started started that early because the gravel we had set aside for that road is at our bestion pit and they've requested us to get that out of there. So we did move that up up the list a little bit. So um we are going to start on that this week actually. So provided the weather and that's all. You have any questions on the gravel? Is there anything you guys would like to add or delete from this gravel plan? Thank you.

Uh we did have an issue here with SP 164. I notice we don't have a senator in the room. Maybe he can answer some of this. But we did uh effective July 1st, there's a because of SB 164, there's there's some regulations that we are now forced to follow. Uh there was nine of the highway employees that this affects and it's it cost everybody 43 bucks to go get their their driver's license. We do have a online webinar this week about it. Uh the question I'm posing to the to the state is is this the end of it or is it I I I my personal belief that it's probably going to go to the next level. This is we're going to require medical cards for everybody. Now whether that that comes to fruition, I do believe that all employees are going to have to to prove their competence with the with the English language at some point here. So, I think they're the uh I again maybe Senator Dyver can answer this, but uh my question is are are are all of the employees or all CDL holders going to be held to this standard in the near future? But just to let you know, I mean, this is going to affect us by roughly 400 bucks this year. It wasn't anything that we budgeted for, but I don't expect our employees just to to pay this. It's not

physical is 120 bucks. We're not doing the physical. We are able to do this in in exempted interstate. So we can basically be exactly like we're report. We just have to remove the K restriction on our licenses. Uh we self-certify as exempted interstate. Um they'll give them $43. They give us a new license and uh and we move on. But I don't know if this is the end of it or not, but we'll see. Right. I I think it's a good idea to see if Mr. Dber wants to talk about this. Certainly.

Well, there's two different two separate and distinct pieces of legislation that John was talking about. One was brought by the agency which requires the health certificates and the updates to the CDLs that he's talking about. And that brings us in compliance with federal regulations. Usually we get that bill every year and we do the date change and a couple other things, but this year they added that regulation on the health certificates which Commissioner Euing was affected by. So I've heard this before. Uh but it brings us in with the federal guidelines or federal regulations, excuse me. Second part about the English language, there was two bills on that this year brought by Senator Howard and I believe both of those died, but the one that did go through was similar to the uh federal one where you have the uh part of the CDL exam in place. It's done in English. You have to pass it. So, all it did was confirm that we're still doing that in South Dakota. So, it didn't change the guidelines for the CDL that's already in it. It just put it into our statute. We tried to stop that one because it was duplicative, but uh uh it it went through, but all it did was reaffirm that that that part of the of the test has to be in English. So, it's already in there that you have to have proficiency in English in one part of the exam.

Thank you very much. So another unfunded mandate for the sake of correct anyway uh that that is everything that I have I did attend that ACE conference you know at the last meeting appreciate the opportunity to do that very busy a lot going on I did give you kind of a short report of what I did I don't know if you have any questions about that kind of in memory of Richard Sleep. You wanted a report, so I did. Yeah, I appreciate the written report.

I have nothing else for you if you don't have anything else for me. Perfect timing.

Right away, I don't think we can get that done before a minute and a half. Mr. Chairman, one more comment on the CDL requirement if I could. Would you want a school bus driver that can't pass a physical driving school bus? That's a good question.

Good question. All right, let's uh take a a less than a minute break here for until 8:25 for the vacation of section. stuff.

The road goes right through that. Friday. Every time I fly, I come back like you are. You get it on those planes. Well, there's a little sitting behind me. All right. It is 8:25 time and place for our public hearing for a vacation of section 9 resolution 2026 15. Uh Brenda, do you have some information you'd like to share on that? Actually, Ruth gets to do that today.

Mr. Chairman, if I may, uh Andrew Nagel is here in back and I'll defer to him in a second. I'll just do a brief setup. So, this is uh uh petition to vacate a portion of section line. I think it's just 33 feet as opposed to 66 feet, which you normally see. I guess this is in the Wildflower State Subdivision adjacent to the city of Whitewood. I think uh Andrew and his wife are interested in building a a pool barn, an additional building, and that's necessitating the request for the vacation. I can't tell that the vacation would impact adversely anybody's access to the property. And again, this is 33 feet. So apparently 33 feet would still survive if you did approve it. But that I would defer to Mr. Mr. Nagel, if you'd give us your name and address and any comments.

Andy Nagel, 1150 Wildflower Road, Whitewood, South Dakota. Um, we are for the vacation. Uh, so I can build a a pool building. It's just a little under 3,000 square feet. The covenants re are allow up to two buildings 3,000 square ft or less. Uh, I fall within the 25 foot setback from the property line, but with the rightway there, I don't fall within the 58t. So, um, the, you know, it's the rightway coming up our property is very steep and you can't even walk on it. It's obviously not ever going to be a road. And on the other side of the road, uh, the access road to the 40 that's to the south of us. Uh, there's a black top road that Gerard Keading put in when he did the subdivision and it's for the 40 to the south of us so they have full access. Um, and it's for a fire escape van access to their property. And on the lot to the west of us, um, there's a a water tank that's sitting right in the middle of the road right away anyway. So, I don't see it ever being a road or the need for a road. And I guess we were hoping that uh, everybody else would see that everything's okay. And like I said, we're maintaining our 25 foot setback on the on the sideyard and uh um any other questions?

You got it was surveyed apparently, so you know exact Yeah, I had baseline do it. They they did our house originally and did the plat when I built that and uh then I had excuse me I had them shoot that the uh the new site and then Randy Diver Diver u he's he's the one that did the uh original plat there and he also um did the proposal here. So Okay. Thank you.

Yep. And this is a public hearing. So if there's any uh we'll open it up to the public if they'd like to make any comments on that. Is there anybody in the in the gallery here today that would like to comment on this ride of vacation? How about online? You could raise your hand or do something to let us know. Apparently not. So, we'll close the public hearing and open it up for questions from the commissioners. Uh, Commissioner Flanigan,

I don't see that this vacation is going to affect anybody. The lot beside it served by the by the subdivision road and the lot behind it is also served by the subdivision road. So I'll make a motion to approve the vacation of this portion of the section line. Second move by Figan and second by Euing to approve the vacation of the section line and approve resolution 2026-15. Any other questions? All those in favor say I. Any oppose? Nay. Okay. Motion passes. Thank you very much. Appreciate it. Yep. And we also had vacation right away diver deep is it deep watch professional surveyor trouble troublemaker.

Yeah. So uh thank you. Uh I wanted to come in today and discuss this right away with you. I've got a map here. Uh a few weeks ago you approved a sketch plat or a layout plat for property. This is over by Crook City. Maybe you remember this. This is the layout and this is the piece of right away I'm speaking to right here. And it services this like area back here. Got it on the dotted part of this map. See the dots there? And to the north you see Whitewood. So when this rightway was established back in the '9s 98, the county required the rightway to go to the uh dominant lots and it was uh dedicated on this plat.

No, it's not. It's not. Okay. Um, it runs through track two and uh, as you see the dedication, it's very vague. I've got it in green on this. It's very vague on what it is. It's a dedicated 66 foot access and utility easement. Then on a later plaque, it was continued to the rear property when it was platted into track five. There's a little easement there as well. So, we've established an easement through platting and it doesn't necessarily say public and or private. It just says access included. And then privately we acquired more access in the gray area here. Straighten that bend out that you saw in that one that I handed out earlier. So the owner would like to make this private. the owners would like to make this private and by the documentation it doesn't say whether it's public or private but would infer that it's public because it was dedicated on a plan at the request of plan and zoning and the commission. So, uh what we'd like to do is work with Bruce on the process if this group agrees to make this private. The reason for private is the land owners want to put a a gate and make this a gated community. If it's public, they can't do that. They'd like to gate it down like Crook City Road intersection rather than have

a quarter mile road that the public can come in and have to turn around because they can gate it when it does go private. So, it's a little uh uncertain whether this is publicly dedicated right away or not. I would say it's inferred by the plat. So, uh, we'd like to change that and whatever process we need to do that, uh, we would do. And I would I would just like to ask this group if I could work with Bruce to see how we could at minimum get his interpretation of it and secondly vacate it. Do I get to say anything? I object.

That comment I don't have problem. I know we've gone it this group has gone to the away from public rightways because we don't want to uh put it on the system but currently this road is built. It's ready for gravel. We've had John out there and acting as if it is public to approve what we're doing. So, uh that's the process we've been going so far. So, we've been treating it like it's public. Okay. So why is this process different than just going through planning and going to start?

Well, first of all, I we will have to go there, Mr. Chairman. We will. But I wanted to engage you to see if Bruce to work with us on this because Bruce is the county attorney. So I came here first. And and understand his interpretation of the process. His interpretation is it's private. This is move. Okay. Mr. Did we talk about this a while ago? It seemed vaguely familiar to me, but I I don't remember all the details. In passing, we might have. I'm not sure. Not certain. I think it might have been the one we talked about was just before this.

Okay. So, this is the information I have and if it's all right with you folks, I would work with Bruce to get an interpretation and the process. Yeah. We need to decide if it's public or private and then how to proceed.

Yeah. John, as long as any gates or anything like that, the only thing I reference to them that kind of like we did on uh on the three peaks pass, as long as the gates are outside of the rightway and not blocking any section line with this case, there's no section lines here to to worry about. We just don't want any gate that that hinders any kind of traffic on and off out on the road. So there is a gate. It just has to be well outside of the rightway. Uh so there is no backup of traffic onto the to the county road.

Okay. Okay. I assume we don't need a motion to that effect. Just didn't expect. Thanks guys. I get a few of

All right. Audra is here. Would you like to to go up Audra?

And you have your Y. Well, it's been they told me it was not going to be super busy in the winter, and I've been keeping myself busy. Um, but I will say March and April have been crazy insane. So, um, we had a couple of workshops. Um, we made Super Bowl cake pops and we had, uh, in January we had shooting sports practices starting up, junior leaguers. Um we had the Black Hill stock show in February which was very um a good turnout. It was a little our numbers were a little down across the board for the whole stock show but we had about 50 or about 60 participants. Um so that was a good turnout for us. Uh had another workshop. We had our Fox family memorial shoot in Belouch. Um we had over a hundred participants from all over the place. um including Nebraska, uh North Dakota, and Wyoming. And we've had three CDN, which stands for consumer decision making and horiculture skillathon days with uh about almost 50 participants so far. We do have one more of those scheduled. Our kids are required um for several of the awards and different um levels that they are at to do some kind of judging. And since not everybody does judging of animals, then we offer that for them. Um we our junior leaders held a small animal clinic with Chad about I think 15 kids. It was held at the Whitewood Police Department. Um and we're well upcoming when I wrote this it was for the you and I met with them earlier but uh we ended up not having our global sewing project.

um we just didn't have enough participation and our banana sushi uh turned into banana burritos. Um but the kids had a great time and we had a a good turnout for that one. I think I had about 15 kids turn out for that workshop. Um and we've been starting our livestock literacy which the kids are required to have if they're showing animals at the county fair and the state fair. shooting sports wrapped up this past weekend with uh the uh state shoot. We had almost 50 kids that attended that and um those 50 kids I want to say had almost 200 different events that they competed in. So um and it may have been more than that. I didn't look at the numbers real specific, but we we had a really good um turnout. We I haven't heard if anybody's made it to nationals yet this year, but we usually have at least one or two that make it to nationals. So, um we haven't gotten all the final scores and everything. We are working on our Western Heritage um project in the shooting sports um area. We're actually having a workshop tonight for the kids who are writing their personas. So, um I don't know if I've talked to you guys about western heritage heritage at all, but basically what it is, it falls under shooting sports because there is a shooting component, but they're teaching the kids the western heritage from 1860 to 1950. So, the kids develop a persona. Um they dress as best they can, and if they can't get appropriate costumeuming, then they have to be able to explain what should they should be wearing. Um so, it doesn't have to cost them very much at all. um they explain their persona. It can be someone made up. My son um took some of our family history. We My grandmother uh her family lost their house in the Chicago fire and so and then they came west. They ended up in

California, but in his story, he adjusted it a little bit and ended up in South Dakota and was a mountain man in South Dakota. So, um they develop their persona however they want to. It can be someone uh real or fictitious or combination of the two. Um and they then have to present that persona to a panel of judges. They have to do a shooting component. Um they do a test on western history and um weapons of the period as well. So it's a lot of fun. It's just getting started in South Dakota. We've only had it for about two years. Um, and it's only in 14 states across the country. So, we're really excited and I'm as a former history teacher, that one really like sparks my interest. So, I really love that one a lot and I really want to start um getting that one going a lot bigger than what we've gotten. But, we we add a couple of kids every year. So, um we've got about 15 kids right now, I think, that are doing it in but Lawrence County. Um, and then there are a few kids across the state. Uh, honestly, I'm not sure where they're at. Um, but so we've only got probably 20 kids across the whole state of South Dakota, but the majority of them are ours. So, pretty proud of that.

And what were the years on that? 1860 to the present. 1860. Yep. Yep. So, um, we have plans at some point to come up and like tour the Adams House and do a lot of those things and go out to the 1880 museum and just to kind of help build their historical knowledge of the period. So, since we have some pretty cool history right here,

um in uh let's see here, what else? Uh May, we have our uh last day to register for county fairs coming up and um I will be gone for a couple of weeks. My son is graduating, so we're headed back to Texas in Oklahoma, so I'll be gone for a couple of weeks um to go do that, but I will be available if anybody needs anything. Um we are working with for future plans we're working with Pennington County on their outdoor readiness day camps that they offer throughout the Black Hills. And so um they've got an outlaw ranch trail ride Sullivan Rock Lake rock climbing Sullivan Lake, excuse me, rock climbing and a school that they are offering and then paddling and outdoor skills at Center Lake. So, we're working with um the Pennington County uh office and um doing those kind of together. We do have two young ladies who have taken on a huge project. Um uh we have um they are doing a large animal showmanship and judging clinic and a horse um showmanship and judging clinic the 7th, 8th, and 9th of May of of June. So, they've got people coming in from uh professional judges and college judges and all kinds of stuff that they have all arranged all by themselves. We've just been helping them with with the finances and that sort of thing. So, we've got some very um

Where's that going to be held?

Uh it is going to be held we're doing it in conjunction with me county. So, it's going to be at the me county barn um right by the by this high school. Um, so one of our girls is goes to Sturgis, but she lives in in uh which county is she in? She's in view county and her club is in view county and Jenny and I, she's the 4 educator in me. We work really closely together. So um she so one of the girls um Natalie did it last year and it was just a one-day clinic. Um they did uh what how did they do it? They did showing in the morning and judging in the afternoon and she had about 40 hits. Um, and we had kids from all over the place. We have kids from out of state even coming. So this year they've been promoting it and they've gotten a lot more um involvement and sponsors and that sort of thing. So we're expecting to have probably closer to 100 kids um to across the three days. So we're really excited about that. Um and then we have our dates for our 4 rodeo which is July 10th which will be held at the um roundup grounds in Belouch. Um we added 27 new members since I talked to you guys last time and four or five more volunteers. So we're doing great things.

Nice job. Thank you. And then of course there's pictures of some of the workshops and uh the um shooting sports that we did the uh Fox family or no that was our fun day that we had. So they had a great variety of interest abilities there.

I'm actually starting right now um took it home and had my son and my husband helping me with it with our robotics. So, I'm kind of a technical person, but I could not get that thing to connect to my computer for anything. And it took my techy husband, who that's his job. It took him about 45 minutes to an hour, and he finally got it going. And then my 13-year-old took off with it and had it programmed to do stuff. And so, we're really excited about that. We actually have a meeting for that next week. And I will actually, oh, I forgot about that. That's not on here. I will be at the um at BH is having their um women in science conference for middle schoolers coming up and I actually am going to have a table there set up and um have some information available about 4 and um careers that are something that you could start building in 4 that'll go into the sciences. The 27 new members, are you gaining any in southern Lawrence County or are they still mostly in the

um Yes. Actually, several of those are Lawrence County. Yeah. Yep. Like I said, I'm I'm plan for next year is working really on Lawrence County. So, and I'm hoping with events like this because like Lead Deadwood will be at that women in science. I'm hoping events like that will get me get a little more exposure. Get more exposure up there. Yeah. Yep. Yep. Any other questions? Thank you. Thank you. Have a great day. You too. See you.

Yeah, we can take a quick break here. Um we're a little ahead of schedule, so we can certainly do that. We got public hearing at 9:15. There's no planning until at least online at 9 and Paul at 9:15. I guess I don't always put it on there because it's it's linked. Yeah, I think yeah, I can get you proposed agenda. There's a link in there and u that's the first time I think I've ever come across there's not anything on there and it's and it's and the order is not the same.

So we just on the agenda just open agenda. Yeah reading of the back have to wait until minutes. This is not the right one. Your report for the burn ban won't take very long. Okay, we'll do that. Everybody, we'll let him take a break

Well, this would be the second reading of amended ordinance 2025-11.5 that was here last year. There's three items that we propose to add to the ordinance that will hopefully help reduce the wildfire risk north of the interstate. The county ordinance only pertains to that section north of the interstate. Uh safe law pertains to the Black Hills Fire Protection District south of the interstate. A lot of people get confused when they hear the Forest Service put a burn ban on. They think it's for all of Lawrence County when it's actually on US Forest Service property. Uh this ordinance pertains to that area north of the interstate and it has three different parts added to the ordinance and the first one is part of the open fire. We've added uh well, it starts out saying no person shall set an open fire and we added or maintain an open fire previously set north of the interstate outside the boundaries when it's when the fire danger is at high, very high, or extreme. So, uh I think I included in your packets the current fire danger. That's where you go to look it up every day. They can go to the the emergency management website, US Forest Service website. It's all available and they can check and if they don't have that, they can call our office. So, everybody can check that. Uh the second two was in section D. Section D was added. Open fire safeguards prior to commencing an open fire. Person

planning an open fire must contact the Lawrence County Dispatch to provide the burn date and the location. A lot of times we get a smoke report. They'll call the dispatch and they don't know anything about it. So then the fire department has to run out there when if it would been reported and we knew it was going to be there, it would eliminate that. And secondly, all open fires must be attended and when left unattended, fully extinguished and cold to the touch. Believe it or not, we have people that start a bonfire, a brush pile, and walk away and leave it. And the wind comes up and off we go. We've had two of those this year already in an area north of the interstate and the Whitewood area. Uh, so if it was that low and they started a fire today, which it is, and tomorrow for some reason the wind comes up and it goes to high, they have to put it out cold to the touch. That will keep that wind from whipping up those ashes and turn it into a wildfire. So those are the three things we're added before second reading. Questions? Pretty straightforward, but

Yeah. Yeah, go ahead. Paul, I think I talked to Sheriff, but will you follow up with Sheriff and or Jamie and and and let dispatch know that 20 days after this gets published and it's effective that they may be getting those calls, calls if they're not current?

Yes. And I've been in touch with all the deputies through Brian and through Jamie at dispatch and it it is confusing to the public because we have regulations on the forers. We have regulations on private in the Black Hills Fire District. We have different regulations in each city limits. They can control their own. And then there's regulations north of the interstate. So right now, US Forest Service is in stage one, which lets established campgrounds still have a campfire even in Black Hills for this district. We were uh talking about going to stage two, which would shut down all campfires. Now you talk campfires. There's a difference between an organized recreational campfire site, I mean campground, and a private one at home. So they're not allowing the ones at home. They all they have to do is turn their permit over and read it and it tells them that read that.

And do you have any thoughts of how to communicate this to the public so that they know the change? Well, we're going to try we're going to try to go through the newspapers and she's been doing a good job of that and the paper's been doing a good job. So, um yeah, we're we're going to have our LAPC meeting on the 30th where we get probably about 30 people to that and spread the word that way. Um hopefully um we'll put it on our website as well. And uh I've been approved to update another website that the Forest Service used to take care of and they're they're deciding they don't want to do that website. So they've turned it over so that I can go in and change that as well. Hopefully we can get that word out there. Okay. And we get a lot of calls and dispatch gets a lot of calls, you know, when somebody's going to burn. So hope hopefully we can educate dispatch good enough to answer those questions.

Um and Paul, if you send me your update, I can put it because we have a fire page, you know, on and a lot of people go to that. Yeah, I'll put it and I try to update the links, but sometimes I miss them. So if you put the new give me the new link of where they should be checking and then we can also put it on our Facebook page. Okay, we'll do that. We can put a little blurb out there. Very good. That would be helpful. My concern is to make sure that this is easy to find information. You get it everywhere and Greg is changing the information on our website, the Florence County website. So, okay. We're just holding off till after today. Then we update everything.

Any further questions or action that we'd like to take on this burn? Motion. Motion to approve the amended ordinance. Second. Okay. It's been moved by Yuing, seconded by Homer to the amended ordinance 202501. Uh, all those in favor say I. I. Any oppose? Nay. Okay. Motion carries. And just to be clear, it's not a burn ban. It's just a burn ordinance to regulate the burning. So, thanks for doing it. Yeah. Thanks for making those changes. Well, if I keep coming back, if more moisture comes, do I have to come every time?

Yeah. Until we get enough moisture. Yes. We'll tell you when to stop. All right. Thank you. And send the paper. Okay. And you didn't have anything except public hearings. Did you hear unless there's somebody else? Brent has a few things that would go before the discussion about the uh religious society exemption, but it'll take literally 30 seconds. So, I don't know if there's any great question. No, I guess items from the public or items from the commissioners.

Yeah, I don't really want to do items from the public this much. So, we could do items from the commissioners though. Is there anything that anybody would like to to bring forward on this? Nothing here. I would just mention that there's a webinar from South Dakota Association Commissions on May 4th at noon. I believe it is our time on Senate Bill 96, Secretary Howdy Shell and Bureau of Finance. um Jim Twillinger are going to be on there talking about implementation or possible implementation of Senate Bill 96. I encourage everybody to take a look at that. We'll see that on our agenda some point after that. I haven't gotten the link yet for the or the call yet. So

So it's a regular monthly meeting. So I'm sure it'll be coming out very soon. Uh other than that, I'm going to DC the week of May 17th, it is for a NATO transportation infrastructure flyin. Uh there's some bills coming down the turnpike that will help hopefully help uh federal funding for county roads and and trans infrastructure bridges. So they asked for somebody from South Dakota to come just because of Senator Thun's leadership role and then Congressman Johnson's uh position on the tax and or transportation infrastructure committee. So I'll be going there to learn about uh be learning about infrastructure a lot before that. So oh boy that is just always always opportunities to learn new things. So I'll be there most of that week. So

Mr. chairman. Yes. During uh board of equalization, I did put on there if you needed a an executive session. And so if there's any need for that executive session to discuss the your preliminary denial of the uh religious society exemption, you could convene as board of equalization, we could have an executive session uh and get that out of the way if necessary. I just point that out. Okay. Maybe it's not necessary. I guess it would be probably is necessary if there's some legal things that if anybody had any qu Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We'll probably have to hold off on that before we find figure out if they have any questions on.

Okay. I think I think the applicant does appear plan on appearing. She's going to come online about 9:30, I think. Okay. So, I don't think there's any way to get her on earlier. I think she had some other meetings as well. Okay. So with that, we'll go call recess again here for another 10 minutes. There he is.

All right, it's 9:15. This is the time and the place for public hearing for change of zoning 291-26 regarding Powerhouse Pass. Amber Verbot is joining us today to give us a little recap.

Okay, so this is for Trent Walters. Um I believe Trent, it looks like he's online. Trent's online um for the Powderhouse Pass development. Um this was kind of a if you remember they came to us probably about three months ago to look at amending the master plan to clarify the sewer equivalency method that they came up with for for the commercial buildings. That's kind of what this mainly was about. So that um methodology is going to be put into that. It's defining the commercial units for the wastewater allocation. And then we also did um there was one sentence in there that was under the old uh PUD or which clarified I think it said like 25% of open space had to be in there. When we redid that PV ordinance it doesn't have that specifics anymore. It's based on like the overall plan. So, they did ask of, hey, could we update the language in our master plan to actually match the current language, which made sense just because there's been so many changes within this development over the years, the two changes that they put into this written summary that they provided. Uh, but but really the gist of it is is inserting the the table that will now let us keep track of commercial usage. Um and then the second part was this comments. Yeah, 25 minimum of 25% was the old wording and now it says that basically they you remember we had a big discussion that what was happening is that open space would just stay open and they would never pay you know there'd be no taxes they wouldn't be maintaining it there would be no weed anything on it. So now we just have it that they have to have it as part of their um covenants and

restrictions to make sure you know, but somebody's actually maintaining it. There's the two warnings. That's all I have. And Trent, do you have anything else to add? Nope, nothing to add unless anyone has any questions. So, the gist of this though is that the the overall doesn't change. It's just how we're applying some of the the lots and the definitions and

Yep. the number of Yeah. lots are still in there. But what we had the problem with is it said 72 commercial um or units and it's like well they don't really have units in commercial you know unless they have five maybe different businesses but that's wasn't wasn't happening. So we didn't have a way to determine how much sewer they needed capacity. So this is actually measurable now. It's measurable with the sewer now. Yeah.

All right. This is a public hearing. Is there anybody in the gallery that would like to uh make any comments? If there are, just uh give us your name and address, please. How about online? Anybody online? All right. Seeing none, we'll close the public hearing and open it up to the commissioners for discussion or action. No action today. Correct. Um correct. It's a change of zoning. So, you'll have a first and second reading. So, today just it's a public hearing. This is a public hearing. Okay. Yeah. Public hearing, first reading. Mr. Chairman, the second reading is tentatively scheduled for May 12th at 9:00. Okay. Oh, no further questions. We'll move on to uh CP number 500 process.

You did. Did you do public? Yeah, I did. Okay. You were quick. Nobody Nobody commented. Wasn't a lot of people here. Yeah. And it's a nice clean change. Yep. We have to uh please uh have to recess this county commission and conven. Okay. Okay. It's been moved and seconded Flanigan and Tisdale that we can recess the county commission and convene his board of adjustment. All those in favor say I. I. Any oppose? Nay.

Okay. We are now the board of adjusting and can open and can have a public hearing on CUP number 500 from Frontgate Holdings. Um, soon as as Amber is ready, we will have a little rundown of that. Believe you all had an ample amount of information in your pockets on this one. Multiple times. Okay, just go back here. This is our first technology issue in a while.

I don't know what's going on with it. We went through that one spear. We'll try this. I don't know why I make a difference. for the CP.

Oh, I was didn't like the other one. Okay, so this one is a conditional use permit for front gate holdings um and vertical bridge. Ryan Stuff and Ryan is here in the room today. Um if you remember, this is where the uh the storage units are going out to Belouch on the lefth hand side. They would like to add a tower onto the front part of that. Kind of makes sense with where it's located and with they would be installing a wireless communication tower and then all the facilities that usually go with that. It's already zoned highway service commercial um tower w it's a monopole overall height of 199 ft. they would allow, you know, additional equipment to be added over time for emergency purposes. Um, and other car areas if if there's no flood plane on the property. So, that helps. Uh, they will have a fenced and screen compound area around it. Um, I think the only thing that there was a question on when we get to that point was Ryan did have a question on possibly changing the language on number five of the conditions, but and we haven't had any phone calls or anything regarding this tower. So,

okay. Is uh does the applicant have anything to add before we move in? Just name and address, please. Uh yes, uh commissioners Ryan Stref uh 8305 East Willow Leaf Street, Sou Falls, South Dakota. Um again, thank you for taking the time to review this. Um uh as Amber saying that uh um I'm here on behalf of Fuel Consulting and the Towers LLC for this particular installation. And I did have just one question regarding the uh the conditions uh number five. Um the and and the question relates back to the plans that have been uh initiated and are in front of you this even or this morning excuse me I was at immediate night last night evening anyway so this morning um uh that talk about the tower and the uh collocations in the future which typically this poll is designed to u hold you know a minimum of three carriers and so with the conditions I just didn't want to tie the tower owner's hands right way by only allowing one equipment structure. Typically they're uh they do uh nowadays they're doing a lot of uh platforms that they put their equipment on. Uh but again if it came down to it that certain carrier wanted to do uh its own typically a prefab building is what they do at these these sites. Uh so uh for condition number five um you know if we're able to at least go up to you know a minimum of three shelters and their typical shelters if they put one uh up to 15 by 20 ft. So then that means each carrier could have uh their own equipment structure basically three shelters.

Yeah. And instead of just one because right away the next person comes along then it tied their hands and they have a medication use. Yeah. And we have had that happen because usually you know it's the first carrier that's it. So then if another new carrier comes in normally I think so far they haven't asked for a separate building. It's just like a platform. So then it doesn't matter. But he brings up a good point. It would be nice if we're going to allow a collocation for three. It'd be nice to allow three if needed because we want them to colllocate. And I know it used to be East River, they preferred more towers in case the wind would knock one down. And out here because of the terrain and visual stuff, we prefer to have collocation so we don't have towers all over the place. Yep.

But yeah, I mean three three small structures in the fenced in area. I don't Yeah, I I had when we sent it out, he had commented back and I said, "Well, yeah, we could bring it up in front of you because P&Z adopted as is. you guys could still make the changes and I think it's a fair request and it doesn't change the overall footprint. That's just No, but still within that area could be a possibility 15 by 20 structures.

That's I mean that's kind of their typical size. So I thought you know it just gives them a little bit more flexibility and up to this is a public hearing though so we'll uh open it up for any comments from the public. Uh if you're interested in in commenting on this just please give us your name and number or name and address. Anybody from the gallery? Anybody online? All right, we will close the public hearing and and move on to it uh discussion or action from the commissioners. Um, so this is so

so this is well 199 foot single pole and not not a guide wired tower. Uh, Commissioner, that that is correct. 199 foot uh uh monopole tower. That's right. Not let not lit at this point. It hasn't been required by the FAA or anything like that. And then just our ground lease at the bottom. That's great investments. Would these structures all be in the same general area then? All three of them.

Yes. Within the uh so there's a lease area at the bottom which is a 60 by60 um lease area and the fenced area believe right now is proposed at 50 by 50. Those structures would all be within that 50 by 50 area right at the base of the tower. And again then you know if there's three uh users at the base of the tower then they'll have three attendant arrays you know a total of three. The footprint will change if there's one. That's correct. Correct. Up to three. Yeah. Yes. Go ahead. This doesn't require any FAA airspacing then does it? It's too far away. Is that right?

That's right. So commissioners that's a great question that he brings up. Um so uh the FAA uh and so FAA and lighting both uh you know typically uh under 200 feet is when they start requiring items. They have reached out to the airport and they did do a a study of that. Um and nothing was needed at this time. So in the future if something needed they need to abide by those uh um those items but uh nothing at this point. Thank you. So, is this tower inside the fence where the storage units are too or is this going to be outside of that? Um, so there is a uh it's just out so there's a fence right that goes right here. Correct. Yeah.

Yeah. But I think the the reason for that placement was so they're not affecting their um I guess customers that come and do right. uh and then also to have uh the other frontage uh for any future development in future. So is it also from a security means so people coming in to use those storage units don't have access to that tower.

Um I guess it does provide another uh layer of security because there's a fence before our fence but uh not necessarily it was more or less uh the placement and how it would work with the rest the use of their lot or their proposed future development. Any other questions or action? I would uh make a motion with the amendment to item five to allow a maximum of three structures, 15 by 20 structures within their fenced area. Yeah, within their fenced area. I would second that.

Okay. It's been moved by Yuing, second by Tisdale to approve the conditional use permit 500 with the amending uh condition number five to allow up to three buildings 15 by 20 as long as they stay within the original footprint. Any other discussion? All those in favor say I. Any oppose? Nay. That motion carries. Thank you, Commissioner. That's all we need. Thank you. All right. I would entertain a motion to adjurnn this as board of adjustment and reconvene as county commission. So move second. Then moved by Ying, seconded by Commer to adjurnn as board of adjustment and reconvene as county commission. All those in favor say I. Any

oppose? Nay. Okay. We are back on the board as county commission. Do you have anything else for us? Nothing. Thank you. Have anything?

Nothing. items for the public are next. Yep. A little early for that, but uh we're just moving right along here. So, is there anything anybody from the gallery would like to bring up this today? Any comments? Anybody online? Okay, seeing none, we will close that item off and we can adjourn as county commissions. Okay, we are adjourned. We need a motion to reconvene as board of equalization. So move second.

It's been moved by COR, second by Flanigan to reconvene as board of adjustment. Equalization. Equalization. Equalization. Sarah, the paint's still wet. I'm good. Thank you. All those in favor say I. I. Okay. We are now the board of equalization and we'll wait for for Brett to come on down. Brett is on her way. But I didn't you want me to unshare the screen or do you want the screen to stay up? Just leave it like that, please. Thank you. That's a second reading. I don't have anything for you. Morning. Good morning,

Mr. Chairman. Carrie Black showed up today. We thought we'd be online, but she's here in person. So, uh, I think we're ready to go forward utilization when you're ready. Nice to meet you. No, that's okay. We'll have to obviously adjourn as county commission reset or sorry way ahead as usual give a bit of a preface to listen a little bit and we are still on. All right we will kick things off here on board of equalization. Uh Bruce, do you have some updates for us?

Just quickly quickly if I may chairman. So you'll recall at your last meeting you did meet as board of equalization and you did consider the request for the hand foundation for the religious society exemption. Pursuant to SDCL 10-4-7, you issued a preliminary denial. That denial was communicated to Handup Foundation. And so pursuant to that same statute, they have an opportunity today to be heard uh to offer you more information. And in fact, they've done so. You have a packet of information in your your packets hopefully and I do have it online, too. And so with that, I would uh defer to Brett andor Minsk. And actually, if we could just take a second. I forgot to approve the agenda. We should probably do that.

Is there a motion to approve the agenda? Absolutely. Second. Then moved by Tisdale, second by Commer to approve the agenda as presented. All those in favor say I. Any oppose? Nay. Okay. Thank you. I didn't want to violate any rules. I don't know that yeah, Brad has anything else or if we just um I guess I'm not really sure what I'm supposed to speak about, but um we're really excited to be present in this area. Primarily, our focus in um this half of the city is um very much like youth oriented. So, we um over the winter um did make a lot of connections. And I don't know if you've ever heard of Z8. They're like one of our auxiliary groups. Anybody ever heard of Z8?

What's Z8?

Z8. So it's primarily like a youthled worship night. And we did host one in Spearfish um the weekend of March 27th and 8th. And so that was actually a really big success. We have about 130 students that came out for that one. So um we're currently um in the process obviously of developing in this area, but in this part of the state, our focus is primarily the youth. Um so this property that we have up on the peak is primarily used for either like um staff retreats or like the youth gatherings. Um the staffing when we come out here. Um we do have a few things planned. Obviously if you looked at our schedule that I submitted um this property is fairly new so we don't have a lot in there. Um but it will be reserved for use for pastoral or um as I kind of mentioned like some smaller camps um because it is right next to Terry Peak. We're hoping that um we do have, have you guys ever heard of Life Light?

Okay. So, we work really closely with them. Um obviously they're able to produce a lot bigger events than like we're just very more like local and small. We'll have events um where we have like prayer booths and stuff, but we're in the process of working with them to do a series called Prayer at the Peak. Um and that that one I think would be opened up to more than just the youth, but the full community. Um, so if you see any stuff about Prayer of the Peak, um, if we can get that going, again, I'm not sure. Um, we've just started communications with them. I'm not sure if they'll allow us to use their grassy area, um, outside. I know it's private property and they don't really host a ton in the summer. Um, but we're looking into to developing that one as well, which would be really cool. So,

I guess I'm not really sure what you guys have questions about or Mr. Sure. And just to remind everybody, looking again at state law at SDCL10-4-9 impertinent part for your consideration tells us that property owned by any religious society and used exclusively for religious purposes is exempt from taxation. Property of a religious society is exempt from taxation if such property is a building or structure used exclusively for religious purposes. And it goes on from there. And I think that Miss Black did addressed the intent of the use of the building it to exclusively religious purposes and not a Airbnb or anything of the sort like that.

It's not for rent. Um, yes, definitely not going to be for rent for at any capacity. So, sorry to back up a little bit, but your event you held in was Spurfish. Where'd you hold it? That one was at um Gosh, why am I blinking? It was in conjunction with one of the churches there. If you want, I can grab my calendar and look it up. on my phone. Yeah, I'd be curious. Oh, yeah. And also, if you look up our Z8 page, um you can see all of our

Yeah, if you go on Facebook, um so we're like one of the auxiliary sponsors. My son is actually in the band. Um, and then Lifellight is the other major sponsor of the Z8 group, the Lifellight group. So, I don't know if you follow that at all, but I just want to kill. Okay. Rock, it was at Rock Point Church.

Okay. Thank you. Where did they at home services? So um and then in Sou Falls when we are um hosting events obviously we do um kind of all around the community. We've gone to Central Church, we go to um Faith Family Church, we go outside to Great Bear, all kind of around the area. But so this is a property that we have purchased through the foundation. If you look up the recorded deed, it is in the Hannah Foundation. Um and as I've testified in all the documents that we've submitted, it is for ministry use. It's not going to be for rent at all to the general public. Um, but we will be using it for ministry purposes only. So, did you guys have any

Does your foundation own any other property? Um, currently we do have um one deed property um in Sou Falls. So, it's on Western that we use for um industry purposes as well. But that's a it's a commercial building. So, and it's not tax exempt. Um it's not tax exempt because we use it as a self-sport administrator. So there is a business that runs through it to generate income. So we're not able to um we're not able to claim a tax exempt on that property. So and then that was deed in 2023. So for those purposes, it's not it's not tax exempt. Sure. Yep.

And your funding source then is is private donations? Um essentially, yeah, it's self-supported. So, we do um host events and things to um like we don't necessarily take um we don't get tons of donations. We do get some um but like um we'll take like offerings and stuff when we do the events, but primarily we do have other funding sources because we're so supported. So, or partnerships like with Lifelight um it's kind of interesting like we'll support them, they'll support us. We do have a couple couple of other groups. So, like with Bay Family Church, the same sort of thing. So sure they'll give to us and then in certain capacities we'll give to them.

Um a couple of our biggest things that we have done um we did a festival of trees event in conjunction with an event in Sou Falls last um it's been three years ago now that was 2023. Um the funds that we raised there we actually helped to build a house in Guatemala for one of the orphanages that we support. And then um when all the flooding happened in North Carolina, one of the coolest things that we were able to do is send checks directly to individuals. So rather than like supporting say um American Red Cross, we actually were able to connect with actual families and so we were able to send out $2,500 checks and we sent out seven of those to people. So it was kind of very humbling experience. We wanted to go there and we were told we weren't allowed to. So um we couldn't really get any boots on the ground at that particular event, but

really our heart is um the ministry and with youth specifically, which is why we're developing in this area. Sure. And you know, just partner our hesitation here to grant this. Uh but it's just that we we weren't aware of of any of your Sure. dealing. So it's you're new to the area. We we

don't I mean we don't really have any money to advertise. Um, we're hoping that like if we can connect with Terry Peak, obviously they have a really big base that they would be willing to help us market to their like maybe people in their database, their season ticket holders or you know if we can get something going there. So if you have any other ideas so market to draw in more people for retreats. Yeah. to like come to like the prayer of the peak.

You know, some of our events in Sou Falls, we have seven or 800 kids now that come for a single worship night. So, we're hoping that like prayer at the peak, if we got it going a couple times a summer, that we can draw a large crowd to come and partake in worship. Okay. Your your other entity is life light. Is that not life? Yeah, we would be considered like an oner. We don't manage that, but we're like we partner with them. So, you're an affiliate of them? I would call it I would call it an auxiliary. Yeah. Like an Arizona? No, they're actually based out of Sou Falls. Oh, really?

It's And they're really like So, they have an office building, too, but they don't have like any set property. It's It's a music festival. Oh, okay. Is it the one that they put on in Rapid City that Yep. Just want to make sure that wasn't the same. Which is kind of how we're we got started branching out here as well

because they do the hills and then in Sou Falls they do the Lifellight but like the Lifellight had stopped for about four years and that was primarily due to location and then they were able to like reinvent that and now they're actually hosting downtown Sou Falls which isn't awesome because there's not really great parking but um so for example at that event we'll be present with our own prayer group. So, and so for example, like that we'll sell merchandise. That's partly how we'll fun sell merch, but

anybody else have any questions or uh need I do. Haven't we in the past? It seems like this came up once before where somebody bought one of the ministries bought a property up at your mouth and they waited until they actually were utilizing it before it was granted. Jim before it was before you were here but what's that? Yeah, I don't know. It was Jim. They went trace crosses in spirit. Then they had that house that they converted to a worship place in Deer Mountain. And uh did we wait until it was actually operational until that happened or I think they came in one year and and we denied it.

We've actually been using it since about I think July last summer um for ministry purposes because it was purchased in May and then there was a little bit of remodeling. So there wasn't a lot that happened last summer. Um, if I may, I don't remember. It seems to me like maybe they were going to do some remodeling and to facilitate kind of a congregation kind of a thing. I can't remember. I have no specific recollection though. But it was that property. I know now that I'm sure that's what it was. I can't remember the detail of it, but it seemed like maybe they had another property that that they had it on that we were waiting for that to change. I don't there was something there was something on there

piece of property out by the old Steinway place. Yeah. They went from Lee to Yeah. And Mr. Chairman if I may. Uh disanded. Yeah. Has it been? Yeah. The statute does allow for a residential property used exclusively for religious purpose to be to qualify for the exemption. Is this something that Brett can be reviewed annually for a while or

every every organization um that has an exemption? We send out they have to fill out a short form every year. Um every five years they have to fill out a long form. So uh which is a more extensive and that's done for every exempt organization. Yep. But otherwise, every year there's a sort of a compliance check. Is that fair? Or a check-in? You know, mostly it's the five-year one. The the the annual one is more just are you still there? You still own the property? You know, everything just to make sure. The five-year one is a more extensive one. But does anybody have a need for executive session to discuss a legal issue on this?

I I don't. I just with so many of these things starting up and going towards the youth ministry. Um we just experienced that recently in Arizona with her granddaughter who ends up going to church three times a week to her youth events to different groups organizations like this one. I'm much more comfortable than I was last meeting. I don't need to know. Okay. Would is there any action that we would like to take on this? I move to approve the exception.

If that's proper second, it's been moved by Tisdale, seconded by Commer to approve the tax exemption for uh now I got my hand up foundation. Any other discussion? Uh, we better do a roll call vote on this, please. I

guess I Okay, motion passed. Thank you very much for coming this year. Thank you for taking you guys ever seen of our stuff as we work this out, please share it with your youth because that like what you just said about your granddaughter, did you say Arizona? There's a huge movement of the youth people right now getting pretty excited about God. And if you can come, if you see it posted for the prayer at the peak, you should come and check it out because I think you'll be pretty excited about it. So, thank you guys so much. Thank you. Thank you for coming. So, nice to meet you. There's a good chance to come and check. Make sure nothing's broken out. Yeah. Thank you. Yeah.

Just seems like they should religious organization should have to register with the state or something. Yeah. Separation of state and church is chairman. All other state law does require most organizations to file as a org but specifically excludes religious societies from that that need. Yeah. There's really just nothing for us to go on other than somebody's word. Um that was the difficulty and the documentation. know where they can provide. Of course, they went to Great Lakes to provide a lot of documentation.

They did just spent a lot of time and effort on one thing and we got a whole bunch of these bag deals going through. All right. All right. Uh we need to make we need to make some additional motions. I I found out from the state uh for you to approve the veterans exemptions. Just that the fact that it's happening, I guess. motion to approve the fact that uh veterans exemptions and also the I'll do it for the treasurer that uh the assessment freeze that that we accept them. Uh yes, go ahead please.

I'm from I'm reading from the department of equalization guidance. It says at the county board of equalization, here we are. The county uh director of equalization, Brett, will request the board to approve the the uh department the the department of equalization to make any changes due to the veterans exemption. Second. That's been moved by Flanigan and seconded by Tisdale that we approve the veterans. Basically, we agree to follow the law. Yes. Is what we're doing. Yes. So, we're committing to following the state law on vetery exemptions. All those in favor say I. Any opposed? Name.

And just for informationational purposes, just so you know, so 2025 veterans exemptions uh came out to be about 30 million. Um this year they're about 34, so they're up 13%. Uh assessment freezes, this year the value, last year the value was at 21 million. This year it's at 32. It's gone up about 50% because of the change in legislation the assessment elderly freeze was that we had to approve.

So similarly at the board of equalization the treasur and death had to had to be gone had to take John to a medical appointment but you have the information that she provided that she is hereby requesting that that this board instruct Brett uh to make changes to values for those applications approved by the treasurer for the elderly taxes. So move second. Okay. It's been moved and by flag by Euing to follow the LD exemption tax law. Also all those in favor say I. Any oppose? Nay. Okay. Motion carries. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. So no more tips or rights. We're all done with those. We're all done. Okay. Is there a motion to adjurnn as board of equalization?

So move. Okay. Second. call ourselves a journal of next year. We're all journ