[2:29] County Commission 8:30 on Tuesday, August 18, 2026. Please rise for the

[2:34] pledge of >> allegiance

[2:36] [clears throat]

[2:39] to the flag of the United States of America and to the

[2:44] stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice

[2:51] for all.

[2:56] » Item number three on the agenda is approval of the agenda. Do I have a

[3:00] motion to approve? >> So move.

[3:02] » Second. >> Motion second. Any changes, corrections,

[3:04] comments? Hearing none. All those in favor signify

[3:08] by saying I. >> I.

[3:10] » Oppos say nay. Motion carries. Item four is an invitation for a citizen to

[3:15] schedule time on the ag on the commission agenda for an item not

[3:18] listed. There's a five minute time limit per person. Anyone wanting to speak

[3:23] during this agenda item must sign in prior to the start of the meeting. No

[3:27] commission item action will be taken during this agenda item. Any requested

[3:31] action may be scheduled for a future meeting date. We have a few signed in

[3:35] today. First one is Mary Nsmush.

[3:44] » [snorts]

[3:46] » I'm going to ask you, please.

[3:52] » Is this where you want me? >> Yep. Right there. Just speak into the

[3:54] microphones, please. Mary

[3:59] » Mary Nasbush. I live in Duel County. I'm here to talk to you a little bit today

[4:05] about the um power on Midwest proposal to build a 765

[4:11] kilovolt power line from Bigstone Power Plant down here to Brookings County.

[4:18] What I want to talk to you about today is who has authority over what. We all

[4:23] know that the PUC permits power lines in our state. Um, but I think there's a lot

[4:30] of misunderstanding about what the PUC has the ability to do or not do. Um,

[4:38] in Grant County, I was told by the commissioners that the PUC will make

[4:42] setbacks and blah blah blah. There is no requirement in the law that tells the

[4:48] PUC to do that. They work more as a judicial

[4:54] um entity that reviews applicable laws and determines whether or not a project

[4:59] meets the applicable laws, health and safety and then they decide on those

[5:04] merits whether or not the project can be permitted. So what I have handed out to

[5:08] you today is the South Dakota codified law that governs how the PUC will make a

[5:14] decision. So, let's I'm just going to read it to you and read it into the

[5:19] record here so that we all agree that these are the rules under which these

[5:23] decisions will be made. It's South Dakota Codified Law Chapter

[5:28] 49-41B-22

[5:32] applicants burden of proof. The applicant has the burden of proof to

[5:38] establish by a prepundonderance of the evidence that the proposed facility will

[5:44] comply with all applicable laws and rules. And this includes your county

[5:49] zoning rules. The facility will not pose a threat of serious injury to the

[5:56] environment nor to the social and economic condition of inhabitants or

[6:01] expected inhabitants in the sighting area. An applicant for an electric

[6:06] transmission line, solar energy, or wind energy facility that holds a conditional

[6:12] use permit from the applicable local units of government is determined not to

[6:19] threaten the social and economic condition of inhabitants or expected

[6:25] inhabitants in the sighting area. The facility

[6:30] will not substantially impair the health, safety or welfare of the

[6:34] inhabitants. And four, the facility will not unduly interfere with the orderly

[6:42] development of the region with due consideration having been given the

[6:46] views of governing bodies of affected local units of government. That's you,

[6:53] an applicant for an electric transmission line, a solar facility, or

[6:58] a wind energy facility that holds a conditional use permit from the

[7:03] applicable local units of government. And that's going to be Grant County,

[7:07] Duel County, and Brookings County is in compliance with the subdivision.

[7:14] Gentlemen, you hold the key. You alone are the one unit of local government

[7:21] here in Brookings County that has the authority to protect your county

[7:27] residents from overindustrialization of your egg land.

[7:34] A 2,000 ft setback for a high voltage power line is a reasonable request for

[7:41] the health and safety of your people. That's what we adopted in Duel County

[7:46] back in March. Even the simplest structure to be built

[7:51] in your county has setback requirements. Why not also require setbacks for

[7:59] structures which are taller than the SDSU campal?

[8:04] Thank you for your time today. >> Thank you, Mary.

[8:14] Next up is Andy. >> Did I get that right?

[8:18] » You did.

[8:26] » Hello, I'm Angela Dailyaly or Angie Dailyaly. I go by both. I'm a member of

[8:31] the board of directors for the Humane Society, Brookings Regional Humane

[8:36] Society, and I am the chair, current care chair of the capital campaign.

[8:44] Um, if you recall our presentation before the county meeting in April 2026,

[8:51] we have recorded a significant number of pets brought to BRHS.

[8:58] the cost of hiring staff at minimum wage to care for animals every day of the

[9:08] year. That includes Christmas, Thanksgiving, and numerous other

[9:12] holidays. [snorts] Um, has increased by 35%

[9:20] in the last 10 years. I have looked at Brookings Humane

[9:28] Society M uh meeting minutes and have observed that the county has given the

[9:35] same subsidy for those last 10 years, which is $10,000.

[9:43] So our our cost of simple labor to get somebody in there all the time to just

[9:51] give meds, walk, water, feed has increased by 35%.

[10:01] And our funding from the county has not increased at all.

[10:06] It's difficult to operate this uh this valuable service to the whole county

[10:14] [snorts] without sufficient funds. And we do a great job fundraising. We have a

[10:20] boatload of volunteers both offering uh foster homes for animals that are in

[10:26] need of a permanent home as well as professionals namely the veterinarians

[10:32] who donate their time and skills to come out spay neuter and other simple medical

[10:39] treatments for the pets that we collect. And if you look at information from each

[10:47] of the different counties or each of the different cities within Brookings

[10:52] County, most of them have some type of agreement

[10:57] with the city of Brookings. The city of Brookings will take their

[11:02] pets and hold them for 5 days. Period. five days for the owner to come forward

[11:09] and then they are no longer the city of Bookings's problems.

[11:14] So I ask you to keep that information in your mind as we go through these uh

[11:20] budgeting processes for the year. Thank you for your time.

[11:24] » Thank you. Thank you. [snorts]

[11:31] Tamara Markle.

[11:41] » Hi, my name is Tamara Markell and thank you for this opportunity to speak about

[11:45] the um library voucher system. Um the voucher system I am I am against it for

[11:52] two reasons. Um it is first of all the cost of it. it's

[11:59] just extra cost administratively and um and then [snorts] secondly

[12:05] it just it it puts up barriers to access and it is my belief that the library is

[12:13] open for business for everyone and um

[12:18] I I just I hope that you consider that when you vote on this. So thank you.

[12:25] » Thank you.

[12:30] Rufus Dilo.

[12:41] » Yep. It's Rufus Dazo. You did a pretty good job with a lot of people. Uh

[12:45] butchered a whole lot worse than what you just did. So, thank you for the

[12:49] effort. >> I apologize.

[12:51] » No, you're fine. Uh yes, my name is Rufus Dale. Uh I've came and visited

[12:56] with you uh once before. Uh have visited also with the zoning uh committee a

[13:01] couple times in the subcommittee as well. Uh the topic that I'm here to

[13:05] discuss is the 765 KV line that Poweron Midwest is proposing to build on my

[13:11] land. uh at the subcommittee meeting the other night, uh a gentleman from Excel

[13:19] uh stood up and spoke and he he said a few things that uh I'd like to comment

[13:24] on briefly. Uh the first thing he said was that uh when they were proposing

[13:30] this route that they tried to do a a a really good job of negotiating with land

[13:34] owners to try to find the best route. uh through this process, we've not had

[13:39] anybody come to our place uh to visit with us about it. We've not negotiated

[13:45] with them in terms of uh them asking us if we think the route is good and where

[13:50] maybe we thought it should be. The only contact we've had with them is at first

[13:56] a gentleman came and presented the easement papers and uh we had a nice

[14:03] discussion and and kindly told him that we weren't interested. we weren't going

[14:06] to sign the ement and he left. A while later, we got another packet in the mail

[14:13] from a different place, a different company that was uh hired to se acquire

[14:21] easements from a firm in Sou Falls. And so we get this great big packet in the

[14:26] mail and in it were the same things that the first gentleman gave us. And there

[14:31] were little sticky notes on the side of every place that it said, "Please sign

[14:36] here and send back." To me, that does not sound like a good faith negotiation

[14:42] effort. It just sounds like they're trying to steamroll the project through

[14:45] us. One of the landl uh one of the owners uh

[14:49] also where this land is going to or this line is going to be built u is pretty

[14:54] close to 80. I know I don't know exactly how old he is, but he's I'm pretty sure

[14:59] that he's approaching 80. He lives in an assisted living facility.

[15:03] I called him yesterday and I said I asked him I said so has this company

[15:07] approached you about signing an easement for the line and he goes yes they have.

[15:10] He says a lady came to visit me and uh presented the packet had all the things

[15:15] in there and she said we'd like to have you sign this. And he goes I'm really

[15:20] and after reading it he goes I'm really not in favor of this project. He said,

[15:25] "I really don't want this transmission line to be built in my property, so I

[15:28] don't want to sign the easement." And these are his words. She looked at him

[15:32] and he goes, "Well, we'll just we'll just take it with by eminent domain."

[15:37] Okay. He thought about that and like I said, he's almost 80 years old and he

[15:42] and he thought, "I'm not going to I'm not going to win if I try to fight

[15:45] against a great big utility company. I don't have the time. I don't have the

[15:50] money. I'm not going to do it." And so he signed the easement here. Again, that

[15:54] does not sound to me like a company that's that's doing a very good job of

[15:58] negotiating a route. The other thing that uh the guy spoke

[16:04] about the other night is something that we're obviously very concerned about is

[16:09] having the line on our property and the effects that it'll have on us.

[16:14] One of the subcommittee u individuals asked him about

[16:20] routing the routing the line and when they come to the 345 line what do they

[16:26] do? And he says well we'll parallel it for a while. He said but we but we'll be

[16:31] really careful how close we put it to it because we're concerned about the safety

[16:37] of our workers being close to it. Okay. This is a 345 line. But yet this route

[16:43] is going to go over top of our land. We're going to be working under it,

[16:46] around it, and it's a 765. Where's the concern for our safety? I

[16:52] don't I don't see that happening at all. You know, you talk about setbacks, and

[16:58] setbacks are important. Okay, setbacks do a couple things. They get

[17:04] you away from maybe nuisances, annoyance, or whatever the case may be.

[17:10] setbacks for our property will absolutely do us no good because of

[17:17] where it's going to be placed. Okay, a 500 foot a 1500t setback gets you away

[17:23] from the line, but the setback I'm concerned about is being under it. And

[17:28] so the height of the tower is the setback that's going to affect us. And

[17:34] uh to me that presents a lot of concerns.

[17:39] Uh

[17:43] you know at at the subcommittee meeting you know I asked the people on the

[17:48] subcommittee it feels like the only uh time that we

[17:54] have to visit with you guys 30 seconds. Yeah. I I understand that. you know,

[18:00] you're concerned about 5 minutes and we're concerned about something that's

[18:03] going to affect us the rest of our life. So, I apologize if I go over 30

[18:08] [clears throat] and now I lost my train of thought. Um,

[18:13] so at the subcommittee, I invited everybody to come out and I'd show them

[18:16] where this thing is going to be built on our land, you know, and and nobody has.

[18:20] And I understand that you guys are busy and all that kind of stuff, but a

[18:24] project of this magnitude, I would sure hope that you would visit not just with

[18:28] us, but everybody that's along along the line and see how they're going to be

[18:32] affected because the decision you guys ultimately ultimately make could

[18:37] potentially affect us for the rest of our lives. So, I apologize if I've gone

[18:41] over uh but I don't apologize because like I said, this is the only chance

[18:45] that we have to present our view. >> Thank you.

[18:48] » Thank you.

[18:53] Sean Morris.

[19:03] [snorts] It's not built for me. Most things aren't, I guess. Uh, thank you

[19:07] very much. My name is Sean Morris. Uh, proud, relatively new Brookings

[19:13] resident. My wife and I moved here a little bit over six years ago from

[19:16] Chicago. So, please don't hold that against me. I am a refugee, not a

[19:20] missionary. So, let's just get get that out of the way. Um, I'm I'm here on

[19:25] behalf of the Brookings Regional Humane Society as I guess you'd call it a

[19:30] volunteer and also an early investor um in their proposed project. And I I want

[19:35] to thank everyone here. I I was here in April when uh the presentation was made.

[19:40] So, I appreciate the time you provided to the to the organization and your

[19:44] consideration as you move forward. And uh just a little bit of a backstory

[19:48] about my why my wife and I got involved and um when we moved here, one of the

[19:52] things we brought with us was uh a rescue dog we had from Chicago. We lost

[19:57] him and then we knew we wanted to get another dog. We waited a little bit. We

[20:01] went to the Brookings Regional Humane Society. After Rudy passed away, I moved

[20:06] back up to number two in the household. when we adopted Chief from the Brookings

[20:09] Regional Humane Society, I assumed my previous role as number three in a

[20:13] household of three and trying to hold on to that. But um it was really important

[20:19] for us to, you know, give an animal a second chance and one of the reasons

[20:22] that we love this community so much is just the quality of life and the people

[20:27] and the quality of people and the quality of things that uh are available

[20:31] here. And I I think um what really speaks to a community, at least as far

[20:36] as I'm concerned, is you know, how do we take care of the most vulnerable? And we

[20:39] all have a responsibility for that. And you know, sometimes the most vulnerable

[20:43] have two legs, sometimes they have four. Um and some of the situations we deal

[20:47] with, they have an un even number of legs through no fault of their own. But

[20:51] it it's a tremendous uh I think resource to the community. I know the impact.

[20:57] I've had an opportunity to see it. Uh I'm by no means an animal expert, but

[21:02] being involved with uh the society as we have up to this point in time, my wife

[21:06] and I decided, you know, if you care about something, put your money where

[21:10] your mouth is. And so we decided to to do that. And we appreciate your

[21:13] consideration of of anything that that might be available for us. And I I just

[21:17] would uh also invite you if you did have the opportunity if you've never been out

[21:21] to the facility to kind of see some of the great work if for no other reason.

[21:25] You know, we all need to look for things to kind of be uplifting. You know, um

[21:29] there's a lot of heavy subjects are going to be discussed here today and and

[21:32] and in the country as a whole. And sometimes I know for us, you know, my

[21:36] wife and I were looking for something that can uplift you. Um you don't have

[21:39] to look any farther than what goes on there. So, thank you.

[21:42] » Thank you. >> [snorts]

[21:49] » Sue Engelman.

[22:06] Sue Engelman, Brookings County. Imagine yourselves in the biblical era time and

[22:12] you are the king of a dominion. A foreign group is asking to pass your

[22:18] dominion boundaries. You are in charge of granting them or disallowing their

[22:22] passage. Today you are that king and Excel Energy is the foreign entity. You

[22:30] are responsible for your vassels and surfs, your constituents. You are

[22:35] responsible for the safety of all in your dominion. The entity can only pass

[22:41] through your dominion with your rules or they must go around your borders. Your

[22:47] laws and ordinances dictate how and if they may pass through your dominion. I

[22:54] have presented information from men that the state of Minnesota has deemed as

[22:59] expert witnesses. These men, Dr. W. Ben Johnson and Kyle Johnson are currently

[23:06] fighting the same transmission line in Minnesota. Our residents have

[23:10] passionately spoke out on numerous occasions about their concerns for their

[23:15] safety with Excel's proposal. In the past, I have asked for a 2,000 ft

[23:20] setback to match Duel County's current ordinance. After I did more research, I

[23:25] found an alternative that is before the Minnesota PUC right now, which is a much

[23:30] safer way to provide the same or even better safety and financial electrical

[23:35] coverage to Brookings County. The alternative is as follows. a 1.5 mile

[23:42] setback from all residences for the 765 kilovolt AC transmission line and or

[23:48] ultimately the most beneficial alternative which is to install the

[23:54] industry standard 525 kilovolt DC underground line along the existing

[24:02] transportation corridors such as existing highway corridors or existing

[24:07] railway right ofways. A Brookings County underground line ordinance would end all

[24:15] discussion of safety issues and landowner concerns. The line would still

[24:20] be able to pass safely through Brookings County and into Minnesota. The motans

[24:26] are putting the same alternative through their state PUC. Right now, the two

[24:31] aforementioned Minnesota expert witnesses now have to fight Excel Energy

[24:36] because their respective counties failed to have an ordinance in place prior to

[24:43] XL filing in their county. Last Thursday at the 765 kilovolt subcommittee

[24:49] meeting, I presented information concerning this alternative DC

[24:53] transmission line and the many reasons why it is the safest option for the land

[24:58] owners and the residents of South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and

[25:03] Illinois where the 765 kilovolt AC line is now proposed to travel with its end

[25:09] point in Chicago. This underground type of transmission line is already being

[25:15] used in the PJM Heritage Mossby project in Virginia and the so green project in

[25:22] Iowa to Illinois. This project is using the CP CPKC railway rightway. The 765

[25:29] subcommittee has once again asked for the advice from the XL representative

[25:35] what XL wants instead of listening to my proposal that is grounded in the

[25:41] Minnesota PUC expert witness testimonies. The subcommittee also

[25:46] wanted to hear what the XL's paid expert doctor has to say. I truly believe this

[25:52] is a conflict of interest at the highest station. I will be passing this

[25:57] alternative 525 kilovolt DC underground transmission line information to the

[26:04] concerned citizens in both Grant and Duel counties.

[26:08] We the people are not going to take this Black Rockck owned entities crossing our

[26:14] Dominion lightly. My good men, may I remind you this is an election year.

[26:21] Your vote regarding the safety of your constituents will be remembered. Am I

[26:26] asking for anything but the safety of our county? No. Again, I am asking for

[26:33] either a 1.5 mile setback if the line is above ground or ultimately to install

[26:40] the DC underground along the existing transportation corridors.

[26:57] These are the two pages that from the Minnesota docket dockets that back up

[27:03] what I'm saying as far as the 1.5 mile setback and the underground information

[27:10] on the back and the detriments of 765 and the positive parts of

[27:18] 525.

[27:30] [snorts]

[27:39] Okay, moving on to cons. Number five, consent agenda items

[27:44] include the minutes, travel and education requests, personal action

[27:47] notices, sell your authorizations, human services report. Do I have a motion to

[27:52] approve? >> So moved.

[27:53] » Second. >> Motion a second. Any comments?

[28:00] » Hearing none. Call the role, please. >> Vanderwal.

[28:02] » Hi. >> Post.

[28:02] » Hi. >> Miller.

[28:03] » Hi. >> Jensen.

[28:04] » Hi. >> Hustler.

[28:05] » Hi. [clears throat] >> Motion carries.

[28:07] » Number six. A approval of the claims. Do I have a motion to approve?

[28:11] » Motion to approve. >> Second.

[28:13] » Motion a second. Any comments? >> There is one additional or another

[28:18] claims packet that I handed out this morning. There's some um I think it was

[28:22] one a credit card statement came in a little bit late, but

[28:26] we wanted to get that paid on time. So, that is before you this morning that I

[28:30] handed out. >> Any other comments with the addition or

[28:35] the the change? Hearing none. Call the role, please.

[28:40] » Post. Hi. >> Miller. Hi.

[28:42] » Jensen. Hi. Vanderwal. Hi. >> Hustler. Hi.

[28:44] » Motion carries. >> All right. Let's move to department head

[28:48] reports. We got four minutes. Highway. >> All right.

[28:57] Good morning. >> More in Brian.

[29:00] » So, I'll start with uh some of the projects that we've been working on here

[29:03] the last couple weeks since we last met. August 3rd, uh, Brookings County Road

[29:10] One was closed for a culvert replacement. Uh, the culverts are

[29:14] installed and now we're waiting for, uh, the contractor to show up to remove the

[29:19] sheet pile. But, uh, that project is moving along nicely. It sounds like

[29:24] they're going to be here tomorrow to remove that sheet pile and we can wrap

[29:27] that up and hopefully by the end of the week or beginning of next, we have that

[29:31] open. Uh August 4th, uh under the patching

[29:36] contract, Bose began, uh work on County Road 16A or 214th Street. And uh due to

[29:43] some unforeseen circumstances, uh the paving wasn't finished by the end of the

[29:48] week that week, but it spilled over into the next. And then at uh soon as they

[29:52] got done paving, our crew immediately followed uh with the completion of the

[29:59] shoulder widening. And uh we need to wrap up uh placing some gravel material

[30:04] in the driveways along there. But uh I believe that's a much safer stretch. And

[30:10] I also wanted to point out that we are going to build our traffic counters up

[30:14] there cuz I I anticipate that the traffic uh counters will show the

[30:20] evidence that with that being a much safer stretch that we're going to have a

[30:24] lot of uh uh the traveling public on there and also probably most likely

[30:30] speeding. So

[30:34] August 7th, the Elkton phase 3 work was completed and County Road 33 was opened

[30:40] up to the public. Uh future projects here, we had a precon

[30:46] meeting for the 2026 Brookings County surfacing project that's on County Road

[30:50] 2 up by Lake Ponet. Uh, I was hoping that I could say they started as of

[30:56] yesterday, but uh, those plans were moved back and I will let you know when

[31:01] that project starts because we are going to be looking at a road closure when we

[31:05] do that project. Um, and lastly here, I attended the highway superintendent

[31:11] certification course and peer as a veteran I should say. I didn't go take

[31:18] the class. I've already been certified, but we did have right around uh 26 new

[31:24] highway superintendent attend that class. And for our state, if you guys

[31:30] understand, we have 66 counties and 26 is a pretty big number for new highway

[31:37] superintendent. And also in in lie of that the my

[31:42] secretary did attend um as we had our office personnel workshop at the same

[31:48] time. Is there any questions?

[31:52] » Anybody have anything for Brian? >> Brian, I just have one question. Um

[31:57] Banner typically does structure um inspections on the east half and the

[32:04] west half of the county. Remind me what what half are they doing this year? We

[32:07] are doing the east half. Okay. Thank you. [snorts]

[32:12] » Anybody have anything else for Brian? >> Thank you very much.

[32:16] » Thanks. >> All right. We're close enough to 9:00.

[32:21] Uh we're going to move to number seven scheduled agenda items. Uh letter A

[32:26] there is a public uh hearing and action to approve a one-day special event

[32:31] license to J Street Pub for event to be held at the Bennett Barn on August 22nd,

[32:36] 2026. Do I have a motion to approve?

[32:40] » So moved. >> Second.

[32:42] » Motion a second. All right. I would open the public hearing. Do we have any

[32:48] proponents for this? Do we have any proponents?

[32:53] » [clears throat and cough]

[32:56] [snorts] >> Um, I just ask you to look at the

[32:59] application again. I believe it's at the Owl, not the Bennett Barn.

[33:10] » That appears to be correct. >> All right. Y

[33:13] » So, yeah. So, at the Owl Lodge, um, up by Oakwood, um, we're hosting or

[33:18] bartending at a wedding. So, >> All right. All right. Thank you very

[33:22] much. Thank you. >> Do we have any other proponents?

[33:27] Any other proponents?

[33:31] Do we have any opponents? Any opponents?

[33:37] Any opponents? Hearing none, we'll close the public

[33:42] hearing. Do we have any comments from the board other than the adjustment on

[33:46] the the application is right just adjust in the minutes

[33:50] » and and as you recall we did change our ordinance so this wouldn't necessarily

[33:55] in the future need to be coming back to us but we we're in that 20 days of um

[34:01] kind of 20-day wait actually the 20th this week is our when it will officially

[34:05] go into effect so moving forward after this we won't have to do

[34:09] » this is the last one of these we have to do Yes. [laughter]

[34:16] » All right. So, hearing no other comments, call the

[34:20] role, please. >> Miller.

[34:22] » Hi. >> Jensen.

[34:23] » Hi. >> Vanderwal.

[34:24] » Hi. >> Post.

[34:25] » Hi. >> Hustler.

[34:25] » Hi. >> Motion carries.

[34:27] » All right. Letter B. Public hearing and action to approve a retail onoff sale

[34:31] malt beverage and SD Farm Wine license for CCNF Retail Inc. Friendly Fuel Court

[34:39] in Elkton to begin July 1st, 2026 and end June 30th, 2027.

[34:46] Do I have a motion to approve? >> So move.

[34:49] » Second. >> Motion and a second. At this time, I

[34:52] would open the public hearing. Do we have any proponents for this? Any

[34:56] proponents?

[35:00] Do we have any proponents?

[35:04] Any proponents? Do we have any opponents? Do we have any

[35:10] opponents? Do we have any opponents?

[35:17] We'll close the public hearing and comments from the board.

[35:25] » I guess >> Oh, go ahead. Go ahead.

[35:27] » Sorry, Jenna Baker from the finance office. Um, I guess the only comment I

[35:31] would have I wasn't sure if there was a representative in the back here. Um, no,

[35:36] that's okay. Um, so, uh, our office had received a second, uh, retail onoff

[35:43] sale. Um, this would be their second one, but they are they have plans to add

[35:48] an additional, uh, area in their in the, uh, facility

[35:54] to basically house some more lottery machines. And in order to do so, they

[36:00] need to obtain a second alcohol license. I have passed around to each of you the

[36:06] existing plan of their business and then on the second page is um is their

[36:14] proposed plans. Um and then in my staff report

[36:19] you can see they have like a number of steps that they have to do and take. Um,

[36:24] and ultimately the South Dakota lottery has the final say on whether or not this

[36:30] gets approved uh to them or not. The commission just basically approves the

[36:36] alcohol license, which as you know, we have an unlimited amount. Um, and as far

[36:43] as I know, Burkings County doesn't have anything in ordinance that speaks to

[36:48] lottery machines that I could find. Is there anything else that you had that

[36:53] you wanted to add? I guess I don't know if the public comments's done. I don't

[36:56] know if you would allow for him to speak.

[36:59] » Yeah.

[37:02] » Just come up and recognize.

[37:06] » You all need a different copy. I have a copy as well. Also, general manager for

[37:12] Whoa. for CCNF. We purchased the Elkton uh Sky View

[37:17] Elton um for many reasons. Obviously, it's a

[37:22] great little store. Unfortunately, it wasn't the most efficient store when we

[37:26] purchased it. So, we knew going into the uh process that we would have to remodel

[37:31] the location. Um

[37:34] the proposed area where the two rooms would be right now currently is an old

[37:39] kitchen that lasted I think 6 months. We our business model, if you will, is big

[37:47] on customer service, food, and just taking care of our customers. Obviously,

[37:54] we knew going into the project that the bathrooms are too small, too old. We

[37:57] knew that the old the kitchen that we you the main kitchen that we use was

[38:02] unefficient, and we needed to um make it larger. The security area or the

[38:08] checkout area is too small. folks were coming in the front door. It's, you

[38:12] know, jumping on each other. Some may be paying going through the front door. So,

[38:17] for us, and we also have a liquor license that we haven't used yet because

[38:21] there's no room on on the sales floor, obviously. Um, it's a small little

[38:25] location. The proposed site that we're looking at re I mean for rebuilding this

[38:30] location is a make the large make the large uh excuse me the restrooms larger

[38:37] more efficient for the consumer uh increase the size of the cooler

[38:42] increase the size of the checkout area increase the size of uh the kitchen

[38:47] obviously and in doing that it's very expensive and

[38:51] there's two players in in the video lottery. There's a non-smoker and a

[38:55] smoker. Um, so we're going to have we'll have two rooms. One that's access I mean

[39:01] folks can smoke in that's part of the South Dakota lottery where the big old

[39:05] door open window all that look and then the second would be more uh non-smoking

[39:10] obviously. Um yeah so I if you have any questions I

[39:16] sure would love to answer them. >> Board have any questions? And keep in

[39:22] mind too, this would be uh separate. So we've kind of identified it as um this

[39:29] one would be the second license would be sweet B. They have their own they've

[39:33] applied for their um they've applied for an additional um sales tax license. Um

[39:40] so it would be completely separate. They have to have separate rooms, separate

[39:43] doors, all that kind of thing. So >> and you know the city of Brookings has

[39:49] many of these. I mean, this isn't uncommon. It just we don't see it a lot

[39:53] in the the county businesses, but so >> Okay.

[39:59] All right. >> Thank you. Yeah. Thank you.

[40:02] » Any comments from the board.

[40:09] » Hearing none, call the role, please. >> Jensen,

[40:11] » I. >> Vanderwal,

[40:12] » I. >> Post,

[40:13] » I. >> Miller,

[40:14] » I. >> Hustler,

[40:15] » hi. >> Motion carries.

[40:18] All right, we're going to move back up to routine business.

[40:23] Uh, department head reports. Sheriff

[40:28] [snorts]

[40:36] » Good morning. >> Morning.

[40:37] » Morning. >> Just a quick quick overview of the

[40:40] detention center. We have 59 inmates presently. Um 28 of them are Brookings

[40:46] County inmates and uh 31 are from uh other counties. Uh the biggest is the US

[40:53] Marshall Service. We have 24 inmates from uh the Marshall Service. On the 247

[40:58] area, we have 8 87 participants and that would keeps that area uh busy. Uh it's

[41:06] been busy just like other departments. Uh it's been a busy couple last couple

[41:10] weeks. got school opening this week. So that uh that brings on uh uh traffic and

[41:17] that type of stuff and and uh so we uh we're going to be working uh around the

[41:22] schools uh for speed and that type of things. Uh

[41:27] also uh I think this is the second year maybe third year we have what we call

[41:31] breakfast with the deputies. So with between Elton and Sou Valley, we every

[41:35] other week or every other month we go into one of the those schools and have

[41:40] breakfast with uh the kids and stuff. And uh Vulga Christian has opened up

[41:45] their doors to school or my school resource officer too. So he's doing some

[41:50] more things at uh at Vogga Christian which is which is good. Um, and just

[41:56] talking about school resource, one of the commissioners did call me about our

[42:01] school resource officer because there was some things going on with the city

[42:04] and so forth. And and uh just so if anybody asks you uh um we don't charge

[42:11] the school for school resource. That's uh the county. I always felt that that

[42:16] was uh um my responsibility or the sheriff's office's responsibility to to

[42:22] go into the schools. At one time, I think it was a year maybe a year and a

[42:27] half ago, two years, I did approach the school boards about um helping fund the

[42:32] school resource officer, but at that particular time, nobody had any money.

[42:38] And uh to be honest with you, it's probably the

[42:43] best how we're doing it. Um you know, sometimes when you pay for something,

[42:48] then they expect you to be there all the time. Um I still have control over the

[42:52] school resource. So if there is an emergency outside of his if he's got

[42:56] nothing going on, he still responds to emergencies. He can leave the school and

[43:00] respond to emergency, especially if he's in the town that he's the school

[43:04] resource. If I didn't have him in the schools,

[43:07] this would put more of a burden on my patrol department because he handles

[43:11] everything in the schools and it's vaping, catching kids vaping, uh

[43:15] bullying, fights, uh those types of things. So, he's there. If he wasn't

[43:20] there, uh to handle those school investigations, he handles anything that

[43:24] happens on the school grounds. And that would include ball games Friday night if

[43:29] there's what, whatever. So, it u uh the way we have the system works good. Uh

[43:36] also this uh Wednesday night uh we'll be going out to the u um um Good Roots they

[43:45] have their annual uh international uh welcome back ice cream social for uh

[43:51] international students and there's different vendors out there and this I

[43:55] think this will be our second or third time out there and um we hand out a lot

[44:00] of stuff to the international students. The biggest thing is I hand out his

[44:04] driver's license manus. They all they want to come and drive and so I go

[44:09] through a stack of driver's license manus at that event. But it's good. They

[44:13] like to take pictures with the police. You normally the uh uh Brookings police

[44:17] is out there also and they they like taking pictures with so a little bit I

[44:21] feel like a celebrity for a little you know for about an hour and a half. So

[44:25] anyway, okay. Last Friday night, I attended a flock camera uh uh discussion

[44:32] uh over at the 21 building. Um uh there was two city councilors there, but

[44:37] nobody from the police department. We and they talked about flack cameras and

[44:42] and I think most of you have uh have uh been uh listening or about the flack

[44:50] cameras. just for your information in case uh anyone asks you is that

[44:54] Brookings County as you know we do not have any flock cameras uh that um

[44:59] they're all in within the city limits of Brookings at the present time uh at the

[45:03] time and uh uh [clears throat] since I was introduced to flock cameras probably

[45:09] in 2021 when Madison put flock cameras in in 2021 and I remember their first

[45:15] 30-day trial period or whatever it was they caught up u the the flock

[45:20] camera um uh um hid on a stolen vehicle. Anyway, but uh I did check into the

[45:27] flock cameras and I just felt at that that time that uh um they were

[45:33] expensive. The cameras themselves at that time were $4,500, but it was the

[45:38] everything else, the maintenance contract and all that. So, I felt that

[45:43] uh it wasn't it wasn't something that was a priority uh for my office. Uh

[45:50] [clears throat] we've probably in visiting with my detectives, we've

[45:53] probably at first we thought we probably have access not access but had put about

[46:00] six things called the police department to put about six things on on the um uh

[46:06] camera system. But in talking with him again, we narrowed it down to three is

[46:11] that uh one was um endangered person that we did get a hit on that license

[46:16] plate and we was able to locate that endangered person. And two other ones

[46:19] were warrants. Um we would never put anything on the city's flock camera that

[46:25] I don't have a case number so I can track it. In other words, we're just not

[46:29] going to put put Sean on there to see where he gets his groceries at. you

[46:35] know, it's it's going to have a it's going to have a a case number on on

[46:40] that. Uh like I said, at present time, we probably used it about uh uh three

[46:45] times. It has some good things about it and then with all the other thing with

[46:49] the data and I understand and it's the thing that I'm very concerned about is

[46:54] the audit on there. Who audits the auditor? It's just like now you're

[46:58] hiring a new IT person, right? Okay. Who audits that IT person? You know, I just

[47:04] was reviewing the IT policy the other day. He's got all this control over all

[47:08] these departments to watch them, but who watches the IT guy? Something to me has

[47:12] to be in place to watch that person. Who watches me? You guys. You guys watch me

[47:17] and the public. So, everybody's got to have someone

[47:21] watching them or making sure that they're doing their job. And uh I worry

[47:27] about the auditing and things like that with with the flock cameras. I think

[47:31] there are legitimate concerns. Um, so uh probably [clears throat] the last thing

[47:38] is uh um and I talked to Stacy about this is is uh we're going to remodel the

[47:44] upstairs. Uh my two detectives just just don't have enough room downstairs. They

[47:49] have two offices, but things are getting busier and with internet u uh crimes

[47:55] against children in the county. That's getting to be uh a lot of extra work,

[48:01] too. Not extra work, but it's just uh uh and we just need more room and interview

[48:06] rooms and and and different things like that. So, we're going to uh I have money

[48:10] in the uh building fund to remodel upstairs. We need to put some walls up

[48:15] and and some different things to have some privacy and things like that. So,

[48:20] uh that way I can open up those two rooms downstairs. Uh DCI likes to come

[48:24] and polygraph in my off at my place and I really don't have a place for him to

[48:29] do it because we need to have recording and and and uh those so I'll be able to

[48:35] set one of those offices up so that we can record and uh those those types of

[48:40] things. So, uh, we're I'm getting some bids right now. Um, and so, uh, unless

[48:47] do you guys have any questions about the remodeling at all? Um, like I said,

[48:52] there's money there, um, for building and, uh, I might as well

[49:00] get this done so we can open up some space and have more room for the

[49:04] investigators. So,

[49:08] other than that, I think uh I think that's it. Unless you guys have any

[49:14] questions. >> Anybody have anything for the sheriff?

[49:17] » Marty, on these flock cameras, there's a lot of buzz about those [snorts]

[49:21] um out there. How many are in the city? Any idea?

[49:25] » How many >> how many cameras?

[49:27] » Well, I think Well, I think there's See, I learned something today at this

[49:33] meeting. I learned some things. is that um I think there's I think if you go on

[49:38] the on on on there's a website and I think there's nine

[49:43] um but some of these might have a contract with with retail stores you

[49:51] know like Walmart >> at this meeting and I have not fact

[49:55] checked all this so I'm just going by what I was told at the meeting is that

[50:00] uh Walmart has fl cameras and Lowe's have have clock cameras, but those are

[50:05] owned by them, but I haven't fact checked that, so I don't want to be

[50:09] speaking out of turn. Um, >> my second part of that was question was

[50:15] who funds those? Who pays for those? So, private businesses,

[50:18] » some private businesses to my the way I came from that meeting is that they pay

[50:23] for those. And then again, I don't I hate to talk about it because I I don't

[50:28] know. I'm only going by what what hap what was told that that night. So, I

[50:33] haven't factcheed a lot of this. Um, I'm taking it there was there's

[50:38] contracts between private and I have no contract or any anything like

[50:45] that with for information or with with u uh you know like the city

[50:52] police because they they control the flock cameras for the city. So, but

[50:56] there might be some private use that are paid by retail.

[51:01] That that's what I took out of this meeting anyway. So,

[51:05] » I don't know if that answers your question.

[51:06] » It does. It does. Thank you. >> Yeah. I just don't want to speak out of

[51:09] turn because I haven't fact checked anything. So,

[51:13] » yeah. I guess I just add that I share your concern that you know, you're

[51:18] watched and we know what you're doing and then well, Dan watches you and

[51:22] everybody else and so we keep everybody on the level. But if that information

[51:27] isn't just between Flock and Brooking Sheriff's Department,

[51:31] » no. >> Who's the third person out there and

[51:33] what is it being used for? You know, you'd hope it all be up on the up and

[51:37] up, but it's this day and age with information sharing and buying

[51:41] information. It's >> Yeah. And then you talk about auditing

[51:46] and making sure, but you know, you you got to throw the human factor in there.

[51:50] The human factor is sometimes emotions overtake common sense. So you

[51:57] can have your things in place, but who's checking

[52:03] » who's auditing and who's overseeing the auditing and things like that. So

[52:07] » and everything gets hacked eventually. >> So

[52:12] thank you. >> Thank you, Sheriff.

[52:17] » Okay, Jen, come on up.

[52:24] Good morning. >> Good morning.

[52:26] » Morning. >> Um, today we just have the finance

[52:28] officers report in the agenda. Um, be it noted items, auditors count with

[52:32] treasur, payroll and additives total, register of deeds, statement of fees and

[52:36] highway expenditure report. um the register of deeds statement of fees. Um

[52:41] there is a little correction in there from the June one and there was a 45

[52:44] cent error on her um on the register of deeds statement [snorts] like in June.

[52:50] So we have an updated one in there in addition to the July one. Um

[52:58] other than that our office other than the finance officer obviously is fully

[53:02] staffed now. So we're that takes some pressure off and she's doing a great

[53:06] job. So, um, other than that, that's all I've got. If

[53:10] you've got any questions on the finance officer report or anything, let me know.

[53:14] Otherwise, things everything's going good.

[53:16] » Anybody have anything for Jennifer? >> Jen, just a quick question. Motor owner

[53:20] vehicle stuff that's going a lot better than it was six months and a year ago.

[53:25] » Vehicle. Yeah. Yep. >> It's pretty smooth.

[53:28] » We We worked through those problems and you figured a way out to

[53:32] » get that job done. Thank you. >> Yep.

[53:34] » Good. >> Okay. Anybody else? Thank you.

[53:38] » Thank you, John. >> Bob with Community Development.

[53:50] » Good morning. First meeting we had was August the 13th. We had a pandemic

[53:56] planning coordinating committee at the hospital. And the big thing that come

[54:01] out of there is there is going to be a 2026 27

[54:06] Department of Health grant to help fund the the um they call it the pod manager

[54:13] which right now I'm acting as. Later that night we had on August the

[54:18] 13th we had our 765 kilovolt transmission subcommittee meeting.

[54:23] During that meeting, at the conclusion of the meeting, it was decided we'll

[54:28] have one more meeting in September, the second Thursday in September. And then

[54:34] if all goes well, we plan on sunsetting that subcommittee and moving the the

[54:41] discussion and everything over to the planning and zoning meeting. But but

[54:46] that's only with the permission of the county commission. And I wanted to bring

[54:50] that to you to you as a question today.

[54:56] We're we're just spinning our wheels. We're getting a lot of information pro

[54:59] and con. Now it's time to make the decision. The decision makers obviously

[55:03] is the planning and zoning committee as a whole. And we just we we we just feel

[55:10] it's time to get moving and we can do it as a as a planning and zoning.

[55:16] What's the board's thoughts, I guess? any comments or

[55:21] » ideas? Okay.

[55:24] » Okay. We'll we'll keep moving along and of course that could be fluid depending

[55:27] on what occurs at that meeting. But uh if it goes as I anticipate it, we will

[55:32] and of course we'll notify you the moment that happens.

[55:36] Uh yesterday I signed some paperwork on dual Brookings water. They they're doing

[55:42] some upgrades to the water system north of Bruce and they had me look at some of

[55:47] their some of their stuff. They're doing some good stuff with the with the rural

[55:50] water up there which is a good thing. Tomorrow I'm going up to Buffalo Ridge 2

[55:56] up on the county line. They've got a tabletop discussion. They're looking at

[56:00] doing an exercise within the next month and they always include Duel County and

[56:05] Brookings County and then the first responders of the area such as the White

[56:08] Fire Department and the White Ambulance. So, that should be good discussion. On

[56:13] Thursday, we've got our local emergency planning committee meeting over at the

[56:17] East Fire Station. Next week, I've got Richard going down to Sou Falls to a

[56:23] Western Planner Conference. That's the U South Dakota State Planning Association.

[56:29] And they there is a South Dakota State Planning Association and they combined

[56:33] their meeting this year with the Western Planner Conference which is about uh 10

[56:38] different states from the western side of the of the United States and he's

[56:44] going to go down there and get trained on that. I felt with my time coming to a

[56:49] close, it was was not appropriate for me to

[56:53] go down. I my time would be better off up here and

[56:58] keep doing some office work. Other than that, that's I don't have any updates on

[57:03] the Maderi Township drainage project. I am

[57:07] going to contact them as soon as this meeting's over and I'm downstairs and

[57:10] next meeting we'll have an update for you on that particular subject. Any

[57:15] questions? >> Anything for Bob?

[57:19] » Thanks, sir. >> All right. Jen did uh mention the

[57:24] finance officer report and be at noted items. So, those are listed. Uh moving

[57:29] to letter A or letter number eight, regular business. Letter A, action to

[57:35] approve resolution 26-30, a resolution declaring a fire danger emergency in

[57:40] Brookings County and prohibiting open burning. Do I have a motion to approve?

[57:45] » So moved. >> Do I have a second?

[57:50] » Second. >> Motion and a second. Comments.

[57:54] » I was contacted by Dave Jacobson with the Brookings County Firefighters

[57:58] Association. He reached out to me earlier this month and um he just asked

[58:05] to have this resolution on the agenda. At that point, you know, we were still a

[58:08] couple weeks out to see if we were going to going to get any rain. Um, I don't

[58:14] believe we've probably had any measurable rainfall since I've discussed

[58:17] this with with Dave. And so this comes from the firefighters association with

[58:24] representatives um from across the county.

[58:30] » Mr. Chairman, if I may. >> Yes, Bob. the we are still in a moderate

[58:34] drought category in Brookings County and and as

[58:40] Stacy Stephenson mentioned, we have not had no measurable rain. Even last night,

[58:44] it looked like it went to our south and I have no objections to burn ban being

[58:48] enacted. >> Okay, sheriff, you got anything?

[58:52] » I have I have no comments. >> Okay.

[58:55] » Either it's dry. Yeah. >> The other night about two to three tents

[58:58] I got at my pl north of town and soul. Yeah,

[59:03] » I think for prevention it'd be a good idea.

[59:07] » Any comments from the board. >> All right. Hearing no comments. Uh, call

[59:13] the role, please. >> Vanderwal,

[59:15] » I. >> Post.

[59:16] » I. >> Miller.

[59:17] » Hi. >> Jensen.

[59:18] » Hi. >> Hustler.

[59:19] » Hi. >> Motion carries.

[59:20] » All right. Letter B. Action to approve three requests to fill vacancies for

[59:25] full-time corrections officers in the detention center. Do I have a motion to

[59:29] approve? >> Motion approved.

[59:31] » Second. Motion and second. Any comments?

[59:36] Sheriff? >> Just uh we've had a lot of resignations

[59:42] uh due to uh [clears throat] uh one uh correction officer had a baby,

[59:49] decided to be a full-time mom, and I I applaud her for that. And it just uh

[59:53] been a lot of movement with the part with some of the part-time, too. um that

[59:59] they you know it's sometimes it's hard to not to have romances within the off

[1:00:05] within and then and then they move on and get married and so there's a couple

[1:00:09] that did that and and are going to move on. So it's just been a lot of a lot of

[1:00:14] that. >> Okay,

[1:00:15] » that makes sense. >> It does. [laughter]

[1:00:19] » All right, any questions or anything for sheriff?

[1:00:25] All right, hearing none. All those in favor signify by saying I.

[1:00:28] » I. >> Post say nay. Motion carries.

[1:00:31] » Could I could I ask for one thing? Absolutely. Didn't mean to interrupt.

[1:00:34] No, Commissioner. >> Is that you have a uh I have a a limit

[1:00:40] of six part-time people. You have authorized

[1:00:44] uh my office to have six part-time. I'd like to increase that to one more

[1:00:49] seventh because I do have a part-time person that is that uh is is pregnant

[1:00:54] and she'll be going out soon. Um, and it's not that I'm going to add hours for

[1:01:02] this seventh person. It's just that to help cover hours. Uh, especially and

[1:01:07] maybe the 247 area could maybe help a little bit with that if I needed uh uh

[1:01:13] uh we just uh we we we're seeing some violations in the 247 area that needs

[1:01:19] paperwork and do different things. So, but I'm I'm just trying to get ahead of

[1:01:23] uh another vacancy. And so, if I could go ahead and while we're hiring, if I

[1:01:28] could hire a seventh part-time person, but I again, I'm not looking to add

[1:01:34] hours. I'm just looking to help cover ours with that seventh one, anticipating

[1:01:39] when this other part-time goes out on on leave. Of course, she has no uh she has

[1:01:44] no uh sick leave or anything, but you know, we we guarantee that she can have

[1:01:48] a job back if she chooses to come back. So,

[1:01:51] » being that it doesn't affect budget and the do bottom line,

[1:01:54] » it does affect the pay plan resolution. Um I mean, I think you could maybe do

[1:02:00] like consensus to move that forward, but I would have to bring the pay plan pay

[1:02:04] plan resolution forward to be amended >> and we could do that on

[1:02:08] » at the next meeting. put it to the what's the board's uh consensus on that?

[1:02:12] I think if it's not increasing anything and just having more staff to be able to

[1:02:17] fill the existing hours, I don't I think that would be be good. But what's the

[1:02:23] board's cons? >> Would that be a temporary position then?

[1:02:27] » And the person comes back, you know, if this person that's leaving on maternity

[1:02:31] leave comes back, then would that seventh position part-time go away or

[1:02:36] does that stay there? Well, we probably just, you know, with things going, uh,

[1:02:40] there's always somebody gone. I anticipate, you know, they come and go

[1:02:44] so quick. Uh, again, we would not increase hours, but

[1:02:50] to cover. So, the seventh person would probably be needed to cover hours. Uh,

[1:02:56] if that because you have full-time that take vacation and things like that. So,

[1:03:00] uh, again, they wouldn't be added hours. is just be a person to to cover those

[1:03:04] hours >> that we need. Is that making any sense,

[1:03:07] Commissioner? >> Sheriff, one question I have is, so if

[1:03:10] you add another part-time person, then you're not asking other full-time people

[1:03:15] extra overtime shifts, >> right?

[1:03:17] » So, in a sense, it's it's saving the county some money. Correct. Or am I

[1:03:21] wrong? >> Yeah. I know a few years ago when we

[1:03:24] added the corporal positions and and that we we um reduced the number of

[1:03:30] part-time people, >> right? Here's a question to you. What is

[1:03:34] one enough to be able to cover those hours and miss times and things like

[1:03:37] that? Or would would we want to do two? What what is the recommendation to do

[1:03:42] that? Because I think we eliminated like 10 when we created those corporal

[1:03:47] positions if I remember right. >> Well, it would uh for

[1:03:52] » we always have we always have the hours and so if I don't

[1:03:57] » see when I'm dealing with part-time now I'm dealing with college. they're going

[1:04:00] to college, you know, and so now it's hard to draw from the six

[1:04:05] » to cover. And then if I'm down, you know, we're we're promoting one

[1:04:09] part-time person up to full-time, you know, so I've drawn that. And then of

[1:04:15] course with with the pregnancy, I don't know when she's going out. Uh and if

[1:04:20] she'll come, I hope she'll come back. She's a good employee. She does really

[1:04:22] good. So I hope she'll come back when when that. But uh uh it is a struggle

[1:04:27] for us to uh uh because we do have a lot of overtime in the jail

[1:04:33] » because I don't >> because I don't have part-time to cover.

[1:04:36] Uh and I know the deal was corpor

[1:04:42] uh staff, you know, people. But again, I got to cover the hours. So it it would

[1:04:48] it would be beneficial. >> The only downside I could see would be

[1:04:52] reducing each employees hours. they wouldn't be getting as many hours per

[1:04:57] employee, per part-time employee, which I depends on if they're busy with school

[1:05:02] or other full-time jobs. That, you know, it might not be bad thing to do that,

[1:05:09] » but it might it might be a >> a way to just to add to and and it would

[1:05:14] help alleviate some of the scheduling strain.

[1:05:18] What are your thoughts on that board? Yeah, I guess I'm I'm seeing what you're

[1:05:22] saying is that the part-time people possibly would be not getting their

[1:05:25] normal shift then and that my question was do they do the part- timerrs have a

[1:05:31] set number of hours that they can or do work or is it are they expecting to

[1:05:37] always get 20 or >> Yeah, it's 19

[1:05:43] 195 I mean 19 and a half hours. However,

[1:05:48] there may be times now that I use them more than that just so I don't in a what

[1:05:53] is a six-month period. They can't go over X amount or else you have to start

[1:05:56] paying uh >> retirement.

[1:06:00] So, I may have someone that works 25 or 30 hours because she's available to

[1:06:06] work. So, she picks up more shifts than someone someone that's maybe got a

[1:06:11] full-time job and doing this part-time. Most of mine are are going to are

[1:06:16] college right now, you know. I I have one or you know, see, so now I got to

[1:06:21] work around their college schedules and sometimes that's that gets to be

[1:06:26] difficult, too. So, >> because some of your part-time, you

[1:06:29] might only get them 10 hours in a pay period or a week or

[1:06:34] » and they might only be able to work that.

[1:06:36] » Correct. And I think that's why we added that extra one. It was to eliminate some

[1:06:40] of that. >> Yeah. um a full-time person would be

[1:06:43] more um inclined to be there all the time. But uh that was kind of the

[1:06:49] reasoning behind all the part-time staff I had before.

[1:06:52] » Yeah. >> So, correct.

[1:06:55] » Yeah. You know, I only have one that works 24/7. You know, uh, uh, Tanya

[1:07:00] Thornton works 24/7, but there's times in there that's busy, especially on

[1:07:04] court day when they're sentencing and over and and sometimes I got to pull

[1:07:08] someone from the floor to help her. So then eliminates one person on the floor.

[1:07:14] Mondays are busy days for for jail staff because, you know, they're they're

[1:07:19] sentenced to a scram bracelet or or or whatever or just setting them up. Tanya

[1:07:24] has to set them up on the 247 program. So, um, an extra person there could help

[1:07:30] a little bit too if I if I if that's needed and so forth. So, I'm not looking

[1:07:35] to increase a lot of hours. I'm just looking to basically cover

[1:07:40] » uh cover. >> I think it's good to be proactive on

[1:07:44] that. And I I I can make peace with adding the seventh. Um,

[1:07:51] I trust department heads to run their departments how they see fit. And I',

[1:07:55] you know, when they come and ask for a another part-time, I guess I'm not

[1:08:00] comfortable with saying, "Well, if you want one, let's give you two." Um, I'd

[1:08:03] leave that to the department heads to let them manage income. If you at some

[1:08:07] point want to add another one, then I think you bring it. So, adding a second,

[1:08:12] I guess I wouldn't be comfortable with that.

[1:08:14] » Well, and the only reason I brought that up is it's not increasing the wage, the

[1:08:18] budget at all. It's just the amount of people to manage that budget and

[1:08:22] alleviate alleviate scheduling concerns. And that's why that's the only reason I

[1:08:27] said maybe two just with with the increased stuff because it's not and

[1:08:33] correct me if I'm wrong, Sheriff. It's not it's not and he said it before, it's

[1:08:37] not adding to the budget. It is just the amount of people to do that. um we're

[1:08:42] just doing more I guess

[1:08:47] the same amount with just a few more people and if we can find people

[1:08:50] qualified people to work those hours it you know I was a part of that for years

[1:08:56] and years and I know what the shifts and and the strains in the back can be so

[1:09:01] that's why I just mentioned would it possibly work to add to to help with

[1:09:06] that So

[1:09:13] » right. So >> So the consensus is that

[1:09:17] » Yeah. What's the I mean, >> yeah, I' I'd say put something together

[1:09:21] so that Stacy can bring >> We'll have to bring it to as a

[1:09:24] resolution on our next meeting to adjust that pay plan.

[1:09:27] » We're going to meet again on September one.

[1:09:29] » September one. So would we direct was it the consensus of the board to director

[1:09:35] to bring one or two or what would the consensus be?

[1:09:40] » You can do one now and one if he thinks one. Okay.

[1:09:44] » Sounds good. >> All right.

[1:09:46] » Okay. Thank you. >> You bet. Sheriff. Uh letter C. Uh action

[1:09:50] to approve a request fill vacancy for a part-time female corrections officer in

[1:09:54] the detention center. Do I have a motion to approve?

[1:09:57] » So move. >> Second.

[1:09:59] » Motion a second. Any comments hearing? None. All those in favor

[1:10:04] signify by saying I. >> I.

[1:10:06] » Post say nay. Motion carries. >> Letter D. Action to approve a request to

[1:10:11] fill vacancy for a corrections corporal in the detention center. Do I have a

[1:10:15] motion to approve? >> Motion approve.

[1:10:17] » Got a motion. >> Second.

[1:10:19] » Second. Comments.

[1:10:24] Hearing none. All those in favor signify by saying I.

[1:10:27] » I. Post say nay. [cough] Pot carries. Letter E. Action to authorize

[1:10:32] chairperson Hustler to sign uh sub that thing

[1:10:40] subsequent clarificate or certification of compliance with foreign national

[1:10:44] vetting requirements. It is still only 9:30.

[1:10:49] Motion to approve. >> So moved.

[1:10:51] » Second. >> Motion and a second. Comments. This is

[1:10:54] for, I believe, a grant agreement that at that uh county development director

[1:11:00] Bob Hill is applying for. Um HR generalist Kristen Witchie does um she

[1:11:06] provided a statement that was in your packet basically saying that Brookings

[1:11:09] County does require all new employees or all employees to fill out the I9 form um

[1:11:17] certifying that they are indeed eligible to work in the United States.

[1:11:22] Any other comments hearing? None. All those in favor

[1:11:26] signify by saying I. I. >> Post say a. Motion carries. Letter F.

[1:11:32] Action to automatically supplement an unanticipated expenses incurred and

[1:11:36] reimbursement made to to Brookings County in the amount of $2,115.70.

[1:11:43] Receipt number 00779225 to general GL line 226-422-

[1:11:52] 4294. Do I have a motion to approve?

[1:11:55] » So move. >> Second.

[1:11:56] » Motion to second. Comments. >> Mr. Chairman, this comes from that South

[1:12:01] Dakota Department of Health grant to our PPC-

[1:12:06] pod. This is the monies that was spent. They've got a different fiscal year, but

[1:12:12] 2025 to 2026, that line happens to be in the red right

[1:12:17] now. And this this supplement will put me back in the green in that line.

[1:12:21] » Okay. Any other comments? Hearing none. All those in favor signify

[1:12:26] by saying I. >> I. I.

[1:12:27] » Post say nay. >> Motion carries. Letter G, action to

[1:12:31] declare 10 tasers as surplus property transferred to Dual County Sheriff's

[1:12:36] Office. Do I have a motion to approve? >> So move.

[1:12:38] » Second. Motion a second comments unless you have some questions is that I update

[1:12:44] so oftakes

[1:12:48] care of me. Anyway, >> um it's always nice to have another

[1:12:53] wife. Anyway, uh we update tasers every so often. These

[1:12:59] tasers are still still usable. uh you know the smaller counties have sometimes

[1:13:04] struggle with with budgets and stuff and and so I think it'd be a good to to

[1:13:09] donate those otherwise they're going to sit in a drawer here so they can go

[1:13:13] there and and and be used for a while. So

[1:13:15] » you bet have any comments from the board?

[1:13:19] » Well, it's good to see that you're reaching out to other counties and if

[1:13:22] it's something that they can use uh to be able to get it to them. Um fire

[1:13:27] departments do this and other departments also. It's uh good deal.

[1:13:32] » Yeah, I have a couple red lights I think top two that I'll check with some fire

[1:13:36] departments and see if they need any red lights. So anyway, thank you. You bet.

[1:13:43] » All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I post name. Motion carries. All right.

[1:13:49] Number nine, commission department director's report.

[1:13:54] » The veteran service officer report for July. No. Yeah, July. Like August is

[1:14:01] almost over, I feel like. Anyway, seven DAV rides. The best news is that the DAV

[1:14:06] val the volunteer drivers have covered all of those rides now since February.

[1:14:11] So, that is moving in the right direction. Um, a couple of outreach

[1:14:14] events, coffee with vets, and then the VFW after hours that they do every

[1:14:18] month. Um, Matt Pillar, our VSO, said, you know, claims processing is it has

[1:14:24] slowed down. It was kind of going well. Well, now it's he's kind of been seeing

[1:14:27] a slowdown kind of across the board over the past few months with that. So, um

[1:14:33] the July general fund surplus cash analysis was at 33%. That is pretty much

[1:14:39] spot on for our 10-year average of 33.3%.

[1:14:42] Just continue to keep an eye on that now as we get uh closer to year end to see

[1:14:46] if there's there's any money there that we need to possibly assign or um deal

[1:14:52] with here at the end of the year. So, um, looking good there.

[1:14:57] The conservation district tour is, um, next Thursday, next week, August 27th.

[1:15:04] That agenda is included with my report. Um, the the the board received a thank

[1:15:11] you from the Brookings County Youth Mentoring Program for funding here in

[1:15:16] 2026. So, that was included with my report.

[1:15:20] Um the SDAC or the SDACCC proposed resolutions and policy statement changes

[1:15:24] are also part of my report. There's quite a few resolutions this

[1:15:30] year. So if um make sure that you do read through those um we will be

[1:15:36] discussing those in a caucus uh format on September 15th at fall convention and

[1:15:42] then they are voted on at the general business meeting the next day on the

[1:15:46] 16th. We only do get one vote um per county on those resolutions. So, if you

[1:15:55] see anything in there um that you want to discuss further, we can kind of go

[1:15:59] through them maybe at the next meeting, you know, one at a time to see if if

[1:16:03] there's anything that there's questions about. Um there's usually some pretty

[1:16:08] good supplemental information. A lot of them came this year from either Minihaha

[1:16:12] County or Yankton County submitted quite a few resolutions. So, make sure you

[1:16:16] take a look at those. Um, if you have any questions, reach out to me. Um, we

[1:16:21] would like I would like to schedule the the highway and bridge tour that's

[1:16:25] usually here in October. Um, what I'm guessing, you know, what's I

[1:16:31] guess Brian and I haven't talked about it propose a date here, but um,

[1:16:38] you know, we could do it a couple different ways. you know, meet

[1:16:43] in the morning and then we get done by noon or, you know, if it works on a

[1:16:50] well, the the 20th is actually department head, so it wouldn't work

[1:16:54] that day, but then like the 6th if you want to do um that afternoon, like after

[1:16:59] a commission meeting, something like that and go in the afternoon. Brian,

[1:17:04] » I worry my projects are not going to be done

[1:17:07] » by the 6th of October. You want to go later in the month or even into

[1:17:11] November? deadline is for asphalt is the 15th.

[1:17:15] » Okay. So, so maybe look at a little bit later in October or maybe even early

[1:17:20] November too. Um >> I would be more comfortable with that.

[1:17:26] » I mean the the first meeting in November is the 5th. That's a Thursday because

[1:17:31] we're canvasing votes. Um

[1:17:38] what do you think? Anybody have any suggestions?

[1:17:42] I >> think [snorts] later would be better

[1:17:44] just so everything's done. >> Yes, for sure.

[1:17:48] » You want to do that? Can we do that Wednesday or that Thursday that first

[1:17:51] week in November? >> The fourth or the fifth?

[1:17:56] » Fifth after the meeting or the fourth? What's it's really up to you guys. So,

[1:18:03] what you think?

[1:18:06] » I'm good with whatever. Yeah. I guess it'd be nice if we could do it have

[1:18:11] commission and after commission. >> Should we do it on the on the 5th then?

[1:18:15] » November 5th. >> That Thursday.

[1:18:17] » Sounds good. >> Yep.

[1:18:20] » Okay. Um other than that, just a few other

[1:18:26] dates. Um we they did hand out to you from Sou Valley Energy. They're doing

[1:18:32] rats and kilowatts kind of uh town by town district meetings. Um they're from

[1:18:38] 4:30 to 7 on Thursday, August 27th. There is one in White at the community

[1:18:45] hall and then um at the Mcnite community hall and then there is one on September

[1:18:52] 10th in Vulga and that is at the school at the Sou Valley School. So that

[1:18:59] handout was there and I'll get some of those dates put on the the calendar here

[1:19:03] as well. Um, as I said, the conservation district tour is next week. Monday is

[1:19:10] September 7th, Labor Day. Offices will be closed. And then we have the next

[1:19:16] week our um fall convention down at the Ramakota in Sou Falls. Kind of golf on

[1:19:22] the 14th, but then the meetings are the 15th and 16th of September.

[1:19:26] Um um on Tuesday, September 22nd, I'm just

[1:19:33] kind of noticing that meeting at 8:30. Um that is the fourth Tuesday of the

[1:19:38] month, which is a little bit different than what we normally do first and 3rd,

[1:19:42] but that's due to that fall convention follow falling on that third Tuesday.

[1:19:47] So, uh in September, we meet the 1st and the fourth Tuesdays in September, the

[1:19:52] 1st and then the 22nd. Um

[1:19:57] Todd Kay's with the First District Association of Local Governments. They

[1:20:01] have their annual membership picnic on September 24th. Um I know they'll be

[1:20:06] sending out some additional information, but if you wanted just to get that on

[1:20:10] your calendars, it's the Thursday, September 24th. And then looking out a

[1:20:14] little bit further, um Native American Day is October 12th. That Monday,

[1:20:18] offices will be closed. On the Tuesday, October 20th, we have our regular

[1:20:23] commission meeting. And then that afternoon um department head review

[1:20:27] starting at 1:00. October 24th is Hobo Day. So I'll be we

[1:20:33] don't need to decide now but talking about um parade and activities for Hobo

[1:20:38] Day. And then again as I had mentioned earlier that meeting that first meeting

[1:20:43] in November is a Thursday instead of a Tuesday and that's due to canvasing the

[1:20:48] vote votes from the general election that's on the 3rd of November.

[1:20:53] That's all I have unless you have questions for me.

[1:20:55] » Anything for Stacy? >> All right. Thank you. State's attorney's

[1:21:00] office report. Moving to number 11, commissioner

[1:21:05] reports. Commissioner Vanderwal. >> Thank you. On Wednesday, August 11th, I

[1:21:11] attended the Brookings County 4H achievement days. And then at 1:00 that

[1:21:15] afternoon, I attended the Samira Avenue meeting in Vga at 1:00.

[1:21:21] On Thursday, August 6th, I attended the 4 uh barbecue and helped serve drinks

[1:21:26] and milk and co or milk and juice and water. And uh and on Wednesday, August

[1:21:34] 12th, I attended the uh 10ount meeting in Bryant. And afterwards, uh we stopped

[1:21:41] at the U Culbert project on County Road One on the west side of Oakwood. And

[1:21:46] that was very interesting. I'm glad we had an opportunity to do that. and

[1:21:51] understand from those two county uh highway workers what was going on and

[1:21:56] why appreciated that. And then on Thursday, August 13th, I attended the uh

[1:22:02] pod meeting um at the hospital at noon. And then that evening um

[1:22:10] Thursday, August 13th, I attended the 765 KVA um meeting right here in this

[1:22:17] very room. As uh as um Bob said earlier today, you know, we look for that um

[1:22:26] September meeting to be the be the sunset of that the uh I'm just one of

[1:22:31] the five on that committee. But after that um meeting here, I I I look forward

[1:22:39] for the committee to uh make a recommendation to the zoning board for a

[1:22:43] 2,000 ft setback. Um and the zoning board would then possibly look at that

[1:22:50] in the October meeting. So that's moving moving along.

[1:22:55] Thank you very much. >> All right, Commissioner Post.

[1:22:59] » My calendar just went dead. On the 4th, [snorts] I filled in for the planning

[1:23:05] and zoning meeting and of August. Then I also was uh let's see tended to

[1:23:14] 765 on the 13th as well. Had some fill-in duty. So that was pretty much my

[1:23:23] week. >> All right, Commissioner Miller.

[1:23:25] » Thank you. Well, um, last night, the 17th, I attended a board meeting for the

[1:23:30] Brookings Behavioral Health Center and, uh, I continue to be impressed with that

[1:23:36] facility and the board. Mary Beth and Lana and Amy do an excellent job. Got

[1:23:42] some challenges. They're expanding into some new areas and, uh, dealing with

[1:23:46] funding issues on the state and federal level like several are, but, um, very

[1:23:51] well-run organization and they're truly making a difference there. It's fun to

[1:23:54] see be a part of that. That's my report. >> All right, Commissioner Jensen.

[1:23:59] » Well, on the 4th, I attended National Night Out over in Vulga. Uh great

[1:24:03] turnout over there. Uh was going to eat there. The the line was quite long and

[1:24:07] uh we decided to go to Brookings and attend the National Night Out in

[1:24:11] Brookings. Uh and that was also well attended. And uh

[1:24:16] it's uh a kudos to all the people that volunteer, come out and uh to man those

[1:24:21] booths with the you know the fire departments and the city police and

[1:24:25] everybody that gets out there. Uh thanks to those guys for organizing and having

[1:24:29] that event. The kids really enjoy it. On the 5th they stopped out at achievement

[1:24:33] days. Uh viewed the exhibits and also took in a couple shows. on the six. Also

[1:24:41] went out uh helped at the pork barbecue. Uh great turnout. We actually ran out of

[1:24:47] food that evening. Uh it was a good turnout for the the meal and it was very

[1:24:53] good. Uh on the 12th attended the 10ount meeting in Bryant. Uh a lot of

[1:24:58] discussion on some of the proposals and the and the half cent tail tax uh still

[1:25:03] coming up. Uh counties that have done it and counties that have not. Um, as Kelly

[1:25:09] mentioned, we stopped by the Culver project at the on County Road One just

[1:25:13] west of the Oakwood Lakes and looked at the project. It was going pretty good.

[1:25:18] Uh, [snorts] unfortunately, we haven't had any rain, but that kind of helped

[1:25:22] that project and didn't get flooded out and uh, looks to be completed here

[1:25:26] shortly. So, that's my report. >> All right. and my report I was uh I was

[1:25:32] gone for for a while so I didn't get a chance to attend 10 10 county uh thank

[1:25:38] you commissioner Vanderwal for going to the pod meeting for me um but yesterday

[1:25:43] on the 17th I had a committee meeting for the Brookings Regional Growth

[1:25:46] Alliance uh and that is my report so then with that we'll move into number

[1:25:54] 12 executive session in accordance with SDCL 1252 two parentheses one for

[1:26:00] personnel. Do I have a motion to enter an executive session?

[1:26:04] » So moved. >> Second.

[1:26:05] » Motion and second. All those in favor signify by saying I. I oppose.

[1:26:08] » Say n. Thank you.

Brookings County Commission Meeting 8/18/2026

Transcript