[25:12] It is.

[25:17] » It's only 3 minutes off.

[25:20] » Better than mine. Mine's 15.

[25:23] » My other one,

[25:25] my old phone used to say it was 15

[25:28] minutes fast. My new phone says that

[25:32] today is

[25:34] » September 1st.

[25:37] » Yeah. Like to welcome him everyone in

[25:40] the audience for today's uh budget

[25:43] meeting and on uh August 28th 11

[25:46] o'clock. Uh I'd appreciate it if we

[25:49] would uh stand and

[25:53] help me with the pledge of allegiance.

[25:56] assistant.

[25:58] » I pledge allegiance to the flag of the

[26:00] United States of America and to the

[26:03] republic for which it stands, one nation

[26:06] under God, indivisible, with liberty and

[26:09] justice for all

[26:19] » Again. Welcome you all for budget

[26:21] meeting.

[26:23] I'm getting printing the rest of them.

[26:26] » Okay.

[26:30] You

[26:31] » Um at this time I would uh

[26:33] » Ask Patty

[26:34] » Ask Patty to take role. Please

[26:36] » Turn to microphone.

[26:44] » Dan,

[26:45] » He's over there yapping but he's not

[26:47] here.

[26:50] » Are you here

[26:51] » Dan?

[26:52] Don

[26:54] » Here.

[26:54] » Wanda.

[26:55] » Yes.

[26:55] » Ryan.

[26:57] John

[26:58] » Here.

[27:06] Any conflicts of interest by any of the

[27:08] board members?

[27:09] » I do not.

[27:10] » I do not.

[27:11] » I do not.

[27:12] » I do not.

[27:14] » I I would move approval of the agenda.

[27:16] » I'd like to add something if I would

[27:19] please. Um, last night at the meeting,

[27:23] uh, what was mentioned multiple times is

[27:26] we need to have a clear direction of

[27:27] where dollars are being spent for the

[27:30] road and bridge levy. I just like to

[27:32] take a few minutes and get the

[27:35] get the opinion of the commissioners

[27:37] that are here and then put something on

[27:39] the next meeting for action.

[27:41] » I suggest that we put it on for the next

[27:43] meeting and not just randomly insert

[27:45] things after we take roll call. Um what

[27:48] why I talked to the chairman before the

[27:50] meeting started. Here's uh I don't think

[27:53] it'll take very long and then second if

[27:56] we wait till the next meeting to get

[27:58] direction then it'll be the next meeting

[28:01] after that before we take action and

[28:04] early voting I think starts next month.

[28:06] So I I think the sooner we get a plan

[28:10] for the citizens, a transparent plan on

[28:14] if this does pass where the dollars are

[28:16] going, the better. So just a brief

[28:19] discussion I I think is is not too much

[28:21] to ask. So

[28:23] » So where do you want to add that on?

[28:25] » We can do it at the end

[28:27] » Before public comment. 5A if that would

[28:29] work for you, Mr. Chair.

[28:33] » 5A prior to our last public comment.

[28:36] And I'd make a motion to approve the

[28:38] agenda with the change of uh levy

[28:44] discussion

[28:46] and not taking any action but just

[28:48] getting the direction of the commission.

[28:53] Get a second.

[28:55] » I'll second it.

[28:56] » Motion by Dan, second by Don.

[29:03] Any further discussion?

[29:08] Hearing none. All in favor? I. I. I.

[29:10] » Oppose. Nay. Motion carries.

[29:14] Now's the time for public comment.

[29:18] Public comment is a time for persons to

[29:20] address this body on any subject. No

[29:22] action may be taken on a matter raised

[29:24] under this item of the agenda until the

[29:26] matter itself has been specifically

[29:28] included on an agenda as an item upon

[29:32] which action will be taken. Each person

[29:34] has up to three minutes to speak. There

[29:36] shall be no personal attacks against the

[29:38] members of this body, county staff,

[29:40] individual, or organizations. The chair

[29:43] has the authority to enforce this

[29:45] policy. Failure to adhere to these rules

[29:48] may result in forfeite of the remaining

[29:50] speaking time. Per county policy, the

[29:53] Yankton County Commissioners will not

[29:55] engage in conversation or make

[29:56] statements during public comment.

[30:00] Anyone wish to come up and speak?

[30:11] Nancy and Andy. Whoa, that is loud. Y

[30:14] Thrive. Um, I was able to find find your

[30:17] 2027 provisional budget on the website

[30:21] and I've made this request in the past

[30:23] as you are looking for more engagement

[30:25] from the community in the budgeting

[30:27] process to have more of the materials

[30:29] available in advance. So, we as the

[30:31] public can follow along rather than just

[30:34] see the completed project um product

[30:37] work product that you create. The city

[30:40] does a really good job of having all of

[30:42] those work documents available online.

[30:44] so the public can view them while the

[30:45] budget is being worked on. And I would

[30:47] just like to ask for that to be

[30:49] considered in the future. Thank you.

[30:51] » Okay.

[30:56] Anyone else wish to speak at public

[30:59] comment?

[31:02] Seeing none, public comment is closed.

[31:08] Like Patty is still making some copies

[31:09] for us.

[31:13] Maybe, you know, we don't Brian,

[31:15] » Did you want to speak for a few minutes?

[31:19] Okay.

[31:25] » Thank you, Mr. Chairman and

[31:26] commissioners. Yeah, I just wanted to

[31:28] offer my thoughts as a department head

[31:30] on the uh provisional budget as adopted

[31:33] last week. I did compare it line by line

[31:36] with our current year 2026 budget and

[31:39] just wanted to uh uh make some

[31:42] notations. As you know the provisional

[31:44] budget as approved last week was uh

[31:47] 14,257,000

[31:50] for the general fund and 5,862,000

[31:55] for the road and bridge fund. That

[31:57] general fund actually is 227,188

[32:02] less than our current year 2026 general

[32:05] fund budget. So that's uh significant

[32:08] anytime you can come in less. The road

[32:10] and bridge fund is 321,000 more than the

[32:14] 2026 road and bridge fund of uh 5.5

[32:18] million. Now you take those two major

[32:21] county funds and that's really the bulk

[32:22] of our spending of course. You take

[32:24] those two major county funds, you add

[32:26] them up, and for 2027 as adopted last

[32:30] week, we're currently at 20,119,000

[32:34] as compared to those two funds totaled

[32:37] 20,25,000

[32:40] in 2026. So you're looking at an overall

[32:43] combined net increase of uh 94,000,

[32:48] which is less than 1/2 of 1%. And I just

[32:52] thought that was noteworthy. considering

[32:54] uh department heads had to fit a 2.5%

[32:57] cost of living increase and a uh

[33:00] estimated 11% health insurance premium

[33:03] increase into their budget math. So,

[33:06] it's uh pretty good achievement. We had

[33:09] some departments such as the state's

[33:10] attorney actually came in notably lower

[33:13] than 2026 and we had several others that

[33:16] came in with budget increases of less

[33:18] than 4%.

[33:20] We did have five budgets that are

[33:23] currently uh provisionally adopted at 5%

[33:27] or more higher than 2026.

[33:30] And I only bring these up because I know

[33:32] there are some commissioners that would

[33:33] still uh like to consider additional

[33:36] cuts. But so as of right now, the five

[33:39] budgets we have that are proposed to be

[33:42] 5% or more higher are government

[33:45] buildings, which is 57,000 higher, 24%

[33:49] increase. Judicial system is 90,000

[33:52] higher, which is a 16% increase, and I

[33:55] think that's a reflection of the

[33:56] courtappointed attorney bills we're

[33:57] seeing every month. Road and bridge is

[34:01] 321,000 higher, which is a 5.8%

[34:05] increase. Ambulance is 82,800

[34:09] higher, a 5.7% increase. And data is

[34:13] currently uh 10,000 higher, which would

[34:16] be a 5% increase. Other thing I would

[34:19] note is uh cash applied, which is, you

[34:22] know, unspent 2026 that we earmark for

[34:26] the coming year budget. Right now, as uh

[34:29] the last I heard from Patty, that is 2.3

[34:32] million. And I just want to note that

[34:34] would be the lowest amount of cash

[34:36] applied in a Yankton County budget in

[34:39] the last eight years and 1.1 million

[34:42] less than last year. All other cash

[34:44] applied amounts over that time exceeded

[34:46] 3 million. Just wanted to share those

[34:49] thoughts and appreciate the time. Thank

[34:50] you.

[34:51] » Yeah, Brian, I got a question for you.

[34:53] you know, with the IT data, I think we

[34:55] all agree we got to we got to make some

[34:58] upgrades and anything, but from what I'm

[35:01] seeing, you know, is that budget u it's

[35:04] over 200 or between 200 and 300,000 and

[35:07] not all that long ago. I think it was

[35:09] less than 50. And I just think that's

[35:12] something that we have as commissioners

[35:13] have to keep an eye on. I know I know

[35:15] it's important, but it's like the roads

[35:18] and bridges. You don't get there in one

[35:20] year. It takes time. So, we really need

[35:23] to pay attention to that budget and how

[35:26] fast it's increasing. I think when Craig

[35:28] Miller did it, it was 42,000 and now

[35:30] we're are we 250,000 and

[35:33] » The budget for this year is 190,000, but

[35:36] we're going to go well over that.

[35:38] » And u next year he's currently got it at

[35:41] 200.

[35:41] » Yeah. And I guess uh

[35:43] » And that's just an estimate I put in

[35:44] there.

[35:45] » Yeah.

[35:45] » But he mentioned that figure, didn't he?

[35:47] » Yeah. Yeah.

[35:49] » Thank you.

[35:50] » Thanks, Brian. appreciate you doing

[35:52] that.

[36:00] » Where do we want to start, Mr. Chairman?

[36:03] » Well, I think we left our last meeting

[36:06] at looking at um the highway department

[36:10] budget and then also

[36:13] which other one was it that we were

[36:15] still going to look at for sure.

[36:17] » Well, I think we should This is an easy

[36:20] one. We should skip to the buildings

[36:24] uh whatever it's called the government

[36:27] center and the safety center building

[36:30] projections. The

[36:33] supervisor has put in his budget 12,380

[36:37] for the veterans memorial

[36:40] revitalization.

[36:42] Uh, apparently he's already done that

[36:45] this year to the tune of $14,000

[36:48] because he had excess money. So, we need

[36:50] to take that 12,380

[36:53] out of his budget. We also need to uh

[36:57] figure out he has put projected costs

[37:00] for addressing the multiple safety

[37:03] issues with the c crumbling concrete

[37:06] walkways at the government center. I

[37:08] would like to know where those are

[37:09] because I'm at the government center

[37:11] three days a week and I don't see it.

[37:14] » There is one spot right over here on the

[37:16] sidewalk.

[37:17] » Okay.

[37:18] » And this over here, this entrance over

[37:20] here that the

[37:21] » The lip

[37:22] » It's on.

[37:23] » Okay.

[37:25] And plus, uh, the renovation to this

[37:29] should go into that the, um, county

[37:32] building fund, not not the safety center

[37:36] or the

[37:37] » Well, it's in the government center

[37:39] safety center budget. But it they're

[37:42] going to do stuff to the to buildings or

[37:45] any kind of um

[37:49] um anything you do to the buildings will

[37:51] come out of that two. It's a special

[37:53] fund that that we levy for. I I get

[37:56] that. What I'm saying is he's already

[37:58] spent 14,000. We can take 12,000 out of

[38:02] next year's budget because he did it

[38:04] already.

[38:06] That should be an easy $12,000 cut.

[38:12] out of I didn't print

[38:16] » And his pages aren't numbered. So

[38:22] » I mean

[38:22] » Coming out of the out of the government

[38:24] centers.

[38:25] » I I agree with what everything Wanda is

[38:28] saying. I would also say though the jail

[38:30] and this building are also 20 years old

[38:33] and um we had a $120,000 chiller go out

[38:37] unexpectedly two years ago.

[38:41] » I think we've replaced

[38:43] a couple water heaters over at the jail

[38:45] that were

[38:47] » Eight or 12,000 each.

[38:49] » I don't know. He's already got roof

[38:52] repair, duct cleaning,

[38:54] » Um, and

[38:56] » Updating those things in his budget.

[38:58] These are other things that he just

[39:01] » Randomly sought is seeking approval for

[39:04] that he can

[39:06] » Spend money on.

[39:07] » Gary, did you review this with with him?

[39:10] Um, and is there justification we're not

[39:12] seeing for the increase or you know? No,

[39:15] I think I think you're right that yeah,

[39:17] the plan was to do it next year and then

[39:20] there's

[39:21] » A lot of complaints. So So did this

[39:24] year.

[39:26] » I'm I'm fine with taking the 12,000.

[39:28] » Where where is that at? On which line

[39:30] item?

[39:32] » It's in his book,

[39:34] » But where?

[39:35] » I guess I don't know where he hides it

[39:38] in there.

[39:40] I would guess it would be under repairs

[39:43] and maintenance maybe.

[39:46] » And plus anyway, that shouldn't come out

[39:48] of his budget.

[39:52] » I mean, it should be somewhere else.

[39:53] » Yeah, it's out of that um

[39:57] » Well, it should be out of his and then

[39:58] what you're saying is

[39:59] » It's out of the guilt.

[40:01] » It will be taken out of that government

[40:02] building

[40:03] » And then it should be taken out of

[40:05] wherever else it is because he's already

[40:07] done it. See, and I and I put that in

[40:10] there because that's what you guys have

[40:12] been putting in there is 90,000. So

[40:15] that's what I did. Now you can change

[40:17] that or lower that by that or

[40:19] » If that's a separate levy, I would I

[40:22] think that maybe we just keep it as it

[40:24] is

[40:26] whether rather than reduce it

[40:29] and that's because that that's something

[40:32] that the citizens approved to go to

[40:34] build. I mean it to me then that we only

[40:37] take more out of the general fund when

[40:39] stuff pops up. But that's my thought. So

[40:47] but I agree with you Wanda on uh um the

[40:51] other points you made.

[41:01] So what what do we actually draw then

[41:04] for the levy if it if that if that fund

[41:07] is

[41:08] » Is levied it's not $90,000 that we get

[41:11] in taxes.

[41:12] » Yes.

[41:13] » That's the exact number that we get.

[41:15] » So by us reducing

[41:17] » When you get

[41:18] » So your levy is adjusted

[41:20] » Rounding it's usually about 30 or

[41:23] » Okay

[41:24] » 27 or something. So, I mean, if we

[41:26] reduced that and then had another bill,

[41:29] then all we're going to do is take more

[41:30] out of the general fund.

[41:31] » Yes.

[41:32] » So, I that's why I wouldn't touch that

[41:34] one.

[41:40] » Um, judicial system, I don't think I I

[41:44] get I don't like it's higher, but that's

[41:46] something we have no control over. And

[41:48] is that the one we go over on almost

[41:51] every year, Patty and Yes. and Tyler? I

[41:53] mean, so it's how many murders are we

[41:56] going to have this year? How many

[41:57] trials? None of us know. It's our best

[41:59] guess and we go as low as we can and we

[42:01] usually go higher than that. So I I

[42:04] don't think as much as I don't like

[42:06] that, I don't think there's anything we

[42:07] can do about it.

[42:09] » And that's

[42:10] » For for roads and bridges. I mean, that

[42:12] maybe is the one area unfortunately that

[42:15] we do have control over. And

[42:19] » 130

[42:19] » Our our CPI and growth is is at 3.4. 4.

[42:23] Is that correct

[42:24] » On the first page?

[42:25] » 3.4.

[42:26] » 3.4. Maybe that's what we do with our

[42:29] road and bridge. Instead of a 5.8%

[42:32] increase, we allow it to increase by

[42:34] every other budget to 3.4.

[42:42] You know, it

[42:44] at least then it's it's going up the

[42:47] same rate as taxes instead of exceeding

[42:49] that. I don't know. What do you think?

[42:52] » Thank you. My thought would be that if

[42:53] you do that, maybe you could say that if

[42:56] the levy is successful, we could restore

[42:58] it.

[42:58] » Yeah, I think that's a great example

[43:00] because

[43:01] » You think we could drop,000.

[43:02] » We did last night have people

[43:05] » At the meeting say that

[43:07] » We should just start abandoning roads

[43:09] and if that's what people want,

[43:11] » You know,

[43:12] » Then

[43:13] » Well, if they don't want to pay for

[43:14] them, we're not going to have a lot of

[43:15] options.

[43:16] » Yeah. Exactly. is we we can't and we all

[43:20] something we all need to realize is we

[43:22] can't keep subsidizing the road and

[43:25] bridge funding at the level we have been

[43:29] um it's not sustainable. And so what

[43:31] would that be if we did we did a does

[43:34] anybody have that number? We did a 3.4%

[43:37] increase on road and bridge instead of

[43:39] the 5.8. what that would be.

[43:48] I guess that would be my proposal. Then

[43:50] instead of it increasing at 5.8,

[43:54] we just do it at the rate that

[43:56] everything else is going to 3.4 and that

[43:58] would that would be another $100,000 in

[44:01] savings. And

[44:04] yes,

[44:04] » Would you what line item do you want to

[44:06] take it out of then?

[44:08] What would you recommend, Betty?

[44:10] » I I think that

[44:13] » I don't know that she's recommending

[44:14] anything.

[44:16] » I you know that's a mic. I mean

[44:19] » Maybe I mean maybe annual projects.

[44:21] That's one of the bigger ones or

[44:31] because I mean we're all in greens,

[44:33] right? We we can't keep transferring

[44:37] large amounts of money from the general

[44:39] fund to the IRA. It's unsustainable.

[44:41] It's not going to happen. Um what we can

[44:44] probably do is have that budget grow at

[44:48] the same rate as our taxes grow.

[44:52] That that's probably sustainable. I mean

[45:04] » I'd say yeah I would say

[45:06] » 100,000 about right

[45:07] » About 120

[45:08] » 120.8

[45:15] » And and yeah maybe if if

[45:17] » 5.8 eight to what

[45:19] » If you instead of increasing the

[45:21] » Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But so it'

[45:23] be

[45:23] » Think about 120 of that 3.

[45:26] » So it' be 5742 somewhere in that I'm

[45:28] assuming

[45:30] » And and yeah, maybe maybe that's

[45:32] something we want we want to do is and

[45:34] if the road and bridge levy passes, we

[45:36] can restore that. But the feedback at

[45:39] least we're getting from some people is

[45:41] they they don't want to put money into

[45:43] » I don't think we can restore that. I

[45:45] think we have to according to the

[45:48] resolution. We have to pick a project

[45:51] and go with it.

[45:52] » I

[45:53] » Not just go, "Oh, let's throw it in the

[45:55] » Highway." But

[45:58] » Was everybody

[45:58] » I think I think we I visited with Mike

[46:01] some and I think we can do that.

[46:03] » Okay.

[46:03] » Um you know, we're just going to have to

[46:06] » Going to have to watch when the when all

[46:08] the bills come in for the Stone Church

[46:10] bridge.

[46:10] » Yeah.

[46:11] » Because they got to be paid, too. So,

[46:12] and and that's coming out of this number

[46:14] » And and you know, maybe we we'd look at

[46:19] I mean, is it possible to pause pause

[46:22] some construction on that bridge for a

[46:25] while? I mean, I hate to do that, but

[46:27] Okay,

[46:28] » But I that's where I'd like to see. And

[46:30] if we could get the general direction of

[46:32] the road and bridge, we're going to hold

[46:34] hold that to the 3.4%

[46:38] increase. Um, I think I could go with

[46:41] that. move on. And if Patty's clear on

[46:44] what and you're fine with that, Don and

[46:46] Wanda.

[46:49] » Oh, Commissioner Heiny is here.

[46:51] » I don't know if it it solves our

[46:52] problem.

[46:53] » No, it it solves it, but it kind of

[46:55] stops stops the bleeding for right the

[46:59] moment.

[47:06] Patty, I think that's the direction that

[47:08] the commission would like to go is just

[47:11] hold the road and bridge at a 3.4%

[47:15] 3.4% increase as opposed to the 5.8.

[47:19] » So you you want that out of um annual

[47:21] projects then

[47:22] » I believe so 100 120 I think is what

[47:26] Brian said. 12

[47:52] To make an impact on the budget, there's

[47:55] really only two things we can do. Road

[47:57] and bridges

[47:58] » Or people.

[48:03] And we do people. We take away a lot of

[48:06] services and things that we're doing.

[48:07] But

[48:17] » So then Mike's budget will be 5,742

[48:21] 496.

[48:22] » Yep.

[48:26] Is that 5 million uh

[48:29] 742,000

[48:31] or 7

[48:33] » 5,742,496

[48:47] » Last night and um John Red Viva he said

[48:51] he said to just hold what we that we

[48:54] need an annual of 7 million. So, we're

[48:58] not anywhere near that, but that's I

[49:00] guess what we're going to that's why we

[49:02] did the road and bridge living. So,

[49:03] » 5,700 what?

[49:06] » 5742496.

[49:10] » Thank you. Mhm.

[49:13] » One bad [clears throat]

[49:15] » 266 250.

[49:18] The original was 266 259

[49:23] just

[49:26] Ryan and the thought process was um

[49:29] Brian presented us and I think on the

[49:31] yellow sheet we had some costs that were

[49:35] the highest and so you know we really

[49:38] can't do anything with the judicial

[49:40] system and our thought was just hold the

[49:42] road and bridge funding to the 3.4% 4%

[49:45] that we're getting for just to kind of

[49:46] stop uh stop transferring so much out of

[49:51] the general fund. So

[49:58] So where's the government building also?

[50:01] That was

[50:03] » The levy one or

[50:06] » No the the government buildings 57 111

[50:13] » Government buildings is

[50:16] » 137

[50:25] it's on that first page

[50:27] towards

[50:41] Ryan, did we get a final number on the

[50:43] uh it that you were thinking?

[50:45] » I haven't gotten the spreadsheet yet.

[50:48] » Oh, okay.

[50:49] » No, I haven't gotten

[50:51] » Around 200,000. Is that where we're

[50:53] thinking it? Around 200,000. No, it's

[50:55] going to be completely different because

[50:57] we got to we got to make adjustments

[50:58] across different departments because

[51:00] we're consolidating. So, there's monies

[51:02] that are going to come out of some

[51:03] budgets

[51:04] » And then that's going to be I think

[51:06] we're looking at almost 300,000 in the

[51:08] IT, but

[51:09] » Some of that's being transferred from

[51:11] one budget to the other because we're

[51:12] not going to have computer budgets.

[51:14] Computers are going to be paid for out

[51:16] of the IT budget

[51:17] » And so forth. So they can

[51:18] » So so the is is that so I understand the

[51:22] it budget is going to be 300 but that's

[51:24] also then reducing

[51:26] » So so what what is the overall do you

[51:30] have an idea what the I guess the

[51:31] increase is going to be you know because

[51:34] if we cut if we cut a 100,000 out of the

[51:37] other departments and they're not doing

[51:40] any more and this one is 300,000

[51:43] that's different than just being

[51:45] » I think what we had in provisional is

[51:48] 200,000 and it's going to be right

[51:50] roughly that's the net effect. It's not

[51:51] going to change. There's going to be no

[51:53] change.

[51:54] » The net effect is is going to be

[51:56] » 61

[51:57] » Little change.

[51:58] » It's just we're going to rearrange how

[51:59] that budgeting is done.

[52:02] » Hopefully then that's going to introduce

[52:04] us

[52:06] » Included together things like printer

[52:08] services and things like that so that we

[52:10] can start taking advantage of enterprise

[52:12] and try to cut the costs of it. Do you

[52:15] see that this budget is it gonna is it

[52:18] gonna kind of for lack of a better term

[52:20] balloon to 200 and then reduce or do you

[52:23] think it's going to be at that level

[52:25] just forever?

[52:26] » I think it might be

[52:29] it's probably going to be at that level

[52:30] for a while. Um because we have a lot of

[52:33] other uh modernization projects that we

[52:35] got to get done too.

[52:38] So,

[52:39] » But the good thing is is I think we're

[52:41] going to get to that where we're going

[52:42] to have it stabilized and we're going to

[52:44] have much better security.

[52:46] » So,

[52:47] » With the improvements that we're going

[52:48] to make in technology, are we going to

[52:49] be able to provide

[52:53] the public with access of our meetings?

[52:58] » Access to our meetings.

[53:00] » Pardon? Um I think what he's saying is

[53:03] there's

[53:03] » People complain they don't they try to

[53:05] come in and they they can't get into the

[53:07] meeting.

[53:09] » They can't get into this meeting.

[53:10] » You mean electronic

[53:12] » Electronically

[53:13] » Meeting last night wasn't even wasn't

[53:15] even recorded. I mean it or not last

[53:18] night Tuesday night Tuesday night's

[53:19] meeting

[53:19] » Was not even our

[53:20] » Tuesday night meeting was not even

[53:22] recorded.

[53:23] » That's because we had a bunch of network

[53:24] changes here and the camera did not get

[53:27] to the right. Is that resolved then with

[53:29] this?

[53:30] » We hope it's resolved. Yes, it should be

[53:31] resolved, right?

[53:32] » Yeah.

[53:33] » Today.

[53:34] » Yes, exactly.

[53:34] » I think Alissa part of those firewall

[53:36] projects that we've had to update all of

[53:38] our firewalls.

[53:39] » Alyssa, it fixed it yesterday.

[53:46] » 253.

[53:47] » We've had trouble with it for I think as

[53:49] long as I've been

[53:51] » Since it's been very good until just

[53:55] recently when we had all the networking

[53:58] So it's just a little bit of a

[53:59] » Picking up what you're laying down.

[54:01] » When you when you do changes to a

[54:03] network that are that deep that's here,

[54:06] » Which we are doing for security reasons,

[54:09] » We are you are going to have hiccups and

[54:12] that it's a hiccup

[54:13] » Does get fixed.

[54:14] » I believe I think so.

[54:15] » Did you get the hiccups of the jail?

[54:17] » This this is more for bigger projects

[54:22] » On our next scrum. If a building's car

[54:25] cameras need to you know

[54:28] » That kind of stuff

[54:29] » Does this situation

[54:31] » Every year whatever policy IP right so

[54:36] » Not budget

[54:38] » And it makes it more difficult the

[54:40] cameras are not under our control

[54:42] » If we don't use this 19 this year

[54:47] it's not like we have that configuration

[54:50] » That would be so we can

[54:53] That's good because [laughter]

[54:56] » It's a slow it's a coordination between

[55:01] » Different companies too.

[55:03] » Goes out we can push that test.

[55:05] » I get it.

[55:06] » But if goes out this isn't going to make

[55:08] a hell beans difference.

[55:09] » No.

[55:12] » Oh we cut down to 10

[55:18] » Three. So, so far what we've done is

[55:21] just to take uh 100,000 out of projects

[55:24] for uh road.

[55:27] » Excuse me.

[55:27] » That's the only thing we've done so far.

[55:37] » And I would I would propose that we

[55:39] reduce

[55:41] the

[55:43] government cent's repairs and

[55:44] maintenance by $15,000.

[55:48] at 253 right now. Take it down to 103.

[55:56] » That's from that.

[55:59] » So, so, so we have the 90.

[56:02] » Mhm.

[56:02] » Yeah.

[56:03] » Through the levy. Yeah.

[56:05] » If we don't use any of that or don't use

[56:08] at all, I should say. Yeah.

[56:09] » That's for building. That's for

[56:10] maintenance and repairs also.

[56:12] » In my opinion, we should be using every

[56:14] penny of that 90. I I don't disagree

[56:16] with you

[56:17] » At all. But at the same token,

[56:19] » Then we don't need I don't think we need

[56:21] 253 on top of that.

[56:24] » Well, the the only thing I would say in

[56:26] the past in the past few years

[56:29] » On the government buildings

[56:32] » 161

[56:33] » 161.

[56:33] » We've had some big items. You know, this

[56:36] these buildings are 20 years old. The

[56:38] cooler, the water heaters. We need roof

[56:41] repairs. Um, I guess I I understand.

[56:47] Um, understand, but we also got to fix

[56:50] the buildings, too.

[56:51] » Absolutely.

[56:52] » He's also budgeting for random things

[56:57] where some concrete guy is going to come

[56:59] and tell him how much it's going to

[57:00] cost. I think it should be a little more

[57:03] more of a firm estimate than that.

[57:06] Here's 50,000 for new concrete.

[57:09] So reduce it by 10

[57:11] » By 15. So it'd be 10,300

[57:16] instead of instead of 25 300.

[57:25] » I don't know. How about how about we

[57:26] reduce it by 10, call it good? Because I

[57:29] I just I hate to be in the position

[57:31] where we have something major

[57:35] break and we don't have the funds to

[57:37] don't

[57:38] » Transfer it out of the U we then we

[57:41] transfer it out of the

[57:43] » Patty. Don't we have a fund for

[57:45] » How have we been doing on that

[57:48] » Purchase of chillers and things?

[57:50] » Okay. It used to be It used to be like

[57:54] » Well, I guess what I'm saying is

[57:55] » We had a bump.

[57:56] » I guess what I'm saying is we have the

[57:58] 90. If we don't spend the 90, if we

[58:00] spend 87,

[58:02] » We're going to then next year we're

[58:03] going to have 93.

[58:05] If we spend 60 for some reason this

[58:08] year, next year we're going to have 120.

[58:12] I mean, for 28

[58:15] 120,

[58:16] » I guess. And

[58:19] » Granted, if if you know another chiller

[58:21] goes out or whatever, then yes, we'll

[58:24] » But $25,000 is not going to make or

[58:27] 15,000 is not going to make a difference

[58:28] on a chiller

[58:30] » Or anything major going on.

[58:31] » I agree. I think we can go down.

[58:34] » What's our emergency bond? Is that still

[58:36] 400,000?

[58:37] » 500. This contingency is 500.

[58:39] » Contingency is 500. I think can go along

[58:42] with that.

[58:45] She going to take it to 10.

[58:47] » Yes.

[58:59] Okay.

[59:03] » What else we got?

[59:08] » Is there any I know the ambulance.

[59:09] » You got it. You You have to keep that in

[59:11] there.

[59:13] utility. Okay.

[59:15] » The ambulance did a good job of doing

[59:17] some reductions. Do we want to try to

[59:19] get that down to the 3.4% like the other

[59:22] ones?

[59:34] » How much more would that if we went from

[59:36] 57 on the ambulance to 34?

[59:39] » Anybody got calcul? Brian's got all the

[59:42] numbers.

[59:43] » I didn't bring my phone, so I'm going to

[59:44] have to borrow cash and see.

[59:45] » Okay. I don't think it'd be very much,

[59:48] but

[59:50] you know, I just if if they're at least

[59:53] growing at the same rate that taxes are,

[59:56] I don't think it's a big it's not a huge

[59:59] deal. Um, if they're growing at a higher

[1:00:02] rate, then that's that's where it gets

[1:00:04] problematic. And we all know things go

[1:00:07] up and we got to do increases. That's

[1:00:11] I think they cut Did they cut machinery

[1:00:13] and auto equipment? I think we reduced

[1:00:15] that by something.

[1:00:16] » We um cut um

[1:00:21] supplies by 10.

[1:00:23] » Did we? Okay.

[1:00:25] » And machinery and auto equipment. Um you

[1:00:28] went down to 39,000

[1:00:31] instead of 59. What what about just

[1:00:33] doing instead of 59 just do wipe that

[1:00:37] out and you know go to

[1:00:41] because we don't do that with any of the

[1:00:44] other departments you know we used to do

[1:00:46] that county accumulation with uh I think

[1:00:50] we did it with the highway and we did it

[1:00:51] with emergency management when the

[1:00:53] ambulance and we stopped it with all of

[1:00:55] those

[1:00:58] maybe we just you know continued because

[1:01:00] that's how we were doing So

[1:01:04] the sheriff's budget, what he does is he

[1:01:07] » Includes the new vehicles in his budget

[1:01:10] just like just like the highway

[1:01:11] department does the trucks and

[1:01:14] » Equipment. [clears throat]

[1:01:16] » Yeah. And if it's maybe that's that I

[1:01:18] think would would be better for planning

[1:01:20] purposes. Hey, we need a new ambulance

[1:01:23] this year. And so I've asked for an

[1:01:25] increase because we're going to do that

[1:01:28] this year. And

[1:01:30] as opposed

[1:01:33] [clears throat]

[1:01:36] » I don't care. Let me come up and come.

[1:01:37] » Certainly. That's why we're here and

[1:01:39] it's and it's open.

[1:01:49] Nancy, when Annie is speaking as an

[1:01:50] individual, not a representative Yankton

[1:01:52] Thrive, but it's difficult when I've sat

[1:01:55] through enough county commission

[1:01:57] meetings to hear the ambulance be

[1:01:59] applauded at some meetings for saving up

[1:02:03] the money they needed when they need to

[1:02:05] purchase an ambulance because it is so

[1:02:08] expensive that they can't put that in

[1:02:10] one singular budget year. And then to

[1:02:13] hear the comments of maybe we shouldn't

[1:02:15] be saving up for these large purchases

[1:02:17] in advance. So, I think sometimes

[1:02:20] there's a mixed message that is going

[1:02:22] out potentially to your department heads

[1:02:24] of how they should be saving for these

[1:02:27] large purchases that they know are going

[1:02:29] to be coming. And from listening to the

[1:02:33] presentations that have been public, it

[1:02:36] sounds like the ambulance is working to

[1:02:38] make the changes to create more revenue

[1:02:42] where some of your other departments do

[1:02:44] not have the opportunity to create

[1:02:46] revenue. So, this might be one of the

[1:02:48] departments that gets analyzed

[1:02:50] differently, but that's just from

[1:02:52] someone who's listening and not seeing

[1:02:54] the actual numbers.

[1:02:58] » That's 30.

[1:03:01] » So, what if we do just 30?

[1:03:03] » Well, you know, and I and I want to um

[1:03:07] remind you guys that,

[1:03:09] you know, next year it'll probably be

[1:03:12] things will maybe go up. So you either

[1:03:15] cut it by this

[1:03:17] » 9,000 here, 8,000 there, and then at the

[1:03:20] end come the end of next year, you're

[1:03:23] going to have to supplement that. But

[1:03:25] but this number right here is basically

[1:03:28] almost like a contingency also for the

[1:03:30] ambulance.

[1:03:32] It is it he wants to put this into

[1:03:35] future purchases or a savings account

[1:03:37] kind of basically for

[1:03:38] » Yeah. And you can do that cuz if they

[1:03:40] don't spend that budget, it it stays in

[1:03:43] the general fund.

[1:03:44] » But so

[1:03:47] » Yeah, it's I mean it's it's ultimately

[1:03:50] » I wouldn't have issue but I wouldn't

[1:03:51] have an issue taking it to 30 instead of

[1:03:53] 39.

[1:03:56] » I don't know if that's enough to get it

[1:03:58] to 3.4.

[1:03:59] » Well, and the reason I say I think with

[1:04:01] with major purchases, the commission's

[1:04:03] done a really good job. Um all our

[1:04:05] ambulances are in really good shape. we

[1:04:07] just replace the the oldest one and we

[1:04:11] do we do run two most of the time and we

[1:04:14] have four. So if there was an issue with

[1:04:18] with one I know it's not ideal but I

[1:04:20] think we we'd be okay. Um, and like I

[1:04:24] said, I I think it would push more for

[1:04:27] planning purposes if hey, we got one, we

[1:04:29] got a plate. Let's let's plan for it.

[1:04:32] Let's budget it for that year rather

[1:04:34] than Well, I mean, you guys know how it

[1:04:36] is. If you got the money, you're going

[1:04:39] to spend the money whether you need it

[1:04:41] or or or not. Um,

[1:04:45] I mean, that's how government is. And

[1:04:47] » The reason we updated got to upgrade to

[1:04:49] the new the new ambulance was because we

[1:04:50] had $700,000 in a fund for the

[1:04:53] » No, I we didn't have that much.

[1:04:56] » What was that?

[1:04:56] » They had spent they had spent it down.

[1:04:58] » But what was it? Because we only had to

[1:05:00] pay 50,000 extra for the ambulance or 60

[1:05:03] or whatever the magic number was. We had

[1:05:06] » Well the

[1:05:06] » 80 to 90% of the new ambulance was was

[1:05:09] saved for

[1:05:09] » Well I mean and I guess if it's a phil

[1:05:11] philosophical view then we should be

[1:05:15] doing this with the highway department.

[1:05:17] We should be doing it with the sheriff.

[1:05:19] » I said three and a half years ago that

[1:05:21] we should we should have capital

[1:05:22] expenditure fund.

[1:05:23] » I don't disagree with you and that's the

[1:05:26] right way to do it. We don't have the

[1:05:28] money to do it though. That's that's the

[1:05:29] that's the problem. I mean, if we had

[1:05:31] the funding to do it that yeah, we

[1:05:35] should be replacing our road graders and

[1:05:37] our trucks. And you're you're 100%

[1:05:39] right, John. We don't have the money to

[1:05:41] do it if that's the right way to do it,

[1:05:44] but

[1:05:48] this is going towards they they want to

[1:05:50] save that money.

[1:05:52] » However, it doesn't go into any special

[1:05:54] account goes into general fund and it

[1:05:57] just stays in general fund, right?

[1:06:01] Yes.

[1:06:01] » So it's not like it's going into a

[1:06:02] special account. It just goes into

[1:06:04] general funding. So the only So you can

[1:06:06] sit here and say, "Oh, we'll cut this

[1:06:08] budget and make yourselves feel good

[1:06:10] » Or we just do not approve the spend the

[1:06:13] spending of that." So budget is one

[1:06:16] thing.

[1:06:17] Spending is a whole another thing and

[1:06:19] that's comes next year. And we have to

[1:06:22] be much more mindful of what we're doing

[1:06:24] with our budget as we're spending it as

[1:06:26] we're doing it this year. So every time

[1:06:28] they come up and they they really need

[1:06:30] to show a strong return on investment on

[1:06:33] any type of investment like that. So

[1:06:36] » I get I get what you're saying, but I

[1:06:38] think there's also value in you know

[1:06:41] like government buildings and the roads

[1:06:42] and we're we're saying that taxes are

[1:06:45] going up 3.4%.

[1:06:48] And holding all departments

[1:06:51] holding the line on that or as close as

[1:06:54] we can get. I think that's important,

[1:06:56] too, because we're doing that with the

[1:06:58] highway funding. We're doing that with

[1:07:00] government buildings, but then we're not

[1:07:02] doing it with this one. I should I think

[1:07:04] we just need to realize that if if we're

[1:07:07] not staying really close to the 3.4%,

[1:07:11] uh it's not really fair to the other

[1:07:12] departments because every department

[1:07:15] has, you know, they have needs and

[1:07:18] almost everybody is well under what they

[1:07:21] were last year except for these few

[1:07:23] here.

[1:07:25] What' you come up with for a number,

[1:07:26] Brian?

[1:07:29] » Just real quick. So, if you were to

[1:07:31] reduce the uh ambulance increase from a

[1:07:34] 5.7% increase to a 3.4%, that'd be a net

[1:07:38] savings of about 30,000, you'd be

[1:07:41] increasing it 52,000 instead of 82,000.

[1:07:44] And then as far as the uh road and

[1:07:46] bridge, if you were to lower that

[1:07:49] increase from 5.8 to 3.4, for that would

[1:07:52] be a net savings of 134,000.

[1:07:56] » So I I I think the ambulance can take a

[1:07:59] $30,000 trim

[1:08:02] and then they'd be at the 3.4 like

[1:08:04] everybody else and we just move on.

[1:08:08] That's treat all treat everybody fairly.

[1:08:10] » So change that to 9,000 and I'm fine

[1:08:13] with that and we can move on.

[1:08:32] So, we've got um

[1:08:34] government buildings changed, highway

[1:08:36] change, ambulance change.

[1:08:40] » Where are we at on the safety center

[1:08:42] building?

[1:08:44] You can pull that one up.

[1:08:45] » 392.

[1:08:52] » Sure. Sure.

[1:08:56] But that's we got to use some of this

[1:08:59] for this building too, right?

[1:09:00] » Yep. You can use Yep.

[1:09:04] » 44.

[1:09:22] So, what if we get past 44 there? What

[1:09:24] if we took um

[1:09:27] » Okay,

[1:09:34] » We already took 15 off this this

[1:09:37] building, right?

[1:09:41] » You got your calculator handy now?

[1:09:46] » Got one more for you.

[1:09:47] » Sure.

[1:09:49] government and safety buildings is that

[1:09:51] 24.

[1:09:52] What do we have to get where that's

[1:09:55] where what do we have to cut to get that

[1:09:56] down to 3.4?

[1:09:59] We're not going to get there, I'm sure,

[1:10:00] but

[1:10:02] that I would say that [clears throat] if

[1:10:05] you enact just the three cuts you're

[1:10:07] talking about this morning, we're

[1:10:08] actually going to come in at a lower

[1:10:09] budget for 27 than we have in 26 just

[1:10:12] for the

[1:10:13] » Yeah, it's good.

[1:10:38] change

[1:10:41] » General budgets affect our general

[1:10:46] transfer that

[1:10:48] » No because they're still going to get

[1:10:49] the same

[1:10:49] » I like that hat

[1:10:55] » You made it

[1:10:56] So

[1:10:58] the general budget

[1:11:01] you're a patriot

[1:11:11] » This will all stay the same.

[1:11:13] » All stay the same.

[1:11:15] All of this was dancing because that's

[1:11:17] you know

[1:11:29] » They got

[1:11:34] things.

[1:11:43] what else we got. I think we made some

[1:11:45] good changes. I'm happy with Is there

[1:11:47] anything else we wanted to do or

[1:11:49] » Well, I'd like to know uh bottom line is

[1:11:52] where we're at.

[1:11:54] » Where we're at is we are still going to

[1:11:56] be according to

[1:11:58] » The bottom line is we're still going to

[1:12:00] be under or we're going to be drawing

[1:12:03] from uh the general

[1:12:06] » Um

[1:12:07] » How much?

[1:12:07] » There's no way around that.

[1:12:08] » Yeah, I

[1:12:09] » It'll be just a little over two million.

[1:12:11] a little over two million. Um we do

[1:12:15] there is I think from my from our

[1:12:19] previous discussions there's maybe about

[1:12:20] a million that we don't account for

[1:12:22] revenue. We don't account for it at all.

[1:12:24] So we might be uh drawing only only

[1:12:27] about a million which aligns with what

[1:12:29] the financial committee is showing us.

[1:12:31] And I and I think per Patty, correct me

[1:12:34] if I'm wrong, that's it's odd, but

[1:12:37] that's how government really works

[1:12:39] because we're going to have unspent

[1:12:41] funds and every year those roll over.

[1:12:44] Correct me if I'm wrong, Patty.

[1:12:46] » It just

[1:12:48] I think the big thing we need to avoid

[1:12:50] is dipping into our cash reserves by

[1:12:53] highway transfers, which has happened in

[1:12:55] the past. We can't do that anymore for

[1:12:58] what Jeff said. And I and it doesn't

[1:13:00] look like we're going to be doing that.

[1:13:02] Uh so I think we're

[1:13:05] » Well we'll still have to, you know,

[1:13:08] supplement the highway. Yeah.

[1:13:10] » There's no getting around that.

[1:13:11] » Yeah. We won't we won't be drawing down

[1:13:16] » The the reserve funds as much

[1:13:18] » As much.

[1:13:19] » Yeah. And

[1:13:22] » And you're correct too if budgets are

[1:13:24] not spent all the way that just

[1:13:26] » It it's [clears throat] already being I

[1:13:29] mean saying it's spent out of general

[1:13:31] but we won't really

[1:13:33] » Spend it so the expenditures won't go up

[1:13:36] or go you know they'll go down.

[1:13:38] » I you know in an ideal world we we would

[1:13:41] bring in $20 million of taxes and we'd

[1:13:44] spend less than that or at least that.

[1:13:47] In an ideal world, we'd bring in 20

[1:13:49] million and we'd spend 20 million and

[1:13:50] that's

[1:13:51] » Exactly but that's just not how that's

[1:13:53] just not how or less than that.

[1:13:56] » Exactly that because that's that's what

[1:13:58] tax people's money and that's and that's

[1:14:00] what we should only be taking what we

[1:14:02] need.

[1:14:02] » The real world is

[1:14:03] » But

[1:14:04] » When you don't have any more money in

[1:14:05] the bank, you don't pay nothing.

[1:14:08] » The real world is is if we if we keep

[1:14:11] going on the path that we were going on,

[1:14:13] eventually we have to make hard cuts.

[1:14:14] And the only place we can do those hard

[1:14:16] cuts is in the road and bridge. And

[1:14:18] which means that our entire road

[1:14:20] transportation system will have to be

[1:14:22] really scaled back. We'd have to tear up

[1:14:25] highways,

[1:14:26] » Get them down to gravel, get the

[1:14:27] maintenance down lower. People are not

[1:14:29] going to be happy with what happens. But

[1:14:31] it's what would have to happen under

[1:14:33] those budget constraints.

[1:14:35] » Everybody wants roads. Nobody wants to

[1:14:38] pay for them. And and I'm not saying

[1:14:41] going back to the roads, I'm not saying

[1:14:42] that we have to pave every road in

[1:14:45] Yankton County, but if there's a paved

[1:14:47] road now, it costs more money to tear it

[1:14:49] up and maintain it in the future than it

[1:14:52] does

[1:14:53] » Uh to fix fix what it is. And I think

[1:14:57] we've kind of proven that.

[1:14:58] » I think we Yeah. And what you're I

[1:15:00] believe what you're saying is preserve

[1:15:01] what we have to the best of our ability.

[1:15:04] » Yeah. Yes. I think that makes sense.

[1:15:06] » Go ahead, Brian. uh you had inquired

[1:15:08] about if we were to uh increase the

[1:15:10] government buildings budget by 3.4%

[1:15:13] instead of 24%.

[1:15:15] That would lower the increase from

[1:15:17] 57,000

[1:15:19] to 8,000. So that'd be a savings of

[1:15:22] 49,000.

[1:15:23] » 49

[1:15:29] » 15. We have 15.

[1:15:31] » This is going to be 15.

[1:15:33] » No, make that 24.

[1:15:36] So we got 35 off it total

[1:15:40] which is 10,000 10 short from what Brian

[1:15:44] calculated.

[1:15:47] So we take the building repair and

[1:15:50] maintenance at the safety center from 44

[1:15:52] to 24.

[1:15:56] » Daddy, did you say that uh you're kind

[1:15:58] of projecting that the general fund

[1:16:00] would be around 2.4 million at the end

[1:16:03] of the year? Yeah. Yes.

[1:16:08] And and it give you a kind of a rough

[1:16:11] idea, you know, but that, you know, that

[1:16:14] depends too on, you know, if everybody

[1:16:16] spends their budget

[1:16:17] » Or some, you know,

[1:16:19] » And and there's and it's hard to predict

[1:16:21] what the revenue is going to be from the

[1:16:24] jail and and I think you do a really

[1:16:25] good job of being conservative with that

[1:16:28] estimate and getting more revenue.

[1:16:31] That's what we want. We don't want to

[1:16:33] shoot for this star and then get a lot

[1:16:35] less revenue than we projected. That

[1:16:37] That's bad. So, I think we do it the

[1:16:39] right way.

[1:16:40] » Yeah. You don't never want to overstate

[1:16:42] your revenue.

[1:16:42] » Yeah.

[1:16:45] » Because that's not giving you an exact

[1:16:48] picture of of

[1:16:50] uh of the real revenue.

[1:16:53] » Yeah, Mr. Chair, I'm I guess as happy as

[1:16:56] I can be with the budget we have. I

[1:16:59] mean, I think we've made some really

[1:17:00] good solid difficult

[1:17:05] carryover at the end of uh last year,

[1:17:10] » Isn't there? Every year,

[1:17:14] » I think

[1:17:15] » Carryover at the end of last year was

[1:17:17] 5.1 million. I'm going to disagree a

[1:17:20] little bit. I on paper it might look

[1:17:23] like we're going to be at 2.4, four, but

[1:17:24] we're going to be right around that same

[1:17:27] area of 5.1 at [clears throat] the end

[1:17:29] of the year in my opinion.

[1:17:32] » Why?

[1:17:36] » Because uh based on through the first

[1:17:38] seven months of the year, not everybody

[1:17:39] is going to spend all of their budget

[1:17:41] and our revenue was estimated

[1:17:43] conservatively. So, we're going to end

[1:17:45] better than it looks on paper. And I

[1:17:47] would guess

[1:17:47] » What history has showed on on the last

[1:17:49] four or five years I've been dealing

[1:17:51] with. Well, those were uh skewed by the

[1:17:54] CO dollars, but if you look at 2015 to

[1:17:57] 2020 precoid dollars, our monthly

[1:18:00] balances are right in line with where

[1:18:02] they were in those years.

[1:18:03] » Taking what 15 20% inflation in back

[1:18:09] » Uh in those years,

[1:18:11] » Pardon me,

[1:18:11] » Are you using 10 or 15 20 maybe more?

[1:18:15] » Yeah.

[1:18:16] » Inflation in those figures.

[1:18:19] Well, the in fact the figures this year

[1:18:21] are running about four or 500,000 ahead

[1:18:24] per month of 2015 to 2020. So that would

[1:18:27] account for some of the inflation. That

[1:18:29] would maybe not all of it. I'm not sure

[1:18:31] what the exact inflation dollar to

[1:18:33] calculate would be figure, but uh I

[1:18:36] think we're going to be around 5

[1:18:38] million. As of right now, Patty has

[1:18:41] earmarked 2.3 of that for the uh cash

[1:18:45] applied, but we usually have more that

[1:18:48] is considered unassigned. And that I

[1:18:50] think that's going to be around 2.8,

[1:18:52] which is what you want. You want to

[1:18:54] build up your reserves again. So,

[1:18:56] » I'd also like to know what accounts

[1:18:58] payable are at the end of the year.

[1:19:10] ready to get into the levy discussion or

[1:19:13] » We got hell of a lot less money than we

[1:19:15] had before. That's all I can tell you

[1:19:20] » And prices have gone up on everything.

[1:19:23] Yeah, but we we've made some pretty

[1:19:25] substantial cuts in the last couple

[1:19:28] years and I think you know to to our

[1:19:30] credit we've we've kind of stems and

[1:19:34] it's

[1:19:35] » We still need to pay attention and be

[1:19:38] » Well you can always if you guys want

[1:19:41] to have and if we can hold for a few

[1:19:45] years I think we're that's when doing

[1:19:47] fine and we're in a lot better position

[1:19:50] than other counties all forget

[1:19:53] last year gone home September 17th what

[1:19:56] three four people out of a total count

[1:20:00] you know almost 10% of their workforce

[1:20:02] they cut so

[1:20:03] » I mean we're not we're not there and

[1:20:05] they're just our neighbors so

[1:20:07] » Exploring

[1:20:09] when are we going to see the data with

[1:20:12] the changes that we made today

[1:20:14] » Really

[1:20:14] » In here so I can look at

[1:20:17] » Can we have them by Tuesday

[1:20:19] » What's that

[1:20:20] » Changes

[1:20:21] » Sure Yeah, Tuesday.

[1:20:23] » I'll have it ready. I already have it

[1:20:24] ready for

[1:20:25] » Okay. I didn't hear

[1:20:27] » I'll have you ready for it

[1:20:28] » Tuesday night for it ready for you.

[1:20:31] » Okay,

[1:20:36] good.

[1:20:38] » Okay,

[1:20:41] » Perfect.

[1:20:42] » Ryan, I added levy discussion to the

[1:20:45] agenda real quick and and to recap so

[1:20:48] we're all on the same page. Um Ryan and

[1:20:51] I am Amanda and Don were there. Um what

[1:20:53] I heard from not only constituents but

[1:20:56] Mr. Vra when he talked is he he really

[1:20:59] strongly encouraged a very transparent

[1:21:02] plan uh exactly where if the levy passes

[1:21:06] where the dollars are going to go and so

[1:21:09] I would just maybe want to get us uh

[1:21:13] close to where we agree we might not be

[1:21:15] 100%. And then I think we need to commit

[1:21:18] to the public that if the voting bridge

[1:21:20] levy passes, here is our plan and this

[1:21:24] is where the dollars are going to go.

[1:21:28] The problem with last night's discussion

[1:21:30] was

[1:21:31] » And [clears throat] they never went into

[1:21:33] why

[1:21:35] why

[1:21:36] » Yeah.

[1:21:36] » And and uh we've got maintenance, road

[1:21:40] maintenance for for years.

[1:21:42] » Yeah.

[1:21:42] » And uh why is that? Well, we've got

[1:21:47] some people would say Gary Moore would

[1:21:49] say we got programs that were stupid. I

[1:21:52] I wouldn't agree with that, but

[1:21:54] » Yeah.

[1:21:54] » Uh I think we got to know why.

[1:21:57] » Yeah, I I would agree. And I think the

[1:22:00] He did

[1:22:00] » We're just screwing roads and bridges is

[1:22:03] what we're doing here now.

[1:22:05] » Yeah. We don't have a choice, though. I

[1:22:06] mean, that's that's the if you don't

[1:22:08] have enough money to maintain roads and

[1:22:10] bridges, that's that's really the only

[1:22:12] area can't we can't cut court costs. We

[1:22:15] you know, so but I guess where I'm

[1:22:18] looking at wanted to get your guys'

[1:22:20] feedback.

[1:22:21] Um I think we need to commit a

[1:22:24] percentage of this, a pretty good

[1:22:26] percentage to Flees. This is my opinion

[1:22:29] and subject to what you think. pretty

[1:22:32] good percentage to the uh Fleeks B

[1:22:35] bridge project which we just got a grant

[1:22:37] and maybe commit to other highway

[1:22:40] projects but I think we need to discuss

[1:22:42] this decide it and then put something on

[1:22:46] the next meeting and commit to it before

[1:22:49] the voting starts so uh people know

[1:22:53] where their dollars are going to go. I

[1:22:54] think just for clarification to the

[1:22:56] public is is the road and bridge uh

[1:22:59] costs on the stone gone

[1:23:04] » Sewn church bridge

[1:23:05] » In here

[1:23:09] » The projects um and uh

[1:23:12] » And unfortunately that's the thing is

[1:23:14] the because of that coming out of the

[1:23:16] projects Mike has pushed off other

[1:23:18] things that were outside your plan

[1:23:19] » Y

[1:23:20] » That are not going to be done

[1:23:22] » Yep

[1:23:22] » To pay for the stone church bridge

[1:23:24] This comes into the bigger problem. We

[1:23:27] have to we have to really assess our

[1:23:30] road system. Um as Greg said last night

[1:23:36] um

[1:23:38] we have 220 miles of paved road for the

[1:23:41] county of our size for the taxes that we

[1:23:43] bring in. That is a lot.

[1:23:47] We have we have a tax base that does not

[1:23:50] support the road system that we have.

[1:23:53] There's

[1:23:55] cases where we don't know if even these

[1:23:59] uh putting in hard paved roads are

[1:24:02] necessary because what are the traffic

[1:24:04] volumes and that's what we should be

[1:24:07] looking at is if the traffic volumes

[1:24:08] don't support a hard hard road then we

[1:24:10] need to like look at saying hey is why

[1:24:13] are we overspending on this road because

[1:24:16] the traffic volume is not there.

[1:24:19] » Same thing with bridges. We have to

[1:24:20] really evaluate whether these brid

[1:24:22] whether we have a lot of bridges too.

[1:24:24] It's like the transportation has changed

[1:24:27] from 50 years ago and we have to

[1:24:30] evaluate that

[1:24:32] » Because right now the system we have is

[1:24:36] not maintainable by the tax tax

[1:24:38] » The same the same way it was last year

[1:24:40] in the year

[1:24:41] » In year before and it's only gotten

[1:24:42] worse and worse.

[1:24:43] » We just redone it again three times now.

[1:24:47] » So

[1:24:47] » Maybe four. I think I think that's a

[1:24:50] really good conversation. In the P 2017,

[1:24:52] they had a road task force. 2019, they

[1:24:56] had a road task force. I think Don was

[1:24:57] on that. And maybe that's that's uh

[1:24:59] something that we plan for maybe uh this

[1:25:03] this winter with when we get new people

[1:25:05] on there and and we do a review of that.

[1:25:09] Um I think that's a great idea. And we

[1:25:11] do have traffic counters now. Mike has

[1:25:13] maybe that's something that we we get

[1:25:16] accurate things. I I agree with you

[1:25:17] 100%. Um, and as far as that, I think

[1:25:22] that's one of the future goals we look

[1:25:24] toward.

[1:25:26] » In our meeting meeting Tuesday night,

[1:25:29] if this is possible, I'd like to know

[1:25:32] how much revenue comes from rural

[1:25:35] assessed property and how much comes

[1:25:37] from

[1:25:38] » Town

[1:25:39] » Town town and country. because I think

[1:25:42] we need to let everybody know

[1:25:47] where where the funds are. Uh

[1:25:51] » They don't want to play with the Boys

[1:25:52] and Girls Club in the country and we

[1:25:55] don't want to pay for the roads and you

[1:25:57] know that's that's part of the problem.

[1:25:59] And then the other thing I' I'd like to

[1:26:01] I'd like to see is our tax rate compared

[1:26:06] to the other 49 states.

[1:26:11] We're one of the lowest

[1:26:13] » Or I think we're one of the

[1:26:15] » Property tax

[1:26:16] » And that the public needs to know that

[1:26:18] » For property tax South Dakota sits right

[1:26:20] in the middle of the 50 states.

[1:26:24] » But I think you got to take

[1:26:25] » Unlike our neighbor to the south,

[1:26:26] Nebraska is I think the one of the top

[1:26:28] five.

[1:26:29] » I think you got to take the total tax

[1:26:31] burden though because because some

[1:26:32] places uh where their property tax may

[1:26:36] be lower, they have income tax and

[1:26:37] everything else. So I think I think if

[1:26:39] you add it all in when we did that

[1:26:41] summer study I think we were like number

[1:26:43] according to Governor Rhoden we were

[1:26:44] like the second lowest

[1:26:47] » Overall tax overall tax burden. I was

[1:26:49] just talking about the property tax.

[1:26:51] » I get what you're saying

[1:26:52] » But I'd like to I'd like to have the

[1:26:55] public public know that

[1:26:57] we want everything done

[1:26:58] » That

[1:26:59] » We don't have enough funds to do it.

[1:27:01] John, that would presuppose that they

[1:27:03] listen to the meetings or attend the

[1:27:05] meetings and a lot of people don't. So,

[1:27:09] they just don't know. They just feel

[1:27:12] they're being taxed to death.

[1:27:14] » Yeah. Well, well, that's the case for

[1:27:16] her any tax. No one likes taxes.

[1:27:18] » Well, I I get that.

[1:27:20] » Someone who's happy about taxes.

[1:27:22] » I get that. But everybody wants roads.

[1:27:25] Everybody wants bridges. Everybody wants

[1:27:27] this. Everybody wants law enforcement.

[1:27:29] And it comes at a cost unfortunately.

[1:27:32] » We and I think we've done a a good job

[1:27:35] and I appreciate working with you guys.

[1:27:37] We have an obligation to spend every tax

[1:27:40] dollar wisely, which I think we've done

[1:27:42] a good job. Um, and appreciate, but we

[1:27:44] also have an obligation to let the

[1:27:47] public know what happens if we don't fix

[1:27:50] their infrastructure. Um, you know, what

[1:27:54] is that going to mean? I mean, we had

[1:27:55] people last night that, you know, wanted

[1:27:58] wanted more snow removal and more

[1:28:00] maintenance. Well, how are you going to

[1:28:01] get more snow removal and more

[1:28:04] maintenance with less dollars? I can't

[1:28:06] figure that out and I don't think we

[1:28:08] can. I mean, people demand services and

[1:28:11] » Well, we're going to learn that. lost

[1:28:13] that. [laughter]

[1:28:14] Um, but

[1:28:15] » Soon as soon as the

[1:28:17] » The commission changes,

[1:28:20] » The knowledge is coming in, it's going

[1:28:22] to we're going to know that.

[1:28:24] » I guess I guess where we're at

[1:28:26] » And you're smiling. You know what I'm

[1:28:27] saying?

[1:28:28] » I guess where we're at and what what I

[1:28:30] would like is some sort of direction. Do

[1:28:32] we want to commit that if if the road

[1:28:35] and bridge levy passes, we're going to

[1:28:37] put and I'll just throw out numbers

[1:28:38] here. 80% of it will go to the Flees

[1:28:41] bridge replacement.

[1:28:44] Um if we get awarded that grant, if if

[1:28:47] not, we're going to do we're going to

[1:28:49] dedicate it to road and bridge projects

[1:28:52] in Yankton County. We just need

[1:28:54] according to everything I've heard in

[1:28:56] the feedback, people want specifics on

[1:28:58] where the dollars are going to.

[1:28:59] » Well, I'm I'm I'm lary about the

[1:29:01] committing all the way in on Plagues

[1:29:03] Bridge. It's not entirely sure if that's

[1:29:05] even the widest in our infrastructure

[1:29:08] » Countywide.

[1:29:10] Um, but I do want to see like I do want

[1:29:13] to see at the least, you know, saying

[1:29:14] 10% 20% being put away for a for future

[1:29:18] road projects so that when we do get

[1:29:20] these grants, we're not scrambling for

[1:29:24] money um or behind the ball like we were

[1:29:26] with Stone Church bridge paying for

[1:29:29] paying for it with uh yeah,

[1:29:30] » Putting off projects that we had in our

[1:29:32] plan.

[1:29:33] » Yeah. Um, but we also I also want to see

[1:29:36] immediate ones too that where people can

[1:29:38] see that things that need to get done

[1:29:40] are getting done. Do

[1:29:42] » You have specific?

[1:29:42] » So, speaking speaking with Mike speaking

[1:29:45] with Mike uh a couple three weeks ago,

[1:29:48] he

[1:29:50] not necessarily a point so much money or

[1:29:52] so much percentage of it towards the

[1:29:54] Flees Bridge. Obviously, that's probably

[1:29:56] the next one that we'll get done, but he

[1:29:59] said, "Let's do it towards a gym river

[1:30:02] bridge project versus a specific

[1:30:05] bridge."

[1:30:05] » Okay, I could go along with that.

[1:30:07] » And and I don't think I'm kind of with

[1:30:09] Ryan. I don't think we need to throw a

[1:30:11] whole bunch of money in there. If it's

[1:30:13] 50% 40% to the Jim River Bridge project,

[1:30:17] then we have 50 or 60% that we need Mike

[1:30:21] to select road projects that he wants to

[1:30:24] see done. I know he wanted to do the uh

[1:30:26] resurface the the road south of

[1:30:29] Lesterville this year. Well, obviously

[1:30:30] we don't have the money to do that. Ear

[1:30:33] tag.

[1:30:34] » Yeah.

[1:30:34] » 50% of that money to resurface that

[1:30:37] road. Then you pick another have him

[1:30:39] pick another road specific.

[1:30:40] » Yeah. And that's where I wanted to say

[1:30:42] is like I think we need to do that

[1:30:44] because we need to gain the people's

[1:30:46] trust on that this levy is being used

[1:30:49] for their benefit.

[1:30:51] And you know, I know you really want the

[1:30:54] Fleek's Bridge done, but that's still

[1:30:56] going to be five years down the road

[1:30:58] even on the schedule. So, if we can show

[1:31:01] and build trust on this one, well, then

[1:31:03] maybe that's a that's a case to enact

[1:31:05] this levy again for a short very short

[1:31:07] term to to build that.

[1:31:10] » So, when that's closer to uh reality,

[1:31:13] » Do we want to put a percentage of it

[1:31:15] toward toward basically repayment of the

[1:31:18] Stone Church bridge, too? because you

[1:31:20] brought up a good point that we really

[1:31:22] did rob the whole highway fund to build

[1:31:25] that bridge and you know maybe backfill

[1:31:28] some of those projects that now are not

[1:31:30] going to be done because we had to do

[1:31:32] that.

[1:31:32] » Exactly what I was kind of referring to

[1:31:34] is is recovering from paying for the

[1:31:37] stone church bridge with some of these

[1:31:39] projects that were pushed off.

[1:31:41] So, so what I'm hearing is maybe not

[1:31:44] specific, but we're all in agreeance. Is

[1:31:46] this is going to be additional dedicated

[1:31:49] funding to roads and bridges? Is that

[1:31:51] what everybody's agreeing on? And did

[1:31:54] you want to work together, Ryan? And

[1:31:56] kind of maybe we could I don't know if

[1:31:57] we need to do a resolution or what if

[1:32:00] anybody's got some advice, but I'd want

[1:32:02] something somewhat official that we

[1:32:03] agree on like you said to get the trust

[1:32:06] of the people that these are going to go

[1:32:09] toward projects in the county.

[1:32:12] » Well, the other day when we talked to

[1:32:14] Mike and I and I says like I think we

[1:32:17] know what our budget is right now and he

[1:32:18] knows what he has a road plan based on

[1:32:21] what his budget is now. We have no

[1:32:23] certainty on this road in levy. So I

[1:32:26] was, you know, my direction to him or my

[1:32:28] advice to him is plan for not it not

[1:32:30] passing.

[1:32:30] » Yeah.

[1:32:31] » Because that's the worst case scenario.

[1:32:33] Um, but then if you have that money,

[1:32:37] like again, like I don't I don't know if

[1:32:40] we need a I don't know if we need a

[1:32:41] resolution or anything like that, but

[1:32:44] for him to make the plan of how that

[1:32:45] money is going to be distributed and

[1:32:47] present that plan because it's not we

[1:32:49] wouldn't be able to put that into effect

[1:32:51] till next year anyway.

[1:32:54] » Yeah.

[1:32:54] » Um, but we want to have that plan in

[1:32:56] front of us and it for the people who

[1:32:59] are going to make a decision on this

[1:33:00] road levy.

[1:33:01] » Yeah.

[1:33:02] » Uh, this year. So

[1:33:03] » Yeah,

[1:33:03] » I I think in connection with uh this

[1:33:06] budgeting process too, once we get what

[1:33:09] we want or what we're trying to get to,

[1:33:12] we need to work with the department

[1:33:15] heads and we need to implement

[1:33:19] uh some of that

[1:33:21] uh information that they're in that one

[1:33:23] task force is providing on how we

[1:33:26] monitor expenses.

[1:33:30] Well, I think that's what Brian has

[1:33:32] agreed to do is come in basically where

[1:33:35] and that's really going to help us um to

[1:33:37] know where we're at and

[1:33:38] » And that and that's kind of the

[1:33:40] direction with that clear gov a little

[1:33:42] bit and trying to trying to build better

[1:33:44] tools for our department heads and and

[1:33:47] us for

[1:33:48] » And the citizens

[1:33:49] » Keeping keeping track of

[1:33:51] » What our expenditures are through the

[1:33:54] year and so that we know that we're

[1:33:56] staying within budget or beating our

[1:33:58] budget which is Great. Because if we

[1:33:59] beat our budget, then that's Yep. That's

[1:34:03] going to be more carryover money.

[1:34:04] » Yep.

[1:34:06] Um,

[1:34:10] to your point, what you mentioned

[1:34:11] earlier, Mike is getting ready to

[1:34:13] present the

[1:34:14] » Five-year road and bridge plan and and

[1:34:17] did we I I thought we were

[1:34:19] » The direction to him was maybe have two

[1:34:21] plans, one with the levy, one without.

[1:34:24] Are you still on board with that?

[1:34:25] » Yeah. Yeah, exactly. That's what I was

[1:34:27] saying. like one without the levy and

[1:34:28] then here's the extra work with the

[1:34:30] levy.

[1:34:30] » And I I think that'd be a great example

[1:34:32] and maybe we push up the timeline when

[1:34:35] because we usually do the five-year plan

[1:34:38] midsepptember, October. Maybe we have

[1:34:40] them present that a little bit early so

[1:34:42] people can say here's your options and

[1:34:46] this is a yes vote, this is a no vote.

[1:34:48] And then they know what they're getting

[1:34:50] because [clears throat] there's going to

[1:34:50] be a big difference on what project get

[1:34:53] completed and what don't. And uh maybe

[1:34:57] that would even be better than a

[1:34:58] resolution is is is that. So

[1:35:01] » Yeah.

[1:35:02] » Okay. Would you be willing to, you know,

[1:35:05] speak with Mike and have him bump up

[1:35:07] that timeline? I' I'd really like if we

[1:35:09] could get the five-year plan, maybe that

[1:35:12] meeting in the first in in the we're

[1:35:14] really in the next couple weeks before

[1:35:16] when does early voting start, Patty?

[1:35:18] » September 18th.

[1:35:20] » September if we ideally around that time

[1:35:23] or before that. So before people go to

[1:35:25] the polls, they can clearly see this is

[1:35:29] the five-year plan with the road and

[1:35:32] bridge levy. This is not and it's your

[1:35:34] choice.

[1:35:36] » Well, I think he's already probably got

[1:35:38] the five-year plan done without it.

[1:35:41] » So we can

[1:35:46] have it together by the 17th of that.

[1:35:49] That's our commission meeting that

[1:35:50] night.

[1:35:50] I'll get a hold of him and I don't

[1:35:54] » Our probably your plan though changes

[1:35:56] every time we take budget away from the

[1:35:59] highway department.

[1:36:00] » Well, and

[1:36:00] » But this the plan with can change.

[1:36:03] » Yeah. Yeah.

[1:36:04] » I mean,

[1:36:05] » Yeah,

[1:36:06] » That sounds good for the youth. We we're

[1:36:09] all on all on the same page, it looks

[1:36:10] like then. So, and maybe just at the

[1:36:13] next meeting we just say, hey, you know,

[1:36:16] we're working on the five-year plan.

[1:36:17] We're committing to spending this

[1:36:19] additional dollars going to you the

[1:36:22] citizens roads and bridges five-year

[1:36:24] plan is coming out and because because

[1:36:26] there's still for some reason I you know

[1:36:28] people think that we're not somehow road

[1:36:31] and bridge funding isn't going to go to

[1:36:32] road and bridges but that's our our duty

[1:36:36] is to say yes it is. So

[1:36:38] » And thank you guys for your support on

[1:36:40] that. So

[1:36:43] » Motion to adjourn unless we got

[1:36:45] something else. Second.

[1:36:47] » Got a motion to adjurnn by Dan, second

[1:36:49] by Wanda. Further discussion hearing

[1:36:52] none. All in favor? I

[1:36:54] » Oppose. Nay. Motion carries.

Yankton County Commission Budget Meeting Part 3 08/28/2026

Agenda

Transcript