Sanborn County Commissioners met in regular session on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, at 9:00 a.m., with Jeff Ebersdorfer, Steve Larson, Earl Hinricher, Gary Blindauer, and Duane Peterson present.  Auditor Kami Moody was also present. 

ELECTION OF OFFICERS

This being the annual reorganization of the Board of County Commissioners, the county auditor called for nominations for chairman of the board. Gary Blindauer nominated Jeff Ebersdorfer. Motion by Steve Larson, seconded by Duane Peterson that nominations cease. Motion carried. Jeff Ebersdorfer will be Chairman. Ebersdorfer called for nominations for vice-chairman. Gary Blindauer nominated Steve Larson. Motion by Gary Blindauer, seconded by Duane Peterson, that nominations cease. Motion carried. Steve Larson will be the vice-chairman. 

OATH OF OFFICE

Elected and Re-elected officials took the Oath of Office for the following positions:

Earl Hinricher – Commissioner District 2;

Steve Larson – Commissioner District 4;

Aaron Pilcher – States Attorney;

Karen Krueger – Treasurer.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA AND MINUTES

Motion by Peterson, seconded by Blindauer, to approve the agenda as presented. Motion carried.

Motion by Peterson, seconded by Larson, to approve the Minutes from December 27 as presented. Motion carried.

CITIZENS INPUT

No public was in attendance for input.

HIGHWAY

Stacy Mendenhall and Sheri Kogel, Highway Department, met with the board. Roads, the courthouse parking lot, and future highway projects were discussed. 

Motion by Blindauer, seconded by Peterson, to approve the three township applications for the Rural Access Infrastructure Plan, Larson abstained. Motion carried. The Rural Access Infrastructure Plan is a State Funded Grant program to help Townships with the cost of replacing failing structures on Township Roads.

Elliott Township – $15,000;

Elliott Township – $26,000;

Woonsocket Township – $10,327.

APPOINTMENTS

Chairman Ebersdorfer made the following appointments: Mental Health Board/Drug – Alcohol Board, Earl Hinricher; District III:  Jeff Ebersdorfer; 4-H Advisory Board: Steve Larson; Sanborn County Rural Development: Jeff Ebersdorfer; County Planner: Tami Ziebart; Economic Development Board: Duane Peterson; South Dakota Housing Authority Board: Jeff Ebersdorfer; Drainage Board: Gary Blindauer and Earl Hinricher; Planning & Zoning: Duane Peterson; Emergency Management Director: Josh Starzman. Motion by Larson, seconded by Peterson, to approve the appointments. Motion carried. 

COMMISSIONER MEETINGS

Motion by Blindauer and seconded by Larson that the Sanborn County Commissioner’s meetings be held at 9:00 a.m. on the first and third Tuesday of each month and all other meetings as deemed necessary. Informational meetings, specifically for public input, will also be held in the evenings if enough public interest is shown. Motion carried.

By agreement of the board, the annual meeting with towns and townships will be on February 18th at 1:00 p.m. at the 4-H Building.

CHATTEL SALES

Motion by Blindauer, seconded by Peterson, that the following places be designated for holding chattel mortgage sales in Sanborn County for 2025: Front Door of Courthouse, City of Woonsocket; Between Block Four and Five, Original Plat, Town of Letcher; The public street on the North side of the Cortrust Bank, City of Artesian. Motion carried.

FINANCIAL DEPOSITORIES AND LEGAL NEWSPAPER

Motion by Peterson, seconded by Blindauer, to designate Cortrust Bank of Artesian, First National Bank South Dakota, Dakotaland Federal Credit Union, South Dakota Public Funds Investment Trust (FIT), as Legal Depositories and the Sanborn Weekly Journal as the legal newspaper. Motion carried. 

ELECTED OFFICIALS

Motion by Hinricher, seconded by Blindauer, to approve expenses for county commissioners, county officials, and county employees to attend all scheduled meetings pertaining to county business for 2025; to set mileage ($0.67 per mile) and meals ($6, $14, $20) at state rates; and to pay bills at each meeting. Motion carried. 

Motion by Larson, seconded by Hinricher, to set the commissioners’ salary at $9,000 annually, plus insurance, no mileage; to set the wage for extra part-time help for the Register of Deeds, Treasurer, Auditor, Sheriff’s Office and janitor at the wage of $17.50; to set the hourly wage for meeting of planning & zoning and drainage at the rate of $60, no mileage; and to pay $50 per month for cell phone usage to Deputy Sheriff and Highway Superintendent. Motion carried. 

COUNTY BURIAL AND EXCESS

Motion by Blindauer, seconded by Peterson, to establish a cost of $3,000.00 for county burial or cremation plus $0.75 per mile within the state; and to declare old iron, used bridge planks, old culverts, used tires and old parts as surplus with maximum value of $1,000. Motion carried. 

Motion by Larson, seconded by Peterson, to use the state bid list for county purchases. Motion carried.

ELECTION

Motion by Blindauer, seconded by Hinricher, set the wage of election workers at $225 plus mileage per day and to pay $35 plus mileage for school of instruction, if attended, and $20 per hour, plus mileage for post-election audit workers; motion carried. 

Motion by Blindauer, seconded by Hinricher, to establish four (4) or less voting precincts. Motion carried. 

The precincts will be as follows:  

Precinct #1: Afton, Floyd, Benedict, Oneida, Artesian City, Diana, Union, Ravenna – Artesian Community Center;

Precinct #2: Butler, Letcher, Letcher City, Logan, & Elliott – Letcher Community Center;

Precinct #4: Jackson, Twin Lake, Woonsocket Township, Silver Creek Township, Woonsocket City Ward 2 – Woonsocket Community Center;

Precinct #5: Woonsocket City Wards 1 and 3, Warren Township – Woonsocket Community Center.

MONTHLY SUBMISSIONS

Motion by Larson, seconded by Peterson, that the Register of Deeds will submit the money collected in that office each month to the Treasurer by the 20th of the following month and the Sheriff by the 15th. Motion carried. 

AMBULANCE ROSTER

Motion by Larson, seconded by Blindauer, to approve the ambulance roster on file in the Auditor’s office. Motion carried.  

RESTRICTED SPENDING 

The Commissioners request that all department heads consult with the Board of County Commissioners before making any budget purchases other than normal salaries and supply expenditures exceeding $500.00 and $5,000.00 for the highway department. This is to ensure tighter control of budget spending to protect the county reserve funds to better the county financial situation.

COURTHOUSE HOURS AND HOLIDAYS 

Courthouse hours shall be from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for all offices. Department heads shall assume personal financial responsibility for overtime work done by their staff, unless prior authorization is approved by the County Commissioners or the Department Head. Sanborn County will observe holidays as listed in Section III – E of the County Personnel Handbook.

REPORTS

Auditor and Treasurer in all accounts $2,168,588.67

Register of Deeds $1,891.00

SALARIES AND WAGES

Motion by Blindauer, seconded by Peterson, to approve the following salaries for staff for the year 2025 to be in compliance with SDCL 6-1-10. Motion carried.

Salaries including the insurance incentive are as follows:

COMMISSIONERS:

Gary Blindauer, Commissioner, annually $9,000.00

Jeff Ebersdorfer, Commissioner, annually, $9,000.00

Earl Hinricher, Commissioner, annually $9,000.00

Steve Larson, Commissioner, annually $9,000.00

Duane Peterson, Commissioner, annually, $9,000.00

ELECTED OFFICIALS:

Tom Fridley, Sheriff, annually $69,222.40

Karen Krueger, Treasurer, annually $61,505.60

Kami Moody, Auditor, annually $61,505.60

Lynn Brueske, Register of Deeds, annually $61,505.60

Aaron Pilcher, States Attorney, annually $55,765.00

DIRECTOR OF EQUALIZATION OFFICE:

Tami Ziebart, Director of Equalization, hourly $23.92

Amy Miiller, Deputy Director of Equalization, hourly $19.76

OFFICE DEPUTIES:

Abby Mathis, Deputy Auditor and Treasurer, annually $42,723.20

Jodi Schrank, Deputy Register of Deeds, annually $42,723.20

SHERIFF’S OFFICE:

Josh Starzman, Deputy Sheriff, annually $53,976.00

Josh Starzman, Emergency Management, annually $7,280.00

Mike Salathe, Deputy Sheriff, annually $50,190.40

Naomi Terkildsen, Secretary, annually $43,264.00

Shane Mentzer, Reserve Deputy, hourly $17.50

WEED & PEST:

Stacy Mendenhall, Weed Supervisor, annually $19,240.00

Sheri Kogel, Weed Secretary, annually $19,240.00

HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT:

Stacy Mendenhall, Highway Superintendent, annually $44,200.00

Sheri Kogel, Highway Administrative Assistant, annually $38,913.60

Brian Pearson, Highway, hourly $27.58

Heath Larson, Highway, hourly $21.77

Alan Larson Jr., Highway, hourly $$21.77

James Gorter, Highway, hourly $21.32

Richard Miller, Highway, hourly $21.32

Stuart Christian, Highway, hourly $21.32

Cole Johnson, Highway, hourly $20.80

JANITORIAL:

Jamie Miller, Janitor, annually $44,345.60

4-H EXTENSION:

Sherryl Rankin, secretary, hourly, $18.98

BOARD MEMBERS:

Planning & Zoning Board, per meeting $60

Drainage Board, per meeting $60

JAMES VALLEY DRUG TASK FORCE AGREEMENT

Motion by Larson, seconded by Hinricher, to enter into an agreement with the Drug Task Force. Motion carried. This agreement authorizes agencies to act jointly in the James Valley Task Force Region in aiding each other in stopping the sale and distribution of illicit drugs. 

VETERAN’S SERVICE OFFICER – MOU

Motion by Blindauer, seconded by Peterson, to have the chairman sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Davison County for the purposes of the Veteran’s Service Officer, and agree to pay Davison County $8,250 for 2025. Motion carried.  

OTHER BUSINESS BROUGHT BEFORE THE BOARD

Minutes from the January 6 Planning & Zoning meeting were reviewed, discussed and approved. 

There being no further business before the board, motion by Peterson, seconded by Larson to adjourn the meeting at 11:21 a.m.  Motion carried.  The next regular scheduled meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 21, 2025.

Kami Moody

Sanborn County Auditor Jeff Ebersdorfer

Chairman of the Board, 

Sanborn County

Published once on January 16, 2025, at the total approximate cost of $111.00 and may be viewed free of charge at www.sdpublicnotices.com.