Sanborn County Commissioners met in regular session on Tuesday, January 21, at 9:00 a.m. with Auditor Kami Moody presiding. Present were Earl Hinricher, Gary Blindauer, and Duane Peterson. Jeff Ebersdorfer and Steve Larson were absent. Auditor Moody appointed Commissioner Blindauer to conduct the meeting in the absence of the Chairman and Vice-Chairman. Motion by Hinricher, seconded by Peterson, to approve the minutes from the January 7 meeting, as presented. Motion carried.  Motion by Peterson, seconded by Hinricher to approve the agenda as presented. Motion carried.

CITIZENS INPUT: 

No public was in attendance for input.

REPORTS AND BILLS: 

Motion by Peterson, seconded by Hinricher, to pay the following bills; motion carried:

Sanborn County Treasurer, Taxes in Trust $8,074.00

First National Bank, Tax Liability $2,653.22

Accounts Management, Employee Garnishment $43.50

Central Electric Co-op, Utilities $354.98

Santel Communications, Utilities $1,212.38

South Dakota Association of County Officials, Monthly Remittance $50.00

State Treasurer, Monthly Remittance $72,650.23

Tech Solutions, Tech Support $2,329.98

Town, Townships & Schools, Monthly Remittance $64,864.47

First National Bank, Direct Deposit Fee $27.56

A-Ox Welding, Supplies $345.58

Amazon, Supplies $541.23

Beadle County Sheriff, Jail Fees $95.00

Bound Tree, Supplies $404.13

Brosz Engineering Inc., Dues $10,937.50

Tritech Software Systems, Dues $5,271.26

City of Woonsocket, Utilities $112.92

Dakota Counseling/Stepping Stones, Quarterly Support $625.00

Davison County Auditor, VSO – First Quarter $2,062.50

Department of Revenue, Sales Tax $42.29

Express 2, Fuel $111.33

First National Bank Omaha, Supplies $506.12

Hillyard/Sioux Falls, Car Wash $87.90

Innovative Office Solutions, Toner $715.48

KO’s Pro Service, Repairs $301.03

Mcleods Printing & Supply, Supplies $191.80

Menards, Supplies $258.25

Miner County Auditor, 911 Services $9,542.50

Robert Nelson, Medical for Indigent $51,075.72

NorthWestern Energy, Utilities $3,357.52

Office Peeps, Supplies $132.49

Pilcher Law Firm, LLC, Supplies $104.79

Planning & Development District III, 2025 Dues $15,317.00

Rob’s Auto Repair, Repairs $261.42

Safe Place of Eastern SD, Quarterly Remittance $825.00

Sanborn County Ambulance, Meals $32.69

Audra Scheel, Travel Expenses $125.96

Dina Shefner, Crushed Gravel $45,000.00

Sanborn Weekly Journal, Publishing $573.58

Ward Laboratories, INC., Testing Bottles $13.17

Woony Foods, Supplies $9.98

Xcel Energy, Utilities $390.22

HIGHWAY: 

Stacy Mendenhall and Sheri Kogel, Highway Department, met with the board. Motion by Peterson, seconded by Hinricher to sign the Bridge Reinspection Resolution with Brosz Engineering. Motion carried. Motion by Hinricher, seconded by Peterson, to sign the project agreement for project BRF 6215(00)23-2, PCN 09HF. Motion carried. 

TAMI ZIEBART, DIRECTOR OF EQUALIZATION

Motion by Peterson, seconded by Hinricher, to enter Board of Adjustment. Motion carried. 

Ziebart presented a variance for Fred Prien. By recommendation from the Planning & Zoning board, motion by Hinricher, seconded by Peterson, to approve the variance as presented for SW 1/4  14-105-60. Motion carried. 

Ziebart presented a variance for Sarah Senska. By recommendation from Planning & Zoning board, motion by Hinricher, seconded by Peterson, to approve the variance as presented for Lot 7 of North View Addition in Woonsocket. Motion carried. 

Blindauer declared back to Board of Commissioners. 

SDSU EXTENSION AGREEMENT 

Motion by Hinricher, seconded by Peterson, to enter into agreement with the SDSU Extension, for the fiscal year of 2025, for the state Extension Office position for a county share cost of $20,310. Motion carried. 

RESOLUTION 2025-1 

Motion by Hinricher, seconded by Peterson to sign resolution 2025-1. Motion carried. 

URGING THE SD LEGISLATURE TO PASS EMINENT DOMAIN REFORM PROHIBITING THE USE OF EMINENT DOMAIN FOR PRIVATE GAIN

WHEREAS, the principle of eminent domain allows government entities to acquire private property for public use, with just compensation to property owners, as authorized by the Fifth Amendment of the United States Constitution and Article VI, Section 13 of the South Dakota Constitution; and 

WHEREAS, the use of eminent domain is intended to serve public purposes such as infrastructure development, schools, roads, and utilities that benefit the general public; and 

WHEREAS, recent proposals in South Dakota have raised concerns regarding the use of eminent domain to transfer private property to for-profit entities or private developers for projects that primarily benefit private interests rather than the public at large; and 

WHEREAS, such use of eminent domain threatens the fundamental rights of property owners, undermines public trust, and raises questions about the fairness and necessity of such actions; and

WHEREAS, the Sanborn County Board of Commissioners supports the protection of private property rights and opposes the abuse of eminent domain powers for private economic gain;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Commissioners of Sanborn County, South Dakota, that the Board strongly urges the South Dakota Legislature to enact reforms to the state’s eminent domain laws to prohibit the use of eminent domain for private gain and to ensure that such powers are used solely for public purposes as defined by law; and 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board encourages the Legislature to establish clear and strict criteria for the application of eminent domain, safeguarding the rights of property owners and reinforcing public accountability; and 

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the Sanborn County Board of Commissioners directs the Auditor to transmit copies of this resolution to all members of the South Dakota Legislature, the Office of the Governor, and other relevant stakeholders. 

Passed and enacted this 21st day of January 2025.

/s/ Gary Blindauer, 

Sanborn County 

Commissioner

ATTEST:

/s/ Kami Moody, 

Auditor

OTHER BUSINESS BROUGHT BEFORE THE BOARD: 

A notice of Air Quality Operating Permit from the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources was presented to the board for review.

Motion by Hinricher, seconded by Peterson to enter executive session at 11:33 a.m., for legal advice. Motion carried. Blindauer declared end of executive session at 11:44 a.m. 

There being no further business before the board, motion by Peterson, seconded by Hinricher, to adjourn the meeting at 11:59 a.m. Motion carried. 

The next regular scheduled meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 4, 2025.                                                                                                                                          

Kami Moody

Sanborn County Auditor

Gary Blindauer

Appointed, 

Chairman of the Board, 

Sanborn County         

Published once on January 30, 2025, at the total approximate cost of $77.00 and may be viewed free of charge at www.sdpublicnotices.com.