nov/dec county comment

County CommentOfficial Publication of South Dakota Counties

November 2011 Volume 57, Number 9

Bon Homme County Courthouse

www.cat.comwww.govbidspec.com

SPEC WITH CONFIDENCE

It’s a fact: bids often award to the lowest initial price. But there’s the price of buying a piece of equipment – and then there’s the cost of owning it. Depreciation, repairs, and maintenance can severely impact an agency’s budget and add high equipment costs beyond the initial price.

Life Cycle Costing is a better way to evaluate purchase options. It protects budgets by requiring bidders to disclose the expected lifetime costs of service, repair and other facts to yield a true value comparison.

Caterpillar makes Life Cycle Cost proposals easy. Visit govbidspec.com to download bid specs, Life Cycle Cost forms and Scheduled Maintenance forms. Edit them to your agency’s needs and include them with your RFP to bidders.

Butler Machinery can show you the benefits of incorporating Life Cycle Costing into your agency’s RFPs. When you have all the facts, you’ll find Cat equipment delivers lower total costs and better return on investment.

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Bismarck, ND 585013630 Miriam Ave.701-223-0890

Dickinson, ND 586012803 I-94 Business Loop E701-456-1400

Fargo, ND 581043402 36th St. SW701-280-3100

Grand Forks, ND 582011201 S 46th St.701-775-4238

Hankinson, ND 5804117040 Hwy 11701-242-7474

Hoople, ND 582437695 Hwy 18 S701-894-6363

Jamestown, ND 584011910 27th Ave. SE701-251-1400

Minot, ND 587011505 Hwy 2, Bypass E701-852-3508

Aberdeen, SD 574014950 E Hwy 12 605-225-6240

Pierre, SD 57501801 N Garfield Ave.605-224-5400

Rapid City, SD 577023601 Deadwood Ave.605-342-4850

Sioux Falls, SD 571073201 N Louise Ave.605-336-3010

The National Institute of Governmental Purchasing (NIGP), National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO) and National Association of Fleet Administrators (NAFA) endorse the use of Life Cycle Costing as a preferred procurement method.

©2011 Caterpillar All rights reserved. CAT, CATERPILLAR, their respective logos, “Caterpillar Yellow,” the “Power Edge” trade dress as well as corporate and product identity used herein, are trademarks of Caterpillar and may not be used without permission.

CGV-178B-1.indd 1 5/18/11 11:35 AM

November/ December 2011 3www.sdcounties.org • www.sdcc.govoffice2.com

2011 - 2012 Officers and & Board of Directors

PresidentRobert JohnsonHarding County

First Vice PresidentAllen Sinclair

Yankton County

Second Vice PresidentDelvin WorthPotter County

TreasurerPhylliss Pudwill

Walworth County

Past PresidentJohn Claggett

Davison County

DirectorsOscar Thompson

Aurora County

Dave AlbrechtSpink County

Francis HassClark County

David ForretteGrant County

Casey KrogmanMellette County

Bill FloydSully County

Gerald BeningaMinnehaha County

Ron BuskerudPennington County

Ex-Officio MembersJim Schmidt - East RiverMike Ortner - West River

NACo RepresentativesDon Larson • Brookings CountyNancy Hansen • Brown County

WIR RepresentativeClint Farlee • Ziebach County

Robert Johnson, Harding County Commissioner

SDACC President’s Comments

The official newsletter of South Dakota Counties222 E Capitol Ave Suite 1Pierre, SD 57501Phone: (605) 224-4554 Fax: (605) 224-4833

Website: www.sdcounties.orgWebsite: www.sdcc.govoffice2.comEmail: [email protected]

These associations were founded for the betterment of county government and serve members through lobby-ing, education, publications, and research.

The County Comment is published nine times a year. It is distributed to county elected officials, state agency personnel, National Association of Counties (NACo), universities, non-profit associations and organizations interested in the betterment of county government. Companies interested in advertising in the County

Comment, please contact Kris Jacobsen, Assistant Editor.

South Dakota counties may place classified ads, story ideas, articles and photographs in this newsletter at NO CHARGE. Send your information by email to [email protected].

Each member county devotes approximately $10.00 per official of their annual dues for a subscription to the County Comment. Non-member subscription rate is $15.00.

The opinions expressed within are not necessar-ily those of the South Dakota Association of County Commissioners (SDACC), South Dakota Association of County Officials (SDACO), South Dakota Association of County Highway Superintendents (SDACHS), or South Dakota Association of County Welfare Officials (SDACWO).

Narrow Banding

The FCC made the decision to narrowband this part of the spectrum to promote more efficient use of the highly congested VHF and UHF land mobile bands. There is often not enough spectrum available for li-censees to expand their existing systems or implement new systems. The FCC expects that as licensees convert to equipment that operates on the narrower channel band-widths, new channels will become avail-able, and that the narrowband conversion will encourage the development and use of new more spectrum-efficient technologies.Basics• Affects all frequencies below 512 MHz.• Will require all channels licensed to be relicensed as a narrowband channel.• Center channel frequencies will stay the same.• Will not create twice the number of channels because interference properties still apply.• Will create some possibilities of addi-tional spectrum when looking at a region-wide picture.• If additional narrowband channels are issued prior to everyone converting, it may create issues with legacy systems.• Most paging systems will also be af-fected. Two channels can remain wide-band, 152.0075 and 157.450.• So far FCC has taken a hard-line on nar-rowbanding and timelines.Timelines• January 1, 2011 FCC will no longer accept any applications exceeding the

12.5KHz bandwidth.• January 1, 2011 FCC will not accept a modification of coverage area if not narrowbanded as well.• January 1, 2013 be completed. Any system operating outside of the narrow-banding requirements will be in violation of FCC regulations.• Undetermined. FCC is planning long-term to reduce bandwidth to 6.25KHz.What Needs to be Done?• Inventory all systems and systems (including paging systems, siren alerting systems & pagers) equipment not part of the statewide network.• Work with dealers or do research on what equipment is capable of operating at 12.5KHz (Most after 1997 is compliant).• Determine if narrowbanding will affect coverage & decide if additional sites required.• Develop a migration plan & budget ac-cordingly (not an option if commissioners ask!!).• Modify FCC license by adding narrow-band emission designator.• Notify FCC when wideband can be dropped from license.

The South Dakota Public Safety Commu-nications Council strongly encourages the local counties, and cities do not wait until the last minute to apply and plan for Nar-rowband cut over.

4 November/December 2011 www.sdcc.govoffice2.com • www.sdcounties.org

SDACO President’s ThoughtsJulie Risty, Minnehaha County Register of Deeds


PresidentJulie Risty

Register of DeedsMinnehaha County

First Vice PresidentDoreen Priebe

TreasurerBrule County

Second Vice PresidentLisa Schieffer

AuditorMeade County

Secretary/TreasurerSue Ganje

AuditorFall River/Shannon County

Past PresidentKaren Layher

AuditorGrant County

ParlimentarianSheri KoeckTreasurer

Hand County

DirectorsArlene Koch

Register of DeedsAurora County

Sara GrimTreasurer

Gregory County

Kathy GlinesAuditor

Harding County

Deborah TridleTreasurer

Lawrence County

John HilegemannRegister of DeedsMcPherson County

Julie PearsonAuditor

Pennington County

South Dakota Association

of County OfficialsA page on the calendar has turned, and we are nearing the end of another year. The first thought is always “I can’t believe how fast time has gone.” The second thought for me always is, “What have I accom-plished in that very brief time -- have I done everything I’ve needed to do?”

It seems that we fall somewhere between feeling as though we have accomplished something noteworthy, to diminishing the importance of what we do every day. As we look toward Veteran’s Day on Novem-ber 11th, we pay special homage to our veterans and troops, remembering and acknowledging the greatness they have shown in the face of danger and ultimate sacrifice. Any sense of pride in my own accomplishments certainly pales in com-parison; and I feel a true sense of humility and gratitude.

November also marks the celebration of Thanksgiving, and precedes what many of us feel is the most special of all holidays -- Christmas. Our thoughts usually trail back to our most memorable holidays, and this year I found myself thinking back, about a down-on-his-luck dishwasher, who was employed at the restaurant my husband managed so many years ago.

That year we were to spend Thanksgiv-ing Day with my grandparents and other family members -- all at my grandparents’ home. The day before Thanksgiving, my husband Roger came to me and said, “You know, Leonard has nowhere to go tomor-row for Thanksgiving. Do you think your grandparents would mind if we invited him over?” I am ashamed to say that I hesitated for a moment, but replied, “I’m sure it will be all right, but I’ll call to make sure.” My family (without hesita-tion, I might add) said they would be happy to have one more guest for dinner.

The next day Leonard, a small-framed man, arrived exactly on time. After introductions to everyone, Leonard quietly took his place at the table next to Roger and near my grandfather. The first thing Leonard said was, “I want to thank you folks for inviting me here today; it re-

ally means a lot.” Simple words, but his deep grati-tude was evident. During the course of the dinner, I couldn’t help but notice that all conversation and food seemed to continually gravitate toward Leonard. He had always seemed like a quiet man but, to my amaze-ment, Leonard openly answered questions about a surprising life which he seldom discussed. Leonard had been an Intelli-gence Officer in the Army for years, being fluent in other languages and possessing many skills.

I don’t recall all that was said that day. I only remember everyone listening intently as Leonard visited and carried on conver-sations with my grandfather and father, in fluent German, between laughter and mouthfuls of a delicious dinner. Sadly, after his discharge from the military, Leonard’s struggle with alcoholism led to a difficult chain of events until he was able to secure a job as a dishwasher in a restaurant.

Leonard was truly a special person; and I went away that day feeling as though I was seeing Leonard for the first time as he really was -- an intelligent, kind, hard-working individual, who suffered from a debilitating disease while striving to overcome his adversity. My greatest hope that day was that we had extended a sincere hand of friendship and support, so that Leonard knew he was not alone.

As elected officials, we strive to meet the many needs of those we serve. Not only do we have a responsibility to our commu-nities as a whole, but we may be offered the opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life. This Thanksgiving and Christmas season I’d like to wish you all an abundance of blessings and joy -- and may it be your most memorable holiday yet. Happy Thanksgiving & Merry Christmas!



PresidentRon KrempgesMiner County

President ElectLenny Uhrich

Edmunds County

First Vice PresidentMerle HansonHamlin County

Secretary/TreasurerGreg Vavra

Jerauld County

Past PresidentRandy Seiler

Fall River County

NACE State DirectorRaymond Roggow

Union County

DirectorsJerry Batien

Beadle County

Shannon RasmussenBrule County

John HowardsonClark County

Clint DegenHanson County

Dick BirkLawrence County

Ken McGirrMeade County

South Dakota Association of County Highway

Superintendents

Ron Krempges, Miner County

SD Assoc of County Highway Superintendents

Snowplowing accidents are a common occurrence during the winter season. Most of the accidents involving snow-plows are caused by motorists collid-ing with the rear of the plow, or the blade on the side of the plow.

When the weather has produced snowy or icy road conditions it is important for you to watch the roads carefully for snow removal equipment. Watch for flashing white, yellow, and blue lights, which are used on snow removal vehicles. Be alert for dan-gerous snow clouds or "whiteout" conditions. Because of their traveling speed and size, snowplows tend to create large clouds of blowing snow that may conceal the plow, making it "invisible." It is extremely important to maintain a safe speed and follow-ing distance whenever you encounter a snow cloud. It is very dangerous to pass a snowplow when a snow cloud is present. Be patient and wait for condi-tions to improve before you pass.

Snowplows and other removal equip-ment frequently move at very slow

speeds, and in residential areas, they must often back up to turn around. Leave extra distance for equip-ment operators to complete their job safely, and obey snow emergency parking rules. Stay well behind plows to avoid having your vehicle hit by sanding materials, snow, and ice. DON'T CROWD THE PLOW.

Accidents involving snowplows needlessly happen each year. These collisions result in property damage, injuries, and sometimes death. Please remember to stay back from snow-plows; pass plows only when you can see the entire vehicle, including the blade; and reduce your speed.

Also, remember that snowplow driv-ers have limited visibility. Be careful when entering the freeway, snowplow drivers clearing the shoulder of the road will not be able to see you.


SDACWO President’s Comments


PresidentKaren Romey

Pennington County

Vice PresidentSarah Petersen

Codington County

SecretaryJerry Miller

Union County

Past PresidentTheresa Hodges

Spink County

CCPR AdministratorKristie Jacobsen

SD Counties

South Dakota Association of County Welfare Officials

Karen Romey, Pennington County H & HS Low Income Energy Assist-ance Program (LIEAP) With the changing of the seasons, also comes the excitement of the holidays, new adventures outside of hunting and other winter activities, watching the changing of the leaves. This time of year seems to be a time for “nesting” in our warm, comfortable homes.

But, if you are a lower-income house-hold, over 25% of your income could be spent on energy costs. If you are on a fixed income, such as Social Security,energy costs could repre-sent up to 50% of your income. It’s not just the need of more heat, there are other extra costs associated with winter, such as; using more gas to start and warm up your car, coats and winter clothes for the kids, and often times the loss of summer employment. These all create additional hardships for those with fixed or lower income.

Lower-income families are more severely affected by increased en-ergy costs because their energy costs represent a larger percentage of their household budgets than the percentag-es in families of high income brackets. While many lower income families qualify for energy assistance pro-grams, the programs also suffer from the rising cost of energy.

During the SD County Convention in September, the Welfare Direc-tor’s agenda featured a speaker from the Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP). Those in attend-ance were fortunate to gain a broader knowledge of the various programs within LIEAP, for several of the Wel-fare Directors in attendance this was new information.

This article is a reminder of the importance for you to inform and

educate your residents of LIEAP. This program can assist eligible households with their home heat-ing costs. Not only is it important for you to inform and educate those we serve, it’s equally important for you to recognize those individuals that may also need your assistance to complete an application. This can easily be done at the time they come to your office requesting utility assistance or have a utility shut-off notice. Counties can fax completed applications and the required docu-ments directly to the LIEAP program. However, due to the flooding issues, the LIEAP office has two fax numbers to use at this time: temporary 1-605-773-8520 and an alternative number 1-605-773-6657.

If accessed properly, the LIEAP pro-gram is a major benefit for our coun-ties.

There are several ways to apply:• Call toll-free at 1-800-233-8503 to

request an application• Print an application online at

www.dss.sd.gov/energyassistance• Visit your local Department of

Social Services.

There is also an Emergency Compo-nent to LIEAP called ECIP

Emergency Components (October 1 - March 31): Energy Crisis Intervention Program (ECIP). To qualify for ECIP energy assistance, the household must be in-come eligible and in a crisis, such as:• have a current disconnection no-

tice for the primary heat source; • be cash-on-delivery, or refusal to

deliver with less than 20% in tank; or

• have an eviction notice for non-payment if heat is included in rent or paid in addition to your rent.

• To get a full description of the program and further instructions on how to assist your residents in applying for LIEAP call 1-800-233-8503 or www.dss.sd.gov

Tip of the Day: One of the best investments your county can make is sending your staff to the SDACWO Fall, Spring and Sum-mer convention and workshops. County Welfare is ever changing and evolving your best defense in limiting liability is education.


South Dakota LegislatureLegislative Redistricting CompletedThe redistricting bills set the boundaries for South Dakota’s 35 legislative districts and five Supreme Court districts, based on the 2010 Census for the state. The new districts will apply for the 2012 through 2020 elections. State lawmakers are up for re-election every two years.

The legislative redistricting plan cleared the South Dakota House on a 50-18 vote and passed the Senate 31-4. The Su-preme Court redistricting bill passed the House 67-1 and the Senate 35-0

Statewide MapAdopted 10/24/2011


Establishing a Good Staff and Commission Relationship

Tips, Trends and Resources

Unique to governmental agencies is the structure of management which nearly always includes a manager(s) and staff with the governing body. A positive working relationship between elected officials and staff who work for them is essential to providing the highest, most efficient and cost ef-fective level of service to the public we serve. It is also very beneficial to employee morale and retention which maintains high productivity.

This relationship is important at the state, local, or any level of govern-ment. My experience as a staff mem-ber in the South Dakota DOT, city commissioner in Pierre, SD, and as a leadership facilitator will be used as background for many of the comments in this article. In addition, comments

at various workshops and meetings will be included. Improvement can always be made on this issue.

Key points in developing a positive relationship include but are not limited to:1. Authority2. Responsibility3. Respect4. Trust5. Communication6. Cooperation7. Delegation

Authority and ResponsibilityCommissioners and council members have both the authority and respon-sibility to make decisions, set policy, and respond to questions from the public. In many cases a response

requires input from staff - engineer, finance, or others. Staff members need reasonable time for input since in some cases some research may be necessary while keeping up with day-to-day responsibilities. Staff members are responsible to provide input in a timely manner, however, considering the commissioner may be responding to an unhappy constituent or a media question where timeliness may be important for credibility.

Respect and TrustRespect for and trust in those with whom we work is essential to main-taining morale and good working relations. Elected officials should never micro-manage, but instead, should give staff the “room to work.”

Continued on page 9


Registered inNorth Dakota,South Dakota,

andMontana

Roads, Bridges, Bridge Inspection, GIS/GPS Services, Mapping, Waste Water, Subdivisions, Testing, Surveying, Platting

109 South Main * Box 376BOWMAN, ND 68623Phone: 701-523-3340Fax: 701-523-5243

3561 Old Whitewood Rd * Box 686STURGIS, SD 57787Phone: 605-347-2722Fax: 605-347-2822

3030 Airport Rd, Ste A * Box 23PIERRE, SD 57501Phone: 605-224-1123Fax: 605-224-0659

BroszEngineering, Inc & Architecture


I will relate to this item with personal experience: I am an engineer and a city commissioner. When engineer-ing issues arise, I feel a need to offer a solution based on my experience. A former public works director and I had great respect and trust in each other. But, when I offered too many “solu-tions,” he would say “Commissioner, please back-off and let us do our work!” Respect and trust was essen-tial to this excellent relationship.

Communication and CooperationCommunication is a critical item in cooperation between the two levels of responsibility. Once of the “seven deadly sins” of leadership is failing to

keep people informed. For example, in one organization surveyed over a four-year period, communication was one of the 20 items evaluated on a scale of 0.0 - 4.0 with a 3.0 consid-ered the minimum for operationally effectiveness. Scores ranged from 2.4 to 2.8. Improvement was made, but additional work was needed. How would your organization score?

My many years in state government included numerous problem-solving meetings and discussions. Many of these included communication con-cerns both from bottom up and top down in the chain of command. Why? Because we assume others know what we want when in reality they don’t. Don’t assume. Communicate face-to-face as much as possible.

On some issues this needs to be one-on-one between a commissioner or council member and a staff member for clarity of understanding of the is-sue, before the commission or council meeting.

DelegationDelegation requires commissioners and council members to step back and give your staff members “room to work.” Delegation does not mean relinquishing control. It means setting standards, providing guidance, doing follow-up, and taking corrective action when necessary to prevent disasters.

SummaryCommissioner/Council Member and Staff relationships can be effective and enjoyable if we operate within our authority, respect those with whom we work, and communicate effectively.

Larry WeissCentral SD LTAP ProviderReprinted with permission:The Connection - Winter 2003

Continued from page 8

Establishing a Good Staff and Commission Relationship - con’t

The Pennington County Board of Commissioners wishes to thank everyone for attending the 2011

County Convention in our beautiful Black Hills of South

Dakota.

A special thank you goes out to Bob, Kris, Carrie and Dani for a

great convention!

We appreciate the support shown during the tour of the Mountain Pine Beetle devastation and also

want to thank the participants who toured Ellsworth Air Force Base.

We all have unique Counties with similar issues and it is important we continue to work together to make

our State the greatest it can be!

We look forward to seeing all of you at next year’s convention!


County Listings

United We Build

605.352.8643 • TrueNorthSteel.com

We’ve integrated Huron Culvert & Tank with our otherbusinesses into TrueNorth Steel. Together we’re stronger. And we stand united as a single provider of steel structures, tanks, corrugated pipe, bridges and logistics.

City of Spearfish Street Superintendent

Responsibilities: Perform all necessary administrative duties and oversee and

direct all assigned operations, and activities of the street department. Will estab-lish departmental policies, short and long range goals, objectives, performance

standards, and assumes direct accountability for departmental results. Requirements: Undergraduate degree, formal training and/or experience equiv-alent to a Bachelor’s Degree from a Technical Institute in engineering, construc-tion, or equivalent. Five to seven years experience with street and road main-tenance activities, five of which in a supervisory capacity. Possession of valid South Dakota Class 1A Commercial Driver’s License with air brake and tanker

endorsement. High school diploma or GED Certificate. How to Apply: Interested applicants must submit a completed City of Spear-fish application to the Human Resource Office, 625 Fifth Street, Spearfish, SD 57783; phone: 605-642-1354; fax: 605-642-1329; email: jodi.friedel@cityof-

spearfish.com Minimum Salary $22.93 per hour; Equal Opportunity Employer. First review of applications will be November 28, 2011. Position will be open

until filled. To view entire position description please visit the City’s web page at

www.cityofspearfish.com

Clark CountyHighway Superintendent

The Clark County Board of Commissioners are taking

applications for the position of Highway Superintendent.

Closing date will be December 1, 2011 at 5:00 p.m. The Board will

review applications beginning December 6th, continuing until the position is filled. Starting date will

be January 1, 2012. Applications can be picked up at

the Clark County Auditor’s Office which is located in the Courthouse

@ 200 North Commercial. For information, contact Nancy

Worth, Auditor @ 605-532-5921. Clark County is an equal

opportunity employer.


County News

Important Dates to

RememberDecember 14 & 15, 2011SDACC, SDACO, SDML

Joint Board MeetingRamkota Hotel - Pierre, SD

January 10 - March 2, 201287th Legislative Session

Pierre, SD

March 21 - 22, 2012SDACC & SDACWO Spring Workshop

Ramkota Hotel - Pierre, SD

May 9 - 11, 2012SDACO Spring Workshop

Ramkota Hotel - Pierre, SD

September 16 - 19, 2012SD County Convention

Sheraton Hotel & Convention CenterMinnehaha County - Sioux Falls, SD

Veteran Service Officer / Emergency Management DirectorMEADE COUNTY,SD (Sturgis)

Is responsible for performing professional administrative and managerial duties to assist veterans with eligible benefits.

Additionally, the development and maintenance of an Emergency Management Program for Meade County.

Position includes a generous benefits program.See: www.meadecounty.org for application instructions.

Contact: Jerry Derr @ 605.720.1625 Email: [email protected] December 1, 2011


Are inmate medical costs draining your county budgets?The South Dakota Association of County Commis-sioners (SDACC) is proud to partner with Correction-al Risk Services (CRS) to offer two programs to help South Dakota counties contain the costs of medical care for county inmates.

Choose from:Inmate Medical Claims Review Service: CRS will perform claims administration management for all county inmates housed in a county jail. Claims admin-istration management will include:

1. Determine if the medical treatment was actually delivered.2. Determine if the medical treatment was medically necessary.3. Provide hospital and physician discounts, where available, through our PPO network.4. Negotiate ‘quick pay’ discounts from providers whenever possible.5. Prepare checks to be sent to hospitals, physicians, and other medical care providers.6. Furnish explanations of payment.7. Provide detailed claims reports.8. Furnish Sheriff Department personnel with Inmate Provider Claim Cards.9. CRS retains a percentage of what they save on the billing. If there are no savings – there are no costs to the county.

Inmate Medical Budget Protector: CRS will provide inmate excess medical insurance for county inmates. The policy will include the Claims Administration Management and the following:

1. A $10,000 deductible per county inmate, per con-tract year.2. A policy limit up to $250,000 (less deductible) per inmate, per contract year.3. Covered charges include: a. Inpatient hospitalization b. Outpatient surgical charges c. Emergency room charges - if followed by a hos-pital admission d. Physicians’ & surgeons’ fees e. Anesthesiologists & radiologists charges, f. Nurses charges g. Diagnostic x-ray & laboratory services h. Dressings, drugs, & medicines dispensed in a hospital or outpatient facility i. Medical conditions such as cancer, heart, kidney, diabetes are covered illnesses j. Accidental injuries, fights, self-inflicted injuries, and attempted suicide.4. No pre-existing medical condition limitations after coverage has been in effect for 72 hours.

NOTE: This is a summary of the plan details. Please call SDACC at (605) 224-4554 for specific details.

Juvenile detention medical costs are also eligible for these programs!

Sheriffs’ departments and county governments are faced with the ever

increasing problem of providing medical, dental, and prescription drug benefits to an inmate population. In

today’s climate of rapidly rising hospital costs, sheriff and county

budgets are stretched beyond limit. Often times those budgets are exceeded

well in advance of year end.

Program Services

**Members**McPherson & Mellette

Counties

“What we do is provide an insurance policy to the county in the event an

inmate has a large medical claim”

Correctional Risk Services, Inc


Bon Homme County

County Spotlight

Largest City: TyndallCounty Seat: TyndallPopulation: 7,070Founded: 1862Size: 581 square miles

Bon Homme County, founded in 1862, is located in the southeastern corner of South Dakota and offers a pictur-esque landscape of the Missouri River, bluffs, ravines and surrounding prairie. In 1865 an attempt was made to change the county name from “Bon Homme” to “Jeffer-son”, but was not approved by Governor Newton Edmunds.

Bon Homme is named after the French term for “good man.” This name was first applied to a 2,000 acre island in the river, mentioned by Lewis and Clark in their journal. A town which sprang up nearby took its name from the island and was the earliest settlement in the county. This location was also the first county seat. When the Chicago, Milwau-kee and St. Paul railroad was built in 1879, the town of Bon Homme was left out of the plans. The stores, shops, hotels began closing, pioneers homes moved out, the final blow came in the spring of 1885 when the county seat moved to Tyndall.

Bon Homme County is rich in history. In 1804, the famous Lewis & Clark Expedition traveled through the area on the Missouri River and would later be purchased in Thomas Jefferson’s Louisiana Purchase. In 1874 General Custer and his army stayed in the county on their way to the Little Bighorn. They camped near the town of Springfield and were forced to stay longer than expected because of the flooding caused by the Missouri River. Six men of his 7th Calvary died during the stay and their graves can be found near the Spring-field area.

Avon was established as a post office in 1879. This was located in the pioneer home of Mr. & Mrs. George Phoenix. It was named either for Mr. Phoenix’s home-town Avon, New York or by Mrs. Phoenix for Shakespeare “the bard of Avon.” When the railroad came through the area in 1900 the post office was moved 1 1/2 miles northwest to it’s present location.

Scotland was incorporated in 1881 as a village by special charter. General Camp-bell, a Civil War Veteran, settled on the old

Firesteel Trail from Yankton to Fort Thompson in 1871 and his place became the site of the town of Scotland.

Springfield was named because of the many springs near the town site. Springfield was incorporated in 1872 and again in 1879.

Tabor was name by early Czech settlers for a town in Bohe-mia. The settlement began in the spring of 1870.

Tyndall was named by Dr. O. Richmond for John Tyndall, the British scientist who lectured throughout the United States in 1872. The town was founded in 1879 and grew little until 1885, when it became the county seat.


Permanent Life Insurance Program


In recent years the cost of employee-paid benefits has risen dramatically. As a result, employers are finding it more difficult to meet the demands for any enhancements or updates to benefit schedules.

Along similar lines, middle wage earn-ers are not receiving individualized and personal life insurance planning assistance as they once did due to a reduction in agents and profit margins for smaller permanent life insuranceproducts. Generally there are medical and underwriting requirements which also make it more difficult to secure long-term protection at affordable prices for average income earners.

The South Dakota Association of County Commissioners has entered

into an agreement with Boston Mutual Life Insurance Company to provide South Dakota counties the Employee Life Option (ELO), which is a whole life permanent insurance program. Boston Mutual Life Insurance Com-pany has been in business since 1891 and has an excellent financial insur-ance rating, competitive premiums, commitment to service and stature in the industry.

The ELO program is completely vol-untary and is being offered via payroll deductions. It is not meant to duplicate or replace any current benefits. It is available to all elected officials and employees, as well as their spouses, dependent children and grandchildren. A family member can be covered without the employee or elected of-

ficial personally buying cover-age. Neither the employee/elected official nor eligible family members can be turned down for certain guaran-teed amounts due to past or present health problems and no physical or blood testing is required. How-ever, a spouse may be subject to medical ques-tions if treated in a medical facility within the prior six months of enrolling.

Premiums are guaranteed to never increase. The face amount,

www.sayreassociates.com ● Phone: (605) 332-7211

Asking questions. Solving problems. Timely results.

Our goal is complete customer satisfaction on every project. Call us to see how we can provide solutions for your civil engineering needs.

cash values and paid-up benefits will never decrease. Cash values are currently earning 4.25 percent. The insured can continue the ELO upon retirement or termination of employ-ment with no increase in premiums or decrease in benefits.

Many units of government offer group term insurance that provides insur-ance for a specific period of time in the event the insured dies prematurely. Few, if any, offer permanent life insur-ance which combines death protection with savings no matter when death occurs. Less than 2 percent of the policyholders ever collect benefits from term insurance while 100 percent collect benefits from permanent life insurance.

The Boston Mutual Life Insurance ELO is serviced and enrolled by Haus-er and Associates Insurance Services. The agency’s reputation for service, integrity and professionalism is well documented. Their experience with county government was critical in the decision to endorse this product. Their commitment to the customer’s interest is also well recognized.

This is an opportunity for govern-ments to offer an insurance product to their employees and families at no additional cost to the taxpayers. Many of these employees are otherwise unable to obtain life insurance in the conventional market for their personal long-term and post-retirement needs. Identifying and addressing employee’s needs is a means to improved perform-ance, a more content workforce and a higher appreciation of the employer.

For more information contact the South Dakota Counties office at (605) 224-4554 or by email:[email protected].


Nationwide Offers New Ways to Help Workers Prepare for Retirement

Retirement News

Your employees have many needs. If those needs were all the same, devel-oping a benefits program would be easy. How can you help employees with their needs without taxing your compensation package or your benefits team?

By enhancing a program you already offer: your NACo Deferred Compen-sation Plan, provided by Nationwide Retirement Solutions.

Consider offering a Roth option in your 457(b) PlanThanks to a law passed in late 2010, you can now amend your NACo Deferred Compensation Plan to allow participants to make designated Roth contributions to their Plan account. In doing so, you’d be giving employees the benefit of choice.

Employees would be able to decide for themselves whether to defer taxes now and pay them as they withdraw assets from the Plan; or they could pay taxes on contributions now, and take taxfree withdrawals. They could even split deferrals between pretax contributions and designated Roth contributions, to help diversify their tax position during retirement.

For employees, contributing to a Roth 457 may be valuable if they think their tax rate will be higher in retire-ment, and they want to be able to take advantage of the potential tax-free withdrawals.

For employers like you, offering Roth 457 capability can build employee goodwill without adding a lot of cost to your benefits package.

Introducing... A new service for participants age 50 and overAs employees’ retirement date ap-

proach ever more quickly, they may have a lot of financial questions. Of course, Nationwide offers professional Retirement Specialists to help as they find the answers they’re looking for through the NACo Deferred Compen-sation Plan.

But what about questions about finances outside the Plan?Nationwide is here to help with those questions, too, through a special ar-rangement with Nationwide Securi-ties, LLC – an affiliate of Nationwide Retirement Solutions. With just one toll-free phone call, your participants can have access to personalized guid-ance as they develop a plan that covers all of their financial resources, not just retirement assets with the Plan.

This new service is designed to help public employees take a look at their complete financial picture, and posi-tion themselves to enjoy the transition into and through retirement.To learn more about adding Roth 457 as a Plan option or about our new Participant Solutions service, contact

Carmen Toman,Nationwide Program Director, by email at [email protected] or by phone by calling 414.276.2079.

Securities offered through Nationwide Se-curities, LLC, P.O. Box 183137, Columbus, OH 43218, 888.753.7364, member FINRA, SIPC. Nationwide Securities, LLC is an af-filiate of Nationwide Retirement Solutions, Inc. The products and services offered by Nationwide Securities, LLC are separate and distinct from the plan administration services that are provided by Nationwide Retirement Solutions, Inc. Nationwide rep-resentatives are Registered Representatives of Nationwide Investment Services Corpora-tion, member FINRA.

Nationwide Retirement Solutions (Na-tionwide) makes payments to the National Association of Counties (NACo) and the NACo Financial Services Center Partner-ship (FSC) for services and endorsements that NACo provides for all its members generally related to Nationwide’s products and services sold exclusively in public sector retirement markets. More detail about these payments is available at www.nrsforu.com.© 2011 Nationwide Retirement Solutions. All rights reserved. Nationwide, On Your Side and the Nationwide framemark are service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company.

Bridge Design / Inspection

GIS (Geographic Information Systems)

Surveying

Construction Services

Structural Engineering

Architecture/Interior Design

BANNEREngineering | Architecture | Surveying

Brookings | Sioux Falls | Vermillion | Rapid Citywww.bannerassociates.com

Civil Engineering / Roadways

Land/ Site Design & Development

Drainage / Flood Studies

Water Resources

Water Distribution, Storage & Treatment

Wastewater Collection & Treatment


Senator Tim Johnson136 Hart Senate Office BldgWashington, DC 20510(202) 224-5842Fax: (202) 225-5823

Aberdeen (605) 226-3440Rapid City (605) 341-3990Sioux Falls (605) 332-8896

Senator John ThuneUnited States Senate SR-493Washington, DC 20515(202) 224-2321Fax: (202) 228-5429

Aberdeen (605) 225-8823Rapid City (605) 348-7551Sioux Falls (605) 334-9596

Representative Kristi Noem226 Cannon House Office BldgWashington, DC 20515(202) 225-2801Fax: (202) 225-5823

Rapid City - (605) 791-4673Sioux Falls (605) 367-8371

Congressional Delegation

South Dakota has a strong history of military service. Thousands of South Dakotans have put themselves in harm's way to protect our liberties and freedoms. Many have made the ulti-mate sacrifice to keep our nation safe and secure. Many others have returned home wounded. Veterans have earned, and deserve, the benefits they were promised.

Recently in Congress, I have worked to pass budgets which protect the critical veterans programs many rely on. Still, some in Washington and the media are using scare tactics to let veterans believe solving our budget crisis requires cutting veterans’ ben-efits. Nothing could be further from the truth. Despite these rumors, I have and will continue fighting for veterans’ benefits.

Specifically, I voted to protect veterans funding in the House passed budget,

The Path to Prosperity, which cuts trillions in non-veterans funding over the next decade. The House passed budget does not cut mandatory fund-ing from the Department of Veterans Affairs budget. Contrary to what many have said, this budget has vet-erans spending levels in line with the President's budget requests.

I also supported HR 2055, the FY2012 Military Construction & Veterans Af-fairs Appropriations Act. This bill has mandatory and discretionary funding levels at an 8% increase over FY2011 and equal to President Obama's budget request.

And most recently, I worked in Con-gress to get us past the debt ceiling crisis. I voted to cut spending and balance the budget with the Budget Control Act. Among other important parts of this legislation, mandatory veterans programs were protected

from any cuts.

I will work to continue providing and improving veterans' benefits and health care services, especially to those in rural areas. My staff and I are here to serve you. My staff can assist with military service-related records requests, help procure replacement medals, and answer your questions about retirement and disability com-pensation claims.

It is important we take care of those who have sacrificed so much on our behalf while also trimming the overall federal budget. So far this year, the House of Representatives has advo-cated exactly that.

Rep. Kristi Noem is South Dakota’s lone U.S. Representative, elected in November 2010. She serves on the Agriculture, Education and Workforce and Natural Resources Committees.

Keeping Our Promise to Veterans by Representative Kristi Noem


Assisting Communitieswith Development and Rehabilitation of Affordable Housing

HOME Funds Rural Site Development Funds Housing Tax Credits Bond Financing

HOUSING S O U T H D A K O T A

D E V E L O P M E N T A U T H O R I T Y

605.773.3181 800.540.4241 www.sdhda.org

County News

2011 SDACO Scholarship Recipient

Congratulations to Danielle Walder, recipient of the

2011 SDACO scholarship award. Danielle is the daugher of

Monica Walder, Charles Mix Register of Deeds

and is a Junior at South Dakota State University.

CongratulationsButte County!

The Butte County Courthouse is officially a centenarian.

The building has been a pillar of justice and commerce since 1911. County officials laid out items of historical significance during an

open house celebrating the courthouse’s birthday.

Photo courtesy of Jodie Baxendale

Veteran’s Memorial to honor all branches of service was recently

dedicated.Photo courtesy of DD Jacobson

Stanley CountyVeteran’s Memorial


SDACC Associate Member DirectoryAgriculture United of SDSteve DickPO Box 507Sioux Falls, SD 57101Phone: (605) 336-3622Agriculture

American Engineering TestingRobert Temme, PE1745 Samco RdRapid City, SD 57702Phone: (605) 388-0029Engineering

American State BankKelley VanLithPO Box 1178Pierre, SD 57501Phone: (605) 224-9233Financial Services

Architecture IncorporatedSusan KahlerPO Box 2140Sioux Falls, SD 57101Phone: (605) 339-1711Architectural Firm

BankWestKristin Brost420 S Pierre StPierre, SD 57501Phone: (605) 224-7391Financial services

Banner Associates, IncDoug WesselPO Box 298Brookings, SD 57006Phone: (605) 692-6342Engineering, Architecture, Surveying

Beckenhauer ConstructionRon StaufferPO Box 866Norfolk, NE 68702Phone: (402) 371-5363Construction Mgmt, Design Build

Best Western SD Ramkota HotelsJean Lacher3211 W Sencore DrSioux Falls, SD 57107Phone: (605) 334-2371Hotels, Accommodations

Black Hills PowerJulio “”Mutch” UseraPO Box 1400Rapid City, SD 57709Phone: (605) 716-3951Diversified energy holding company

Brosz EngineeringBlake Barringer3030 Airport RdPierre, SD 57501Phone: (605) 224-1123Engineering

Buskerud ConstructionDean HerllPO Box 187Dell Rapids, SD 57022Phone: (605) 428-5483Construction Services & Materials

Butler MachineryKelly Humble3401 33rd St SFargo, ND 58104Phone: (701) 298-1705SD Caterpillar dealer

CenturyLinkJeff Carmon125 S Dakota Avenue 8th FlSioux Falls, SD 57104Phone: (605) 339-6871Communications

Clark EngineeringKevin Goff1410 W Russell StSioux Falls, SD 57104Phone: (605) 331-2505Engineering & Surveying

Correctional Risk ServicesDJ Kreal215 Jamestown Park Dr #201Brentwood, TN 37027Phone: (615) 376-6101Inmate Excess Medical Insurance

Diamond Mowers IncDavid Burkhart27134 Parklane DriveSioux Falls, SD 57106Phone: (605) 368-5865Agricultural Mowers

Diesel Machinery IncDon Mosey4301 N Cliff AveSioux Falls, SD 57104Phone: (605) 336-0411Construction Equip Distributor

Dougherty & Company LLCTom Grimmond110 S Phillips Ave Suite 203Sioux Falls, SD 57104Phone: (605) 339-9800Finance

Election Systems and SoftwareMike Hoversten11208 John Galt BlvdOmaha, NE 68137Phone: (402) 938-1305Elections Services

Hagan Benefits IncJeff PedersonPO Box 903Sioux Falls, SD 57101Phone: (605) 334-1030Liability & Property Insurance

Howard R. Green IncChad Hanisch, PE6010 S Minnesota Ave #102Sioux Falls, SD 57108Phone: (605) 334-4499Engineering/Consulting

Insurance Benefits IncKaren Ripperda4901 Isabel Place #110Sioux Falls, SD 57108Phone: (605) 334-7252Insurance

Jebro IncMike Spohr2303 Bridgeport DriveSioux City, IA 51111Phone: (800) 831-8037Asphalt Products Supplier

Lankota Custom TruckStacy Haberer1800 E Benson RoadSioux Falls, SD 57104Phone: (605) 336-1727Truck & construction equipment

McLeod Printing & Office SuppliesBrad Zimmerman1011 S EdgertonMitchell, SD 57301Phone: (605) 996-5151Printing and office supplies

Metal Culverts, IncMichael L. RackersPO Box 330Jefferson City, MO 65102Phone: (573) 636-7312Corrugated metal pipe & drainage

Mryl and Roy’s Paving, IncPatty Nohr1300 N Bahnson AveSioux Falls, SD 57103Phone: (605) 334-3204Asphalt Const & Aggregate Supply

NACo Prescription Drug Card Brad Stone620 Epsilon DrPittsburgh, PA 15238Phone: (412) 967-2307Prescription Drug Card

Nationwide Retirement SolutionsTom Sierakowski5404 D J LaneSchofield, WI 54476Phone: (715) 355-9889Retirement Programs

Northland SecuritiesToby Morris215 W Sioux AvePierre, SD 57501Phone: (605) 224-5557Public Finance

RDO EquipmentBrad Gietzen2801 N Louise AveSioux Falls, SD 57107Phone: (605) 336-2730John Deere Equip Sales & Service

Sayre Associates, IncMonty Miller, P.E.216 S Duluth AveSioux Falls, SD 57104Phone: (605) 332-7211Civil Engineering & Land Surveying

Sheehan Mack Sales & EquipEric Matzen901 E 60th St NSioux Falls, SD 57104Phone: (605) 336-2000Contractors’ Equip & Supplies

Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc Alec Boyce401 E 8th Street, Suite 309Sioux Falls, SD 57103Phone: (605) 330-7000Engineering, Architectural Consulting

Simplifile, LCDallen Miner4844 N 300 W, Suite 202Provo, UT 84604Phone: (800) 460-5657E-Recording

Stulken, Petersen, Lingle,Walti & Jones, LLPDavid LinglePO Box 578Pierre, SD 57501Phone: (605) 224-5828Certified Public Accountants

Team Laboratory Chemical CorpMichelle MaierPO Box 1467Detroit Lakes, MN 56502Phone: (218) 846-9490Industrial Chemical Sales

The Sidwell CompanyKaren Fouts675 Sidwell CourtSt. Charles, IL 60174Phone: (630) 549-1000GIS, Aerial Photography

Titan MachineryMatt Leighton4201 N Cliff AveSioux Falls, SD 57104Phone: (605) 336-3434Equipment Dealer

TriMin Government SolutionsBill Juergens2277 Hwy 36 W, Suite 101ERoseville, MN 55113Phone: (651) 604-3617Land Records Mgmt System

TrueNorth SteelShane DavidsPO Box 1439Huron, SD 57350Phone: (605) 352-8643Corrugated culverts & steel tanks

Tyler TechnologiesBrad King5519 53rd StLubbock, TX 79414Phone: (800) 646-2633Computer Software & Services

Ultra/ Connecting PointDoreen Singrey504 Jenson Ave SEWatertown, SD 57201Phone: (605) 882-1555Computer Hardware and Software


Supporters of County

Government!

SDACO Associate Member DirectoryActive Data SystemsDamon Durick2504 W 46th StSioux Falls, SD 57104Phone: (605) 335-5906www.activedatasystems.com

American State BankKelly Van Lith, VP of Marketing700 E Sioux AvePierre, SD 57501Phone: (605) 224-9233www.asbpierre.comBanking Services

BankWest, Inc.Kristin Brost, VP of MarketingPO Box 998Pierre, SD 57501Phone: (605) 224-7391www.bankwest-sd.comBanking, Insurance, Trust, Brokerage

Brosz EngineeringBlake Barringer3030 Airport RdPierre, SD 57501Phone: (605) 224-1123Engineering

Computer Software AssociatesAustin Bunning, Territory Manager11 N 26th StBillings, MT 59101Phone: (800) 247-1161www.csa-inc.netDocument Pro-Indexing and Imaging Solution

Election Systems & SoftwareMike Hoversten, Regional Acct Mgt11208 John Galt Blvd.Omaha, NE 68137Phone: (612) 940-5962E-mail: [email protected] Equipment, Supplies and Services

DeMersseman Jensen Tellinghuisen Stanton & Huffman, LLPRoger Tellinghuisen516 Fifth StreetRapid City, SD 57701E-mail: [email protected]: (605) 342-2814Fax: (605) 342-0732Law Firm

Hagan Benefits, Inc.Jeff Pederson, President1741 S Cleveland Ave, Ste 200Sioux Falls, SD 57103Phone: (605) 334-1030www.hagangroup.comAdministrator and Marketing forSouth Dakota Public Assurance Al-liance (liability and property pool)

hal Systems CorporationKathy Taylor, Consultant8111 Lyndon B. Johnson Frwy, #860Dallas, TX 75251E-mail: [email protected]: (303) 791-5688 or(800) 442-9273Fax: (214) 691-4730www.halFILE.comwww.CountyRecords.comAffordable records management

Insurance Benefits, Inc.Karen Ripperda,SDML WC Fund Administrator4901 Isabel Place, Ste 110Sioux Falls, SD 57108Phone: (800) 233-9073www.sdmlwcfund.comSDML Worker’s Compensation Fund

Legal Support ServicesSteve Polley19 Nickel PlaceSpearfish, SD 57783Phone: (800) 583-0365

McLeod's Printing & Office SupplyBrad Zimmerman1011 S EdgertonMitchell, SD 57301Phone: (800) 952-2201Printing

Microfilm Imaging Systems, Inc.Curt Reiter2530 Harney StOmaha, NE 68131Phone: (402) 346-7211Document Imaging & Scanning, Scan Plats & Maps, Service & Sell Micro-film Equipment

Northland Securities, LLCTobin Morris, Vice President215 W Sioux AvenuePierre, SD 57501Phone: (877) 224-5557www.northlandsecurities.comPublic Finance

Pierre Area Chamber of CommerceLaura Schoen Carbonneau, CEO800 W Dakota AvePierre, SD 57501Phone: (605) 224-7361www.pierre.org

PryntCommTom Roberts, Sales Manager303 E. Sioux AvePierre, SD 57501Phone: (605) 224-9999www.pryntcomm.comCommercial printing

Ramkota Hotels of SDGloriann Kueter3211 W Sencore DriveSioux Falls, SD 57101Phone: (605) 965-1423www.regency-mgmt.comHotels, Restaurants, Conference Centers

Risty BenefitsRoger R. Risty,PresidentPO Box 90335Sioux Falls, SD 57118Phone: (605) 338-1489www.ristybenefits.comEmployee Benefits – Medical plans, Life, Disability, Homeowners/Auto Workers Compensation Commercial Casualty

SimplifileDallen MinerVice President4844 North 300 West, Ste, 202Provo, UT 84604E-mail: [email protected]: (800) 460-5657Fax: (801) 373-1417www.simplifile.comProvider of e-recording services

Software Services Inc.Patti Guthrie614 N Kiwanis AveSioux Falls, SD 57104Phone: (605) 334-5200

TriMin Government SolutionsBill Juergens, Account Executive2277 Hwy 36 West, Suite 101ERoseville, MN 55113E-mail: [email protected]: (651) 604-3617Cell: (612) 590-9892www.trimingov.comLand Records Management Systems Cashiering, Web Access, e-recording, Auto Indexing, Imaging, Redaction

Tyler TechnologiesLocal Government DivisionBrad King, Territory Sales Manager4021 W 23rd St.Sioux City, IA 51103E-mail: [email protected]: (712) 258-1143 or(800) 747-8649www.tylertech.com

Ultra Inc./Connecting PointDoreen Singrey504 Jenson Ave SEWatertown, SD 57201Phone: (800) 529-5500www.connectingpoint.bizCounty Software, HardwareNetworking

Wells Fargo Real Estate Tax ServiceTheresa Sheerin,Client Service ConsultantOne Home CampusMac #X2301-026Des Moines, IA 50328Phone: (800) 499-4829 ext. 40550Procure & payment of real estate taxes

PeriodicalSD Ass’n of County Commissioners222 E Capitol Ave., Suite 1Pierre, SD 57501Ph: 605-224-4554, 1-800-439-5672Fax: 605-224-4833email: [email protected]

All we cover are South DakotaPublic Entities. You are our business.

Endorsed by:

For More Information Contact:

Hagan Benefits, Inc.Celebrating 25 Years of Service!Liability & Property877-273-1712www.hagangroup.com

For More InformationContact:

Workers’ Compensation800-233-9073

www.sdmlwcfund.com

Sponsored by:SD Association of

County Commissioners

Specializing inWorkers’ Compensation

forPublic Entities

Stable Rates Financial Stability Investment in SD

Banks Free Loss Control

Your County AssociationSponsored Program

South Dakota PublicAssurance Alliance

The MAJORITY of the CountyOfficials protect their Tax Payers byhaving their Liability and PropertyCoverages through the SDPAA.

We have broad specializedcoverage for public entities inthe following areas:• General Liability• Automobile Liability• Automobile Physical Damage• Public Officials Liability• Law Enforcement Liability• Property Coverage• Boiler CoverageVolunteers, Appointed andElected Officials are included.

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

Pierre, SDPermit No. 5

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

nov/dec county comment

Documents

life cycle cost forms

life cycle cost advantage

use of life cycle costing

life cycle cost proposals

caterpillar yellow

trademarks of caterpillar

cat equipment

high equipment costs