Relying on the government to protect your privacy is like asking a peeping tom to install your window blinds.

John Perry Barlow

And so it begins!

Mayor Tom Glas called the July 1, 2019, regular meeting of the Alcester City Council to order or at least that was I assume his intent with Alcester City Councilman David Larsen, Alcester City Councilwoman Melissa Kay, Alcester City Councilwoman Linda Talbott, and Alcester City Councilwoman Darla Reppe in attendance with Alcester City Councilman Lance Johnson sitting in his chair. Also seated at the Table was Alcester City Attorney Sam Nelson.

The Council, Cling-ons Pat and Wanda, and the gallery stood to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. The council began their duties by approving the agenda as written by Pat and since the meeting actually took place, FO Pat must have managed to post it properly. The council went on to approve the minutes of the June 3, 2019, and the June 19/20, 2019 meeting as penned by FO Pat. Next on the approved agenda was item #5 May 2019 warrants, wait a minute? May 2019 warrants? FO Slip-shod forgot the May 2019 warrants? How was the absence of a routine, imperative agenda item missed in the May agenda? Evidently paying bills was not a high priority on FO Pat’s ‘list’ in May.

Public Input was called and of course I responded. Really, I think they should just give me my own agenda line item. Chuckle, Chuckle Prior to the meeting I placed copies of my second request to be emailed an agenda for all city meetings. The original requested was made August 7, 2017 and was ignored, not even a peep from FO Pat. A-mazing! I am entitled as a resident, as a reporting entity and I provided a copy of Conducting the Public’s Business in Public, A guide to South Dakota’s Open Meetings Law (revised Fall of 2015) where I highlighted pertinent passages the council had been ignoring. One of the highlighted areas was the opinion of the SD Attorney General who opined, “that ‘local news media’ is all news media-broadcast and print that regularly carry news to the community.” The third document I provided to the council was a citation of SDCL 1-25-11,

” Recording of open public meeting to be permitted. No state, political subdivision, or public body may prevent a person from recording, through audio or video technology, a public meeting that is open to the public as long as the recording is reasonable, obvious, and not disruptive.(Source: SL 2016, ch 11, §1.)  

Councilman David Larsen asked me if the Open Meeting citation I used included the changes which went into effect on July 1, 2019. I told him no, it did not. Readers rest assured I will read the changes and report how they may affect the residents of Alcester.

Legal Updates from Alcester City Attorney Sam included the Cemetery Update. I am not sure it was the wisest thing for the city to take on a perpetual care money pit. Perpetual care was deemed to be a good thing once upon a time, but it doesn’t ever seem to take into account perpetual care can mean not just mowing and trimming but roads, maintenance of markers, plot assignments, and etc.

And then there was the attack on the feral cat. Now folks I like cats, I am allergic but I like cats and I hate the idea of trapping them in cages and hauling them off to be euthanized. I spoke to the humane society today because it was my understanding they would not take feral cats, I was given the information they will attempt to re-home some feral cats which are healthy they will not take on feral cats suffering from feline leukemia or bat-bite rabies. These cats will be euthanized. In addition the bat-bite, rabied cats are dangerous to trap ’cause rabies is not always apparent and we do not pay our police enough money to take that chance. FO Pat maybe but not our police force.

So the council decided to use the animal-at-large ordinance for the time-being. So take heed Councilmember who has the cutest little cats, hauls them out to the acreage 6 miles out of town, those little cuties will come back into town and as an Alcester taxpayer you will have the privilege to pay to have then spayed and/or euthanized!

Next up agenda item Community Clean Up. The Finance Office Nazi’s are at it again! Demand letters are in the mail.

Relying on the government to protect your privacy is like asking Assistant Finance Secretary/Meter Reader Wanda to read your water meter through your windows.

Vickie A. Larsen shamelessly inspired by John Perry Barlow

One resident has pushed back on FO Pat Jurrens, Code Officer Geoff’s demand to breach the sanctity of their home for inspection. Really? The PC and folks this stands for probable cause not politically correct! Frau FO Pat Jurrens and Freikorper Geoff Fillingsness using FO Pat’s Bible of Bilious Bullying, the 2012 International Property Maintenance Code.

The 2012 International Property Code book includes chapters on Scope and application, Administration-Powers of Code Official, Definitions, General Requirements, Light-Ventilation and occupancy limits, Plumbing facilities & fixtures, Mechanicals & Electrical, Fire Safety, Reference Std and Boarding Std.

(http://www.hs-sd.org/assets/docs/uploads/Planning-administrator/icc.ipmc.2012.pdf)

          Folks anyone armed with this listing of tactics, a camera, and allowed within a house-hold can produce enough probable cause for a magistrate to use against Mr. Clean’s household. Do not take my word, look the code up and then ask yourself, “how well would my home do” held to the exaggeration of any one of these standards? Stop Mayor Glas and FO Pat’s Bullying!

The council voted to allow $12K for a Sioux Falls company to ‘come-in and force-ably clean house. Hey will that work on the Finance Office? Can we start a go-fund-me to clean up our Finance Office? Oh I know, we’ll take out a CDBG loan to clean up our finance office.

Going on to the Curb and Gutter discussion, Ya know the one 518 Anderson Street Randy Roo’s where Mayor Glas and FO Pat maintained approval was given, professionally chopped the Curb and council approval. Both Mayor Glas and FO Pat LIED and Denied FOIA answers. In fact FO Pat gave permission which she was not authorized to give (01:12:59) per Alcester City Attorney Sam Nelson. ACA Nelson says there should be a building permit, so Mayor Glas declared since there were no materials purchased no building permit fee was due! REALLY? So what about the demolition fee? Randy Ray Roo definitely demolished the curb, a city asset. Can the rest of us do that? Evidently yes, ’cause ol’ Councilman Lance Johnson has his non-materials picked-out so he doesn’t have to back his 5th wheel camper across Randy Roo’s lot to get to the street. Let Mayor Magoo know what you think of that, 605-934-2188 The professional who butchered the curb was in fact Randy Ray Heuer. Gee I thought he was a farmer. Professional what? Rooster? Or the ‘other’ kind of professional? Oh and let’s not forget Mayor Glas’ declaration that, “…the cutting out was done professionally and does not affect the flow of water…” Are ya kidding? So just how does water flow Mayor Magoo? Downhill or from a rain-laden cloud to the earth via gravity?

Agenda Item# 10 Downtown Sidewalk -width-not-width ADA? Heck if we know!

Agenda Item #12 Circle Drive Estimated at $6300 but that is too much. So we can cobbled it (no pun intended) by applying 64 ton of rocks ($2500 with $4 per ton trucking) Motion and vote went like this, we spend up to $3K and with five ayes passed.

Agenda Item #16-Pat actually made it to this conference, she larned all about public input-we’ll see.

Approve June Warrants- Evidently we are going to follow the agenda.

Confused discussion on time sheets, paychecks, paystubs, detailed comp time and pay rates. Pat explained this to council members who are supposed to be over-sight to Pat’s book-keeping. Good Luck on that one.

Meeting adjourned at 8:42 pm.